Speaking the Truth-Part II

I have said quite a bit in the passed year or so that there is an epidemic plaguing the church today. This epidemic is biblical illiteracy. People are just not reading their Bibles. With such illiteracy there is no wonder there are so many issues in the church and even in Christian households. It is also no wonder people don't know how to speak truth. It wasn't this way in the early church. The church in it's infancy had a high view of Scripture and a deep understanding of God, His promises, His Power and His Presence. They also knew how to divide the word of truth in such a way that God was exalted and Christ was preeminent in their handling of the Word. This can be the case with many Christians if they would just make the word of truth their priority.

There is one thing I really want all of you to understand, the Bible is the only book ever written were there was a lot of blood shed for it. The blood of Jesus, the blood of the reforms who moved by the Holy Spirit brought a resurgence to the truth of Scripture and away from tradition and works. Even the blood of men who painstakingly translated the Bible so we can have it in our common languages. Men like John Huss and William Tyndale, so much blood shed for the truth of God's word and this morning we will continue looking at the first man who's blood was shed for the truth and for the church, Stephen.

Luke has introduced us to Stephen in Acts 6. We have found that Stephen is a man 'full of faith and the Holy Spirit' in verse 5 and 'full of grace and power' in verse 8. Stephen was going about the city of Jerusalem and he was speaking the truth to the Hellenistic Jews. These are the Greek born and Greek speaking Jews. This cause an uproar between Stephen and the other Hellenistic Jews to the point that those who were hostile to him decided to lie and have him arrested. In chapter 6 we never read what the argument is about but as Stephen gives his defence in chapter 7 we have a wonderful picture of His knowledge of Scripture and His understanding of what God has done through out Israel's history and what that means for himself and his accusers. In the next few weeks we will be looking at this man's handling of Scripture and how rich and how important it is to know the whole council of God. As Stephen goes through the whole council of God he will highlight God's Promise, God's Power and God's Presence. This morning we will look at 'Trusting in God's Promise.'

The Truth of Trusting in God's Promise

We will find this in Acts 7:1-16

Acts 7:1-16

Now Stephen is before the council, this is the Sanhedrin, 71 members made up of religious leaders, Pharisees, Scribes, Sadduccees, and elders of the people. These men sit and judge the people of the nation of Israel in respect to the Law of Moses and the traditions of the people. Stephen has been brought in on false charges of blasphemy from men who for the most part are jealous and and angry at Stephen's teaching and authority in teaching. So the religious leaders have heard the charges that have been brought before them in respect to Stephen being a blasphemer so the high priest now asks, 'Are these things so?' A simple yes or no answer would do but Stephen doesn't give a simple yes or no, he tells them the truth right from Scripture. Stephen demonstrates by this sermon that he has an excellent grasp of the Hebrew Scripture and the history of Israel. He knows the whole council of God and he points out first that he trusts in God's promise and he provides the truth of God's promise which is fully grounded in Scripture. The first truth is Calling

Calling

Stephen begins with Abraham. What I like about Stephen's sermon is even though Stephen begins with Abraham as the father the true point of it is what God is doing. God has called Abraham and Abraham listened. God directed Abraham to the land that would be an inheritance for Abraham's descendants even though Abraham was childless. The promise of the land was not for Abraham as Stephen says here but for Abraham's descendents. He even points out the fact that they are now standing in the land God had promised Abraham.

2 Timothy 1:8–11 NASB95

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.

Confidence

This took a great deal of faith on Abrahams part because he had no descendents and he was very old. God also spelled out exactly what would happen. It is not like Abraham's descendents were to receive this land and live happily ever after with no quarrels or fights, they will spend four hundred years in a foreign land. It is only after this time that they will go in and overtake the land God has given to them. God provided this promise and the promise is sealed with the circumcision of all the male children of Israel. Beginning with Abraham, who was not an infant. As Stephen continues his sermon he moves quickly through Israel's history by going from Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob and then the twelve patriarchs, who all received the sign of the covenant.

Romans 4:1–4 NASB95

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

Romans 4:9–13 NASB95

9 Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

2 Corinthians 3:4–6 NASB95

4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Conflict

Stephen moves so quickly into the patriarchs and it seems as though he does this to show how God has kept His own word and God has never left the nation. Notice also that they are nomads, sojourners. Even though they have a land that is promised to them they still have to trust that God will provide it. The same is true of us today we have been given a promise by God, we are kingdom citizens, our home is not the here and now. So guess what that makes us, nomads and sojourners. Still we have to trust in God and live as though we are already there. That means we are not to hold on to our possessions in this life but be fixed on the life to come.

Look with me at verse 9, "The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him," The nation of Israel even after being called and having confidence in God's call didn't have it easy. In fact, conflict arose for the nation of Israel over and over and over again. There is also conflict for those who are called by God and are confident in His promises. This will be a big part of Stephen's application in verses 51-53, whenever God's truth is displayed and people trust in His promise, power and presence there will always be conflict from those who are against God and His promise, power and presence.

2 Timothy 4:16–18 NASB95

16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Comfort

God being there for Joseph, is spelled out for us, God rescued him from affliction, granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh. Because God had done this for Joseph, Pharaoh gave Joseph the highest position in the land of Egypt next to his alone. This was all for the purpose of God bringing His own people in and causing them to grow as a nation. Again God didn't just provide them with the land. They had to learn to trust in God and God had to make an example out of Egypt so that others would trust in God too.

The reason for God being with Joseph as he was in Egypt is because it was God's plan all along. God used Joseph as an instrument of deliverance of the people and protect the nation of Israel. The wisdom God bestowed on Joseph was what caused Egypt to thrive and word of what the nation had is what attracted Joseph's brothers there in the first place. They went there for the purpose of survival. The land became their home for four hundred years, God had kept His promise.