Stephen and young man named Saul (2024)
Book of Acts: Deer Creek • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 8 viewsAim: To look at the death of Stephen at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Life of a disciple
Life of a disciple
From threats to beatings, from beatings to more threats led to the first Christian martyr, Stephen. this afternoon we continue our journey looking at the life, ministry and death of Stephen and the church.
A few reminders of where we are or have recently been:
Persecution of the church intensified (Act4:18-21; 5:40)
Don’t preach Jesus or else. . . .
Now you did it again, take the beating
Beating led to more bold proclaiming
Persecution became very personal (Act6:5, 8-15)
Stephen, a disciple, a man filled with the Spirit was chosen as a servant to meet the physical needs of the Hellenistic Widows.
Stephen accused, just like Jesus of blasphemy.
False witnesses spoke up and Stephen was ceased, just like Jesus.
Persecution led to proclaiming history (Act7:1-53)
Using the history of the prophets, Abraham, Joseph and Moses as well as Israels history of rebellion then and rebellion now, Stephen makes his defense.
(Transition) this now leads us to where we are today in the scripture.
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, 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.
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.
But wait, there is more
1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
Gleaning from the scripture:
Cut to the heart (Act7:54; Act2:37)
Cut to the heart, well here it led to anger and gnashing of teeth, in Act2 it led to repentance and conversion
Gazed into heaven (Act7:55-56)
He gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus “standing” at the right hand of God.
In most other places in scripture you see Jesus seated, but here Jesus is standing, wonder why?
Is it that he is standing up ready to receive Stephen?
Jesus stands in the gap for you, where sin separated you, Jesus blood cleansed you. Where you still fall short, Jesus intercedes and stands for you.
Cried out with loud voice (Act7:57; Lk23:46; Jn19:6)
Here they cried out; in Luke Jesus cried out,
With Jesus the crowd cried out “crucify Him” (Jn19:6) and it led to him being taken out of the City and crucified, with Stephen to be stoned.
Witnesses laid clothes (Act7:58, 22:20; Mk15:24)
In acts they laid clothes at the feet of a youngman named Saul
In Mk they threw dice for the clothes of Jesus
Called on God (Act7:59-60; Lk23:46)
Stephen cried out Lord Jesus receive my spirit and do not hold this sin against them, much like in Luke:
In Luke Jesus cried out Father I commit my Spirit and do not hold this sin against them.
Fell asleep; died (Act7:60-8:1; Mt27:50)
In Acts he had committed his spirit and died
In Mt Jesus gave up His spirit; yielded his spirit and died
A young consenting man named Saul (Act8:1)
We are going to get into Saul much more in a minute but what we glean from here is that he was consenting of Stephen’s death, in fact, consider he may have commissioned it.
Great persecution arose (Act8:1)
Great persecution and look what happens, the local church born in Jerusalem is scattered and is now all of Judea and Samaria!
Devout men (Act8:2; Jn19:38)
Devout men carried off Stephen just as did with Jesus, Joseph and Nicodemus.
(Transition) - - - Stephen’s death was the first of many, even many in the N.T. you can look at
As you know there have been many Christians who have died for the name of Jesus, not just then but today. we are blessed that to this time for the post part we have not had to endure this here in the United States.
We may face some persecutions and when we do, if we do, may we have the the composure of Stephen
Stephens composure (Act6:15)
15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
and have the forgiving spirit like Jesus and Stephen. we are called by Jesus to be faithful unto death and there is a promise attached to it, check out
Jesus warning, promise (Rev2:10)
10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
(Transition) - now I want to change our focus from the death of Stephen to a youngman named Saul.
A young man named Saul
A young man named Saul
So, there is much we can learn from scripture about a youngman named Saul who becomes the least of the Apostles, Paul.
So, quickly, Stephen died and a great persecution arose (8:1) and the disciples are scattered, except for the Apostles
(Check your time, you may not read the scriptures again if time is short)
1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.
3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
Want to look at Saul’s early life, Saul the persecutor and will save his conversion for another day.
Early life,training of Saul
Early life,training of Saul
Saul had a good pedigree, background and while see the heartily agreement may we look at how he came to that point, what led him, trained him to be a persecutor of the church.
Ancestry (Act21:39, 22:3 2Cor11:22; Rom11:1; Php3:5; Act22:25-29)
Born in Tarsus
Tarsus was capital city in Cilicia a Roman province in SE Asia Minor (modern day Turkey)
Tarsus was known for its culture, its learning and some considered it to be be more advanced than that of Athens an Alexandria according to historian Strabo in his geographical book on Cilicia.
