Below the Waterline-4
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Memorial Day is not Veteran’s Day.
On Veteran’s Day we recognize active duty, reserves and veterans who are alive.
On Memorial Day we remember all those military members who have died protecting the freedoms of our nation — such as THIS freedom to assemble in worship of God.
It is a day when we remember what Abraham Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address...
... that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain
He was talking about the cause of a United States of America.
I am thankful to be an American.
I am thankful to those active duty warriors who day in and day out pay the price to keep us free.
And I am thankful to those who have paid the ultimate price — their lives — for the price of freedom.
Certainly, in the 246 years that this country has existed, there have been many, many brave men and women who have died keeping this country free.
Keeping this country safe.
We could spend hours and hours, days, weeks, months remembering each of their names — remembering their sacrifices.
There are many patriotic events on Memorial Day weekend for such remembrances.
I am thankful for their patriotic examples.
Most us realize that freedom is not free.
There is a price to be paid.
The price of spiritual freedom is not free either.
It cost the life of Jesus.
Proclaiming that freedom in Christ WILL (not might!) cost US our lives.
Because at a minimum we must die to self and self’s desires.
We must do what Romans 12:1 (NLT) [says:]… give [our] bodies to God because of all He has done for [us]. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
We must do what Jesus said in Luke 9:23–24 (NLT) [Where] … He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Yes, let us give our lives as LIVING sacrifices that honor God.
So the price of obedience to Jesus, of being His disciple, of doing what He told us to do:
Proclaiming freedom in Jesus…
Means surrendering our will for the Father’s will.
But the price of obedience to Jesus could even be our physical life.
With that thought in mind I want us to remember a different group of men and women.
Not America’s warriors — as important as they are.
Rather, let’s remember the example of men and women who, led by the Holy Spirit, with plenty of weight below the waterline, were soldiers of the Cross.
May their examples inspire us to live for Jesus today — in our lifetimes.
Stephen
Stephen
And in particular I want to encourage us to remember the example of one who gave up his physical life for Jesus:
The first martyr: Stephen.
Read:
Acts 6:1-15
Stephen gave his life to Jesus:
He did so willingly, unreservedly, whole-heartedly.
His example shows us what it truly means to have weight below the waterline.
In Hebrews 11:38, the Bible speaks of the people of God, the people of faith — Christians, as "those of whom the world is not worthy."
That was certainly Stephen.
In (Phil 2:15-16 NKJV) says we are to be:
... children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, {16} holding fast the word of life...
We shine as bright lights in the midst of the darkness of this world, reflecting the grace and goodness of Almighty God.
Stephen has the distinction of being one of those bright lights.
1. He was the first to ever sacrifice his life for the cause of Christ.
2. His commitment to Christ was unwavering, and his devotion was unending.
3. We all need to imitate him.
First, let’s look at THE PERSON OF STEPHEN
Stephen was one of the seven chosen by the early Christian church to deal with a dispute over the distribution of food to the needy.(Acts 6:5)
Based on the information in our text, how could we describe Stephen?
1. Vs. 3 - He had a good reputation.
2. Vs. 3 and 5 - He was full of the Holy Spirit.
3. Vs. 3 - He was full of the wisdom of the Spirit.
4. Vs. 2 - He had a servant's heart.
5. Vs. 3 - He was willing to be under the authority of the apostles.
6. Vs.7 - He didn't just carry a title — because he was active and faithful in his duties (along with the others) the gospel multiplied greatly
This was a man who oozed Jesus.
And yet, amazingly, he didn’t have decades to accumulate weightiness in his soul — but he had that weightiness nonetheless.
I have had the privilege to meet and to know men and women who matured in the Lord in months rather than years.
God did a special work in them.
I remember a man and his wife who came forward to repent of their sins and make Jesus Lord of their lives in a service at First Assembly of God in Berwick, Louisiana.
Shortly thereafter, due to me being laid off, we moved from that area.
About 2 years later, God moved us back and I was amazed to see that man, who had been a finish carpenter, was now the youth pastor of the church.
2 years! That’s not the norm. That’s incredibly fast for a man who wasn’t even saved, to mature enough in Christ that he could be a youth pastor.
