Acts 07_54-60 When All Else Fails, Kill the Messenger

Read Acts 7:54-60 – This is on an Indiana tombstone: “Pause, Stranger, when you pass me by, / As you are now, so once was I. / As I am now, so you will be, / So prepare for death and follow me.” Someone added: “To follow you I’m not content, / Until I know which way you went.” Wise person!

So, here we are with the first martyr of the church. And God highlights here the difference between Stephen and his accusers. Every person who ever lived must ultimately choose for God, as revealed in Christ, or against. There’s no middle ground on this question. Who will we follow? Stephen, or his accusers. Seeing which way they went can help us determine which way we’ll go.

I. Rage-filled vs. Spirit-filled

Stephen’s opposition were “enraged” – cut to the quick. His words ripped the veneer off their false spirituality – showing them to be law-breakers, not law-keepers. He’d exposed the hypocrisy inside – “dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” in Jesus’ words. They were enraged to be exposed as hypocrites.

They “ground their teeth at him” – bared their teeth in extreme anger. This is an OT term. Psa 37:12: “The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.” They were like all unbelievers – sitting in church week after week, thinking their out merit will save them, while inside they seethe at a God who demands repentance – who demands to be Lord.

But in “grinding their teeth” they were just giving a preview of their eternal destiny? “Why?” Jesus describes hell in Mt 13:42: “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” He describes it that way seven times in the gospels. Anger against God will be part of every person who has have, denied, ignored, blasphemed or otherwise rejected Jesus Christ. They will hate God.

Unbelievers hate God because they cannot meet His righteous standard, and yet will not humble themselves and accept Christ. Martin Luther was pious. He worked harder than any of us to get God’s acceptance. But he didn’t love God. He said, “I knew I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience. . . . I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God who punished sinners.” That will be the reaction of everyone outside Christ – perhaps outwardly or perhaps an unrecognized seething anger inside – but it is there and it will be UNTIL we realize that what God demands, God supplies, and accept it by faith in Christ. That will dissipate the anger.

As opposed to his rage-filled opponents, Stephen was “full of the HS” --controlled by Him. It means to seek His plan rather than our own. And the sure sign He’s in control? Gal 5:22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23) gentleness, self-control.” Stephen had all that even when on trial for his life. Not natural, right? This is Spirit-control – life lived above the circumstances, lived on a divine plane.

Stephen experienced what Jesus promised in Lu 12:11-12: “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12) for the HS will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Being filled with the Spirit was a way of life with Stephen. It not only led to a miraculous ministry, it enabled a dignified defense and departure. He exemplified Peter’s comment: I Pet 4:14: “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” Bc he was controlled by the Spirit, Stephen was equally at home when things were going well as when he was about to die. He lived what Paul later wrote: Phil 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” You can’t touch someone who is living life with that kind of perspective. That is the Spirit-filled existence.

II. Blind to reality vs Alive to reality

Human existence is fraught with peril bc it seems all of reality is bounded by the physical. Yet the Bible warns in II Cor 4:18: “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” So – if ultimate reality is not physically perceived, but unseen, where do I find out about that?

Jesus told Pilate in Jn 18:37: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” We get truth from Jesus and his disciples – like Stephen. But look Stephen’s opponents: 57) “But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears.” Here is ultimate truth-stopping. They cried out to drown Stephen’s description of seeing Jesus at the right hand of God – and they covered their ears! What do kids do when they don’t want to hear you? Cover their ears. Just like Christ-rejecters deny the truth of His revelation.

Jesus said, Mt 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Ultimate reality isn’t defined by physical experience; it is the truth of God found in his written and Living Word. But here, Stephen gets a physical glimpse into ultimate reality! They are shutting truth out; meantime Stephen “gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hands of God” (55). His faith is rewarded by getting to see eternal reality moments before he actually arrived there. This is an amazing moment – almost like the disciples on the Mountain of transfiguration – a rare moment when the curtains are parted and a faithful servant gets a glimpse of the glory of Father and Son and reports back to all of us so we can believe as well.

But those outside of Christ are in perpetual denial. They’re like passengers on a plane from Miami to LA filled with people just off a cruise ship. Everybody was still in the party mood, making the most of the remaining hours of their little break from reality. But reality caught up to them. A women had an allergic reaction to something and slumped forward – dead. Right in the mid-party. They took the body off in Dallas and resumed their journey toward LA. A pastor told the flight attendant, "Ma’am, I'm a pastor; if anyone would like to talk about what's happened, I'm available in seat 12A." She responded: "No need, sir. We’re giving everyone free drinks for the rest of the flight." Within an hour everyone was back partying on. So human.

Despite the reality of death; despite God’s warnings in natural disasters; His revelation in the wonders of the universe, unbelievers live in denial of spiritual reality. They put their spiritual hands over their ears and bury their spiritual head in the sand. “I don’t want to hear it.” That’s why Jesus so often said as in Lu 8:8, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” It’s a warning: “Denial of truth does not negate truth.” Isn’t it time to listen?

