Kingdoms Collide Part 12: Follow the Leader

April 30, 2023

INTRO

Imitation Then and Now

From Copy Cat to imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

Acts 6:8–7:2 (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.

Acts 7:54–60 ESV

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) Live Like Jesus (v. 8-10)

“…full of grace and power...”

“…the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.”

So many times we claim Jesus, but we don’t live in boldness for Jesus.

“Fear will always be a factor in our lives.” - Dr. Lew Sterrett

Self-driven fear is the fear of being disappointed… A love driven fear is fear we may disappoint our Lord and Master.

Self-driven fear is the fear getting caught in our sin… A love driven fear is the fear our sin will drive others from the Gospel

Self-driven fear is the fear of loosing everything… A love driven fear is the fear we are selling ourselves short on the richness of spiritual maturity.

Self-driven fear is the fear we are not enough... A love driven fear is the fear that our flesh is in the way too much.

A self driven Fear of rejection or fear of the unknown will always keep us from living like Jesus, but the Love driven fear of the Lord and the fear that others will experience an eternity in the Hell, will embolden us to live like Jesus.

We need to be a people who fear the Lord and know Him more and more in relationship so that the things our enemy would have us fear that are unknown to us are not a factor.

When the joy of the Lord is our strength and the fear of the Lord is our motivation we will live in grace and power and wisdom. We will live like Jesus!

2) Speak Like Jesus (v. 7:2-53)

Called out the rejection of God by “God’s Chosen People”

v. 2-8: Abraham was faithful to God

v. 9-16: Patriarch’s rejected Joseph, yet God’s purpose prevailed

v. 17-29: Moses rejected by fellow Hebrews in Egypt, yet God’s purpose prevailed

v. 30-43: Moses & the Law of God rejected in the wilderness as the people turned to a golden calf of their own making, yet God’s purpose prevailed

v.44-50: God gave the tabernacle, then the temple, but the people rejected God and turned to other nations, yet God’s purpose prevailed because God doesn’t dwell in houses of stone

v.51-53: Their fathers rejected God and killed the prophets, they rejected God and killed the Righteous One

Truth is not Subjective…Truth is Objective

We need to be a people who know truth and speak truth in love.

Knowing the truth and reality of sin and not speaking to others about it is not loving.

Remember the video clip that Ricky played during the revival service of Penn Gilette, an atheist? How much do you have to hate someone to not tell them?

Stephen was pointing out to the people that relying on the things of their culture was a road of rejecting God’s purpose in their lives and they too had even rejected the Messiah.

Saul was present for this… (v.58)

You can’t tell me that when Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus that this message from Stephen didn’t come back to His mind is some fashion!

Sharing the truth of the Gospel will not always lead to salvation, but it will always plant the seed of the Gospel.

Story of D.L. Moody receiving complaints of evangelism methods.

“God will always prefer my way of evangelism to your lack of it.”

You are not guaranteed to lead someone to faith when you share the Gospel, but you are always guaranteed not to lead someone to faith in Jesus when you don’t.

More often than not, sharing the Gospel isn’t a one time event…you have to prepare the soil. Sometime you have to break up some hard ground with the plow of truth.

When Jesus spoke with people he told them truth and extended grace to the humble.

The Gospel may cost you, but it is very much worth the price of sharing.

3) Be Approved by Jesus (v. 54-60)

“…the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Jesus was standing, not sitting

This view of Jesus standing can have one of two meanings… or even a duel meaning in which both are applicable.

1: Jesus was standing in judgment of the people’s rejection of His message through Stephen.

Just as the Stephen points out the at the patriarchs and fathers are guilty of rejecting God time and time again, his audience is also guilty of rejecting God’s Messiah and killing him.

Psalm 110:1 “1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.””

A standing Lord is a view that the establishing of and rejection of the enemies of God is complete: Hence the people’s hard-heartedness and reaction to Stephen’s words - “…stopped their ears and rushed together at him.”

2: Jesus was standing in approval of Stephen’s witness and faithfulness to His message.

Stephen didn’t shy away from speaking the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even in the midst of previous threats and beatings. Also he spoke boldly in the midst of people making false claims and personal attacks. (He didn’t defend himself, but spoke the truth of God’s word.)

Seeing Jesus standing was a sign of approval, allowed by God for Stephen to see and be blessed and encouraged as shown through the vision itself and the transfiguration that Stephen experienced while speaking. This overwhelming approval by Jesus is also manifested in Stephen’s heart and repetition of Jesus’ words on the cross: “Receive my Spirit” “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

In either case, I think it is safe to understand the vision of Jesus standing with a dual purpose.

In our context, we should look to be encouraged by the approval of Stephen and motivated to share the Gospel by the Righteous and Holy judgment of God that awaits those who reject Jesus.

CLOSING

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TEXT, WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY STEPHEN’S BOLDNESS AND WISDOM THAT HE RECEIVED FROM GOD.

ARE YOU SEEKING TO LIVE LIKE JESUS, SPEAK LIKE JESUS, AND BE APPROVED BY OUR LORD AND KING JESUS?

AS WE PREPARE FOR THE LORD’S SUPPER, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING WITH. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE AGREEING TO REMEMBER AND BE DRIVEN TO. THIS CALLING IS WHAT WE ARE TAKING UPON OURSELVES.

USE THIS TIME TO PREPARE YOUR HEARTS. USE THIS TIME TO CHECK YOUR MOTIVATIONS. USE THIS TIME TO RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO BEING FAITHFUL TO JESUS!