Born a Jew, brought up and trained under Gamaliel in a very strict discipline of the law. He called himself zealous for God. Why? Heritage, upbringing mattered.
Born of Jewish ancestry
He was a Jew, a Hebrew, an Israelite oft he seed of Abraham (i.e. 2Cor11:22); in Rom11:1 look what more we learn about this youngman named Saul.
He was from the tribe of Benjamin, which was considered the smallest tribe according to the numbers collected by the forefathers
He was a Hebrew of Hebrews, meaning both parents were Hebrews (consider Php3:5)
(Transition) - - - still there is more to learn from his ancestry and early life and training
Born a Roman citizen (Act22:25-29)
While Tarsus may have been considered a free city, not under oppression of Rome, it did not necessarily mean just by being there you were Roman citizen.
It would be common that unless from Rome that someone had to purchase, buy your citizenship or earn it by service to Rome.
So, someone in Saul’s heritage purchased citizenship and that is why Saul was born a Roman Citizen.
the Date of Birth is not known for sure, many commentators but it on or about the time of Jesus birth.
Education (Act22:3, 5:34-40, 26:4-5; Php3:5-6; Act23:6; Gal1:13-14)
Studied in Jerusalem under Gamaliel a well respected man, teacher of the Law.
He was a Pharisee and became what we would call a legalist. He trained under his father who was a Pharisee too.
He excelled above his contemporaries (see Gal1:13-14)
His character (Php3:6; 2Tim1:3; Act23:1; 1Tim1:12-13)
As noted before he was a persecutor of the church and was zealous about it. Blameless in the law.
He served God with a pure conscience (2Tim1:3)
He was ignorant of his blasphemy and persecution (1Tim1:12-13)
(Transition): With a hearty approval of Stephen’s death that came about with his ancestry, his education and his character we see a young man named Saul as a persecutor of the church.
Persecutor of the church
Persecutor of the church
Saul was there and participated in death of Stephen (Act7:57-8:1) and consented to the death, but it did not stop there. A youngman named Saul was a persecutor of the church and may we look at some of that for a few minutes.
Making havoc (Act8:3; Act22:19; Act26:9-11; Act9:1-2)
3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
NASB, NKJV uses the word havoc, NIV uses destroy, I think you can get the picture of it. You can see more on Paul retelling of this in Act22:19 if you want to look.
Paul the converted, the coveted, the prisoner looking back to share his preconversion life. He did many things that we contrary to the name of Jesus.
Imprisoning believers, casting votes to bring them to death.
Compelling them to blaspheme
And, hunted them down, pursued them (check out Act9:1-2)
(Transition): have you ever been rooted, grounded, dead set in a way and something happened and suddenly you are changed and heading another direction, making changed, adjusting, changing your thinking and your actions along the way? - that is what our transformation process is about. A youngman named Saul, a zealot with a clear conscience after the Damascus road changed and started making changes including attitude too.
Making changes (Gal1:13; Php3:16; 1Tim1:13; 1Cor15:9)
From persecuting the church beyond measure in an effort to destroy it (see Gal1:13)
He had great zeal (Php3:6) was a blasphemer himself, as well as a persecutor and an insolent man (see 1Tim1:13)
And changed his attitude and view, considering himself to be the least of the Apostles (1Cor15:9)
(transition) - humility; Saul the persecutor, the zealot with a clear conscience now is a humble man who did not even feel worthy to be an apostle. How about you? Did you think you have life under control and all was well and then you had your heart pricked by the Lord and you were humbled?
A youngman named Saul went from being a persecutor of the church to a preacher for the the church
What changes has God made in you, is making in you?
Paul attributed the changes to the grace and mercy of God.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
God’s grace, God’s mercy, changed and is with you when you are His!
A youngman named Saul’s history prior to his conversion prepared him for the task the Lord gave him.
His heritage prepared him to carry the message to Jews and to gentiles
His training and education prepared him to make a defence of the gospel
(Transition) your heritage, your history, your training, your education has prepared you for a day such as today (expand on this)
(Encouragement) God’s mercy and grace in you and through will transform you, conform you and perfect you in Christ Jesus, it will continually cleanse you and make your light shine brighter so can be an attracted to others! It changed a youngman named Saul, and will change you, for He is faithful to complete the good work in you
(Prayer slide) prayer (exit slide)
