Stephen: Vision
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Christians unsure they’ll be welcomed by Jesus into God’s New Creation
[some think that is humility, others just afraid]
[Athanasian Creed? - do good to be saved…]
Those who have done good will enter eternal life
Those who have done evil will enter eternal life
9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Sounds similar. Maybe it’s just Paul
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
But this is Jesus now.
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Here’s a further insight - the righteous do things for Jesus’ people - for other Christians.
In our account - Stephen is someone who knows he’s getting into God’s kingdom. He does things for Jesus’ people.
Be like Stephen? To get into God’s kingdom?:
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
A method of looking at characters in the Bible to be examples - be like x, y, z...
(to get the confidence he has - imitate him)
That’s not the solution - by the way - not that these characters are not good examples - but their stories are here for a much bigger picture -
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Will look at Stephen’s God - and then we will
RECAP
where are we?
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
increasing conflict, challenge to powers, word spreading, church growing (10,000+)
still in Jerusalem
7 chosen - Stephen one of those: but does signs and wonders, a preaching role too (not limited) - but he also preaches, gets arrested, dragged before SAnhedrin, gives a sermon, enrages the Jews and gets stoned to death.
[becomes first Christian killed, church scatters finally to Judea and Samaria, we meet Saul as persecutor]
God’s Holy Spirit gives power and wisdom
God’s Holy Spirit gives power and wisdom
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
Impressive - but this is God at work through Stephen
notice this is not the role of widow care - they were never restricted to this
10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
wisdom: where from? - the Spirit gave him this
he’s a proclaimer of Jesus
you can be too
you don’t need to be a minister, or even educated, it is God’s wisdom, not human wisdom - by God’s Spirit
(nor do we need to be worried or ashamed of clever people)
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
He’s one of God’s messengers.
God makes it plain that he is at work in Stephen. God will make it plain he is at work through you.
Stephen relies on God. It is here God who is powerful, who is wise.
(the people who glow in the Bible are people who’ve spent time in God’s presence - Moses, Jesus -Stephen).
[church in a classroom, around a tree || where is God, where can I meet God?]
The Rescuing God is WITH his people
The Rescuing God is WITH his people
2 To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran.
God comes to humans. God takes the initiative in approaching humans.
9 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
God shows up with his people. With Joseph. In Egypt. There’s no Holy Place Joseph needs to go to to get to God. God - the promise making God - is with his people.
30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’
Again, God approaches his people. Holy Ground is wherever God shows up.
God is the God who cares for his people and will rescue his people.
38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.
God gives living words. Words of life.
Again it is God speaking to Moses outside of Israel.
All this that Stephen knows leads him to his conclusion, quoting from Isaiah 66
48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 “ ‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’
Stephen knows how awesome God is.
He also knows the danger of turning places and practices and processes into the things to be worshipped rather than the God who set those things up.
And the danger of getting caught up in procedure and actually neglecting God.
You can be in a holy place, doing a holy process - and not be connected with God.
Stephen starts his sermon by calling the group brothers and fathers - and ends with:
51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
You can be in the holy family, with godly parents, and not be connected with God.
Isaiah 66 continues straight after heaven being God’s throne with the same warning and judgment on those who do religious things without loving God and his word.
2 Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.
“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.
3 But whoever sacrifices a bull
is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig’s blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense
is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,
and they delight in their abominations;
4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring on them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”
God has a heart for rescue and forgiveness - but equally is holy and expects his followers, those who trust him to also obey him and love his word.
The rest of the Isaiah passage is a word of blessing for those who love God’s word, judgment for hypocrites - and a message of those saved carrying the news to all nations (like is about to happen in this passage see 8:4),
18 “And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.
The persecution which comes will cause the entire church to be scattered - but Jesus actually knows what he is doing:
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
[Don’t judge a book by its cover - don’t count your chickens -
Ruth: “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong” - living like Stephen is not a recipe for immunity
Barnabas Fund - Jesus’ own experience as an innocent sufferer
The Ruling Lord Jesus is FOR his servants
The Ruling Lord Jesus is FOR his servants
standing to receive 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.
Stephen already knows that Jesus is alive from the dead, and in charge - but he gets a vision of Jesus - on his side - standing up for Stephen, ready for action.
Death not a threat worth making when you worship the God who raises the dead.
If God is for us - who can be against us?
Jesus is with you as you go about your day amongst maybe even people who look down on Christians and Jesus.
not delivered from stoning, but received into kingdom
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
God who is a rescuing God - did not rescue Stephen. Stephen did not seem to expect it. But comitted himself to a God who is just, who raises the dead, and who brings right judgment in his good time.
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.
understands God’s forgiveness and wants it for his murderers (like Jesus)
This is Jesus-like. God-like. The deeper we know the God of glory, the more we will long for rescue not vengeance.
[Finally - Stephen understands that Jesuss has brought forgiveness - he trusts in the Risen Jesus - and he does good after because that is simply what trusting in the risen Lord Jesus requires - obedience to Jesus to love his neighbour - it’s what the Athanasian creed lays out - you don’t enter eternal life because you’ve done good - you do good because you know Jesus and trust him - it’s the fruit of a Christian life -
you get into God’s kingdom by trusting in the same Jesus who Stephen trusted in...
The Holy Spirit gives power to God’s people for wisdom and witness to Jesus in our lives
The Rescuing God is with his people wherever they are
The Ruling Lord Jesus is FOR his servants.