WEBVTT

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 Here is in the book of Acts. We are going to cover Acts 6, 8 to 7, 60 today. It's a relatively long

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 section and so during the sermon I'm not going to be reading large chunks of scripture like I

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 normally do. I'll be summarizing a lot of it so when I'm reading it in the beginning please try

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 to pay attention and pay attention in particular to the themes of rejection and themes of

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 God's presence transcending Jerusalem and its locale. But let me pray before for the reading

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 and preaching of God's word. Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before you. Lord, it is

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 our sin. To care so much about looking good than being good. To care so much about seeming

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 righteous rather than being righteous. To care so much about the recognition and

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 acknowledging from men and not from you, Lord. Forgive us and now address us by your word.

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 Transform us so that we might be faithful witnesses who live with an eternal perspective,

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 who live to receive that acknowledgement and commendation from the heavenly court, from our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 And not to please men.

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 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Acts chapter 6 verse 8 to chapter 7 verse 60.

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 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.

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 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the freedmen, as it was called, and of the

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 Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.

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 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking.

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 Then they secretly instigated men who said,

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 We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.

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 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him

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 and brought him before the council.

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 And they set up false witnesses who said,

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 This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law.

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 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.

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 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

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 And the high priest said,

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 Are these things so?

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 And Stephen said,

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 Brothers and fathers, hear me.

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 The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia,

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 before he lived in Haran,

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 and said to him,

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 Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.

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 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran.

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 And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living.

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 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length,

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 but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him,

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 who he had no child.

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 And God spoke to this effect,

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 that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others,

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 who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.

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 But I will judge the nation that they serve, said God.

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 And after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.

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 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision.

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 And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day.

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 And Isaac became the father of Jacob and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

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 And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt.

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 But God was with him and rescued him out of all his afflictions

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 and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh,

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 king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.

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 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan and great affliction.

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 And our fathers could find a food.

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 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt,

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 he sent out our fathers on their first visit.

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 And on the second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers

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 and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.

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 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his kindred,

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 seventy-five persons in all.

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 And Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, he and our fathers.

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 And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb

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 that Abram had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

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 But as the time of the promise grew near, which God had granted to Abraham,

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 the people increased and multiplied in Egypt.

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 But until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph,

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 he dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants

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 so that they would not be kept alive.

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 At this time, Moses was born and he was beautiful in God's sight.

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 And he was brought up for three months in his father's house.

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 And when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

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 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,

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 and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

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 When he was forty years old, he came into his heart to visit his brothers,

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 the children of Israel.

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 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed men

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 and avenged them by striking down the Egyptians.

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 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand,

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 but they did not understand.

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 And on the following day, he appeared to them as they were quarreling

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 and tried to reconcile them, saying,

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 Men, you are brothers.

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 Why do you wrong each other?

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 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside,

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 saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

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 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?

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 At this retort, Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian,

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 where he became the father of two sons.

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 Now, when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai

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 in a flame of fire in a bush.

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 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight,

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 and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord.

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 I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.

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 And Moses trembled and did not dare to look.

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 Then the Lord said to him,

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 Take off the sandals from your feet,

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 for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

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 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt

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 and have heard their groaning,

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 and I have come down to deliver them.

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 And now, come, I will send you to Egypt.

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 This Moses, whom they rejected, saying,

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 Who made you a ruler and a judge?

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 This man God sent as both ruler and redeemer

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 by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

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 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt

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 and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.

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 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites,

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 God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.

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 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness

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 with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai and with our fathers.

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 He received living oracles to give us.

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 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside,

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 and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,

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 saying to Aaron,

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 Make for us gods who will go before us.

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 As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt,

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 we do not know what has become of him.

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 And they made a calf in those days

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 and offered a sacrifice to the idol

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 and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.

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 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven.

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 As it is written in the book of the prophets,

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 Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices

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 during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

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 You took up the tent of Moloch

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 and the star of your god, Rephon,

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 the images that you made to worship,

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 and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.

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 Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness,

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 just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it

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 according to the pattern that he had seen.

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 Our fathers, in turn, brought it in with Joshua

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 when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers.

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 So it was until the days of David

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 who found favor in the sight of God

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 and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

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 But it was Solomon who built the house for him.

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 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands.

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 As the prophet says,

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 Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.

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 What kind of house would you build for me, says the Lord?

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 Or what is the place of my rest?

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 Did not my hand make all these things?

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 You stiff-necked people,

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 uncircumcised in heart and ears,

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 you always resist the Holy Spirit.

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 As your fathers did, so do you.

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 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?

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 And they killed those who announced beforehand

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 the coming of the Righteous One,

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 whom you have not betrayed and murdered.

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 You who received the law as delivered by angels

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 and did not keep it.

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 Now when they heard these things,

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 they were enraged,

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 and they ground their teeth at him.

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 But he, full of the Holy Spirit,

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 gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God

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 and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

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 And he said,

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 Behold, I see the heavens opened

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 and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

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 But they cried out with a loud voice

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 and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.

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 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him.

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 And the witnesses laid down their garments

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 at the feet of a young man named Saul.

