The Martyrdom of Stephen - Part 2 (Acts 7:1-53)

Welcome and Announcements

Be aware that Natalie and I will be away December 8th-10th. We’re not going on vacation, we’re just taking a quick trip to SC. If you need to talk with us, please feel free to call, text, or email. If there is an emergency, please contact Deane Herbst.

Next week, December 11th, we have several different things occuring during and after Sunday AM Worship:

Austin Burton, intern with BRN Next at Penn State University will be preaching during the Sunday AM service.

After the service, we’ll have a brief special business meeting in which we have several things that we’re voting on—since I’m obligated to tell you what we’re voting on in advance, let me just list them—and if you have questions about them, feel free to ask me after today’s service:

The first order of business involves voting new members into the church, which will be done without ballots.

Everything else will be done on ballots:

Tara Domanick is resigning as clerk in order to serve as treasurer—we need to approve both the resignation and nomination.

Melissa Bush has agreed to serve as clerk—we need to approve this nomination.

Tom Medzie has gone through training to serve as a deacon—we need to affirm his service in this role.

The whole meeting should take about ten minutes, but please plan to be there if you are a member.

On December 17th there will be a Ladies’ Cookie Baking Extravaganza starting at 11am until the cookies are finished. This is an opportunity for outreach—the cookies are baked, divided into bags, and then are utilized by the church to essentially meet your neighbors and talk to them about Jesus—as in, we’ll provide the cookies the next day at church, you’ll be able to take as many as you need, and you’ll use them as an opportunity to meet your neighbors, talk to them about Jesus, and ask them to visit our church. Please see Natalie, if you have any questions.

In your worship guides, you’ll notice a list of dates that you should note. These are special services and changes to our worship schedule for Christmas and New Years.

Let me encourage you to take a look at the list.

To prevent confusion, I will only mention these dates the week before—I’m not going to list them during our announcements every week, but they will be available in every worship guide until the end of the year.

You’ll notice this morning that we’re gradually shifting towards a brief Christmas series—that’s happening primarily through decoration and musical worship over the next two weeks. After the 11th, our Sunday morning series will focus on the Joy of Christmas before we return in January to Acts.

Let me remind you to continue worshiping the Lord through your giving. To help you give, we have three ways to do so, (1) cash and checks can be given at the offering box. Checks should be written to Grace & Peace; debit, credit, and ACH transfers can be done either by (2) texting 84321 with your $[amount] and following the text prompts or (3) by visiting us online at www.giving.gapb.church. Of course, everything you give goes to the building up of our local church and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gradual shift towards Christmas

Prayer of Repentance and Adoration

Call to Worship (Psalm 68:1-7)

Our Call to Worship this morning is Psalm 68:1-7, which is a psalm of David that reflects on God’s majesty. It is a psalm that celebrates God’s working in and for Israel and it ends with great praise to the Lord. It is a rather long psalm, so we’ll be splitting it up over several weeks. Please stand and read with me Psalm 68:1-7, I’ll read the odd-numbered verses, please join me in reading the even-numbered verses.

Psalm 68:title–7 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. 1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! 2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! 3 But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy! 4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him! 5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 6 God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 7 O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah

Congregational Singing

Come Praise and Glorify (44)

Behold our God (126)

Christ, the Sure and Steady Anchor (406)

Scripture Reading (Acts 6:8-8:3)

Our Scripture Reading this morning is a large passage of Scripture. The reason for that is simple, the sermon is an exposition through part of this text, but to keep it in context, we’re reading through the entire pericope together before I preach through the smaller portion today. Remember, we’re in Luke’s account of Stephen’s martyrdom—last week we worked through the first section, this week, we’re working through the middle section, and in about three weeks, we’ll work through the last section. Natalie, can you read Acts 6:8-8:3 for us?

Acts 6:8–8:3 ESV

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. 17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. 23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’ 35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: “ ‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’ 44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 49 “ ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?’ 51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” 54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Preaching of God’s Word (Acts 7:1-53)

Introduction

Now, I realize that there is a lot for us to work through this morning, but I think you’ll see clearly that we really can’t divide this text any more than what we’re doing or we’ll lose what the text actually means. Because it is a much larger passage than what we typically work through during one service, I’ve made some concessions to shorten the amount of time required for us to work through the text—for instance, normally I re-read certain sections when we get to that section, we’re not going to do that this morning and usually we read the whole text before we dig into the passage, but since we’ve already read the text as Scripture Reading, we aren’t going to re-read the text.

