Stephen against the Coucil

Introduction:

Hope everyone is having a great time...

We’ve had some awesome teachers…

I pray that someone learned from our Q&A time...

Tonight… We are going to be in the book of Acts.

Intro to Acts

The book of Acts gives us a glimpse of the early church from AD30-63...

It’s focus is on the role played by apostles, like Peter who ministered mainly to Jews.. and Paul, who ministered mainly to the gentiles.

We believe that Luke was the one who authored this book by the inspiration of the Holy Spirt.

One of the major points that Luke makes in this book is: THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO ARE DEVOTED TO JESUS CHRIST.

The christian church, the early church was built through the working power of the Spirit, working through God’s people.

And this is going to be one of our points tonight… How we need to full of the Spirit like one of the characters in Acts...

Acts 6 is where we will start…

Pray

The man called Stephen

V.1-5

Here, we see that the number of disciples were multiplying so this group complained because they felt like their widows weren’t being served enough or properly.

So the 12 apostles got together with the large number of disciples and were on the lookout for 7 men to serve tables...

These 7 men had to have these characteristics...

Good Reputation

Full of the Holy Spirit

Full of Wisdom

One of the men chosen was Stephen…

Our study tonight is focused on Stephen.

There’s not a lot of information about Stephen, besides these couple of chapters in Acts...

Nothing is said about his family, his origin, his background… Why? Because it didn’t matter… What mattered what that Stephen was:

A faithful man...

A courageous man...

a committed man…

We’re going to read a lot of verses, then get into the message…

Read

Acts 6:8–15 CSB

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they began to argue with Stephen. But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin. They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law. For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

V.8-15

We see Stephen, fulfilling part of his ministry by doing signs and wonders, teaching the truth of Jesus Christ.

Because he was doing the work of Jesus, opposition rose against him!

Here we witness our first matchup of Stephen vs some men....

Stephen vs. Freedmen

As we read in this passage, we see that this is nothing for Stephen.

This was like the bunny slope for Stephen. No big deal...

The scripture says that they began to argue with him, but hey were unable (say unable) to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

This is good… I get chills reading this passage!

For you and I today...

If we want to win arguments… If we want to tear down strong holds… if we want to be a witness to our fellow men and women, our fellow students… We have to know the Word of God.

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 CSB

For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is like a sword!

Stephen knew the word of God and he knew how to use it… That’s the wisdom..

Wisdom is knowing how to use the knowledge that you have.

Knowledge is cool and all, but if you don’t use it or use it incorrectly, you’re just a fool.

You need to know your word… I guarantee you, that as you continue on this walk of life, you will be challenged, and people will start to stir the pot… But, if you know the word of God.. You can withstand the fire…

If you know the Word of God… You won’t fall for these false christianity ideas...

for example… Progressive Christianity..

They believe:

The Bible isn’t infallible

The Bible isn’t the word of God

The Bible isn’t a science book

The Bible isn’t an answer/rule book

The Bible isn’t self-interpreting

If you know the Word, then you know that these sayings are bogus and heretical.

This is a new “christianity” that is appearing around us… It’s not even christian, it’s a lie from the pit of hell.

This is why we have to know the Word of God… This is why your youth leaders and pastors are always telling you to spend time in the Word!

This is why we are always telling you to study! To pray!

So that you don’t fall for garbage like this! This is nonsense and blasphemy, and it will lead you straight to hell.

It makes you wonder how a “christian” can fall away from truth so fast…

I’ll tell you how… They become a friend to the world.

They want people to like them and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings...

In your age group, I see this so many times, and it’s frustrating...

I’m going to offend some you right now...

The relationships you choose to have are important...

Proverbs 13:20 NKJV

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

When you are choosing to have a boyfriend/girlfriend of a different belief, you’re going against God’s word… and you have no reason to be dating.

I see it so much… and it’s stupid.. Dating is supposed to be leading toward marriage, not just to play around and fall into sin.

Your closest friends shouldn’t be unbelievers… because they will pull you away from God…

When you’re with your unsaved friends, you’ll start to act like them, talk like them, and be like them… and they’ll lead you away from God.

2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

Your best friends should be those of the same faith… so that you can build each other up..

Your boyfriend/girlfriend should be of the same faith… because dating is meant for leading into marriage.. It’s not a toy.

If we continue to disobey God, we’re in sin… If we continue to fellowship with darkness, you will fall away from God and it would be entirely your own fault.

Why did these churches fall into this garbage? Because they became a friend to the world.

Let that not be us....

BACK ON TRACK

However, we cannot miss the most important part in this section… Why couldn’t these people stand against Stephen?

He was full of Wisdom...

The Holy Spirit was speaking through Him…

Brothers and sisters… WE need to be full of the Holy Spirit..

If we have the Holy Spirit inside of us, then we are never alone when the enemy comes and wants to start a fight.

I know that many of us are afraid to speak the truth of Jesus… because you don’t know what to say...

If you know your Word and your indwelt with the Holy Spirit… He will speak through you…

The same Spirit that spoke through Stephen, lives in those who are believers today…

The same Spirit that worked miracles through the apostles… is alive in believers today...

We are not alone in the fight… We have the Holy Spirit and we need to rely on His strength, we need to rely on HIM so we can speak the truths of Jesu Christ and His word!

How can we know if we are full of the Spirit?