I can tell you that the senior pastor of that church would NEVER have put an unqualified person into that position.
He had high standards.
Not long after we moved back, God called this man and his family to pastor a struggling church in another part of Louisiana.
So, within the span of a few years, this man and his wife went from being unsaved, lost, to being a senior pastor.
So, can I encourage us?
God will form us into His man, His woman as fast as WE will allow Him to do so.
IF we will surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
IF we will allow Him to put weight beneath the waterline of our lives.
And let me tell you — no one can survive ministry, their ships, their LIVES will SURELY capsize without weight beneath the waterline.
Everyone faces the waves and winds of life, but add to that the incessant storm, the never-ending stress of being in ministry?
Of having a bullseye painted on your back and the enemy constantly lining up to take a shot.
Lightweights need not apply.
But Stephen was NOT a lightweight!
His testimony was:
Vs. 5 - That he was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit
According to vs. 8:
He was full of grace and power
Performed great signs and wonders among the people
How does such a thing happen — whether in a short time or over decades?
It happens when we fully turn away from the things of this world, of this life and fully surrender to God — nothing left on the table — “Lord, it’s all Yours.”
It happens when we devote ourselves to the Word — when we develop and insatiable appetite for more of the Bible.
It happens when we devote ourselves to prayer — spending hours and hours in the Throne room of God.
It happens when we thirst for the living water of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 (NASB95) … do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
The Greek word for “filled” here is (play-RAH- oh) — it is speaking of having more than a little — but rather being SATURATED with the Holy Spirit.
The Complete Bible Commentary tells us that Plēroō is … used in the New Testament in the sense of filling with something, always with a strong element of exclusiveness or totality. Thus, when a person is filled with the Spirit, as in Ephesians 5:18 or with Satan (Acts 5:3), he is completely controlled by the indwelling power.
It is only as we walk in the saturation of the Holy Spirit that we begin to manifest:
Supernatural wisdom
God’s grace and power.
Great signs and wonders.
May our prayer be: “Lord, fill me, saturate my life with Your Spirit so that I might bring greater glory to You like Stephen did — through grace, power, GREAT signs and wonders.”
And it’s GOT to be about bringing God glory — not getting attention on ourselves.
Only by having the weightiness of God could he have faced the problems that he faced:
After looking at the PERSON of Stephen, let’s think about THE “PROBLEM” OF STEPHEN.
Stephen was a problem to the religious people who had power.
He boldly proclaimed something for which the people were starving.
Not religious tradition — direct, personal relationship with their Creator.
Stephen shook the world around him through his dedication to Christ, and his bold proclamation of the truth that sets men free.
The power of God rested upon him, and God blessed and used him in a great way as a witness.
He became a problem to the so called "religious people" of his day-the scribes and Pharisees.
As he fearlessly proclaimed Christ as the Messiah and Savior, and they just couldn’t stomach it.
His ideas would bring change, and that is something that they did not want.
They were satisfied with the deadness of the letter of the law — the old covenant and refused to acknowledge Jesus is Messiah revealed through the mighty power of God.
The Spirit of God controlled and spoke through Stephen, but they rejected the truth of God.
These religious people could not deny THE PURITY OF STEPHEN.
As Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, verse 15 says his face shone, as did the face of Moses, whose law they accused him of trying to set aside.
God was making a point to them in their unbelief.
It was as if God was saying-"This man is not against Moses — He is like Moses, my faithful servant."
And then, there is THE PREACHING OF STEPHEN.
Stephen was a dynamic proclaimer of God’s Word.
He preached the longest recorded sermon in the New Testament.
He spoke:
1. of the nation of Israel,
2. of the promise of God fulfilled in Christ,
3. and of the need of people to surrender their lives to Jesus as Lord.
He declared the truth — that they had always resisted the prophets of God that had been sent to them.
In Acts 7, Stephen stood up to the religious power brokers of the Sanhedrin, speaking to them of Abraham, of Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon.
Telling them in Acts 7:51–53 (NASB95) “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52 “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; 53 you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”
It takes a sanctified person to do such things.
