The First Martyr of the Church; Stephen
Notes
Transcript
The Power of God’s Word and Witnessing
The Power of God’s Word and Witnessing
Introduction
This morning, we will be talking about the power of God.
Question for the morning:
Is God still working His power today in His church?
Does the God who...
Created the world and the universe out of nothing still do mighty works in our lives today?
Can the One who created a mighty nation out of one man still work in the individual lives of His people today?
Who heard the cries of His people when they were enlaved still listen?
Can the One who brought powerful plagues to Egypt and divided the Red Sea still do mighty works to make Himself known today?
Does God still speak through His people as He did in the lives of His prophets?
The answer to all of these questions is yes, He can!
How does God work through you today?
I will give you one example of how God is moving through your life today. It’s your witness to those around you. Both in your life and speech.
Testimony is not a synonym for autobiography! When we are truly witnessing, we are not talking about ourselves but about Christ.
John Stott
Let’s look at the life of our brother in Christ this morning who stood up when many would step away. (Please Stand).
7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. 13 They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ac 6:7–15.
I. The ever-growing power of God in witnessing (V. 7).
The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
A. The Word of God; What did God say?
-Our attention may be on the number of disciples that increased, but we must not miss why there was such a large increase in converts. It was because the Word of God kept spreading.
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
The Bible in the memory is better than the Bible in the book case.
Barbed Arrows, Page 279
Charles Spurgeon
II. The power of God through Stephen (Vv. 8-10).
A. Theological quarrel; Outnumbered by God
“8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.”
-Acts 6:7-10
What do we see here? These men belonged to a Greek-speaking synagogue, perhaps founded by or attended by freed slaves. These men from the Synagogue were outnumbered. The reason they couldn’t cope with Stephens's wisdom was that it was from God. It’s as Gamliel had said.
“So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;
but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”
One Man in the Majority
“Why count heads? One man with God is a majority though there be a thousand on the other side. Sometimes our helpers may be too many for God to work with them, as was the case with Gideon, who could do nothing till he had increased his forces by thinning out their numbers. But the Lord's hosts are never too few. When God would found a nation, He called Abram alone and blessed him. When He would vanquish proud Pharaoh, He used no armies, but Only Moses and Aaron. The "one man ministry," as certain wise men call it, has been far more used of the Lord than trained bands with their officers. Did all the Israelites together slay so many as Samson alone? Saul and his hosts slew their thousands, but David his ten thousands.
The Lord can give the enemy long odds and yet vanquish him. If we have faith, we have God with us, and what are multitudes of men? One shepherd's dog can drive before him a great flock of sheep. If the Lord sent thee, O my brother, His strength will accomplish His divine purpose. Wherefore, rely on the promise, and be very courageous.”
-Charles Spurgeon.
III. The power of God through Stephens's final testimony (Vv. 11-15).
Acts 6:11–15 (NASB95)
Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council.
They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law;
for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”
And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
A. Enduring the same trial as Christ
Matthew 26:59–62 (NASB95)
Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.
They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward,
and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’ ”
The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?”
B. The world’s philosophy; If you can’t beat them, bruise them.
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
C. An unshaken faith
-Stephen’s composure
Pure, calm, unruffled composure reflecting the presence of God.
Meditation/Application
This week, I want you to look through opportunities where you can point to the God who still moves today in the lives of His people. I challenge you to stand up in a dark world to clearly show the light of Jesus Christ.
How are you doing shining your light for Christ in your family, job, and community? Is Christ being heard? Is He being seen?