Biblically, look at Galatians 5:22-23

Galatians 5:22–23 CSB

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

Do you have the fruits of the spirit?

THIS DOES NOT OCCUR OVER NIGHT!

This becomes more evident in your life as you mature into a Godly man an woman.

Being full of the spirit is a matter of progressive maturity.

The more you study… Not just read, but actually sit and study..

The more you pray… not just for your food, but actually pray...

The more you fellowship with godly people....

You will continue to grow and become more full of the Spirit.

The main thing is progressing. As you grow in the faith, you will grow in the Spirit.

Just want to touch on this fact too… Stephen’s job was serving tables… and God used him powerfully, as we will see...

You don’t need to be a Pastor to be used by God… We need more Stephen’s in this world… people who work unto the Lord and share the truth.

BACK TO ACTS!

These people couldn’t stand up to Stephen, so they had to attack the man.

If people can’t win an argument, they will start to attack the man...

They started to spread lies about Stephen, like he was blaspheming God… He was talking garbage about Moses… and so on…

So they captured him and took him to the Sanhedrin.

Who were the Sanhedrin?

Basically a court… they vote on trials… basically..

They were the ones who had a mock trials that resulted in Jesus being crucified. Instead of voting to free him, they gave Him over to the Romans...

So, now we are at the climax of Stephen story…

Acts 7

In Acts 7, we see Stephen give an overview of how God has been at work from the earliest times with Israel.

Stephen talks about:

Abraham

Moses

Jacob

How Israel decided to make false gods and worship…

Tells the council that God doesn’t dwell in temples, because God said

Acts 7:49–50 NKJV

‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?’

Then we will pick it up here in verse 51.

Acts 7:51–53 CSB

“You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit. As your ancestors did, you do also. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law under the direction of angels and yet have not kept it.”

Acts 7:54–60 NKJV

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Here, we see Stephen full of the Spirit… being faithful and courageous...

Stephen is calling out the council and the jews who don’t believe...

Stephen’s words would either anger the audience or bring them to repentance.

The OT prophets had delivered similar messages to their ancestors, but they persecuted and killed them.

These people did not hear the truth, their hearts did not receive the truth, and their necks did not bow to the truth… As a result, they killed their own Messiah.

We see the same thing today...

We have Christians who share the gospel… who preach the truth… but people don’t want to listen. They don’t want to hear about our Jesus....

We have brothers and sisters around the world who are being courageous for the gospel…

They are preaching about Jesus in these countries where they could be imprisoned for it.

They are proclaiming the gospel, they are having underground churches… in places where they could be killed for their faith.

These men were so enraged because Stephen called them out…

Stephen knew what would happen if he told the truth… He knew that these people would be furious and most likely kill him, but he didn’t cower.

He stood courageously and declared the message of Jesus...

Instead of being intimidated by the opposition, he was at peace...

He looked up and saw Jesus STANDING at the right hand of God..

When you read about Jesus’ position in heaven, he’s usually sitting at the right hand of God..

But here… He is standing.. maybe to welcome Stephen.

Stephen said, “Behold… the SON OF MAN..”

This was the way that Jesus was refer himself as at times.

The people and the Sanhedrin knew this… So, Stephen was claiming that JESUS was at God’s right hand… which made them even more mad..

The romans allowed the Jewish leaders to maintain the sanctity of the temple are, but they weren’t allowed to carry out the death penalty.

they were so angry, they killed him illegally.. They were a mob and killed him!

Here, we also see the first reference to good ol’ Saul…

These 2 statements made by Stephen are remarkable...

Lord Jesus, Receive my spirit

Proclaims that Jesus is Judge and Savior.

God, don’t hold this sin against then

Stephen is showing so much grace like his savior..

Also.. he understands that his own sins haven been forgiven by grace…

Stephen was moved by the Spirit… Only a person who is full of the Spirit understands that we have been forgiven much.. and desire others to have that same forgiveness and freedom from sin.

Do you guys desire for others to be saved? Do you want others to be forgiven and come to the saving grace and knowledge of Jesus?

Spurgeon said, “If you don’t desire for others to be saved, then you yourself are not saved.”

How can we be full of the Spirit and not desire for others to know Jesus?

Stephen is a heavyweight, because he had no fear… He was faithful to the end… He was full of the Spirit… He was courageous..

WORSHIP TEAM

3 Ways We Can Be Heavyweights in our World

Be faithful

Stephen was faithful to Christ.

Stephen was faithful in serving where he was placed...

Stephen was faithful in his word, we see that by the message he proclaimed.

Are we going to be faithful to Christ Jesus? or are we going to conform to the world’s logic?

Are we going to be faithful doing what God has called us to do… Whether thats serving tables or teaching at church?

Are we going to be faithful in the word? Or, are we going to entertain ourselves with everything else but Jesus?

Be Courageous

Stephen stood up to the opposition and used the Word of God.

Stephen proclaimed the truth of Israel, that they killed their Messiah, in front of traditional Jews… He made them mad when He spoke about God not living in a temple… Which got Stephen killed.

Are we going to be courageous enough to preach the truth, even if it means that we are hated? Even if it means that we lose friends? Even if it means death?

There are christians around the globe that are being persecuted and killed for their faith in Jesus… One day it’ll be us.

Be Committed

Stephen was committed to following Jesus… No matter what...

Will you be Committed to following Jesus no matter what?