Resisting the Holy Spirit
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Many people remember today’s passage as the record of the first Christian martyr. While it is true that Stephen was the first Christian martyr, the main intention of Luke in recording this passage was not simply to honor him. As I have mentioned in my introduction in the beginning of this series on Acts, the Acts of the Apostles is really about the Acts of the Holy Spirit. It is about what the Holy Spirit did to continue the outworking God’s plan of redemption after Jesus’s ascension. This passage was recorded to highlight the raising opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem.
Acts 6:3–5 (ESV)
Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit
Stephen was a deacon who was chosen to serve the church by serving tables. The criterion for selection is to be people of good repute and full of the Spirit and wisdom. To be of good repute meant people thought well of them. To be known as full of wisdom meant most likely they had a proven record of dealing with issues wisely. The deacons were not nobodies who were thrown a job that the apostles did not want. They were trusted leaders in the community before they were selected. And Stephen was highlighted as someone who is full of faith and the Holy Spirit, on top of having wisdom and good repute.
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.
This verse draws attention what it meant that Stephen was full of faith and the Holy Spirit. He had the grace and power of the Holy Spirit working through him to do great signs and wonders. As we read the previous chapters in Acts, this most likely meant many healing and miracles took place through him. The Holy Spirit did not limit himself to working only through the apostles.
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.
Until this point in Acts, usually people responded positively to the works of the Holy Spirit. Many people believed when they saw the signs and wonders. Even if they did not join the believers, they held the apostles in high esteem because of what the Holy Spirit did. Only the Jewish council gave them some problems, but they stopped after listening to Gamaliel. In 6:7, even many priests believed in Jesus. But here we see a new wave of opposition arising. These were Jews from various parts of the Roman empire. Instead of being in awe of what the Holy Spirit was doing, they picked a fight with Stephen.
Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 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, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 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.”
When they could not win the argument, they brought false accusations. This scene reminds us of Jesus, who was also falsely accused and persecuted. Their accusation of Stephen was that he spoke against the temple and the law of Moses. Their focus on the law and the temple, their religious forms, hindered them from listening to Stephen even though there were signs and wonders. This is also similar to how people did not listen to Jesus despite of all the signs He performed.
Acts 7:2–4 (ESV)
And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living.
Relationship with God depends on responding to God in faith.
Relationship with God depends on responding to God in faith.
As Stephen gave his defense, he began by retelling the story of their origin as a people of God. He began with Abraham, who received a promise after he responded to God’s call in faith. Starting with Abraham highlights that relationship with God do not depend on their religious activities. It began with a response of faith. And God fulfilled his promise to make Abraham’s offspring into a people. This verse highlights that they were in the promised land. However, the land was then part of the Roman empire. This serves as a subtle reminder that they were no longer in possession of the land precisely because their history as a people of God was marked with unfaithfulness to God and His law. Their unfaithfulness led to the exile of Israel and Judah. Their return to the land was nothing but grace of God.
“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
When talking about Moses, Stephen highlighted that Moses was not initially accepted by the Israelites. After being rejected, Moses met God at the burning bush and led them out of slavery by the power of God.
This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’
He also reminded his hearers that Moses had promised that there would be another prophet like him. This points to Jesus.
This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,
Stephen stated that what Moses received was not simply laws to follow. They were living oracles. That means the law that Moses received was God’s active communication to them. But the response of their ancestors was rebellion and idolatry. They were proud that they have the law of Moses, but their track record was that they had never understood nor kept it well.
Acts 7:42–43 (ESV)
But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: “ ‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
This is a quote from Amos, who was a prophet during the divided kingdom. By using this quote, Stephen reminded his hearers of the centuries of unfaithfulness and idolatry that resulted in the exile. They were never a faithful people despite of all that God had done.
Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
They had proud memories as a people of God of God’s glory dwelling among them, first through the tabernacle, then Solomon’s temple. But even in those moments, God was never limited to the temple. Nothing can contain God. Moreover, the temple they had during the time of Acts was the second temple rebuilt after the exile. They all knew that there isn’t an infilling of God’s glory in this temple like Solomon’s temple. Why should they be so prideful of this temple?
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
As Stephen conclude his speech, he gave them a clear message to convict them of hardheartedness. After the history lesson on how they had always failed to respond to God’s grace, Stephen was challenging his listeners to lay down their pride of the temple and the law, but recognize that the Holy Spirit was doing an amazing thing among them. They could repent. Stephen was not simply harsh. He was speaking like a prophet.
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. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Instead of the temple that no longer has the glory of God, Stephen testified to seeing the glory of God in heaven. This was the climax of his message. Jesus is alive and the way to God. Not the temple nor the law. But sadly, his listeners stopped listening and stoned him.
And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 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.
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
Persecution may come when we walk by the Spirit and follow Jesus. Our response ought to reflect the grace and faith we have in Jesus.
Persecution may come when we walk by the Spirit and follow Jesus. Our response ought to reflect the grace and faith we have in Jesus.
As Stephen died, again he was shown to be like Jesus. Stephen died simply because he was following the footsteps of Jesus.
Are we aware of the Holy Spirit’s work today? Or are we blinded by our own agenda?
Are we aware of the Holy Spirit’s work today? Or are we blinded by our own agenda?
The Holy Spirit can be doing all kinds of amazing things around us. Sometimes it can be as miraculous as the signs and wonders recorded in the book of Acts, other times it can be a prophetic message like Stephen’s that is meant to lead to repentance. However, our response can be very different according to our heart. Are we a people who is tenderhearted towards God and seeking to align ourselves to His plans and purposes? Or are we people who are so caught up in our own agenda/plans/religious activities that we end up ignoring the works of the Holy Spirit and even resist Him in our ignorance?