What Better Cause?

Introduction

Speak about the history of Memorial Day.

Memorial day is set aside to remember those who have died in military service. It began as decoration day after the war between the states, then evolved into a national day of remembrance in 1971 officially.

Memorial day is different from:

Veterans day: Honors all who have served

Armed forces day: Honors current military personnel

Give an example of patriots dying for their country (Ill.) I looked up men who gave their life for our country and as I examined several of them, my heart was drawn to Nathan Hale.

(Ill.) Nathan Hale was a young educated man who graduated Yale College at the age of 18 - Back when Yale was Christian institution training ministers and morally educated leaders. He volunteered to be a spy for George Washington and the Continental Army. George Washington needed reconnaissance in New York City and Nathan Hale disguised himself as a Dutch school master And crossed over into British-controlled Long Island He didn't get much spying done as he was discovered rather quickly and sentenced to hang. Nathan Hale knew that spies were typically executed without trial but he volunteered anyway. His famous quote prior to being hung states: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”.

Nathan Hale, as many who would come after him, would die for their country. But you must understand that when one dies for their country, they are dying not just for dirt, but for what their country is, what it stands for, and what it still yet could be. Thousands of men and women have chosen to die for this blessed country. It is a noble cause.

Today I want to speak about not dying for a country but dying for a cause. A cause like no other for it is the cause of Christ.

Over the last 2,000 years we could have spoken of many examples of souls that were willing to die for Christ. Today I chose Stephen.

In church while we celebrate and remember those that have died for our country, we memorialize them and rightly so. I mean no disrespect or diminish not that sacrifice of them but let me ask you: what better cause could one die for than to die for Jesus Christ?

Today I want to look at the sacrifice of Stephen. I want you to meditate upon that question: What Better Cause?

Many of us will never die as members of a military, But we all can die for Jesus Christ.

We look first at His Preparation

I. His Preparation

Much of the war is won before it ever starts. It starts on the training ground before it ever takes place on the battlefield.

Before the Army will ever send you to fight overseas, you must:

Be enlisted

Complete basic training

Stephen, most assuredly, had some preparation that we should mention here today as well.

He was Converted

Our introduction to Stephen begins in Acts 6:5. We don't know any history of Stephen specifically prior to Acts 6. However what we are told of him, we can rightly assume a few facts about him. The first one being that he was converted

What I mean by that is he had been born again. At some point in time during the ministry of Christ or after his death, burial, and resurrection, Stephen heard of Jesus Christ, understood his sin, and placed his faith in the finished work of Jesus.

We're not told specifically this but we are told that he had an honest report, (which means a faithful testimony), and that he was full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom (v3) And that he was full of faith and power. (v5;8)

Church, I am speaking today about giving your life for the cause of Christ but you must understand that before you can run, you must learn to walk. Before you can give your life for Christ, you must place your faith in Christ and be born again.

He was converted.

He Communed with God

Another assumption, but one that is an assurance, and that is Stephen communed with God. What I mean by that is he was a praying man. Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth.”

Church, you will never be full of the Holy Ghost unless you are communing with God in prayer.

One thing that's lacking in the church today, I believe, is prayer.

We give such little time to prayer.

We have such superficial and shallow prayers

And we ask for far too little.

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Stephen Communed with God

He was Consumed by the Holy Ghost

In the span of three verses we are told twice that Stephen was a man that was filled with the Holy Ghost.

I believe there's a lot of confusion with what this means. The first thing we need to do is understand that there is a difference between being sealed with the Holy Ghost and being filled with the Holy Ghost.

We are sealed with the Holy Ghost when we are saved. Sealed (def) to stamp for security or preservation - it carries the idea of ownership (as in a letter sent from a King). To be sealed means that you are marked by God - it’s a permanent condition.

Ephesians 1:13–14 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

To be filled is conditional, and thus not a permanent condition.

(Ill.) Picture it like this: Use water as the Holy Spirit, and a cup as us. As I yield myself to the Spirit of God and allow His influence upon my life, I fill up. When I am fully yielded unto Him, I am then Filled with the Spirit.

Stephen was filled with the Spirit.

We see His Preparation

II. His Passion

Driven by Faith

Look at the specific descriptions of Stephen given in Act 6:5;8.

Acts 6:5 “…Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost…”

Acts 6:8 “And Stephen, full of faith and power…”

Did you notice that in both of these verses? Yes he was full of the Holy Ghost and he was full of power but both of them began with faith.

Church, faith is the catalyst. Faith is the key. Without faith there is no power nor could you possibly be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Faith is what gives us a ‘good report’ in the eyes of God: Hebrews 11:1–2 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.”

Faith is what secures Salvation: Galatians 3:11 “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Faith is how we overcome the world: 1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

Faith is what gives blinded eyes sight: Matthew 9:29 “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.”

Faith is what moves mountains: Matthew 21:21–22 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

Faith is what makes all things possible: Mark 9:23 “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Church, if you have not faith you have nothing!

Stephen was a man full of faith. He believed in Christ!

He was Passionate about Christ, and was driven by his faith in Him

Demonstrated by Power (v8)

BECAUSE of his faith

BECAUSE he was filled with the Holy Ghost

He worked powerful miracles in the sight of men. His FAITH and his FILLED demonstrated POWER! In other words, his works brought forth fruit.

Church, let me ask you this: Do your works bring forth fruit?

