Standing Tall
STANDING TALL ACTS 7:54-60
This evening, we are going to conclude our study on the life of Stephen. In fact, at the end of our study we are going to come to the close of Stephen’s life. So I ask you will take your Bibles and turn with me to the seventh chapter of Acts. I want us to look at the last seven verses of this chapter. But before, we look at this chapter, I want to remind you a little about Stephen and what brought him to his death.
If you recall, the church was growing so rapidly that they were having a hard time meeting all the needs, especially those of Grecian Jewish widows. So the church selected seven men, as the apostles suggested, to wait on tables. Stephen was one of these men. In fact, he was the first man selected according to Scripture. And God had bigger plans for Stephen, then just waiting tables. Stephen preached the gospel, which got him in trouble with certain factions of the Jewish party.
They accused him falsely and he defended himself and the gospel against their charges. At first, you could imagine that the Jews probably were nodding in agreement as Stephen recited the history of Israel until they got the drift of where he was heading. At the end of his sermon, Stephen indicted the Sanhedrin with resisting the Holy Spirit. Well, as you might imagine this did not go over too well with these so-called religious people.
And what we see happening in these verses is Luke recording a contrast between Stephen and the Sanhedrin. I find in these verses a difference in their attitude, attention, and action. So let us look at these contrasts as stated by Luke. First, let me note the difference in attitude.
ATTITUDE – 54-55a
The first difference that was apparent in the text is their attitude. Now when they heard these things, the things that Stephen had been addressing over the past 53 verses they were enraged. It might have been where Stephen was unable to deliver more of his sermon because his statements torn these religious leaders to bits. The Greek text has two words for our English translation of enraged. The first word means literally “to saw asunder.” In other words, it was a way to express how furious they were because the words of Stephen ripped right through them. His words sent them out of control. The other Greek word stood for heart. These statements cut them in the heart. They were not only angry, but they were stricken with madness.
As a result of this intense anger, Luke recorded that the Sanhedrin ground their teeth at him. Literally, they grind their teeth at him. Twice in the Old Testament, this phrase was used to describe the enemies of God’s people. So this is a picture of rage mixed with frustration.
This phrase is also used in several passages describing the torment of those who will endure the wrath of God in eternity because they refuse Christ as Lord and Savior. Let me give you a few of those passages so that you can get the picture of what is happening with the Sanhedrin because they are in a little bit of hell here on earth through the convicting message of Stephen.
Matthew 8:12 says, “while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:41-42 says, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” In Matthew 22:13, we read, “Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” You find it again in Matthew 24:51, “and cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
So you can see that hell will be full of people gnashing their teeth at God in fury. It is a kind of anger that remains bitter and full of hatred. So the Sanhedrin, like the people of hell, were so furious at Stephen that they were completely out of control as we will see in just a moment.
Now, that we have seen the attitude of the Sanhedrin, I want you to notice the attitude of Stephen. Luke said he was full of the Spirit. This means that Stephen was controlled by the Spirit of God. Folks, this was what Paul was saying in Ephesians 5:18, when he gave the command, “be filled with the Spirit.” In other words, we are commanded to full of the Spirit all the time. Being filled with the Spirit is to allow this to be a continuous pattern of our lives, not just from time to time experiences.
The problem for many of us is that we yield to the Spirit and then we don’t, we yield, then we don’t, we yield and then we don’t. But Stephen was under complete control of the Spirit. How do I know this? Well, the normal reaction of self did not show up in these false allegations. Instead, Stephen remained calm in spite of the uproar that was taken place around him. What is true of Stephen can be true of us. The same Spirit that filled Stephen can fill us.
So scholars point out that this filling of the Spirit was a special work of God during a crisis. Well, I would agree with that. God does a special work in the life of a believer during a time of crisis. God gives the grace that we need to face the tough situations in life. Well, you might think that you could not do what Stephen did, but I believe God will pour out the grace that we need at the very moment we need it.
Have you ever heard anybody talk about dying grace? I used to wonder. I have read literally thousands of pages of historical information on the death of Christians and the death of martyrs, everywhere from the early church right on through to the present day, when people were being martyred in China, when people were being martyred in other places in our current, modern world for the cause of Christ. And in reading all of this, I have never one time read of a Christian who died a raving, screaming maniac. Have you?
For example, the Czech martyr, Jan Hus, was promised safe passage to discuss his criticisms against the Catholic Church. But they betrayed him and burned him at the stake. He died, not cursing at his persecutors for their deception and brutality, but singing praise to God as the flames consumed his flesh.
