Stephen's Sermon: A History of misplaced Rejection

Introduction

Good morning! Please turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 7. Over the last couple of weeks we have looked at how the church had internal conflicts over the ministry to the widows. It was solved by appointing seven deacons.

One of those deacons was Stephen he was a man full of the Holy Ghost, wisdom, power, and faith. He contended for the faith in the synagogue of Jews from around the world. He did mighty miracles and signs among the people, which affirmed the message was true. However, they did not like his message. When they debated Stephen about Jesus they couldn’t resist his wisdom. Stephen loving his people wanted his people to accept Christ as their Savior. But they resisted the plain evidence he gave them to prove Christ was indeed their Christ, the fulfillment of the Law.

In revenge, the unbelieving men outwitted in wisdom hire false witnesses to lie about Stephen and twist his words. Their false accusations of Stephen blaspheming Moses and God creates a stir among the religious leaders and populace against Stephen. Forcefully they arrest when they sneak up on him seizing him and bringing him before the Jewish council for trial.

When we left off last week the council is looking straight at Stephen. The highHis face is glowing with the glory of the Lord. He is glad to testify of Jesus Christ and preaches the longest recorded sermon in Acts.

Acts 7 is Stephen’s message and martyrdom. Today we will examine Stephen’s sermon to the council. Stephen appeals to the council to remember their history as a nation. Remembering history is a vital way to avoid repeating mistakes of the past. Stephen’s point is that all throughout Israel’s history there has been misplaced rejection. God is working his plans even though from our perspective it looks like things were not working out.

If any would have looked at Abraham they would have thought how in the world is God going to make a great nation out of a childless elderly couple.

Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, is rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery. He appears forgotten. And would in all probability die a slave. In God’s sovereignty, Joseph ends up being second command in Egypt when he interprets the Pharaoh’s dreams about 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine. He saves his dad and his brothers’ families from starvation.

Moses was supposed to be thrown in the Nile River by the King of Egypt’s wicked mandate to kill all Hebrew boys. Moses ends up being rescued by the daughter of Egypt’s king. He is raised as royalty. Yet, Moses when of age understands his role to deliver his people from slavery, and forsakes the pleasures of Egypt to suffer with his people. He thought they would understand God bring deliverance through Him, but they don’t.

Their forefather’s reject God’s law and want to be like the nations they knew. They killed the prophets of the Lord. And now they have rejected Jesus their long awaited Messiah. Yet since Christ hasn’t come as they expected they reject Him and want to destroy Stephen for teaching Jesus Christ the Lord.

Truly, the nation of Israel is a history of rejecting what God chose to do his work.

As the high priest asks Stephen regarding the accusations regarding blasphemy, but he beaming with the glory of the Lord passionately preaches to the council Jesus rejected is their prophesied Messiah.

D. Stephen called the leaders to remember God’s working in their nation’s history.

P. We also ought to remember how God has worked in Israel’s history and how he has worked in our lives.

T. When we remember our history it is a good time to contemplate where we came from and ask what direction we are now pointed? Where will it take us?

This morning we look at five examples which surface level look like rejection. Stephen rejection history to powerfully point to Jesus Christ.

1. Abraham: Appears to be Rejected to be a Father of many nations.

Acts 7:1–8 “1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.”

Explain: Appearances are not always reality. Because Abraham is God’s choice.

Stephen begins his message asking for the councils attention and recounting the history of their nation. He starts with Abraham, the father of the nation.

Much of his sermon materials is from Genesis then he summarizes near 1,500 subsequent years of Israel’s history spanning from Exodus through Malachi.

As Stephen preaches this message he is in earnest that his leaders understand that God uses people that are often rejected by their own to accomplish his plan, His-story.

a. To Forsake the Land he knew to obey.

If I were to look at Abraham’s life from a unspiritual perspective, I would wonder what God is doing with Abraham. God calls him to leave his land of his nativity.

Abraham obeys God to leave the land he grew up in not even knowing where he was going. Ur was the heart of the fertile crescent.

Ur was at the forefront of developments. If we have our chronology straight (see later discussion) Ur controlled a powerful empire and was perhaps the greatest city-state in the world at the time.

Howard F. Vos

Argue: You left the best country in the world to go where, Abraham? Abraham: I am not sure where he is leading yet. That would be like leaving America for a third world country to which our are not sure which one. However, Scripture tells us Abraham trusted God’s leading. If you are called to reject what you have known to go where God calls, will you go?

