Letting Jesus Shine Through Us!
Notes
Transcript
Letting Jesus Shine Through Us!
Letting Jesus Shine Through Us!
Are you letting Jesus shine through you?
In 1924, B.B. McKinney wrote these words of a hymn:
While passing thro’ this world of sin, and others your life shall view, be clean and pure without, within, let others see Jesus in you.
Your life’s a book before their eyes, they’re reading it thro’ and thro say, does it point them to the skies, do others see Jesus in you?
Then live for Christ both day and night, be faithful, be brave and true, and lead the lost to life and light; let others see Jesus in you.
Let others see Jesus in you, let others see Jesus in you; keep telling the story, be faithful and true, let others see Jesus in you.
Do others see Jesus in you? Matthew 5:16 Jesus said,
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Several years ago Billy Graham was in India for a crusade. While he was there he witnessed to a man about the Lord Jesus Christ and then asked him if he would become a Christian. The man gave this response: “I like what you have said. If I ever see a real Christian I will become one.” Billy Graham said, “The most tragic aspect about the man’s response was that he was looking at me when he said it.”
I want to challenge every one who is a born again child of God to let Jesus shine through you daily in your attitudes and in your actions. Acts 6:8-15 gives us some facts about letting Jesus shine through us.
Let’s read this section.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous 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 change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” 15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
This passage gives us some facts about letting Jesus shine through us. Let’s take a look at verse 8.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
I. Stephen was actively used by God among his current culture (8)
A. He was full of faith and power (8a)
Luke already told us some about Stephen’s character in verse 5.
In verse 8 Luke describes him as a man full of faith and power. Some manuscripts have it, “full of grace.”
Stephen’s gracious in character.
Is that how people see you? Remember, he was full of the Holy Spirit.
When we are allowing the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we won’t be crude, cynical, unkind, unloving, or negative.
When we are submitted and filled with the Holy Spirit He will produce within us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Stephen was submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit.
That is how Jesus can shine through us.
And Stephen was full of power. dunamis - extreme power.
B. He did wonderful things (8b)
Luke does not tell us specifically the things that Stephen was doing, but the words he uses gives us a general sense of how God was using His servant.
“Did”: poy-eh’-o; to make or do.
This word is in the imperfect tense in the Greek language which tells us that Stephen was continually doing this great wonders and signs among the people.
Stephen was not satisfied with just serving tables and ministering within the flock. He had a burning desire to witness to those who were lost about the saving grace of our Lord Jesus.
He did great wonders and signs among the people. He did wonders and miracles that the people could not deny.
Stephen was taking the initiative and finding new and wider areas of service. He was working and sharing about Jesus “among the people.”
God can do wonders through us if we are willing to be used by Him and available.
Laramie’s story.
This seemingly ordinary act was a turning point for this man. Laramie’s timely act and the grace he showed gave him hope.
He may not have performed a miracle in the traditional sense. Still, through his genuine compassion and kindness, Laramie allowed Jesus to shine through him, and in doing so, God worked a life-saving wonder.
We may not be performing miracles today, but when we allow Jesus to shine through us, God can work wonders through us. Stephen was a man God used to work wonders among his current culture.
What happens next?
II. Stephen's own people opposed him (9-14)
A. The people attacked him (9-10)
1. They disputed with Stephen (9b)
9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.
Luke tells us who arose up against Stephen.
They were of the Synagogue of the Freedmen.
Freedmen: These were the descendants of Jewish slaves who were captured by Rome under Pompey in 63 B.C. They later obtained their freedom and there they formed a Jewish community. Luke lists Jews from several different Mediterranean regions.
Cyrenians: These Jews were from Cyrene which was the main city in North Africa. Simon, who was compelled to carry the cross of the Lord Jesus was from Cyrene. (Matthew 27:32)
Alexandrians: These Jews were from Alexandria which was the capital of Egypt.
Cilicia: These Jews were from Cilicia which was a Roman province in Asia Minor. The city of Tarsus was located in Cilicia.
Asia: This referred to the province in the Western part of Asia Minor whose capital was Ephesus.
These were Hellenistic Jews. Stephen went to his own people.
“disputing” - The Greek word used here means “to enquire, question with, reason together.” This word refers more to a formal debate. But I’m sure it may have gotten heated on the part of the members of the synagogue.
They didn’t like what Stephen said about Jesus. But...