On October 2, 2006, Charles Roberts walked into an Amish schoolhouse, dismissed all but ten young girls, and proceeded to shoot them before fatally shooting himself. Five of the girls died, five survived.
Six months after this tragic event, U.S. News and World Report returned to the scene of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, to find out how the Amish were coping, reporting their findings in the article, "Moving On." The reporters discovered that the tragedy brought together Amish and non-Amish neighbors, resulting in a deeper sense of community. They stood together, comforting and supporting one another. The Amish immediately reached out to the widow of the shooter, extending forgiveness, and forgiveness has been what has moved these Anabaptist descendants forward through dark days.
So the first contrast between the Sanhedrin and Stephen is attitude. Next, Luke records the contrast of attention.
ATTENTION – 55-57
The second difference is the direction of the Sanhedrin and Stephen’s attention. Let us look first at Stephen’s attention. Notice, Stephen found himself in this difficult situation, but take note to what he did. He looked up. Folks, the only place to look when things are tough is up. He set his sight on God to get his mind off this situation.
So Stephen looks up and notice what he sees the glory of God. He sees God in all of his glory. Ezekiel saw the glory of God. Isaiah saw the glory of God. Paul and John on the island of Patmos saw the glory of God. So Stephen got a glimpse into heaven.
Oswald Chambers wrote, “If we lose the vision, we alone are responsible, and the way we lose the vision is by spiritual leakage. If we do not run our belief about God into practical issues, it is all [over] with the vision God has given.” When you find yourself in a bad situation do as Stephen does and keep your attention on Jesus. Remember to look up rather than look at yourself.
I want you notice something else, Stephen saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Many times in Scripture we read about Christ seating at the right hand of God, but here we have Christ standing. The idea being communicated about Christ seating at the right hand is that his redemptive work is done. The work of salvation is complete in that Satan, death, and the world has been defeated. So far as the redemptive work is concerned Jesus accomplished the work. Therefore, he is seated at the right hand of God.
Yet, here Stephen said he saw Christ standing at the right hand of God. This might simply denote his being there, but it might also denote either standing in reverence before the Father, standing to intercede for Stephen, standing to judge his opponents, or standing to welcome Stephen.
I believe he was standing to let Stephen know that he was coming to his rescue. Death has lost its power at the cross for the Christian because it opens the way for us to see Jesus. So Stephen’s vision is that of God’s glory and Jesus standing to welcome this saint home.
Andrew Rivet was a Frenchman who was born in 1573 and spent most of his life in Holland as professor of theology at the University of Leyden. He was a great theologian and full of the Holy Spirit and faith, as Luke says of Stephen (Acts 6:5). On Christmas Day 1650, when he was 77 years old, he preached a sermon, and was immediately afterwards taken ill with a severe disease of the abdomen. He died on January 7, 1651.
He had been a devout man of God and a productive scholar for the kingdom for over 50 years. But when he came to die, God—in a very real sense—did more for him in those last few days of life than in all the years before. Listen to what he said just before he died: The sense of divine favor increases in me every moment. My pains are tolerable, and my joys inestimable. I am no more vexed with earthly cares. I remember when any new book came out, how earnestly I have longed after it—but now all that is but dust. You are my all, O Lord; my good is to approach to you. O what a library I have in God, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! You are the teacher of spirits—I have learned more divinity in these ten days that you have come to visit me, than I did in fifty years before. (Archibald Alexander, Thoughts on Religious Experience, London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1967, p. 207)
Now I want you to notice the attention of the Sanhedrin. Stephen’s attention was Godward, while the Sanhedrin’s attention was manward. In verse 57, they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Their attention was on Stephen because of all that he had said, especially seeing heaven open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Charles Spurgeon to his students said, "When you speak of heaven, let your face light up. When you speak of hell well, then your everyday face will do." They went berserk when he said this. Why?
Listen to this. These words were familiar words to that council. What Stephen said took their minds right straight back to a conversation they had with another prisoner. They had this other prisoner one time on trial. And the same group here, and the trial was in the same place, most likely. They had accused Him of blasphemy, too. And they brought in false witnesses, and the false witnesses didn't come across. And there wasn't enough evidence to kill this one.
So the high priest finally just said to this other prisoner, "You tell me plainly. Are you the Messiah?" And do you remember what that prisoner said? "I am." And in Mark 14:62, this is what He said after He said, "I am." "And you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Almighty." Who said that? Jesus said it. And they said, "Real funny. You, seated at the right hand of God?" He says, "I am the Messiah. You'll see me seated at the right hand of God." And they killed Him for such blasphemy.