Instead, let me explain exactly what Stephen is doing and then we’re going to jump straight in and because I’m not going to re-read the individual sections, I’ll do my best to make clear where we are throughout the sermon and I’d encourage you to do your best at following along throughout the text.

Stephen in this speech that he gives is utilizing the history of Israel to show how God had repeatedly spoken to Israel, but Israel continuously rejected God. Or in other words, God has been calling out to them throughout history and they keep rejecting Him. We see this in Stephen’s sermon as he works through different covenants that he had with different people throughout the Bible.

As we study this text, we’re going to look at it in four parts: (1) The Abrahamic Covenant (1-16), (2) The Sinaitic/Mosaic Covenant (17-43), (3) The Davidic Covenant (44-50) and (4) The New Covenant (51-53). We will see God’s grace, mercy, and goodness as He continuously worked in His people and cried out to His people. We’ll see just how stubborn and obstinate the Israelites were. I think we’ll be able to relate to the passage as those who stubbornly and obstinately oppose God even as believers, on occasion.

Prayer for Illumination

The Abrahamic Covenant (1-16)

Our text starts by transitioning the scene. Remember in Acts 6:8-15, we read about how Stephen was fulfilling his ministry as a deacon of the church and as he was doing these things, he was speaking the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We read about how those that didn’t want to listen to the Gospel did everything they possibly could against Stephen:

They accused him of lying

They instigated people who accused him of blasphemy

They then took him by force to the elders and scribes and set up false witnesses who claimed that Stephen spoke against the temple and the law.

Up to this point in the text, we actually don’t know much of what Stephen said, Scripture doesn’t tell us.

But it does tell us that what Stephen said was the wisdom of God given in the right spirit—meaning he was preaching the Gospel righteously.

And really, the fact that he was proclaiming the Gospel with the right spirit is the only reason why the people wouldn’t be able to withstand the wisdom that Stephen proclaimed.

Why? Because he wasn’t proclaiming his own, earthly, human wisdom; he was proclaiming the wisdom of God according to the truth of the Scriptures and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, he’s standing in front of the council, which has already been riled against him, we see see in v. 1, the high priest posing a simple question, “Are these things so?”

It’s this question that then moves us into this sermon-like speech from Stephen that continues over the next fifty-two verses.

I say that it is a sermon-like speech because some scholars today don’t think Stephen was preaching this—they think that he was providing truth in a teaching manner, but the reality is, his speech has all the hallmarks of a sermon.

He’s utilizing Scripture and he’s teaching and explaining what God’s Word says before, at the very end of his sermon, he calls out the Israelites for their lack of repentance.

That sounds to me like a sermon.

Regardless, he jumps straight in by talking about Abraham.

He calls the attention of all the people around him in v. 2, “Brothers and fathers, hear me” and then he starts by tracing the history of Israel starting with the one whom the Jewish people consider their founder.

And he’s not just focusing on the person, Abraham; he’s focusing on how God spoke to Abraham, “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, and said to him, ‘Go out from your land . . . and go into the land that I will show you.’”

He highlights again, God speaking to Abraham in v. 6, “And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. But I will judge the nation they serve, . . . and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ And he gave him the covenant of circumcision.”

As Stephen highlights how God had spoken through Abraham multiple times, the emphasis is on certain covenants or promises that God made to Abraham.

God covenanted with Abraham concerning the Promised Land.

God covenanted with Abraham concerning his offspring’s inheritance of that land.

And God’s covenant with Abraham is symbolized with the act of circumcision

This covenant is really spelled out in Genesis 17.

God says in Genesis 17:2, “I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” And then in Genesis 17:4, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations.” In Genesis 17:8, God promises the possession of the land of Canaan, “I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land where you live as a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

And in Genesis 17:10, God explains the issue of circumcision, “This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised . . . it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.”

Stephen is highlighting this covenant between God and Abraham to show that God had spoken to Israel and made Israel a promise through Abraham—what we now call the Abrahamic Covenant.

