Sermon Tone Analysis
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Intro:
TS: Last week we began looking at Stephen.
He was a godly man in several ways:
A Great Man-high character, diligent in laboring for the Lord
A Wise Man- Defended the faith and defeated those who tried to debate him.
An accused Man - They made up lies to stop him.
He stood accused of blasphemous words and terroristic threats against the temple.
This Week:
This week we examine Stephen’s trial.
They open up in v. 1 with “Are these things so?”
Stephen’s response at this trial shows he is also a Bold Man
Instead of attacking the lies of his accusers, Stephen preached a bold message.
Stephen’s response does not seem to answer the High-Priest’s question.
Instead, he gave a masterful, detailed defense of the Christian faith from the OT and concluded by condemning the Jewish leaders for rejecting Jesus.
In this message, Stephen tells the history of God’s awesome works on behalf of Israel, and Israel’s repeated rejection of the truth, a pattern they continued all the way up to rejecting their Messiah, Jesus.
He tries to get them to see beyond the ritual and regulation of the Temple to recognize true righteousness and their inadequacy
AS: We would do well to follow the example of Stephen.
He knew the Scriptures and used every opportunity to show how they proclaimed Jesus .
Even in difficult circumstances, we need to point people to Jesus
God’s Amazing Grace
The Call of Abraham 1-8
God Called Him out
This was an act of His amazing grace
God looked on earth and choose this man to be the Father of His people
It wasn’t due to Abraham’s merit and worth, it was due to God’s gracious choice
Established a people
Through Abraham, God began His nation
In Abraham, it was a promised nation, and through his descendants, He kept that promise
Established a covenant
V. 8 God gave them the covenant
Promised land
Promised One (Messiah)
God set circumcision as the symbol of the covenant
A perpetual reminder and sign that they were a peculiar people chosen by God
All of this was before the Temple
Stephen shows that God had been with Abraham in Mesopotamia, and that the patriarch had worshiped him there (vv.
2–8);
God has used the temple, but was always in the world and and always will be
True righteousness goes beyond Temple
Patriarchs in Egypt 9-16
God used bad situation to become a blessing
10 of his 11 brothers sold Joseph into slavery out of jealousy
Joseph rose to the top of Potiphers house, then due to false accusations, landed in prison where he again rose to the top
BUT GOD! (great words aren’t they?)
He allowed all to get Joseph in the right place and time so that God’s message to Pharaoh could be delivered.
Due to these events, the Patriarchs preserved in famine
They grew into a nation in the incubator of Egypt
Just as God was with Abraham, He is also with Jacob, Joseph, and Moses in Egypt, where they had worshiped him (vv.
9–24, 30–38);
Again, we see God at work shaping events and accomplishing His purpose long before the Tabernacle and Temple
God Delivers Israel through Moses 17-36
After time passed, and they were being oppressed, God delivered
Sent Moses
Sent Plagues to bring deliverance and ruin Egypt
Let them out
free from slavery
Parted the Red Sea to make good their escape and drown Pharaoh's army
God was with Israel in their wilderness wanderings, and had accepted their worship (vv.
44–46).
AP: Stephen has shown that God is a gracious and might God.
God is still at work in the world today in the post Temple era.
That isn’t entirely accurate is it
There is still a Temple!
We are His temples!
God still is working:
He still calls people to Himself
He still hears and answers prayer
He still is working to accomplish His plans
Israel’s Rebellious Response
Israel Rebels against God 37-43
They had a long history of rejecting God sent deliverers
Rebelled against Moses
complained and whined about going back to Egypt
Made an idol shaped like a calf out of gold when Moses was receiving law
Rebelled against God through idolatry (Book of Judges)
Kept the idols of the pagans around
Began worshipping them
Rejected God as King, and demanded a human king.
Followed wicked kings deeper into rejection of God
God’s True Tabernacle 44-50
To cap his argument, Stephen reminded the court that God does not dwell in houses made with hands.
This, he pointed out, is evident from Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the Temple; in it he expressly declared that heaven is God’s throne, the earth His footstool, and no one spot on earth the place of His rest (vv.
47–50).
Israel Resists the Holy Spirit 51-53
They rejected their Messiah (the Just One)
stiff-necked -
stubborn and rebellious
uncircumcised in heart and ears
corrupt
essentially accusing them of not being circumcised.
unclean before the Lord
They rejected the messenger 54
They started grinding their teeth at him they were so angry
They set their jaw and prepared to destroy Stephen
They had heard the gospel, and once again rejected it
AP: Human nature still rejects God
They reject His moral standard
we think we know better than Him what is “normal”
we think we can serve Him our way and on our terms instead of submitting to His word
They reject His offered salvation
Humans think they can earn it
Humans think they can hold onto it
Arrogantly, they think somehow they can position themselves to deserve it
I know I use it often, but I see no way to reconcile these humancentric plans with Scripture:
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