The First Martyr

Acts 6:8-7:60

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” ().

As the church in Jerusalem grew, persecution intensified...

Beginning with threats not to preach - Ac 4:18-21

Followed by beatings and more threats - Ac 5:40The persecution soon reached a new level...

Beginning with the martyrdom of Stephen, one of the seven - Ac 6:5

Leading to a great persecution against the whole church - Ac 8:1

PROMPTED BY HIS MINISTRY...

He disputed with some from the Synagogue of the Freedmen - Ac 6:9-10

Chapter 6 tells about a situation that was threatening to split the infant church. A group of widows was being neglected, and it was causing an administrative nightmare.

From this difficult situation, though, the church decided to set apart a group of people who would be seven servants.

One of these was a man named Stephen. A man who it was said was

Acts 6:8 KJV 1900

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

That “among the people” might give us a clue as to why he got himself into trouble with the religious leaders.

This is, in part, why the religious leaders hated Jesus so much. He was teaching with authority and boldness in a way that exposed the emptiness of those who claimed to be in power. He threatened their position.

When Stephen comes along, filled with the same Spirit as Jesus and proclaiming truth with similar boldness, the religious leaders seized him and sought to silence him. But rather than be silenced, Stephen spoke with even more boldness.

is a beautiful example of telling the story of the whole Bible and tying it to Christ. But it’s not the same type of evangelistic sermon, which Peter gave a few chapters prior. Stephen’s sermon is a different kind of prophetic speech.

He isn’t drawing his hearers to faith as much as he is giving defense and then proclaiming their guilt. In some ways, it’s not surprising that they responded as they did. This was Stephen’s concluding point:

Acts 7:51–52 KJV 1900

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

What is interesting is that we do not see this narrative playing out like a trial. There is no formality to this, just anger.

They make a false accusation:

Stephen speaks against Moses

Stephen speaks against the Tabernacle/Temple

They raised up a false accusation: that Stephen was speaking against the temple and trying to overturn the customs of Moses.

And as per usual, there is some truth to the charges. New life in Jesus does challenge the customs of Moses. And Jesus himself spoke about the temple being destroyed.

Stephen’s sermon is a defense of these two points. And his point is that they are misunderstanding both Moses and the temple. He shows how both point to Jesus.

GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ABRAHAM...

The call to leave Mesopotamia - Ac 7:2-3

The sojourn in Canaan - Ac 7:4

The promise of possession to his descendants - Ac 7:5-7

The covenant of circumcision - Ac 7:8

His descendants: Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs - Ac 7:8

THE PATRIARCHS' SOJOURN IN EGYPT...

Joseph sold into Egypt, becomes governor - Ac 7:9-10

Jacob and his sons move to Egypt during the famine - Ac 7:11-14

The patriarchs buried in Canaan - Ac 7:15-16

GOD'S DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL BY MOSES...

The children Israel in Egypt become slaves - Ac 7:17-19

The work of Moses, deliverer of Israel

Raised by Pharaoh's daughter - Ac 7:20-21

Educated by Egyptians, mighty in words and deeds - Ac 7:22

Kills an Egyptian, but despised by his brethren - Ac 7:23-28

Flees to Midian where he has two sons - Ac 7:29

The Lord appears to him in a burning bush at Mount Sinai - Ac 7:30-34

Returns to Egypt, delivers Israel and brings them into the wilderness - Ac 7:35-36

ISRAEL'S REBELLION AGAINST MOSES AND GOD...

Moses is the person:

Who said God would raise up another prophet like him - Ac 7:37

Who spoke to the Angel on Mount Sinai - Ac 7:38

Who received living oracles to give to Israel - Ac 7:38

Whom the fathers would not obey but rejected - Ac 7:39

Israel is the nation:

Who turned back into Egypt in their hearts - Ac 7:39

Who pressured Aaron to make a golden calf - Ac 7:40-41

Whom God gave up to worship idols for forty years in the wilderness - Ac 7:42-43

They may have offered sacrifices to the LordBut they also worshiped Moloch and Remphan - cf. Am 5:25-27

GOD'S TRUE TABERNACLE...

The fathers of Israel had the tabernacle of witness

In the wilderness, built according to the pattern shown Moses - Ac 7:44

Brought into the promised land by Joshua - Ac 7:45

They also had the temple

Asked for by David, who found favor before God - Ac 7:46

Built by his son Solomon - Ac 7:47

Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands

For heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool - Ac 7:48-49

His hand has made all these things - Ac 7:50; cf. Isa 66:1-2

ISRAEL'S RESISTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...