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 And as they were stoning Stephen,

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 he called out,

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 Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

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 And falling to his knees,

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 he cried out with a loud voice,

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 Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

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 And when he had said this,

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 he fell asleep.

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 This is God's holy and authoritative word.

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 We were introduced to Stephen

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 in the preceding passage

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 as one of the seven appointed

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 to distribute bread, food,

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 to the widows in the church.

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 He was described as full of spirit and wisdom,

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 full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.

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 And so it's not surprising then now

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 to see him ministering effectively

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 among the Greek-speaking Jews.

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 He says that he was ministering

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 full of grace and power,

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 was doing great wonders and signs

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 among the people in chapter 6, verse 8.

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 But as always,

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 as Stephen is growing in favor

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 with God and man

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 and his ministry is thriving,

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 there are detractors that come

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 to speak against him.

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 It says in verses 9 to 10,

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 then some of those who belonged

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 to the synagogue of the freedmen,

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 as it was called,

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 and of the Cyrenians

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 and of the Alexandrians

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 and of those from Cilician Asia,

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 rose up and disputed with Stephen.

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 It's unclear whether this represents

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 all distinct synagogues

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 or whether it's one synagogue

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 of the freedmen

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 that had all these people

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 from different ethnicities

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 or different regions represented there.

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 But it seems that Stephen was ministering

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 to the Greek-speaking Jews in particular.

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 These are all regions

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 of parts of the Roman Empire

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 of where the Jewish diaspora lived.

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 The synagogue of the freedmen

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 likely was a synagogue

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 made up of Jews

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 who had been formerly slaves

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 but emancipated.

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 And so he's ministering

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 to fellow Hellenist Jews.

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 Stephen himself was a Greek-speaking Jew

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 who is culturally Greek, Hellenist,

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 even though he's ethnically Jewish.

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 But some of them, it says,

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 disputed with Stephen,

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 but they could not withstand

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 the wisdom and the spirit

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 with which he was speaking

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 because Stephen was full

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 of the Holy Spirit.

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 However, when prideful, foolish men

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 can't win,

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 they cheat.

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 So in verses 11 to 14,

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 it says that they secretly

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 instigated men who said,

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 we have heard him speak

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 blasphemous words

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 against Moses and God.

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 They're conspiring to destroy Stephen

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 by accusing him with blasphemy,

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 which was supposed to be punished

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 by stoning with death,

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 according to Leviticus chapter 24.

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 So on the one hand,

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 they secretly instigate men

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 to falsely charge Stephen

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 with blasphemy.

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 And on the other hand,

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 they stir up the people in public

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 in response to that charge

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 that they themselves instigated.

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 And so they fire up the crowd

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 and see Stephen

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 and drag him before the court

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 in the Sanhedrin.

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 And once there,

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 they continue their malicious work

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 by setting up false witnesses.

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 And they say this,

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 this man never ceases

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 to speak words against

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 this holy place and the law.

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 For we have heard him say

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 that this Jesus of Nazareth

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 will destroy this place

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 and will change the customs

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 that Moses delivered to us.

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 So the charge is primarily twofold.

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 The charge of blasphemy.

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 First, they allege that Stephen said

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 Jesus will destroy the temple.

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 And then secondly,

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 they charge that Stephen said

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 Jesus changes the customs of Moses.

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 As is often the case

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 with false accusations,

00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:49.120
 there's at least a modicum of truth

00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.440
 in both of these allegations.

00:14:51.800 --> 00:14:54.240
 And that gives it an air of credibility

00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:56.740
 because Jesus did prophesy

00:14:56.740 --> 00:14:57.580
 during his ministry

00:14:57.580 --> 00:14:59.040
 of the destruction of the temple.

00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:01.159
 What's false, however,

00:15:01.219 --> 00:15:02.159
 is that he never claimed

00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:03.819
 that he himself will destroy.

00:15:05.839 --> 00:15:09.199
 And Jesus also said in John 2, verse 19,

00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:10.959
 destroy this temple

00:15:10.959 --> 00:15:13.899
 and in three days I will raise it up.

00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:18.039
 The Jews misunderstood this statement

00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:20.299
 to mean the literal temple,

00:15:20.459 --> 00:15:22.039
 the physical temple standing in Jerusalem.

00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:25.459
 And John clarifies in that context

00:15:25.459 --> 00:15:28.120
 that Jesus was not speaking of the temple

00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:29.639
 but of his body.

00:15:30.299 --> 00:15:32.919
 If they destroy him and kill him,

00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:35.799
 that he will be raised on the third day.

00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:41.200
 He was pointing to the once and for all sacrifice

00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:43.200
 he would make in his own flesh

00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:45.440
 by dying and being raised from the dead

00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:48.820
 so that to make sacrifices for sin

00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:51.120
 in the temple no longer necessary.

00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:54.960
 But to devout Jews

00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:58.360
 and maybe especially to the diaspora Jews,

00:15:58.460 --> 00:15:59.299
 the Hellenist Jews

00:15:59.299 --> 00:16:01.899
 who had returned to Jerusalem

00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:03.100
 to be near the temple,

00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:06.500
 this would have been a particularly offensive claim

00:16:06.500 --> 00:16:11.500
 because they had come intentionally

00:16:11.500 --> 00:16:14.500
 to be more actively, intentionally Jewish

00:16:14.500 --> 00:16:16.279
 and to practice their faith

00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:17.700
 within the temple.

