All About Jesus Christ

The Lord’s Supper

Ask the men to come and have a seat at the front.

If you have trusted in Christ in save you from your sins, then you are welcome to participate. There are at least three things that you ought to do during this time:

Examine yourself and confess known sin - commit to getting right with someone else after the service if necessary

Remember our Savior’s sacrifice and how it was personally done for you - meditate!

Thank God and praise Him

Pray and thank the Lord for giving His body and shedding His blood for us.

Serve the bread

Read Luke 22:19.

Partake

Serve the grape juice

Read Luke 22:20.

Partake.

Sing #149 When We See Christ

Review

Turn to Acts 6:8.

The first deacons have been selected by the church in Jerusalem. A problem had arisen where some of the church family were being neglected, or at least, that was the accusation. The apostles determined that they needed to prioritize prayer and the ministry of the Word of God, therefore, spiritual men were selected from among the church to lead the ministry towards the widows. God blessed this arrangement. The Word of God continued to be propagated, people were saved and their lives were transformed.

Message

Let’s see what Luke shares next as he writes this history book on the early church.

Read Acts 6:8-15.

At first glance our text may seem to be all about one person, and it is, but not the person you might first think. Our text may appear to be all about Stephen, but it is not; its all about Jesus Christ. That is the remarkable beauty of Stephen’s life! The man named Stephen was so enraptured with Jesus that when you look at Stephen’s life you don’t see Stephen as much as you see Jesus!

Christian, your life must be like Stephen’s. Your life must be all about Jesus Christ.

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A man dedicated to Jesus Christ - Acts 6:8-15.

From the moment that we are introduced to Stephen in the book of Acts, it’s apparent that he was just a different kind of a man. What I mean is, he was a different kind of a Christian. They weren’t called “Christians” yet, but I think you understand the idea. He was a man of unusual faith and consequently, a man of unusual power, even among the church in Jerusalem.

There are many ways I could describe him.

He was a man dedicated to Jesus Christ.

He was a man full of faith in Jesus Christ.

He was a man who disputed in the synagogues for Jesus Christ.

He was a man who had the power of Jesus Christ.

To summarize, this was a man whose life was all about Jesus Christ.

Except for the apostles, Stephen was the first person to do great miracles. The miracles caught the attention of the populace, but it was his persuasive arguments about Jesus Christ that caught the attention of another group - a particular synagogue in Jerusalem.

Synagogues came into existence during the Jewish exile in Babylon. With Solomon’s Temple destroyed, Jewish people needed places to gather, so the synagogue was born. Hundreds of years later, there were many synagogues in Jerusalem and throughout the Roman Empire. So powerfully did Stephen argue for Christ that the Jews could not refute him. Since they could not defeat him in debate, they resorted to lies. They paid men to lie about Stephen, but what was his crime? What was the accusation?

The accusation was that Stephen preached that Jesus of lowly Nazareth had superseded Moses and the Temple.

Stephen argued that there was no need to worship at the Temple anymore - God Himself was now residing in man through the person of the Holy Spirit.

He argued that there was no need to do the Law of Moses. Why? Because Jesus had perfectly lived it for us and God had accepted His sacrifice on the Cross. The purpose of the law was to point us to Christ. Christ had come and had lived the law. It’s purpose was finished.

These arguments were estranged from the Jewish mind - nothing could be greater than Moses or the Temple. With the populace stirred up against Stephen, he was dragged off to the Jewish Sanhedrin.

Application: When I look at Stephen’s life in verses 8-15, I don’t really see Stephen, but I do see Jesus.

Stephen was a man whose purpose, whose time, and whose energy completely revolved around the person of Jesus Christ.

He was not known for being a deacon! He was known for being a follower of Jesus!

He was not known for his love of money! He was known for his love for Jesus!

He was not known by his career! He was known by his commitment to Jesus!

Such a testimony does not happen by accident! It happens only by choice. That choice defined this man. Jesus Christ was the one whom Stephen thought of throughout the day.

Jesus Christ was the one whom he spoke of the most. Jesus Christ was the one whom he lived through every action that he possibly could.

When I look at Stephen, I see a man who would eat, sleep, and breathe the life of Jesus Christ. In a word, he was consumed with Jesus and it showed.

Maybe you’re tempted to think, “Pastor Tim, aren’t you exaggerating this a little bit?”

No, I really don’t think I am. In verse fourteen, the Jews identify the ultimate reason why they hated Stephen - it was that he preached Jesus. That was the one problem that they had with Stephen. His life was all about Jesus Christ.

Application: Christian, is yours?

