The Stoning of Stephen

Introduction:

Let’s turn to the end of Acts 7… as we continue to look at this incredible account of what took place in the early days of the Church.

You know where we are… the first Christian martyr… the first christian to be killed for his testimony concerning Christ. His name is Stephen.

Met him in Chapter 6

He was one of 7 chosen to minister the widows

He was a man of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom

He was a man full of faith

And so happens to be an INCREDIBLE preacher… as he is found proclaiming the gospel in the synagogues (Acts 6:9)

He is charged with blasphemy of God, Moses, the law, and the temple

He is brought before the Jewish supreme court

And chapter 6 ends with a beautiful image… a man with the face of an angel

Chapter 7 begins with the high priest saying, “Are these things so?”

We know the answer. It stretches from verse 2 to verse 53 of chapter 7. It’s a long and drawn out answer that is MASTERFULLY given! Defending himself against all 4 counts.

Yet at the same time, accuses THEM of blasphemy! (The Jews/Council)

You, along with your forefathers, have blasphemed God. 

You, along with your forefathers, have blasphemed Moses. 

You, along with your forefathers, have blasphemed the law of God in constant disregard and disobedience. 

You are blasphemers of this place.  You, as our Lord declared, have turned it into a den of thieves.

Notice also how Stephen concluded… Acts 7:51-53

Acts 7:51–53 (NASB95)

51 “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

52 “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

53 you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

Now let’s pick up with verse 54 and see their reaction… Acts 7:54-8:1… READ

Jesus… Paul… others escaped or lived through it. No escape for Stephen.

1. Stephen’s Reverence

Acts 7:54–55 (NASB95)

54 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

55 But being full of the Holy Spirit…”

When they heard this. Their very ears had heard Stephen’s case, and the great truth about what God had done. The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob whom all foretold of the Righteous One.

Cut to the quick. Means to be overwhelmed with violent emotion; literally to be sawn apart! These same words are found in Acts 5 concerning these same group of Councilmen. There they sought to kill the apostles, here they seek to kill Stephen.

Gnashing their teeth. Means to grind together. “There there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Psalm 35:16 “16 Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth.”

Psalm 37:12 “12 The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.”

An anger that’s beyond control

And truly for the one who dies apart from God, will gnash his teeth forever in Hell… Luke 13:28, Matthew 24.

It was an anger that could only be appeased by the sight of Stephen’s body being pelted by stones, his body/flesh opening up, bones breaking, and blood gushing out from him

Yet, Stephen is this man with the face of an angel!

Calm, convicted, content

A sense of holiness and beauty about him

Full of the Holy Spirit

What does that mean? This is the 3rd time we see the phrase. (Acts 6:3,5; 7:55)

To be under the control of the Holy Spirit, under control of God himself.

The Spirit came as a comforter, advocate, teacher, source of power/wisdom

Present tense… he lived his life FULL of the Spirit, yielding his life unto God

There are many Christian martyrs throughout history… all died in this way. Not as a lunatic, casting judgement and crying for man’s mercy… no. They died, with a divine strength to be faithful unto God above all else.

Polycarp:

“86 years have I have served him,” Polycarp declared, “and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

“You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and is then extinguished, but you know nothing of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. Why are you waiting? Bring on whatever you want.”

I give you thanks that you count me worthy to be numbered among your martyrs, sharing the cup of Christ and the resurrection to eternal life, both of soul and body, through the immortality of the Holy Spirit. May I be received this day as an acceptable sacrifice

2. Stephen’s Gaze

Acts 7:55–57 (NASB95)

55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently 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 up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.

Stephen’s gaze:

The apostles had witnesses this many months back when Christ ascended into heaven (Acts 1)…

Well here is Stephen

His gaze takes him all the way to heaven.

He literally sees heaven… glory of God… Jesus at the right hand

The heavens opened, which literally means, “having been unsealed”

The glory of God is seen… which means he saw God in his SPLENDOR, HONOR, HIGHEST MAJESTY

The son of man is seen… Jesus is there… standing!

