Gtcotr/ws073119
The
electric company is doing some repairs and rerouting of electricity underground
in our neighborhood and we were informed yesterday that our electricity would
most likely be turned off early this morning and that we should prepare to be
without electricity for the whole day. Wednesdays are days I spend studying for
our mid-week service and so last night, after I finished with the day’s
demands, I sat down and began to study Acts 7 so I could get ahead.
As
is my usual approach I read the whole chapter a couple of times and picked out
some interesting points to further research and develop. Just before getting
into bed I listened to the whole chapter a few times in a several translations
so I could go to sleep with the text for tonight on my mind. I have found that filling
my mind with the Word of God gives my spirit something to chew on during the
night.
This
morning I woke up about 6:30 and I heard a voice in my head say: “Are you doing what is right or are you doing what is wrong?” I immediately recognized
the Holy Spirit was communicating with me and giving me a platform from which
to begin putting tonight’s lesson together.
So,
allow me to ask you as well: “Are you doing what is right or are you doing what
is wrong?”
Acts 7 is best known for detailing the account of the
stoning of Stephen who was a deacon in the Church in Jerusalem. However, Acts 7
gives us so many other keys to confirm the Old Testament accounts of Abraham,
David, Moses and God bringing Messiah to a lost and hurting world. The sermon
preached by Stephen in Jerusalem that day offers so much to any student of the
Bible. We won’t have time to develop each facet of truth contained in the
testimony of Stephen this evening, but I encourage you to use his accounts of
the history of these chosen Children of God from Abraham to Jesus as an
opportunity to further your serious studies.
In order to get the full account of the stoning of
Stephen, we will need to begin a few verses before Acts chapter 7, in Acts 6:7.
This is on the heels of the Apostles ordaining the first deacons of the Church
to help them with the practical needs of the congregation.
Acts 6 NKJV
7 Then the word of God
spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a
great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
·
Note that after these deacons were given both
the authority and the responsibility to serve in the Church, the Church grew
and even many of the Jewish Priests were converted to become Believers in Jesus
as Messiah.
o
Authority vs Responsibility
o
Don’t get the horse before the cart …
Responsibility is what we give people and when others accept responsibility,
they should then be given the authority commensurate with their responsibility.
o
When people are looking for authority, give
them something to be responsible for first … Don’t just give people the right
to make decisions when they are as yet unwilling to be responsible to do the
work.
o
No one needs to be in charge of anything they
are unwilling to be responsible to make happen.
8 ¶ And Stephen, full of
faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
·
Greek - Pistis and Dunamis – Faith and Power
9 Then there arose some from
what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those
from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.
·
Synagogue of the Freedmen – I am aware of the
three main camps of scholars and their beliefs concerning these Freedmen or, as
the Greek word implies, Libertines. However, I believe these were perhaps those
who were not only Jews but also Roman citizens, who were otherwise free from
many of the encumbrances and penalties of the Jews who were not Roman citizens.
o
At any rate, whether formerly slaves of the
Romans or simply those who were enjoying greater purchased or inherited
liberties within the Roman empire, these Jews had their own Synagogue in
Jerusalem and elsewhere as well. One such Synagogue was found in Pompey.
o
We read that these Freedmen were from:
Cyrene, on the African Continent; Alexandrea, in Egypt; and from Cilicia, north
of Cyprus in modern day Turkey of which Tarsus was the capital, (the city of Saul
of Tarsus, which would help to explain his presence at this meeting); and Asia,
comprising most of the rest of modern-day Turkey and some of the surrounding
eastern border countries.
·
Disputing with Stephen – Denotes less than an
argument or fight, rather this seems to have started with a common questioning
and debate concerning the issues at hand in Jerusalem between the Church of the
Believers in Jesus and those who held to the teachings of the traditional
Jewish Synagogues, such as these Libertines.
10 And they were not able to
resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
·
Resist = Greek word: anthistemi … where
derives the word Antihistamine – to successfully oppose and stand against to
defeat.
·
Sophia – wisdom = in a broad sense, the
intelligent use of science, knowledge, truth, proverbs and experiences, both
human and divine, is wisdom. This is the wisdom used by Stephen to explain Christ.
11 Then they secretly induced
men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
·
The wisdom of the world says: “If you can’t
beat them, lie about them … accuse them … defame them … destroy them.”
12 And they stirred up the
people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him,
and brought him to the council.
·
This should teach us not to get all stirred
up when we hear someone accused of something horrible … it could be a lie …
13 They also set up false
witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against
this holy place and the law;
14 “for we have heard him say
that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs
which Moses delivered to us.”
·
Well, perhaps that part has some truth laced
in with the falsehoods
·
Often the greatest lies are based on truth …
o
You shall become as God’s knowing good and
evil … God knows you aren’t going to die … it’s ok to go ahead and eat it!
o
Lie!!!
o
God is love so love is God.
o
Lie!!!
15 And all who sat in the
council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
·
Radiant innocence and
confident sincerity should have been their first clue … but it wasn’t
·
Sad to know so many are
un-tempered and lack the spiritual discernment needed to discover truth from
lies in the hearts and eyes of others but are left only to follow the loudest
voice or popular vote.
Acts 7 NKJV
1 ¶ Then the high priest
said, “Are these things so?”
·
Be instant in season and out of season …
·
You’ve got to love the opportunity to share
your talking points.
·
Always be ready to give an account of the
good work that is in you …
·
It really doesn’t matter what they ask you when you already know
what you’re gonna to say.
·
Stephen understood that he was in a
high-stakes game. He calculated the costs, weighed the benefits and took the
stage.
·
He knew this could be his only chance and he
respected it …
2 And he said, “Brethren and
fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in
Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
·
Stephen began his defense of the Gospel by getting their attention and
laying his foundation on their most common ground.
·
For the next 59 verses Stephen recounted the history of the Children of God
from Abraham to Jesus …
·
It is a truly amazing sermon containing numerous confirmations and
explanations of Old Testament accounts …
·
And then, Stephen brought the truth home on a personal level …
51 ¶ “You stiffnecked
and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your
fathers did, so do you.
·
Resist – Not the same as Acts 6:10 resist.
This one means to run upon or to strike out against or oppose …
52 “Which of the prophets did
your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of
the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,
53 “who have received the law
by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”
·
You of all people should be keeping the Word
of God … God gave it to you miraculously by divine choice …
·
Are you doing right or are you doing wrong?
54 ¶ When they heard these
things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their
teeth.
55 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,
·
Not everyone sees what we see … don’t be
surprised …
·
And perhaps they never will this side of
heaven …
56 and said, “Look! I see the
heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 Then they cried out with a
loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
·
The first loud voice …
·
It can stop up you ears and make you react in
anger with hatred …
58 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.
·
Note: Saul of Tarsus, evidently a member of
the Synagogue of the Freedmen, was in attendance and in agreement.
59 And they stoned Stephen as
he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
·
Stoned him while he was calling on God …
·
Were they doing what was right or what was
wrong?
60 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.
·
The second loud voice …
Two Loud Voices
1.
Acts 7:57 – The first loud voice – “Kill him!”
2.
Acts 7:60 – The second loud voice – “Forgive them …”
Extra Points to Ponder:
·
Don’t believe
every accusation you hear.
o
Someone might be angry
they didn’t win … or
o
Someone might have
something to gain.
·
Am I doing
wrong or am I doing right?
·
Don't get
angry at the truth.
·
Which voice is
speaking to you?