Christ, in like manner left heaven to come down to earth to save sinners. 1 Timothy 1:15 “15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

b. To Forsake the Loved ones of his relatives to obey.

Abraham was called to leave loved relatives. While the text does not expressly state love, we know the family bond is often special. We find with the initial call some of the closest family go part of the way from Ur to Haran. Lot, Abram’s orphaned, nephew goes with Uncle Abraham all the way to Canaan.

Argue: Abraham you left your family to start a great nation and how many children do you have? Zero. Are you sane? God will test you as Abraham to see if you trust him when to outsiders you look stupid for trusting God.

As Abraham are you willing to separate from even dear loved ones to obey God? There may be things relatives do that you know displease God and so you may have to distance yourself from them. While you may witness and pray for them, you may not have the same relationship as before. Sometimes it may just be a call to service away from family.

Illustrate: John Paton, missionary to New Hebrides, had a godly father. They had tearful goodbyes as he left to obey the call of God to witness for Christ.

God will not always have you forsake your family as Abraham to be a foreign missionary, but you ought to be willing to go wherever God tells you.

c. To Forsake the Longing for a Son now to wait on God’s promise.

Anyone in the culture Abraham lived in would suppose that God must have judged Abraham and Sarah for something because they were childless.

Abraham didn’t have a child until 86. And Ishmael was not the child God promised.

It wasn’t until Abraham was 100 years old that he had the promised son, Isaac through his wife Sarah. When she was 90 years old.

God took the dead body of Abraham and resurrected the bodies of Abraham and Sarah to bare the promised child, Isaac.

If Abraham hadn’t believed God he would not have forsook land, loved one and his longing for children and put things into his own hands.

Romans 4:19–20 “19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;”

God even gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision before He gave him the son he promised. (Gen

Argue

As an ordinary person looking at Abraham I would be rather pessimistic. You mean you left the best country in the world to go to some place your not even sure where God is leading, so you can be a mighty nation. Where are you’re children? You don’t even have any? You are in your 80’s. Your a hopeless dreamer Abraham.

Illustrate:

Stephen is making a point to the council that God kept his promises to their Father Abraham when the average person would have thought God was judging Abraham because he was childless.

Yet, Abraham was God’s choice.

Apply

Even though some may interpret what God has allowed in your life as His rejection, you ought not to doubt him when you don’t see the big picture. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” Trust God’s Word. Even if like Abraham you may ask God for clarifications on his promise.

2. Joseph: Rejected by his brothers.

Acts 7:8–19 “8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. 9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, 10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.”

Explain

Stephen sweeping over their history moves into Genesis 37-50.

Selected Favorite: Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph incites envy in his older brothers because of the coat of many colors and especially Joseph’s dreams. His dreams imply his brothers and mom and dad will bow down to him.

Sold Family: Yet, God is going to use proud young man. His older brother’s in their envy sell as a slave to Ishmaelite traders and they sell him in Egypt.

If anyone would have felt rejected it would have been Joseph at this point. He no doubt feels all alone with all his afflictions.

Sold into slavery by his brothers.

The emotional wounds from this treatment must have ran deep.

Yet, in slavery Joseph purposes to do right and his best.

Falsely accused by his master’s wife and throne into a prison.

Forgotten: Interprets a prisoners dream and asks the prisoner to tell Pharaoh about his condition but he forgets for two years, until Pharaoh has a couple disturbing dreams.

Saves family: Pharaoh puts him charge of project save Egypt from starvation. It ends up being save the entire region from starvation.

Argue

How could God use awful things to do such a great work? He is God. He will use your circumstances in life to bring you around to him.

Illustrate: God used the injustices in the life of Joseph to put him in a position to save many. Joseph is a great type of Christ as he pictures the coming of the rejected Savior.

Apply

God uses Joseph to save his people. The great hardships and rejection he faced enabled him to rescue his family from starvation.

In like manner, God allows difficult things in our lives. Sometimes some of our circumstances may be because of our pride. God can use those circumstances such as these to enable you to bring the hope of salvation to your family and others God has placed in your life.

3. Moses rejected by his people.

Acts 7:20–36 “20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. 30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. 34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. 35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.”