Of course, we know that Abraham eventually dies, but the historical account doesn’t end there. Stephen continues recounting this history by speaking of Joseph in Acts 7:9, “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt” but remember, Stephen is recounting how God worked in the lives of the Israelites.

And Stephen’s highlighting the covenants given—in this case the promise that Abraham’s descendents would inherit the Promised Land and God would be their God.

So Stephen reminds us of this, “but God was with [Joseph] and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, . . . who made him ruler over Egypt.”

So that when there was a famine throughout the land, Jacob was able to provide sustenance to the descendents of Abraham through the food reserves of Egypt.

It’s almost as if God was and is completely sovereign and through His providence was able to keep His promise even in the midst of a grave and dire situation.

Through God’s sovereignty and providence, the descendents of Abraham were saved from certain destruction.

And they continued to live with Joseph—all the descendents of Abraham remained in Egypt with the third patriarch, Jacob finally dying and being buried in the tomb Abraham had purchased in Schechem.

Here’s the issue, Egypt isn’t the Promised Land and thus, the promise of God was still unfulfilled. And as the descendents of Abraham remained in Egypt, they increased population-wise, until a new Pharoah came into power, one who wasn’t alive or had heard about all Joseph did not just for the Israelites, but also for Egypt and it set another covenant into motion.

The Sinaitic/Mosaic Covenant (17-43)

In V. 17-19, we read about this new Pharoah who had come into power and in v. 19, we see that “He dealt shrewdly with [the Israelites] and forced [their] fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive.”

And we see yet another desperate, grave, and terrible situation occurring to the descendents of Abraham until Moses was born.

Moses was born and v. 21 tells us that “Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and he was mighty in his words and deeds.”

Stephen continues by telling the history of Moses, who when he turned forty, decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.

We’re told in vv. 24-25, that when he saw one of them wronged, “he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.”

And when during the next day he tried to stop a fight amongst two Jewish people, the two Israelites retorted with “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

In fear, Moses fled—he ran to the land of Midian.

After forty years in the land of Midian, Moses sees an angel in the wilderness of Mount Sinai and when he saw the angel, v. 31 says, “he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord.”

Remember, Stephen is tracing how God had spoken to the Israelites throughout history, particularly in the covenants that he had given to the nation.

Moses comes towards this amazing sight, and “the voice of the Lord” says, “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob” and in v. 34 He continues with, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.”

Stephen points out how Moses responded with trembling and didn’t dare look at God. He explains that Moses was told to take his sandals off because he was standing on holy ground.

It’s interesting to note that Stephen doesn’t bother to point out the fact that Moses essentially argued with God, which we see in Exodus 3:10-11. God tells him to go to Pharaoh and release the children of Israel, “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Isreal out of Egypt.”

As the conversation between God and Moses continues, Moses says in Exodus 4:1, “What if they will not believe me and will not listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘Yahweh has not appeared to you.’”

And in Exodus 4:10, “Please, Lord, I have never been a man of words, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your slave; for I am one with a hard mouth and a hard tongue.”

I point out Moses’ unwillingness to show that God was able to utilize Moses even though he was unwilling.

It’s almost as if God was and is completely sovereign and through His providence was able to keep His promise even in the midst of unwilling and obstinate people.

We see how God worked through Moses in vv. 35-38, to bring His people out of Egypt with wonders and signs, through the Red Sea, and even in the wilderness for forty years.

And while in the wilderness, God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai and received “living oracles to give to [the Israelites].”

But note what Stephen says next in vv. 39-40, “Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us.’”

This is really the first instance in this sermon-like speech that we see disobedience from the nation of Israel highlighted emphatically.

Those who know their Old Testament, know that disobedience of the Israelites had started before this moment, but this is the first time in Stephen’s recounting of the history of Israel that he emphasizes that disobedience.

And it’s intentional—he highlights all these various signs and wonders done by God through Moses to bring the people out of Egypt for the purpose of the Israelites not only obtaining the Promised Land, but more importantly being God’s people able to worship Him freely.

But the people, the Israelites chose to disobey, to worship a golden calf and to reject the truth of God.

Instead of obeying God, they worshiped Moloch, Rephan, and other false idols and God gave them over to their sin.