00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:20.540
 And so they twist Stephen's words

00:16:20.540 --> 00:16:22.020
 and charge him with blasphemy

00:16:22.020 --> 00:16:26.460
 and we can see their murderous intent

00:16:26.460 --> 00:16:27.640
 because they know very well

00:16:27.640 --> 00:16:30.220
 that the punishment for blasphemy is stoning.

00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:33.080
 And in their wickedness,

00:16:33.300 --> 00:16:35.080
 they raise up false witnesses

00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:35.900
 even though they know

00:16:35.900 --> 00:16:37.440
 that the law also prohibits

00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:38.660
 being a false witness.

00:16:39.060 --> 00:16:40.820
 But they're willing to violate the law

00:16:40.820 --> 00:16:43.180
 as long as it suits their agenda.

00:16:43.179 --> 00:16:47.239
 And in chapter 7, verse 1,

00:16:47.719 --> 00:16:50.239
 the high priest calls upon Stephen

00:16:50.239 --> 00:16:51.219
 to defend himself

00:16:51.219 --> 00:16:52.319
 and he says,

00:16:52.659 --> 00:16:54.179
 Are these things so?

00:16:55.419 --> 00:16:57.399
 Are you really preaching

00:16:57.399 --> 00:16:58.799
 against the temple of God

00:16:58.799 --> 00:16:59.739
 and the law of Moses?

00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:01.839
 Are you really preaching

00:17:01.839 --> 00:17:03.719
 that Jesus will destroy the temple

00:17:03.719 --> 00:17:05.399
 and change the customs of Moses,

00:17:05.500 --> 00:17:06.079
 the two charges?

00:17:06.919 --> 00:17:08.259
 This is not a question

00:17:08.259 --> 00:17:09.299
 that Stephen can answer

00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:10.700
 with the simple yes or no.

00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:12.980
 because he could have

00:17:12.980 --> 00:17:14.900
 totally disavowed those claims

00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:17.220
 in order to get himself off the hook.

00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:18.000
 But if he did that,

00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:19.120
 he would not be bearing

00:17:19.120 --> 00:17:20.620
 faithful witness to Jesus.

00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:23.440
 Because it is true

00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:25.440
 that salvation is found

00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.380
 in no one else

00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:28.319
 but in the name of Jesus.

00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:31.980
 Jesus does supersede the temple.

00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:34.880
 Jesus does bring the law of Moses

00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.539
 to its intended end,

00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:38.900
 as it says in Romans 10, verse 4.

00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:42.060
 Jesus does not destroy the temple

00:17:42.060 --> 00:17:43.400
 or abolish the law,

00:17:43.560 --> 00:17:45.180
 but he does fulfill

00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:46.380
 both of those things.

00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:49.340
 Jesus is the new

00:17:49.340 --> 00:17:50.660
 and the greater Moses.

00:17:52.040 --> 00:17:53.440
 And so simply replying

00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:54.540
 yes or no

00:17:54.540 --> 00:17:56.360
 would not have sufficed.

00:17:56.780 --> 00:17:57.500
 So he chooses

00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:59.820
 to use this last opportunity,

00:18:00.120 --> 00:18:02.700
 his last few breaths,

00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:04.980
 to preach the gospel,

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:06.519
 to speak of Jesus.

00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:06.639
 Jesus.

00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:09.519
 And Luke's main point

00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:10.900
 in including this narrative here

00:18:10.900 --> 00:18:11.379
 in Acts

00:18:11.379 --> 00:18:12.119
 is to teach us

00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:14.359
 that whoever acknowledges Christ

00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:15.639
 before the court of men

00:18:15.639 --> 00:18:17.680
 will be acknowledged by him

00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.859
 in the court of God.

00:18:20.619 --> 00:18:22.859
 And he answers the two charges.

00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:23.259
 So first,

00:18:23.299 --> 00:18:24.139
 he talks about how Jesus

00:18:24.139 --> 00:18:24.960
 is the new temple.

00:18:25.660 --> 00:18:26.200
 And then secondly,

00:18:26.259 --> 00:18:27.220
 he talks about how Jesus

00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:28.460
 is the new Moses.

00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:31.339
 First, Stephen recounts

00:18:31.339 --> 00:18:32.180
 the history of Israel

00:18:32.180 --> 00:18:33.700
 to make a biblical case

00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:35.340
 that God's presence

00:18:35.340 --> 00:18:37.140
 has always transcended

00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:38.319
 Jerusalem and its temple.

00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:40.440
 And in doing so,

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:41.640
 he supports his assertion

00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:43.580
 that Jesus is the new temple of God.

00:18:45.580 --> 00:18:47.500
 And beginning with Abraham,

00:18:47.640 --> 00:18:48.380
 the father of faith,

00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:49.880
 he speaks about this

00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:50.920
 in verses 2 to 8.