Is that not what he promised his disciples?? A place of exaltation and honor.

Was it not Christ himself who stood before this VERY council in Mark 14:62 saying He would be seated at the right hand of Power!?

In 4th Century… St. Ambrose wrote of Christ, being found

Seated… as a judge!

But standing as Stephen’s advocate

Standing as a priest, offering to the Father the sacrifice of a good martyr

Standing as if Stephen was his prized athlete ready to crown his head in victory!

What made Christ stand up?

Seeing his faithful servant SUFFER!

Christ stands up to help his own!

He stands there as a bridge from one life to the next to welcome Stephen right where he is!

Stephen saw what very few people saw

What Adam and Eve saw in the garden

What Isaiah saw in his vision in Isaiah 6.

What Ezekiel saw in chapter 1.

What the apostle Paul saw when caught up to the 3rd heaven.

What Moses saw on Mt. Sinai.

What the apostle John saw in his vision on Patmos

He saw what Peter James and John saw when Christ was transfigured before them.

Colossians 3:2 “2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

Gazed intently. How sharp a focus Stephen had upon his Savior. How firm a trust he had in God despite the speech of his enemies.

Yet as the crowd listens, their heart hardens against Stephen as a blasphemer… lier… fraud… false teacher… speaking of a false Messiah.

Acts 7:57 (NASB95)

57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.

They cried out… covered their ears. The most devout men out of all the Jews, studied in the scriptures and wise among their brethren, become just as vicious as Cain when he killed Abel.

Can you picture the scene?

They didn’t want God’s truth! stiff-necked & uncircumcised in heart (Acts 7:51)

Acts 28:26–27 “26 saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; 27 For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.” ’”

With one impulse. They, being in one mind and thought, rushed to lay hold of him. The opposite of true Godly unity.

3. Stephen’s Prayer

Acts 7:58–60 (NASB95)

58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Driven him out of the city. Leviticus 24:14-16.

But did the Sanhedrin have the legal right to carry out the punishment?

Evidence says no!

They were under Roman law

John 18:31 “31 So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,””

They began stoning him. Yet, it’s them who deserve it.

The witnesses. These are likely the false witnesses of Acts 6:13. Martys is the same greek word for martyrs… witnesses unto God.

Laid aside their robes at the feet of… Saul.

Acts 22:20 “20 ‘And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’”

He called on the Lord. Look at NASB ref.

Receive my spirit.

Absent from the body is to be present with the Lord

When the mob saw death… Stephen saw life.

Essentailly what Jesus did upon the cross when He said, “Into your hands I commend my spirit.”

They may take my body, but Lord, may you take my spirit and hide it away with You.

Stephen’s Love

Acts 7:60 (NASB95)

60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Do not hold this sin against them. Jesus said love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. Jesus said these words in the moment of His death too, Luke 23:34.

He fell asleep.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 (NASB95)

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

Conclusion:

Stephen’s Reverence

Stephen’s Gaze

Stephen’s Prayer

Stephen’s Love

Impact:

Launched persecution

Affected Saul

1 Timothy 1:12–15 (NASB95)

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,

13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief;

14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

“I am the worst of them all”

Augustine wrote that the Church owes Paul to the prayer of Stephen

Stephen prayed “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”

And the grace of God collided with Saul days later.

May we be like Stephen.

Giving reverence to God

Gazing upon him amidst a selfish/wicked world

Praying for God’s favor & forgiveness

For the one here who is not a Christian, look at the life of Stephen, and tell me how it’s POSSIBLE, for a man to die in this way if his claims aren’t true? Yet there are MORE witnesses, and MORE testimonies, that cannot be overlooked.

If you leave here today being content with your life apart from Jesus, you will surely gnash your teeth for eternity. But to the one who submits his life to Christ in faith, God’s gracious promise is to forgive you, and provide eternal life to those who love and obey him. You may come and be baptized into the fold of Christ, his blood therein covering and cleansing your sin making you a child of God. Won’t you make that decision today, come forward… as we stand and sing this song.