You know what Stephen says? "You know what I see? I see the Son of man seated at the right hand of God." Oh. That's what they killed Jesus for claiming. Now Stephen verifies that it is true.
So the Sanhedrin drowns him out with their loud cries and covers their ears because they do not want to hear anymore. In other words, they went wild at this statement that Stephen was making. All reasoning with them at this point was gone because the Bible said they rushed together at him. Literally, they rushed with one mind.
The word is "rushed." Interesting, here's a footnote for you. The word "ran" is the same word exactly that's used of the pigs that were demon possessed that ran off the cliff in Mark 5. It's also the very same word used in Acts 19 of the mad rush of the mob at Ephesus upon the Christians. They were a demonic mob. In fury, they just ran at Stephen.
Theologian and philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote: "When one preaches Christianity in such a way that the echo answers, 'Away with that man, he does not deserve to live,' know that this is the Christianity of the New Testament. Capital punishment is the penalty for preaching Christianity as it truly is."
There is a contrast in attitude, a contrast in attention, and a contrast in action.
ACTION – 58-60
The last difference shown by Luke in this passage is the action of the Sanhedrin and Stephen. The Sanhedrin exhibited hatred toward Stephen. They carried him out of the city and stoned him to death. Stoning someone to death was a gruesome form of execution.
The Mishna, the Jewish codification of law, tells us. There's a little paragraph here, and I'll read it to you. "The drop from the stoning place was twice the height of a man. It was a precipice of about 10 feet plus. Rocks below. One of the witnesses pushes the criminal off from behind so he falls face forward onto the rocks. Then he is turned over on his back. If he dies from the fall, that is sufficient." That's for sure. "If not"...that's what it says. "If not, the second witness takes a large stone and drops it on his heart. If this cause death, it is sufficient. If not, he is then stoned by all the congregation of Israel." Now, that was the method of stoning.
Yet, these guys went further than this. They laid their garments down so that they could cast the stones at full force at Stephen because of the indictment on their live. Based on Stephen’s statement, they would have to admit they were wrong in killing Jesus or stone Stephen for blasphemy. They did the latter. In these verses, we are introduced to a man who will become very familiar to us in the latter half of the book and the rest of the New Testament, Saul.
Now, I want you to notice the action of Stephen. He offers up two prayers. One for himself and the other for his enemies. First, he prays for himself. He asks Jesus to receive his spirit. Folks, what this says to me is that the moment we draw our last breath in this life, we are immediately in the presence of the Lord. Saul, who supervised this killing teaches us this fact by stating to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. There is soul sleep or purgatory or annihilation at death. God doesn’t allow us to rest somewhere for x number of years or allow someone to pray us out of purgatory. No, God takes our spirit to be immediately with him when we die. Therefore, there is no fear in death for the believer.
Next, Stephen imitates his Lord and Savior by praying for his enemies. He asks God not to hold this sin against them. This is not the common reaction for people who have been treated the way that Stephen had. In fact, many people are like the prophet Zechariah who got in trouble by some Jews who decided to kill him. In his dying breath, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!” (2 Chronicles 24:22) Yet, I like Stephen’s response better.
After Stephen said these words, Luke recorded he fell asleep. Isn't there a beautiful peace about that? And they were still alive, but grinding their teeth, and would spend all eternity doing it. He just fell asleep in the arms of Christ.
The devil designs for your death to produce despair and hopelessness and self-pity and resentment and bitterness. But the design of the Holy Spirit is very, very different. He destroys the power of death, and makes death into an occasion for showing the beauty of Christ. "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." A great triumph of Christ-like mercy! (John Piper)
Vance Havner illustrates the beauty of death for the believer. He said, “When I started out as a boy preaching, Father went along. Then when I got old enough to go by myself, he'd meet me at the little railroad station in Newton, North Carolina. I can see him standing there by that old Ford roadster, in that old blue serge suit that hadn't been pressed since the day he bought it. When I'd go up to him, the first thing he'd ask me would be, "How did you get along?"
It's been a long time, and when my train rounds into Grand Central Station in glory, I think he'll be there--not in the old blue serge suit, but in the robes of glory. I wouldn't be surprised if the first thing he'd say would be, "How did you get along?"
I think I'll say, "Pretty well, and I owe a lot to you for it." Then I think I'd say, "You remember back in the country when I was a little boy, no matter where I was in the afternoon I was supposed to be back by sundown. It's been a long trip Dad, but here I am by the grace of God, home before dark."