00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:53.840
 He begins with a conciliatory tone,

00:18:54.080 --> 00:18:54.940
 addressing the Jews

00:18:54.940 --> 00:18:56.319
 as brothers and fathers,

00:18:56.840 --> 00:18:58.380
 affirming that they're his fellow Jews.

00:18:58.960 --> 00:18:59.880
 But then later,

00:19:00.120 --> 00:19:01.440
 when he's speaking of Abraham

00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.820
 entering the promised land,

00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:03.500
 in verse 4,

00:19:03.600 --> 00:19:04.820
 he distances himself

00:19:04.820 --> 00:19:06.440
 from his audience.

00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:07.539
 And he says,

00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:09.820
 God removed him from there

00:19:09.820 --> 00:19:11.600
 into this land

00:19:11.600 --> 00:19:13.960
 in which you are now living.

00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:16.100
 He doesn't say

00:19:16.100 --> 00:19:18.220
 this land in which we are now living.

00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:20.720
 He distances himself

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.059
 from the land

00:19:22.059 --> 00:19:23.640
 and from the fellow Jews.

00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:25.220
 He's trying to make

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:26.960
 a theological point.

00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:29.840
 This is a point that he,

00:19:30.460 --> 00:19:32.380
 notice how he emphasizes

00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:34.440
 Abraham's geographical movements

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:35.340
 in that section,

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:36.319
 verses 2 to 8.

00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:39.900
 In verse 2,

00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:41.160
 he says that God appeared

00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.140
 to Abraham where?

00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:44.940
 Not in Israel,

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:47.380
 but when he was in Mesopotamia.

00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:50.160
 And after that,

00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:51.680
 Abraham doesn't enter

00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:52.779
 the promised land right away,

00:19:52.860 --> 00:19:53.720
 but then he lives

00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:55.500
 in among the Chaldeans

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:56.559
 in Haran.

00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:00.160
 It's only after that

00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:01.519
 that Abraham finally

00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:03.160
 enters the promised land.

00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:05.559
 But even when he does,

00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:06.920
 Stephen notes in verse 5,

00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:08.140
 God gave him

00:20:08.140 --> 00:20:09.900
 no inheritance in it,

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:12.200
 not even a foot's length,

00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:14.920
 but promised to give it to him

00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:15.779
 as a possession

00:20:15.779 --> 00:20:17.299
 and to his offspring after him.

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:19.079
 This is a remarkable point.

00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:20.400
 God didn't merely

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.599
 promise Abraham

00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:22.539
 that he would give his land

00:20:22.539 --> 00:20:23.220
 to his offspring.

00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:25.360
 He promised it to Abraham

00:20:25.360 --> 00:20:27.360
 himself as a possession,

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:29.980
 but then he didn't give him

00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:30.920
 a foot's length.

00:20:35.180 --> 00:20:36.480
 This is why it says

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.180
 in Hebrews 11, 8 to 10,

00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:40.720
 that by faith Abraham obeyed

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.660
 when he was called

00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:42.799
 to go out to a place

00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:43.640
 that he was to receive

00:20:43.640 --> 00:20:44.319
 as inheritance.

00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:45.680
 And he went out

00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:47.000
 not knowing where he was going.

00:20:47.100 --> 00:20:48.600
 By faith he went to live

00:20:48.600 --> 00:20:49.660
 in the land of the promise

00:20:49.660 --> 00:20:51.100
 as in a foreign land,

00:20:51.099 --> 00:20:52.459
 living in tents

00:20:52.459 --> 00:20:53.459
 with Isaac and Jacob,

00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:54.179
 heirs with him

00:20:54.179 --> 00:20:55.179
 of the same promise.

00:20:55.879 --> 00:20:57.619
 For he was looking forward

00:20:57.619 --> 00:20:58.459
 to the city

00:20:58.459 --> 00:20:59.579
 that has foundations,

00:21:00.099 --> 00:21:00.899
 whose designer

00:21:00.899 --> 00:21:02.740
 and builder is God.

00:21:03.919 --> 00:21:04.740
 In other words,

00:21:05.199 --> 00:21:06.299
 the land of Canaan

00:21:06.299 --> 00:21:07.959
 represents and points

00:21:07.959 --> 00:21:09.199
 to something far bigger,

00:21:09.919 --> 00:21:10.619
 far better.

00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:12.459
 It represents the city of God.

00:21:13.439 --> 00:21:15.379
 Living in the presence of God,

00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:17.339
 in perfect communion with him,

00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:18.619
 it's a type

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:21.259
 or a foreshadowing of heaven.

00:21:24.419 --> 00:21:24.939
 Similarly,

00:21:25.099 --> 00:21:26.000
 Abraham's descendants

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.339
 won't immediately possess

00:21:27.339 --> 00:21:28.299
 Canaan either.

00:21:29.099 --> 00:21:30.000
 God told Abraham

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:30.819
 that his offspring

00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:32.299
 would be sojourners,

00:21:32.659 --> 00:21:33.139
 aliens,

00:21:33.899 --> 00:21:34.259
 foreigners

00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:36.519
 in a land belonging to others.