Of course, we know that Jewish history doesn’t end here and despite their idolatry that caused God to give them over to their sin, they continued to live and survive and we see a new person introduced in vv. 44-50.

The Davidic Covenant (44-50)

Stephen points out that the fathers of Israel had the “tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it”

Or in other words, Stephen is speaking of the tabernacle that Moses constructed according to God’s specifications.

Moses directed the construction, the fathers of Israel put it together to be a movable place of worship for the nation of Israel as they traveled through the wilderness.

We see these instructions for the construction of the tabernacle starting all the way in Exodus 25-30, where God not only gives the instructions for the tabernacle, but for the various objects within the tabernacle—the incense, the anointing oil, the altar, the ark of the covenant, just to name some of these details.

Wedged in the middle of all this is a statement that the purpose of the tabernacle is for God to meet with the sons of Israel, for Him to dwell among the sons of Israel, and for the Israelites to know “that I am Yahweh their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am Yahweh their God.” (Exodus 29:46, LSB)

As the nation of Israel traveled through the wilderness, they brought the tabernacle with them. And after the forefathers of Israel removed the previous inhabitants of Canaan, they brought the tabernacle with them for worship of the Lord.

And it remained that way according to v. 45, “until the days of David, who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.”

Or in other words, King David petitions the Lord to build a permanent location or a permanent tabernacle—a temple for the Lord.

But David doesn’t actually build the temple, God tells David in 1 Chronicles 22:8, that there was too much blood on his hands to build a temple for the Lord, but his son can build this temple.

Solomon builds a temple and it is the first permanent structure constructed for the Lord.

Until Solomon’s day, Israel didn’t have a stationary temple for God, they only had the tabernacle.

But remember, even in the Old Testament, there was a realization that God didn’t need a temple and Stephen points that out in vv. 48-50, “Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?’”

Or in other words, God made everything, even the nicest temple that they could possibly build really is inconsequential to God.

However, the temple, just like the tabernacle existed for a specific purpose. What was its purpose? to provide a place in which God would dwell with His people.

The Israelites would use it for worship, for sacrifices, and for the various rituals demanded by God.

God would use it as a place in which He would dwell with them and speak to them—just like the tabernacle.

And just as a side-note, God utilized the temple for this purpose until Ezekiel 10 when Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord leave the temple and not return—in fact, it isn’t until the Holy Spirit indwells genuine believers in Acts 2 permanently that we see the glory of God return.

Or in other words, what Stephen is getting at through his sermon-like speech is actually quite simple—God has been speaking to the nation of Israel, He’s been doing amazing works in, through, and for the nation of Israel. So much so, that anyone watching could see that this was happening—in fact, Stephen proves this by showing it to us through the various covenants given by God in the Old Testament.

But here’s the problem, the Israelites aren’t listening and they aren’t obeying and that’s where the New Covenant comes into play.

The New Covenant (51-53)

Looks at vv. 51-53, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

This is the whole point that Stephen is driving at—that just like the Israelites in the past, those standing before him, the council, the high priest, and the scribes are just as disobedient.

Stephen calls them “stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears” and he doesn’t mean it as a compliment.

He’s calling them stubborn and obstinate—to be obstinate means to “stubbornly [refuse] to change one’s opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.” (Oxford Languages).

It is the very definition of being stiff-necked, which by the way, was a term utilized throughout the Old Testament to describe the generation that was taken through the wilderness—they refused to listen to the words of God.

Uncircumcised hearts is a reminder that their physical circumcision really doesn’t mean anything.

Patrick Schreiner, “To call them uncircumcised is to say that they are pagan Gentiles and echoes the words of the prophets.” (Patrick Schreiner, Acts, Christian Standard Commentary (Holman Reference, 2021), 254)

Their stiff-necked nature and uncircumcised heart and ears are seen in their resistance of the Holy Spirit.

Just like their forefathers, they do the same things—they hear the words of God, they see God moving and working, and instead of following in repentance and belief, they continue in their sin, and they continue to fight and war against God.

Just like their fathers, they persecute prophets and they killed those who announced Jesus’ advent into the world.

This particular group of Israelites have the unique characteristic of being the group who “betrayed and murdered” the Righteous One, the Anointed One, Messiah—Jesus.

Despite the fact that they were the ones who had received the law, which is a very important point to be made.