Stephen charges the council of resisting the Holy Spirit, like their fathers - Ac 7:51

Their fathers persecuted and killed the prophets, so they have killed the Just One - Ac 7:52

They received the law, but did not keep it - Ac 7:53

They are misunderstanding the kingdom and doing what the wicked have always done — rejecting God’s messengers. Their ancestors didn’t heed the prophets, and neither were they.

STEPHEN'S DEATH

THE REACTION OF THE COUNCIL...

They were cut to the heart

They gnashed at Stephen with their teeth - Ac 7:54

Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven

He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God - Ac 7:55

He tells what he saw: "The Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" - Ac 7:56

Why is Jesus standing?

He is otherwise described as sitting - Lk 22:69; Mk 16:19; Ac 2:34; Ep 1:20; Col 3:1; He 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; Re 3:21

Could it be out of respect, to welcome His first martyr?In response, the council:

Cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears - Ac 7:57

Ran at him with one accord, and cast him out of the city - Ac 7:58

THE STONING OF STEPHEN...

The witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of Saul - Ac 7:58; 22:20

Who consented to Stephen's death - Ac 8:1

Who later led a great persecution against the church - Ac 8:3; 9:1-2

They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God - Ac 7:59-60

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" - cf. Lk 23:46"Lord, do not charge them with this sin" - cf. Lk 23:34

Having said this, he fell asleep (i.e., died) - Ac 7:60; 8:1

They did exactly what Stephen said. They rejected God’s spokesperson.

The way in which Stephen died certainly had an impact. Stephen spoke of the heavens opening and there seeing Jesus at the . This was more than their ears could bear, but for Stephen, this was a deep comfort.

He proclaimed the glory of the Resurrected One and his rule from heaven (Acts 7:56).

He accepted martyrdom by mob justice, outside of the city as did his Lord (7:58; cf. Lk. 23:33; Jn. 19:17).

He entrusted his soul into the hands of God, as did Christ on the Cross (7:59; cf. Lk. 23:46).

He made intercession for mercy upon his enemies in the model of Christ (7:60; cf. Lk. 23:34).

The Scene from Stephen

They veil truly is rent.

The access of man to God has truly been opened.

Jesus is not a passive obersver

Standing to Welcome

Standing to Judgment

We reflect God’s Soveriegnty in life and death

Recieve my Spirit

Hold not this sin to their account.

Scene from the Sinner

Resistance

Rejection

Wrath

But its okay because it is all worth it for just one more soul…

Wait that’s not what that text says. That seems like a typo, or a mis print. Why didn’t we get the thousands swept into the kingdom of heaven thing. Where is the mass salvations at the end of the account. I want this to end like of God’s not dead. Where clearly the good guy wins and the bad guy loses.

But that doesn’t happen.

There is a song I sang years ago and I like it all told. But the heart of the song centers around this one idea.

If just one more soul were to walk down the aisle it would be worth every struggle it would be worth every mile. A life time of labor is still worth it all if rescuses just one more soul.

If that is the case then Stephen was a failure.

Preaching Jesus cost him

His testimony

his acceptance

his life

All the things that the high preists were trying to keep in tact. and this was the first of many. But we know htis wasn’t a fail, or a waste. Something in our Spirit knows that Stephen is the good guy.

Because the totality of our life is not measured in the acceptance of men or the surety of our good name. It is found in the acceptance that Stephen found. The acceptance of his Savior.

I came to remind you tonight that when you get to heaven God’s not going to check out the numbers of followers you have on social media. He is going to see if you were faithful to the message of the gospel.

The first weekend of June we are bringing soul winning training back to Knollwood. Your gonna get signed up this coming sunday. Hear me. A church is not a good church because it sees many people saved. A church is a good church that keeps Christ at the center of why it does what it does.

Teachers keep Christ the center

Nursery workers

Those times you didn’t fit in

Those times you have cared enough to speak up.

Keep Christ the center.

CONCLUSION

Stephen's death was the first of many...

Saul (Paul) would later confess of others - Ac 22:4; 26:9-11

We read of other martyrs: James, Antipas - Ac 12:1-2; Re 2:13

Countless thousands have died for Christ over the years, even to the present day. We may never face martyrdom; but when we encounter persecution for our faith, we should...

Face with it the composure of Stephen - Ac 6:15

Possess the forgiving spirit of both Jesus and Stephen - Lk 23:34; Ac 7:60

Remembering Jesus' promise: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." - Re 2:10