Matthew 7:16–20 “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

His Passion was Demonstrated by Power

In Devotion to Bible Knowledge

The majority of Acts 7 deals with the history of the Jewish people. Stephen begins at Abraham in (v2), before his calling by God through the patriarchs (v8), through Joseph and his time in Egypt, Moses' birth, life, sojourn, calling, and deliverance to the children of Israel.

The Israelites' disobedience (v40)

On through Joshua (v45)

The Tabernacle

Solomon’s Temple (v47)

So in other words, Stephen summarized approximately 1,000 years of history, And several books of the Bible.

Now we have no idea or way of knowing Stephen's history, if he knew that prior to getting saved or if he learned it afterwards. Most likely he was familiar with the Scriptures prior to his coming to Christ.

Either way what we do know is that Stephen at some point in his life had dedicated time to learn the Bible.

I have spoken recently about the greatest enemy to man and that is his pride. If I had to name one of the greatest dangers to me, I would say that it is his ignorance.

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

Thomas Jefferson said: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”

Ignorance destroys souls as well as nations. In our country today the vast majority of people are ignorant about God and governance. And that is a deadly combination.

Stephen was passionate about having Bible knowledge but there's something that needs to be coupled with that. That is, Stephen was passionate in discernment of biblical wisdom and understanding.

In Discernment of Biblical Wisdom & Understanding

In other words he not only knew what the Bible said but also what it meant.

Look at (Read) Act. 7:51-53. Stephen is essentially saying you're doing what they did. You have not learned from what your fathers did!

Church, it's one thing to know the stories of the Bible. It's another thing to understand why God is telling us those stories to begin with.

What is the application thereof?

How do we put it into our daily lives?

If we don't do that, it's just stories.

This is why Sunday School is so important

This is why Church is so important

So that the teachers and preachers God has put us under can help illuminate the APPLICATION OF THE WORD OF GOD!

(Ill.) It’s my goal and prayer that everytime I speak on the Word of God that I’m showing you how it applies to your life. Just as today, I hope that with the life of Stephen, you can glean on how to life a life that matters!

He had a Discernment of Wisdom and Understanding in the Word of God. That was His Passion

We see His Preparation, His Passion

III. His Performance

He Shone like an Angel (Act. 6:15)

What was the culmination of being full of Faith, Power and the Holy Ghost? Stephen had his shine on! He looked "spiritually supernatural."

(Ill.) Last week we preached a message on salt out of Matthew 5:13. Had we not been preempted by Memorial Day, we would most likely have examined Matthew 5:14-16 (Read)

Stephen was putting into practice the Words of Christ!

When you are ‘Full of Faith and Filled with the Spirit’ it’ll change the way you look!

Know this: Not one time have I ever seen a woman half dressed and thought ‘She was Full of Faith and Filled with the Holy Ghost’! Just sayin.

He Shone like an Angel

He Spoke with Power (Act. 7:54)

Stephen not only demonstrated power by his actions but his words cut through the noise and right at their hearts. Acts 7:54 “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.”

A Lot of People say a lot of things… yet few speak with authority and power like this man!

He Spoke with Power

He was Steadfast through Persecution (Act. 7:55-60)

Through it all Stephen never wavered.

Often times when we face hardships, we'll begin to waver and change our position for the sake of safety. Stephen, because he was full of faith and filled with the Holy Ghost, was steadfast through the persecution he endured.

We see he was steadfast through persecution.

He Slept in Victory (Act. 7:60)

What a wonderful way to end your life, as we see in v60.

Acts 7:60 “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Though Stephen was viciously attacked, he was not murdered in defeat but simply slept in victory.

We see His Preparation, His Passion, His Performance

IV. His Pattern

Your First Death must be to Self

Most people can never be filled with the Holy Ghost because they are too full of themselves.

(Ill.) Bring out the cup of stones.

Although I put the Holy Ghost in my life, I am weighed down by too many other things:

Pride, Ambition, Vainglory, Covetousness, Love of money, Fear of man, Lust, Slothfulness, Bitterness, Envy, Stubbornness, Rebellion, Idolatry, Worldliness, Jealousy.

I must first begin to cast them out! This is the hardest death man will face, is dying to self.

Remember the words of Paul: Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ:…” Paul was saying ‘I am dead to myself’

You must first die to self

If you Die to Self, you can Live for Christ

This was the words of Paul: Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Remember the words of John the Baptist: John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

(Ill.) You see once you rid yourself of yourself, you now have room for the influence of the Holy Ghost. And once you’re filled with the Holy Ghost, you continue to yield yourself, and God just pours out from you and begins effecting the world!

If you die to self, you can then live for Christ!

If you Live for Christ, you’ll Never Die

There's an old saying that goes something like "heroes never die. They just ride off into the sunset" and we see that play out at the end of Stephen's life.

It didn't say he died.

It didn't even say he gave up the ghost.

It says he fell asleep. What a beautiful end!

It reminded me of Jesus' statement unto Martha, which said, John 11:25–26 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Church, I want you to know when I leave this earth I'm not going to die. I'm simply changing address!

If you life for Christ, you’ll never die!

Conclusion

Church let me ask you this: What better cause for which to die that to die for the Cause of Christ?

Some of you may need to be born again.

Some of you need to cast some things out of your life that are:

Weighing you down

Taking up room so the Holy Ghost can’t impact you as He should