If anyone should have understood who Jesus was and worshiped Him the way that they should’ve, it should’ve been the high priests, the Sanhedrin, the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadduccees.

They were the ones who were supposedly experts of the Old Testament Scriptures.

But instead, they tried Jesus unfairly, they scourged Him, and they crucified Him on a cross—not realizing that by doing so, they fulfilled the very prophecies that the Messiah was to fulfill on earth.

Those that should’ve understood who Jesus was, completely missed the point and aided in His death.

Or in other words, Stephen has been utilizing the history of Israel to prove a very specific point.

That throughout the history of Israel—as given in the Old Testament—God repeatedly called out to them, He repeatedly worked in them, through them, and for them; He repeatedly called them to repentance, belief, and obedience to Him.

And time after time after time, they rejected Him, they disobeyed, they refused to repent, and they didn’t believe.

Which is precisely what was happening with the high priests, the Sanhedrin, the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadduccees in Acts 7.

They heard the truth, they understood the truth, and just like their ancestors, they will refuse to believe the truth—in fact in this case, Stephen will become the first martyr of the Christian faith, but we won’t get to that part until we return to Acts in January.

Stephen makes it abundantly clear that God has been calling out to them over and over; and He’s been providentially and sovereignly working in them over and over.

But in sin, the Israelites have rejected Him over and over.

And in sin, these Israelites are also going to reject Him over and over.

Which leads us this morning to our application for Acts 7:1-53. After reading this sermon-like speech from Stephen, the question is, how exactly ought we to apply it? And I think we can apply this in two primary ways—first, through the lens of the Israelites and second, through the lens of Stephen. I think it’s perfectly acceptable for us to exposit our application for this text in both ways, so let’s do just that:

Application

First, let’s look at this through the lens of the Israelites—we would be foolish to read this sermon-like speech from Stephen that was directed at the Israelites and not consider what the application was for the Israelites. I think I’ve been abundantly clear that the primary point being made by Stephen through this passage is that God had been consistently crying out to His people and calling them to repentance, belief, and obedience; but Israel repeatedly ignored Him, rejected Him, and disobeyed.

Throughout history God has been crying out to His people over and over again; and history has shown us that despite God doing this, despite Him being faithful, and despite all the work that He’s done for His people; the majority ignore Him, reject Him, and disobey.

In the case of Acts 7:1-53, Stephen shows us how exactly God has worked through the history of the Israelites.

Of course, unless you’re Jewish, you don’t really relate with all the historical details given concerning the Israelites, so let me help you sort of contextualize this.

Throughout your history—God has providentially worked to bring you to this moment in your life.

You may have had parents or grandparents that believed and continuously prayed for you and supported your pilgrimage to faith; you may have had friends and pastors who pointed you in the direction of the narrow way; and you may have had the support of people that you didn’t even realize were praying for you and hoping for you to repent, believe, and obey Jesus.

Or you may have come from a family that didn’t believe and you may not have had friends or pastors pointing you in the direction of the narrow way (or worse yet, you may have had friends and pastors pointing you the opposite direction by the wide path), or you may not have had the support that others had when it came to spiritual growth and maturity.

Nevertheless, you’re to the point now in life where God has providentially worked to bring you here—to hear the Gospel preached and to hear the whole counsel of God taught and proclaimed.

If you’re like me, you can reflect on your past and see how God utilized different people in your life to help shape your faith and help develop your character—and if you’re like me, as you reflect on those people, you may not have realized how God was using them until now.

But now that you’re reflecting on your life and those that have influenced your life, you realize that He has been calling you to repentance, belief, and obedience. The questions though are the same--have you repented? Do you believe? Are you obeying Jesus?

Have you actually repented from your sins, called on the name of Jesus, and have chosen to follow Him?

Or are you like the Sanhedrin, high priest, Pharisees, and Sadducees—who despite hearing the truth and understanding the Gospel, refuse to repent, refuse to believe, and refuse to obey Jesus?

Note that I’m not asking if you prayed the sinner’s prayer once, or if you go to church regularly, or read your Bible everyday.

I’m asking, have you actually repented, do you actually believe? Do you actually do what Jesus tells you to do?