00:21:39.919 --> 00:21:41.039
 Stephen's pointing out

00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:42.139
 to his Jewish audience

00:21:42.139 --> 00:21:43.279
 that though they make

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:44.379
 much of the fact

00:21:44.379 --> 00:21:45.659
 that they now occupy

00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:46.980
 the land that God himself

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:48.040
 had promised to them,

00:21:48.800 --> 00:21:51.040
 that though they occupy

00:21:51.040 --> 00:21:52.000
 the Jerusalem

00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.240
 where the temple is,

00:21:54.080 --> 00:21:55.340
 Abraham and many

00:21:55.340 --> 00:21:56.040
 of his descendants

00:21:56.040 --> 00:21:57.220
 never themselves

00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:58.140
 physically possessed

00:21:58.140 --> 00:21:58.600
 the land.

00:21:59.900 --> 00:22:00.840
 They were instead

00:22:00.840 --> 00:22:01.620
 sojourners,

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:03.660
 and yet they were fathers

00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:04.580
 and exemplars

00:22:04.580 --> 00:22:05.100
 of the faith.

00:22:06.320 --> 00:22:07.460
 Being a faithful Jew,

00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:08.040
 in other words,

00:22:08.100 --> 00:22:09.660
 is not so inextricably

00:22:10.320 --> 00:22:11.759
 tied to the Holy Land.

00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:15.140
 moving on from Abraham,

00:22:15.740 --> 00:22:16.839
 Stephen makes the same point

00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:17.480
 about Joseph

00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:19.079
 and the other patriarchs

00:22:19.079 --> 00:22:20.299
 in verses 9 to 16.

00:22:20.879 --> 00:22:21.740
 Joseph was sold

00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:22.440
 into slavery

00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:23.759
 by his jealous brothers.

00:22:23.900 --> 00:22:24.220
 Nonetheless,

00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:25.640
 despite the fact

00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:26.500
 that Joseph had been

00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:28.220
 forcibly disinherited

00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:29.640
 from the land of Canaan

00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:30.700
 and removed

00:22:30.700 --> 00:22:32.039
 from the promised land,

00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.079
 Stephen notes

00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:33.700
 in verse 9

00:22:33.700 --> 00:22:35.700
 that God was with him

00:22:35.700 --> 00:22:37.019
 in the foreign land.

00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:39.940
 And by God's favor,

00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:41.220
 Joseph rose to become

00:22:41.220 --> 00:22:42.599
 a ruler over Egypt.

00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:44.740
 And during the time

00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:45.960
 of the great famine

00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:48.240
 all over Egypt and Canaan,

00:22:48.379 --> 00:22:49.660
 God used Joseph

00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:51.960
 to summon all of Jacob

00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:52.680
 and his household

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:53.579
 to live in Egypt

00:22:53.579 --> 00:22:55.579
 because in Egypt

00:22:55.579 --> 00:22:56.700
 there was still grain

00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:59.559
 because of God-given wisdom

00:22:59.559 --> 00:23:01.079
 that Joseph had.

00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:03.099
 So once again,

00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:05.180
 the 12 patriarchs

00:23:05.180 --> 00:23:05.980
 during this time

00:23:05.980 --> 00:23:07.220
 did not live

00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:08.480
 in the land of Canaan,

00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:11.500
 but in Egypt

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:13.120
 where God's nonetheless

00:23:13.120 --> 00:23:13.920
 blessed them

00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:14.740
 and prospered them.

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:16.980
 Of course,

00:23:17.099 --> 00:23:17.799
 Stephen is aware

00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:19.259
 that Joseph specifically

00:23:19.259 --> 00:23:20.319
 asked his brothers

00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:21.839
 in Genesis 48-25

00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:24.099
 to carry his bones

00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:24.920
 from Egypt

00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:26.039
 and to bury them

00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:27.160
 in the land of Canaan

00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:27.920
 after his death.

00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:30.299
 This was his expression

00:23:30.299 --> 00:23:31.160
 of his faith

00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:32.099
 in God's promise

00:23:32.099 --> 00:23:32.660
 to Abraham

00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:33.579
 that he would occupy

00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:34.480
 the promised land.

00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:36.339
 But then,

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:37.440
 even in recounting

00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:38.120
 that detail,

00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:38.920
 Stephen highlights

00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:39.839
 in verse 16

00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:41.099
 that they were carried

00:23:41.099 --> 00:23:42.299
 back to Shechem

00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:43.960
 and laid in the tomb

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:45.539
 that Abraham had bought

00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:46.500
 for a sum of silver

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.579
 from the sons of Hamor

00:23:47.579 --> 00:23:48.579
 in Shechem.

00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:51.420
 The city of Shechem

00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:52.640
 mentioned twice here

00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:53.240
 is significant

00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:54.099
 because it's

00:23:54.099 --> 00:23:56.019
 a Samaritan city

00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:57.539
 at the foot

00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:58.819
 of Mount Gerizim,

00:23:58.920 --> 00:23:59.880
 the holiest site

00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:01.079
 in Samaritan worship.

00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:03.299
 As some of you

00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:03.859
 might recall

00:24:03.859 --> 00:24:04.980
 from Jesus' dialogue

00:24:04.980 --> 00:24:06.039
 with the Samaritan woman

00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:07.379
 in John chapter 4,

00:24:07.659 --> 00:24:08.759
 there was bad blood

00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:09.659
 between Jews

00:24:09.659 --> 00:24:10.559
 and Samaritans.