I’m not asking if people know you as someone who attends Cornerstone Independent Baptist Church.

I’m not asking if people know you as a pastor, a deacon, or an active member of our church.

I’m not even asking if people know you as an independent Baptist.

I’m asking if when people think of you, do they think of Jesus?

I’m convinced that’s how Stephen was and I’m certain that that is how I want to be.

When people think of Tim Brubaker, I don’t want them to think of me primarily as a pastor. I don’t want them to think of me primarily as a husband. I don’t want them to think of me primarily as a father or a family man. I want them to think of Jesus!

“Pastor Tim, how is that possible? How is that ever supposed to happen in real life?”

When a man is deeply in love with a woman, they can be thousands of miles apart, but somehow it shows. It comes out. He ends up talking about her. Whatever is going on, he relates it to her in some way. It seems that his life revolves around her - her presence, her interests, and her desires. Sometimes you’ll even catch him daydreaming about her.

Why?

Because that man is in love with that woman - and its obvious.

I get the distinct impression that that is how Stephen was with his Lord. He was a man dedicated to Jesus Christ.

You won’t be deeply in love with someone if you don’t spend much time with them. Neither will you be deeply in love with Jesus if you don’t spend much time with Him.

Secondly…

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A message preached of Jesus Christ - Acts 7:1-53.

Usually when I preach through a book of the Bible, I like to read the entire text of the book through the course of the series in our services. I did that with Colossians and with Philemon, but I’m going to make an exception here; I’m not going to read all of Stephen’s message today.

Read Acts 7:1-2a.

From Acts 7:2-53, Stephen preaches that faith in Jesus Christ had been God’s plan all throughout the history of Israel. The Mosaic Law and the Temple of God in Jerusalem were not God’s ultimate goal. They were just temporary detours while enroute to the final destination, which was the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived by faith in God, that is how God intended for all of Israel and the world to live as well - by faith in His Son.

As one writer said, “Christianity was a return to the original.” - Dr. John Philipps

Here’s a quick outline of Stephen’s message. First, Stephen gives…

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The example of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - Acts 7:2-8.

What was their example? The fact that they lived by faith! They obeyed God and thus by their works they showed their faith in God!

They didn’t have the Mosaic Law. They didn’t have the Temple of God! But they didn’t need it either! They lived by faith. Stephen is about to show these self-righteous Jews that this was their very point of failure. They refused to live by faith in Jesus Christ.

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The failure of Old Testament Israel - Acts 7:9-50.

Now Stephen reviews Israel’s history and shows how, time after time, they did not live by faith.

If we were to read this entire account, we would find that…

They resisted Joseph and Moses - the deliverers that God sent.

They disobeyed the Scriptures and would not worship God alone.

They loved their temple more than their God. In Jesus’ day, they talked of how magnificent the buildings were but they despised offering the sacrifices that God required.

Yes, Old Testament Israel had many failures, but Stephen is about to bring down the hammer of conviction. Old Testament Israel’s failure were eclipsed only by one thing:

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The failure of New Testament Israel - Acts 7:51-53.

Read Acts 7:51-53.

New Testament Israel was failing in the same way that their forefathers did. They were resisting the Holy Spirit!

Old Testament Israel had killed the prophets, but New Testament Israel had murdered the Lord Jesus!

Why? Because they refused to live by faith in Him!

Jesus Christ was the central theme of this message, but these Jewish authorities just would not put their faith in Him.

Application: Have you? It seems so simple, but you must reach the point that perhaps they never did. Apart from faith in Christ, the Bible says, you are at war with God. You must realize your desperate need to have peace with God!

You can have peace with God only by trusting in His Son to save your soul.

Stephen was a man dedicated to Jesus Christ.

He preached a message on Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, Stephen became…

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A martyr for Jesus Christ - Acts 7:54-60.

Read Acts 7:54-60.

While this is a sad passage of Scripture, don’t miss that it is a triumphant one also! His body fell asleep, but his soul was immediately in the presence of his Lord, who stood up to welcome and receive him!

These Jews vehemently rejected this message about Jesus Christ and Stephen gloriously died for Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

From beginning to end, the story the Bible presents about Stephen’s life was that it was all about Jesus Christ.

My friend, what’s the story of your life? What story are you writing with each passing day? What will you be remembered for?

If you want to be remembered like Stephen was, it will require some deliberate steps on your part.

You will have to fall in love with Jesus Christ - the Jesus of the Bible.

You will have to be dedicated to Him in a radical way . A way that is radical in our culture, but radical even among Christians.

Ultimately, your life must become all about Jesus Christ. I challenge you: count the cost and then make a commitment to do that today.