Reflect on this and consider your own heart. And if you find yourself lacking in any of these, then I’m calling you to do what Stephen was calling the Israelites to do in Acts 7.

Repent from your sins, believe in Jesus, and obey Him.

Know Jesus and follow His commands.

If you find yourself wanting or needing more information concerning any of these ideas—believing, repenting, or obeying, please feel free to come and talk to me; I’d love to help you.

Jesus is calling you to repent, believe, and obey Him. Consider your heart:

Be sure that you’ve repented from your sins.

Stand firm on your belief in Him.

And then obey the commands that He has given—after all, those that love Him, keep His commands.

Our first application is that you need to be sure that you are a believer, you need to stand firm on your faith, and you need to obey Jesus’ commands.

He has been calling for you and providentially working all things for your good.

Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus, and obey Him.

Second, let’s look at this through the lens of Stephen—who was a deacon selected to serve the church, who recognized that Jesus had commanded all His disciples to make more disciples through the proclamation of the Gospel and teaching the whole counsel of God. And then he actually did these things—in a scenario in life that was desperate, dire, and could have had him fearfully running. There’s a lot that we can learn from Stephen in how he speaks his sermon-like speech and we can sum it up with this sentence—he boldly proclaimed only the truth.

Stephen knew that there was a potential for imprisonment, pain, suffering, and maybe even death—remember, this is the same Sanhedrin that crucified Jesus.

These are the same people who had the power to send people to the Romans for capital punishment—and clearly, they didn’t hesitate to do that to Jesus.

We may see what happened to Stephen and wonder why he wouldn’t just quiet down or why he wouldn’t just pretend to recant.

Why did he continue to proclaim the Gospel even when faced with opposition like this?

Because the Gospel is true whether people want to believe in it or not.

And Stephen realized that Jesus’ great commission still applied even when people hated him for proclaiming the truth.

Or in other words, opposition ought to be expected, the darkness hates the light; but if you’re simply obeying Jesus by proclaiming the Gospel—you really have nothing to fear.

Stephen knew what the truth was and he refused to back down from proclaiming the truth—even if it meant his death.

Because he knew the truth and because he knew that he was proclaiming the truth, even when confronted with opposition, he chose to keep obeying Jesus.

And lastly, note how he never bothered to give his opinion, he only gave factual details—something that often isn’t done today.

Part of the reason why Stephen could have boldness to proclaim what he did even when faced with significant opposition is simple—he didn’t give his own thoughts. He wasn’t giving his own opinion, he wasn’t giving his political ideology, he was simply proclaiming the truth according to God.

He only proclaimed the truth and he did it boldly because he knew that it was the truth that God had shown him and the apostles.

Which is precisely what preaching is supposed to be and do—it is supposed to only be the truth according to God; and it is supposed to only teach what God has said in His Word.

In fact, Paul warns against churches that proclaim something other than just the truth according to God’s Word:

Col 2:8 “8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (LSB)

Or consider 1 Cor 1:20-25 “20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased, through the foolishness of the message preached, to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (LSB)

What ought to be preached and proclaimed by the church from the platform?

The Gospel.

What ought to be taught by the church from the platform?

The whole counsel of God.

Stephen was bold in his proclamation of the truth—why?

Because it wasn’t his truth—it was God’s truth.

He wasn’t expressing opinions, he wasn’t expressing political ideology, he wasn’t explaining his philosophical notions—he was proclaiming the Gospel; he was teaching the whole counsel of God.

Our second application is this—you need to proclaim the truth with boldness.

Your opinions aren’t as important as the Gospel; your philosophy isn’t as worthwhile as God’s truth.

I think a good way to emphasize this is this—if people know more about you concerning your political views, your love of sports, your philosophical ideas, or really anything other than Jesus—you’ve missed the mark and you’re worshiping idols.

Proclaim the truth of God with boldness.

Put simply, what we learn from Stephen’s sermon-like speech is this: (1) God is calling for everyone to repent, believe, and obey Him—be sure you’ve actually repented, believe, and obey; and (2) if you’re sure that you are his, proclaim the truth of God’s Word with boldness.

Stephen’s message is clear and simple—don’t be like so many before you and completely miss who Jesus is--believe in Jesus, follow Him, and obey Him.

Pastoral Prayer

Congregational Singing

Joy to the World (224)