00:24:11.179 --> 00:24:12.199
 They avoided each other

00:24:12.199 --> 00:24:12.839
 like a plague

00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:13.919
 because the Samaritans

00:24:13.919 --> 00:24:14.579
 were descendants

00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:16.339
 of Jews

00:24:16.339 --> 00:24:18.079
 after the Assyrian invasion

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:19.859
 who had remained

00:24:19.859 --> 00:24:20.599
 in the land

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:21.339
 that was occupied

00:24:21.339 --> 00:24:22.899
 by their conquerors.

00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:23.939
 They stayed

00:24:23.939 --> 00:24:24.740
 and settled there

00:24:24.740 --> 00:24:25.659
 and intermarried

00:24:25.659 --> 00:24:27.099
 with the Assyrians.

00:24:27.879 --> 00:24:29.079
 And because of this,

00:24:29.079 --> 00:24:30.539
 the Jews saw them

00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:33.299
 not only as political rebels

00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:35.399
 but also as racial half-breeds

00:24:35.399 --> 00:24:37.599
 whose religion

00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:38.819
 had been adulterated.

00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:42.579
 And one notable difference

00:24:42.579 --> 00:24:43.980
 between Samaritan worship

00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:44.939
 and Jewish worship

00:24:44.939 --> 00:24:46.319
 was that Samaritans

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:48.139
 constructed a rival temple

00:24:48.139 --> 00:24:49.919
 on Mount Gerizim

00:24:49.919 --> 00:24:51.059
 at Shechem.

00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:53.460
 And the Jews

00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:55.159
 worshipped on Mount Zion

00:24:55.159 --> 00:24:56.379
 in Jerusalem.

00:24:56.380 --> 00:24:58.540
 And Stephen

00:24:58.540 --> 00:24:59.940
 makes it a point

00:24:59.940 --> 00:25:00.600
 to emphasize

00:25:00.600 --> 00:25:01.640
 that Joseph,

00:25:02.360 --> 00:25:03.140
 a patriarch

00:25:03.140 --> 00:25:04.700
 that the Jews revered,

00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:06.300
 is not buried

00:25:06.300 --> 00:25:06.900
 in Jerusalem,

00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:09.540
 not in Judea,

00:25:10.260 --> 00:25:12.100
 but in Shechem,

00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:13.660
 in Samaria.

00:25:14.700 --> 00:25:16.060
 This is yet another way

00:25:16.060 --> 00:25:16.520
 that Stephen

00:25:16.520 --> 00:25:17.600
 is undercutting

00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:19.280
 the Jewish contention

00:25:19.280 --> 00:25:21.100
 that the gracious presence

00:25:21.100 --> 00:25:21.720
 of God

00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:23.000
 is confined

00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:24.240
 to Jerusalem

00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:25.200
 and its temple.

00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:28.040
 moving on

00:25:28.040 --> 00:25:28.580
 from Joseph,

00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:29.780
 Stephen recounts

00:25:29.780 --> 00:25:30.620
 the story of Moses,

00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:31.640
 which is the longest

00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:32.600
 section of this speech,

00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:34.120
 verses 17 to 43.

00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:35.340
 And here, too,

00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:36.180
 he emphasizes

00:25:36.180 --> 00:25:37.360
 the same theme.

00:25:38.080 --> 00:25:38.560
 He notes that

00:25:38.560 --> 00:25:40.100
 because of a wicked Pharaoh

00:25:40.100 --> 00:25:40.720
 who threatened

00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:41.300
 to kill

00:25:41.300 --> 00:25:42.920
 the Jewish infants,

00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:44.460
 in fact did,

00:25:44.580 --> 00:25:45.580
 the Jews were forced

00:25:45.580 --> 00:25:46.760
 to expose their infants

00:25:46.760 --> 00:25:47.480
 to the elements.

00:25:48.120 --> 00:25:49.860
 And Moses was exposed,

00:25:50.040 --> 00:25:51.600
 it says in verses 21 and 22,

00:25:51.780 --> 00:25:53.160
 it was the Egyptian Pharaoh's

00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:53.440
 daughter

00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:54.860
 who adopted him

00:25:54.860 --> 00:25:56.220
 and brought him up

00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:57.180
 as her own son.

00:25:58.039 --> 00:25:59.320
 And Moses was instructed

00:25:59.320 --> 00:26:00.240
 in all the wisdom

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:00.820
 of the Egyptians

00:26:00.820 --> 00:26:01.559
 and he was mighty

00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:02.480
 in his words

00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.480
 and deeds.

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:05.779
 The Moses

00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:07.320
 that the Jews revered,

00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:09.680
 the person

00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:10.539
 that the Jews revered

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:12.000
 above all other forefathers,

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:14.279
 was born a Jew

00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:14.880
 but reared

00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:15.460
 as an Egyptian.