2. They were defenseless against Stephen (10)
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
Stephen was filled with the Spirit of God and wisdom (vs. 3) and the Jews could not refute is defense. They were defenseless against the wisdom and the Spirit by which Stephen spoke.
Stephen was filled with the Spirit of God and spoke with the wisdom and power of God. The result was that the Jews were defenseless!
By the way, when we are filled with the Spirit of God and have the wisdom of God the world will not be able to resist or refute what we say! We speak the truth in love and the Holy Spirit uses His word to convict sinners of sin.
Next...
B. The people plotted against him (11-14)
1. They secretly plotted (11a)
11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
This is just like Satan. When his initial plan falters he always has a plan B to use against God’s servants. The story of Stephen parallels closely with that of the Lord Jesus. They could not find fault with Jesus so they set up false witness against Him.
The Bible tells us of the secrecy of the plot! They secretly induced men to lie about Stephen.
2. They seriously plotted (11b-14)
a. They accused Stephen of blasphemy (11b, 13-14)
11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous 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 change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
David Jeremiah said, “It’s interesting that they cited Moses first. They were more concerned about Stephen’s damage to their religion than they were damage to God.”
b. They apprehended Stephen (12)
12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
They did a thorough job of inciting the crowd against Stephen. Then they arrested him.
They were infuriated by what they heard so they attacked and apprehended God’s servant.
John Phillips wrote, “The nation, having officially rejected the Son of God, was now going to officially reject the Spirit of God with the same trumped-up charges, the same use of false witnesses, the same use of the mob, the same lawless murder of the victim.”
When Satan cannot get us through intimidation he will use manipulation, and when he cannot stop us through manipulation he will resort to domination! This physical attack on Stephen was evidence of this!
When you are allowing Jesus’ light to shine through you, Satan will not be happy. Keep shining.
Finally, we see how Stephen responded to all this.
III. Stephen's attitude and actions allowed Jesus to shine through (15)
15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
A. Everyone saw it (15a)
They looked steadfastly at him. This was no casual glance, but a steadfast stare!
Steadfastly: at-en-id’-zo; (to stretch); to gaze intently:- behold earnestly (stedfastly), fasten (eyes), look (earnestly, steadfastly, up steadfastly), set eyes.
All eyes were fixed on Stephen. They wanted to see how he would respond to the charges!
Would he be angered by the accusations? Would he defend himself against the accusers?
They looked steadfastly at him. Stephen didn’t put on a false face to hide his true feelings. He didn’t look down in shame over his true disposition! Stephen reflected the glory of God.
His appearance was evident to all. His appearance was for all; we also see:
B. They saw heaven in his face (15b)
His face shown with the brilliance and radiance of an angel of God! He reflected the glory of God because he spent time with the Son of God!
The Jews had accused him of blasphemy and speaking evil against Moses.
Remember how Moses’ face shown after he came off the mountain?
Warren Wiersbe wrote, “It was as though God was saying, ‘This man is not against Moses! He is like Moses—he is My faithful servant!” All the council looked steadfastly at Stephen and saw his face shining like the face of an angel! John Phillips wrote, “It was not hate they saw there, nor horror, but heaven.”
When others look on us I pray that they would see faithful men and women of God who shine the light of Jesus in this world! Are we letting Jesus shine through us?
In his book “The Pursuit of Excellence,” author Ted Engstrom writes, “I was cleaning out a desk drawer when I found a flashlight I hadn’t used in over a year. I flipped the switch on but wasn’t surprised when it gave no light. I unscrewed it and shook it to get the batteries out, but they wouldn’t budge. Finally, after some effort, they came loose. What a mess! Battery acid had corroded the entire inside of the flashlight. The batteries were new when I’d put them in, and I’d stored them in a safe, warm place. But there was one problem. Those batteries weren’t made to be warm and comfortable. They were designed to be turned on—to be used. It’s the same with us. We weren’t created to be warm, safe, and comfortable. You and I were made to be “turned on” -to put love to work, to apply our patience in difficult, trying situations—to let our light shine.”
The Lord is calling for Christians to let Jesus shine through us! Are you serving Jesus? Are you suffering because of your testimony? Are you reflecting His light and His love to this world? We can learn much from God’s faithful servant Stephen!
Let’s let Jesus shine through us daily in our attitudes and our actions.