Explain

Drawn from water

He is miraculously saved by the Pharaoh’s daughter. The man who ordered their death now has a Hebrew baby living in his palace.

40 years in Egypt growing up in the Pharaoh’s house.

Moses learned all the Egyptians could teach him.

Moses had all the pleasures Egypt had to offer at his disposal.

Ye, Hebrews 11:24–26 “24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”

He had everything you wanted. Yet he left it to suffer with his people.

1 Corinthians 9:22 “22 ...I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Determined to lead

...is Rejected by his countrymen

He thought his people would understand he was chosen by God to deliver them.

He murders a cruel slave taskmaster. Then tries to mediate between a quarrel between his people and is severely rebuked and find out his grand plans for leading are dashed.

Drawn back by God...is Chosen by God.

After a humbling 40 years in Midian, being a shepherd in the wilderness. God calls him back to his dream of delivering his people.

God heard his people’s cries in their slavery in Egypt, but now Moses has a hard time believing God has called him to lead. He tries to pass the job onto some else, but God wants him.

He feels inadequate. He feels untrustworthy. How would God use Him who has in the past already been rejected by his people? Acts 7:35 “35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.”

God uses the things that are rejected to to His work.

Delivers Israel.

Moses is used of God to deliver Israel out of bondage in Egypt.

God’s might is shown to the Egyptians as he sends through Moses 10 plagues on Egypt, splits open the Red Sea for them to cross, and then receive the 10 commandments, and lead them 40 years in the wilderness and show them the power of God to protect and provide for his people.

Argue

Moses killed a man. Wouldn’t that disqualify him?

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 “9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Illustrate

Do you remember who was also guilty of helping kill a man in the NT, but God used mightily? The Apostle Paul.

Apply

You may feel like a Moses, rejected and set on a shelf. You be faithful to be serving God where you are at.

Be faithful and if God calls you to take a step of faith. Be confident that the one who has started a good work in you will continue to do so. (Phil. 1:6)

If you are struggling with a past sin remember

1 John 1:9 “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalm 103:12 “12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

God makes sinners into trophies of grace. Ephesians 1:12 “12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

4. Israel’s Father’s: A rebellious Generation.

Acts 7:37–50 “37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. 38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: 39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, 40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. 44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. 45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; 46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him an house. 48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50 Hath not my hand made all these things?”

Explain

What Moses taught:

A prophet like them would come.

He was present in the tabernacle.

He was present in Mount Sinai

Rejection and rebellion of God’s chosen are marks of their history.

Return in their hearts to Egypt.

Acts 7:39 “39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,”

Do you have outward practices of a Christian. Do you play the part of a Christian. Go to church, pray, and read your Bible, but inwardly your heart is not in it. Maybe you haven’t truly trusted Christ as your personal Savior.

Request for Aaron to make them God’s.

Acts 7:40–41 “40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.”

The children of Israel wanted to do as they had seen in Egypt.

So many times we in the church and in our lives individually want to copy what the world does instead of living holy lives of service as our Savior.

Don’t be like Israel who rejected what God revealed of himself and made of their own imagination.

Replaced God with heathen gods.

Acts 7:43 “43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.”

Other times we start copying the practices of those around us without stopping to consider: DOES THIS PLEASE GOD? What does the Bible say about this?

Representation of God’s presence in the tabernacle.

Acts 7:44 “44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.”

Stephen goes on to remind them that God is not stuck in a temple, but he is everywhere. Jeremiah 23:24 “24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”

The visible reminder of their invisible God did little to sway them from their sinful ways.

The Jews who had Stephen on trial would seek to follow God’s law, but to them that was the way to earn favor with God.

Galatians 2:21 “21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Romans 3:21 “21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;”

They had made salvation by the Law instead of realizing that the Law shows our need of a Savior.

Galatians 3:24 “24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

Psalm 19:7 “7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

Psalm 31:1 “1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed: Deliver me in thy righteousness.”

We have the Holy Spirit and the Word of God as believers in Jesus, yet how often do we ignore the witness and run to other things.

Let us practice the presence of God. What do you mean? As you live your life always be conscious that God is watching everything you do, think, and say. Live to please God by worshipping him and serving others. Romans 15:1–2 “1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”

Illustrate: Pastor Glover a Deacon, but unsaved.

Apply

You can go through outward motions of worship to our God and yet be living in your heart for the sins from which God saved you.