00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:18.000
 And not only that,

00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:19.019
 when Moses tried

00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:20.240
 to come to the defense

00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:21.360
 of his fellow Israelites

00:26:21.360 --> 00:26:22.279
 and struck down

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:22.840
 an Egyptian

00:26:22.840 --> 00:26:23.880
 who was oppressing

00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:24.860
 his fellow Jew,

00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.319
 they rejected him

00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:26.660
 saying,

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.940
 who made you a ruler

00:26:27.940 --> 00:26:29.240
 and a judge over us?

00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:31.660
 And it's their rejection,

00:26:32.380 --> 00:26:34.440
 his Jewish brethren's

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.600
 rejection of Moses

00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:36.579
 that made him free,

00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:37.140
 he says,

00:26:37.840 --> 00:26:39.480
 to become an exile

00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:41.039
 in the land of Midian.

00:26:42.740 --> 00:26:43.440
 Once again,

00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:44.740
 a sojourner,

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:45.720
 an exile,

00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:47.900
 removed from

00:26:47.900 --> 00:26:48.799
 the promised land.

00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:53.059
 After another 40 years,

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:54.220
 he says in verse 30,

00:26:54.320 --> 00:26:55.380
 an angel appeared to him

00:26:55.380 --> 00:26:56.160
 in the wilderness

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.240
 of Mount Sinai

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:57.840
 in a flame,

00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:58.240
 a fire,

00:26:58.299 --> 00:26:58.779
 and a bush.

00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:00.740
 And when God spoke there,

00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.640
 he says in verse 33,

00:27:01.860 --> 00:27:02.440
 he said,

00:27:02.779 --> 00:27:03.820
 take off the sandals

00:27:03.820 --> 00:27:04.480
 from your feet

00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:05.420
 for the place

00:27:05.420 --> 00:27:06.500
 where you are standing

00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:07.620
 is holy ground.

00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:09.160
 Later,

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:10.019
 Jewish rabbis

00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:10.920
 commented on this

00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:11.400
 saying that

00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:12.340
 God's revelation

00:27:12.340 --> 00:27:13.019
 in the wilderness

00:27:13.019 --> 00:27:14.619
 proves once and for all

00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:16.259
 that there is no place

00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:17.720
 that is too desolate

00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:19.259
 for the presence of God.

00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:21.599
 That's a similar point

00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.980
 that Stephen is making here.

00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:24.400
 Where did God

00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:25.200
 appear to Moses?

00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:26.900
 Not in Jerusalem,

00:27:27.579 --> 00:27:28.740
 but in the wilderness.

00:27:30.139 --> 00:27:31.539
 Not in Mount Sion,

00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:33.559
 but on Mount Sinai.

00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:36.940
 The Jews charged Stephen

00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:39.480
 in verse 13 of chapter 6

00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:41.059
 with speaking against

00:27:41.059 --> 00:27:42.680
 this holy place,

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:44.319
 but Stephen insists

00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:45.680
 that even the desolate

00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:47.079
 wilderness of Sinai

00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:48.079
 was consecrated

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:48.819
 and became

00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:50.559
 a holy place

00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:51.799
 when God revealed

00:27:51.799 --> 00:27:52.519
 himself there.

00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:54.620
 In other words,

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:55.620
 Jerusalem and its temple

00:27:55.620 --> 00:27:56.660
 are not the only

00:27:56.660 --> 00:27:57.599
 holy place.

00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:59.200
 The holy place

00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:00.319
 is wherever

00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:02.440
 God's Spirit rests.

00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:05.279
 all this serves

00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.039
 to make the point

00:28:06.039 --> 00:28:07.500
 that being a sojourner

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.519
 and an exile

00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:09.960
 is the norm

00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:11.440
 and not the exception

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.380
 in the life

00:28:12.380 --> 00:28:13.100
 of God's people.

00:28:13.940 --> 00:28:15.120
 That God's presence

00:28:15.120 --> 00:28:15.900
 is not limited

00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:16.500
 to Jerusalem

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.100
 and the temple.

00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:20.299
 And even when

00:28:20.299 --> 00:28:20.840
 God's people

00:28:20.840 --> 00:28:21.940
 finally did come

00:28:21.940 --> 00:28:23.180
 to occupy Jerusalem

00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:25.240
 and built the temple,

00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:26.140
 they did so

00:28:26.140 --> 00:28:26.920
 with the understanding

00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:27.940
 that God cannot

00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:29.100
 be confined

00:28:29.100 --> 00:28:30.720
 to such physical locales.

00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:32.420
 to make this point,

00:28:32.519 --> 00:28:33.180
 Stephen mentions

00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:34.620
 in verses 44 to 45

00:28:34.620 --> 00:28:35.880
 that the tabernacle,

00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:37.720
 the tent of witness,

00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:39.360
 which was the portable tent

00:28:39.360 --> 00:28:40.079
 where the Israelites

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:41.000
 worshipped and made

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.160
 sacrifices and such

00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:43.400
 during their time

00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:44.059
 in the wilderness,

00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:46.039
 that this tabernacle

00:28:46.039 --> 00:28:47.220
 preceded the temple

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:47.740
 of God

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:49.120
 and God's presence

00:28:49.120 --> 00:28:50.400
 moved with it.