III. Christ-Rejected vs. Christ-Commended

Stephen had God’s stamp of approval. Recall before his defense even began: Acts 6:15: “And gazing at him, all who sat in the council (every person in that room) saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” This sounds like Moses coming down after receiving the 10 commandments. “Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God” (Ex 34:29b). He had to wear a veil for a time to alleviate the people’s fear. This is God saying, “Stephen’s not against Moses; he’s like Moses!”

But now the trial’s over; the council, filled with rage, are illegally preparing to stone him to death, and what happens? Stephen sees “Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (55b). Nine times the NT depicts Christ sitting at God’s right hand. This is the one instance where he is standing. Why?

Some, like Wm Kelly, suggest Jesus is standing ready to come again should Israel repent, even at this late date. But that’s highly unlikely. For one thing, coming again then would have negated His own predictions of a desecrated temple (Mt 24; Mk 13), Jerusalem’s destruction (Mt 24-25; Lu 21) and a church age (Mt 16, 18). Those had not happened yet by this time.

So why does He stand? I think 2 reasons. First, He is rising as an advocate for Stephen – vindicating his message: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Whoever else may condemn Stephen, the Judge himself is his advocate. Some of the most chilling words Jesus ever spoke were these: “But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10:33). Jesus standing is testimony in Stephen’s defense that he is accepted, but his opponents are not.

But 2nd , Stephen’s getting a death sentence as Jesus predicted: Lu 21:16b: “and some of you they will put to death.” Here’s the first. So for the sake of this one – and the thousands who will follow as martyrs – I think Jesus standing is a non-verbal message: “Welcome home. Well done, good and faithful servant.” His stance commends the believer while rejecting the unbeliever. What a commendation! It’s a stupendous moment that tells us all whatever happens here – it will be worth it all. So hang on.

Rom 8:18: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Stephen’s getting a preview of glory a few minutes early to encourage all who follow – it’s true. Vindication’s coming. Esther Kerr Rusthoi had it right: “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, / Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; / One glimpse of his dear face all sorrows will erase, / So bravely run the race ‘til we see Christ.” The reward will far outweigh the cost. Glory is coming!

IV. Spiritually Dead vs. Spiritually Alive

Here’s the irony. The human court illegally imposed the death sentence and then carried it out. But the Sanhedrin is no longer a rational body; they are a mob, intent on killing their rival – with the concurrence of young Saul.

But as the human court imposes the death sentence, God imposes a life sentence. Stephen says in 59b: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” They wanted Stephen dead and gone. They got him dead, but not gone. He was with Jesus as Paul wrote in II Cor 5:8 when he said, “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” Stephen knew exactly where he was going. He had new, spiritual, eternal life in Christ.

Meanwhile, the mob was not alive - but dead. Paul describes rejecters Eph 2:1: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” Spiritually dead – dead to God. Unbelieving in the face of one of history’s greatest sermons by one of God’s choice servants. They were seeking to earn God by their own actions. But Paul says, Eph 2:8: “For by grace you have been saved thru faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Spiritual life is a gift, not for purchase at any price. Which means when you’ve missed Jesus, you’ve missed it all. Jn 17:3: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” No Jesus; no life. Jesus does not offer to make bad people good; He makes dead people alive. Physical death wasn’t the end; it was just the beginning of eternal life with Jesus.

Jim Elliott, who was speared to death in 1956 at age 29 by the Auca Indians in Ecuador he had come to share Christ with, had written 6 years earlier, “I seek not a long life, but a full one, like You, Lord Jesus. I must not think it strange if God takes in youth those whom I would have kept on earth till they were older. God is people Eternity, and I must not restrict Him to old men and women.” We must choose spiritual life, even over physical death.

V. Hateful vs. Loving

Stephen’s experience is so like Jesus, isn’t it? 60) “And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’” Even as his opponent foam at the mouth with hate in their hearts, he personifies God’s love – praying God will forgive even as they kill him. No doubt God saved Saul in partial answer to that prayer. Amazing, isn’t it?

Such love can only come from Christ. This should have been the most compelling evidence of all to Stephen’s opponents of the truth of his message. II Cor 5:14: “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15) and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” That’s the supernatural love Stephen showed.

A heckler once shouted to a street preacher speaking on Acts 7: “Why didn’t God do something for Stephen when they were stoning him?” The preacher replied, “God did do something for Stephen. He gave him the grace to forgive his murderers and to pray for them!” Don’t we want that kind of grace in our lives – grace that forgives enemies to show forth Christ?!

Conc – During World War II, an American warship in the Pacific was transporting some wounded Japanese prisoners. The medical officer in charge took such excellent care of the prisoners that one fellow-officer complained, "Why don't you just let them die the way they let our men die?" The medical officer replied, "I don't play by their rules. I am a Christian. The Japanese leaders tell their soldiers all Americans are beasts. One day, these prisoners will return to their country knowing they were lied to. They’ll know they were treated with compassion. I'm going to do my best to replace the hatred in their hearts with the love of Christ. That's the only way we're going to ever have peace in this world." That’s the message of Stephen’s life and death. God help it to be ours. Let’s pray.

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