The Stoning of Stephen

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 20th day of October— Tuesday

Yesterday right here at “The Message” we saw how the speech of Stephen to the Sanhedrin has ended— it was quite a long monologue that we had to divide it in 3 parts— we realized that the Stephen established the connection between Abraham, Moses and our Lord Jesus as his defense to the false accusations against him— from the last part of Stephen’s speech yesterday, we learned:

BEING A CHRISTIAN IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE

I MAY BE SUPER KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE BIBLE, BUT IF I DON’T OBEY IT, IT’S WORTHLESS

Today let’s take a look at how the Sanhedrin reacted to Stephen’s speech— open your Bible to ACTS 7:54-60, we will be able to finish chapter 7— once you get to the right page in your Bible, type “Let’s see Sanhedrin’s reaction”

When reading in advance, whenever you’re studying God’s Word— look for words that defines that CHARACTER of God, COMMANDS to obey, PROMISES to claim, good EXAMPLES to follow and bad examples to avoid, ENCOURAGEMENTS & CHALLENGES to keep you going, reasons to be THANK GOD for, PRAYERS to pray

READ ACTS 7:54-60

BOOK

Acts 7:54–60 NIV

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

WHAT: Sanhedrin’s reaction to Stephen’s speech

WHEN: After Stephen defended himself at the Sanhedrin

WHERE: Sanhedrin then outside of the city of Jerusalem

WHO: Stephen, Sanhedrin, accusers and witnesses, Saul [Paul]

WHY: Because the still refuse to accept the message of Jesus through Stephen— they stoned him until he died

LOOK

THEY WERE FURIOUS AND GNASHED THEIR TEETH AT HIM

They’ve been mad at them ever since— they were furious at the apostles and really wanted to kill them ACTS 5:33

BUT STEPHEN, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, LOOKED UP TO HEAVEN AND SAW THE GLORY OF GOD

Stephen witnesses the risen Jesus at the right hand of the Father— That scene may allude to the prophecy of Daniel where the divine figure of the Son of Man receives the kingdom from Yahweh— Luke [the author of this book], also wrote in his other book— LUKE 22:69

THEY COVERED THEIR EARS AND, YELLING AT THE TOP OF THEIR VOICES

They refused to hear what Stephen is was saying about our Lord Jesus— they all rushed at him— dragged him out of the city and began to stone him

The trial becomes a mob scene— death by stoning was the legal penalty for blaspheming the name of God— LEVITICUS 24:16— but the Sanhedrin do not have the authority to sentence anyone to death— that’s why they brought Jesus to Pilate— JOHN 18:31

THE WITNESSES LAID THEIR COATS AT THE FEET OF A YOUNG MAN SAUL

This is the first time Saul made a scene according to the Bible— Luke [the author] introduces Saul who’s name was later on changed to Paul [ACTS 13:9]— the man who will lead the church’s mission to the Gentiles [non-jewish people]

We will see his conversation later on when we come to Chapter 9— while they were stoning him...

STEPHEN PRAYED, LORD JESUS RECEIVE MY SPIRIT

This echoes the words of Jesus on the cross also recorded by Luke— LUKE 23:46— in his prayer Stephen said…

LORD, DO NOT HOLD THIS SIN AGAINST THEM

Despite what they’ve done to him— he asked the Lord not take it against them— Stephen knew that they too are victims of deception by the devil— Paul later on wrote in Ephesians that our struggles is not against flesh and blood— but against the spirit of darkness [EPHESIANS 6:12]

AND SAUL APPROVED OF THEIR KILLING

Beyond their authority to sentence anyone to death— the trial turned into mob— Saul consented to kill Stephen

Their hate and refusal of Jesus went on and they did the same to the apostles and the disciples in the early church— no matter how many miracles, signs and wonders— not even Stephen’s establishment of clear connection between their ancestors and our Lord Jesus Christ, made them realized that Jesus is the promised Messiah— the Son of God—

They are so blinded by their beliefs and traditions— that led them to kill Jesus, Stephen and later on to the persecution of the church— Tomorrow we will begin to see how they persecuted the church— but, with their persecution, the church was scattered, and that was how the church grew— We will start looking at that tomorrow

Meanwhile, from the stoning of Stephen, we learned this couple of things:

TOOK

IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION, PRAY

He prayed for himself and he prayed for those who persecuted him

Just last Sunday, I actually talked about praying as our way to fight against the enemy that we do not see— Praise God for who He is and what He has done— Repent from sin— Ask God for your needs and Yield to God’s will

DO NOT HOLD THEIR PERSECUTION AGAINST THEM

SING

Joycelyn Stehen— Katapatan mo O Diyos