You should not be requesting god to be something he is not, or making one you want according to your own imagination.

John 4:24 “24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Seek the Lord’s face in your worship, not a feeling, but walk in His truth. Much of what is called worship today is just an emotional high. True worship is praising and adoring God and then showing it in our sincere obedience to His Word.

5. Israel’s Current Generation rejected God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Acts 7:51–53 “51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 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: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.”

Explain

Rejection and rebellion of God’s chosen are marks of their history.

Response of rejection Stephen boldly indicts the rebellious hearts of the council who has him on trial.

Reasoning for their rejection is because they didn’t expect a Messiah to to come like Jesus. Four major reasons for the Jews rejection of their Messiah today are:

He didn’t Restore Israel. Isaiah 43:5–6 “5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, And gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; And to the south, Keep not back: Bring my sons from far, And my daughters from the ends of the earth;”

He did not bring world-wide peace. Isaiah 2:4 “4 And he shall judge among the nations, And shall rebuke many people: And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more.”

He did not rebuild the Temple. Ezekiel 37:26–28 “26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.”

Universal knowledge of God. Zechariah 14:9 “9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: In that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.”

https://oracioncristiana.org/en/do-jews-believe-in-jesus/

https://worldhistoryedu.com/reasons-judaism-rejects-jesus-as-the-messiah/

https://www.jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/isaiah-714-a-virgin-birth/

They claimed to be awaiting their Messiah, and still do to this day, when he has already come.

Argue

The rebellious hearts of the Israel’s current generation is clearly seen through the methods used to condemn Stephen.

Suborned/bribed men.

Deuteronomy 16:19 “19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.”

Wrest means to stretch the judgment. To stretch the truth to get a desired judgment.

Pervert means to twist and misrepresent the words.

Stephen’s words were true and righteous.

The synagogue however didn’t agree with those words.

The hired/suborned men by the synagogue twisted the words of Stephen to misrepresent them in the most infuriating ways.

This is done many times in news syndicates on political issues as a particular viewpoint is presented with bias. Or, perhaps you see it as your child pleads his case against a sibling.

Sly False witnesses to achieve their end.

Proverbs 17:23 “23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom To pervert the ways of judgment.”

Who were these men claiming to be? The upholders of the law and customs of their fathers, yet they violated their own law to do so.

Pragmatism is unBiblical. The ends do not justify the means. Doing evil (Violating God’s law) that good may come is NEVER right.

Stephens claims of resisting the Holy Ghost as their fathers are true. Listen to Micah’s prophecy against the rulers of Israel.

Micah 3:9–11 “9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, And princes of the house of Israel, That abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. 10 They build up Zion with blood, And Jerusalem with iniquity. 11 The heads thereof judge for reward, And the priests thereof teach for hire, And the prophets thereof divine for money: Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? None evil can come upon us.”

Did they get away with what they tried to preserve? No. A.D.70 the temple is destroyed by the Roman General Titus in the first Roman Jewish war.

Stoning of Stephen illegally.

Under Roman rule the Jews were not permitted to exercise death penalty.

Oftentimes it is those who are the most religious that are most difficult to win to Christ.

They are committed to tradition over God’s Word. Saul was zealous as he consented to Stephen’s death. He thought he was doing right although he violated his own law he loved to get Stephen stoned.

They are blinded by Satan to the love of God in Christ and refuse to believe.

Romans 5:8 “8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Apply

Am I willfully rebellious against the teaching of God’s Word. These Jews were not able to resist. Do I resist with no backing when God is clear? Search the Scriptures you’ll find it true. See the change made in the lives of those who trust Christ.

Have I become so filled with pride that I am unwilling to hear God’s Word and learn of Christ.

Sometimes we get so used to hearing God’s Word preached and taught that we zone out and think this preacher has nothing to teach me. I already know it all.

The religious leaders thought no one could teach them, and many died without Christ.

Conclusion

The history of Israel is one of rejection. Yet God chooses what is rejected. An old man named Abraham is chosen to father the nation from whom the Savior would come.

Joseph rejected by his brothers chosen by God to save them.

Moses rejected by his people, chosen by God to lead them out of slavery.

God gives them the law yet they refused to obey it and rejected their prophets.

God gives them the promised Messiah and they kill him.

Stephen’s point with all this rejection of man, God’s choice prevailed. Repent and trust Christ as Savior.