Someone who has turned their back on the world and turned fully towards God and all He wants to pour into their lives.
It takes a person full of the anointed Word of God to be able to speak forth what Stephen did.
It takes a person walking in the glorious Presence of Almighty God to see God…
when people are gnashing their teeth at you
when they are screaming at you
when they are dragging you out of the city and stoning you.
In Luke 21:15 Christ promised his followers:
(Luke 21:15 NKJV) "for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
As Vs.10 says they couldn’t “cope with” or “resist” the wisdom and anointing of the Holy Spirit.
So, what do you do if you cannot refute some one? You kill them! THE PUNISHMENT OF STEPHEN.
Contrary to Roman law, Stephen was taken by the Jews, and stoned to death.
As he was dying, he prayed for them-for their forgiveness, just like his Savior had done.
It takes the weightiness of God to, as all these things are happening to you, say, as Stephen did in:
Acts 7:59–60 (NASB95) … “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.
THE PERSEVERANCE OF STEPHEN.
Yes, Stephen persevered and prevailed.
He triumphed over his enemies even though they murdered him.
Jesus stood up and welcomed this faithful servant home.
And because of his example...
in spite of persecution, the Gospel spread to the Samaritans, and then to Gentiles.
Persecution didn’t silence the believers — because of Stephen’s example, it EMBOLDENED them.
What about me?
What about me?
All that is well and good for Stephen, but I could never die for Jesus.
You would be amazed at what you can do when you are fully surrendered to God.
When you have sufficient weight beneath the waterline.
Most of us recall that there was a witness to Stephen’s stoning.
A religious traditionalist par excell ‘ance.
Acts 7:58 (NASB95) … the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 8:1 (NASB95) Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. …
But God changed Him
Transformed him.
So that years later he would tell those gathered in Caesarea
Acts 21:13 (NASB 2020) … For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
So don’t discount what God can do in your life — if you will let Him.
Christ will receive us too, if we are faithful to Him.
If you have never done so, come, trust Him now, and give Him your life.
Maybe you once prayed a prayer — but are you being faithful to obey Jesus?
Hebrews 13:7 (NASB95) [says] Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Remember Jesus — who died for our sins — who took the punishment WE deserved.
Remember Stephen, a man …
… full of faith and the Holy Spirit
He was full of grace and power Acts 6:8
Performed great signs and wonders among the people Acts 6:8
Altar Call
Chorus: Use Me (a capella)
Communion:
Communion:
Like Stephen of old, let us offer our lives as a sacrifice to God.
Let us do so as we obey what Jesus said to do in remembering HIS death on this Memorial Day Sunday.
How fitting to do so!
Before we can offer our sacrifice of remembrance, we must prepare ourselves:
27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.
Congregational Prayer of Repentance
Receive Elements
As the worship team comes…
All invited - you don’t have to be a member
Come, take a piece of the Bread and one of the cups and hold it until we all partake together.
Let’s gather at the front and partake together as the family of God.
Hymn: At The Cross/Love Ran Red
Bread
3 He was despised and abandoned by men, A man of great pain and familiar with sickness; And like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we had no regard for Him. 4 However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, And our pains that He carried; Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted, Struck down by God, and humiliated. 5 But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed.
He took OUR sins in His body.
26 Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Prayer
I. End prayer with prayer from Seder:
A. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Cup
10 But it was the Lord who decided to crush him and make him suffer. The Lord made his life a penalty offering, but he will still see his descendants and live a long life. He will complete the things the Lord wants him to do. 11 “After his soul suffers many things, he will see life and be satisfied. My good servant will make many people right with God; he will carry away their sins. 12 For this reason I will make him a great man among people, and he will share in all things with those who are strong. He willingly gave his life and was treated like a criminal. But he carried away the sins of many people and asked forgiveness for those who sinned.”
He shed His blood to wash away our sins and give forgiveness that leads to life.
27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
Prayer
I. End prayer with prayer from Seder:
A. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Jesus is Coming
This meal reminds us that Jesus is coming soon. Jesus told us in:
12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.
Hymn: We Shall See the King