00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:53.079
 And even after

00:28:53.079 --> 00:28:53.960
 conquering

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:55.720
 the land of Canaan

00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:57.559
 in Joshua 18.1,

00:28:58.140 --> 00:28:58.819
 this tent,

00:28:58.940 --> 00:28:59.579
 the tabernacle,

00:28:59.700 --> 00:29:00.240
 was set up

00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:01.059
 in Shiloh

00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:02.539
 and people

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:03.140
 continued

00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:04.099
 to worship God

00:29:04.099 --> 00:29:04.460
 there

00:29:04.460 --> 00:29:06.259
 for approximately

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:07.420
 300 years

00:29:07.420 --> 00:29:09.559
 until the time

00:29:09.559 --> 00:29:10.039
 of David.

00:29:12.019 --> 00:29:13.120
 And when time

00:29:13.120 --> 00:29:13.799
 finally came

00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:14.140
 for them

00:29:14.140 --> 00:29:14.640
 to build

00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:15.620
 the great temple,

00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:17.420
 it wasn't David

00:29:17.420 --> 00:29:18.240
 the great king

00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:19.259
 who built the temple,

00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:20.200
 but it was

00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:21.880
 his son Solomon.

00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:23.480
 And when Solomon

00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:24.079
 was dedicating

00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:24.579
 the temple,

00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:25.559
 Solomon himself

00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:26.980
 said in 1 Kings 18

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.839
 verse 27,

00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:40.500
 Solomon well

00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:41.399
 understood this

00:29:41.399 --> 00:29:42.059
 and Stephen

00:29:42.059 --> 00:29:42.899
 does as well.

00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:44.339
 And so Stephen

00:29:44.339 --> 00:29:46.179
 says in verse 48,

00:29:46.419 --> 00:29:47.339
 the most high

00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:48.299
 does not dwell

00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:48.959
 in houses

00:29:48.959 --> 00:29:49.899
 made by hands.

00:29:50.399 --> 00:29:50.959
 And to drive

00:29:50.959 --> 00:29:51.699
 that point home,

00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:52.659
 he cites

00:29:52.659 --> 00:29:53.720
 Isaiah 66

00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:54.899
 verses 1-2

00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:57.140
 in verses 49-50,

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:57.460
 saying,

00:29:57.680 --> 00:29:59.200
 heaven is my throne,

00:29:59.259 --> 00:29:59.740
 where God says,

00:29:59.820 --> 00:30:00.620
 heaven is my throne

00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.140
 and the earth

00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:02.120
 is my footstool.

00:30:02.120 --> 00:30:03.540
 What kind of house

00:30:03.540 --> 00:30:04.220
 will you build

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:04.759
 for me,

00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:05.440
 says the Lord?

00:30:06.060 --> 00:30:07.180
 Or what is the place

00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:07.840
 of my rest?

00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:08.900
 Did not my hand

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:10.360
 make all these things?

00:30:10.359 --> 00:30:13.319
 How can the God

00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:14.000
 who created

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:14.759
 the cosmos

00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:16.359
 dwell,

00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:17.619
 be confined

00:30:17.619 --> 00:30:18.699
 to a man-made

00:30:18.699 --> 00:30:19.099
 temple?

00:30:20.299 --> 00:30:21.399
 How can the

00:30:21.399 --> 00:30:22.559
 Most High God

00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:24.319
 be constricted

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:26.099
 to such a lowly

00:30:26.099 --> 00:30:27.019
 place on earth?

00:30:28.419 --> 00:30:29.279
 It's absurd

00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:30.279
 to think that God

00:30:30.279 --> 00:30:31.219
 can be confined

00:30:31.219 --> 00:30:31.979
 to a physical

00:30:31.979 --> 00:30:32.559
 location.

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:36.799
 The temple

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.699
 was never meant

00:30:37.699 --> 00:30:38.259
 to be

00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:39.079
 the permanent

00:30:39.079 --> 00:30:40.659
 exclusive dwelling

00:30:40.659 --> 00:30:41.419
 place of God.

00:30:42.439 --> 00:30:43.639
 It was a type,

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:44.460
 a shadow

00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.439
 of the reality

00:30:45.439 --> 00:30:45.960
 to come.

00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:47.439
 And that reality

00:30:47.439 --> 00:30:48.019
 is Jesus.

00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:50.259
 In Jesus,

00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:51.339
 the Son of God

00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:52.619
 took on human

00:30:52.619 --> 00:30:53.599
 flesh and became

00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:54.740
 simultaneously

00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:55.619
 Son of Man.

00:30:56.659 --> 00:30:57.199
 And it says,

00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:57.980
 in Him,

00:30:58.079 --> 00:30:59.019
 the whole fullness

00:30:59.019 --> 00:30:59.699
 of deity

00:30:59.699 --> 00:31:00.759
 dwells bodily

00:31:00.759 --> 00:31:01.879
 in Colossians 2

00:31:01.879 --> 00:31:02.439
 verse 9.

00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:03.639
 But that's not

00:31:03.639 --> 00:31:04.419
 the end of the story.

00:31:05.179 --> 00:31:05.879
 This amazing

00:31:05.879 --> 00:31:07.039
 condescension of God

00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.079
 in taking on

00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:08.859
 human flesh

00:31:08.859 --> 00:31:10.759
 continues in

00:31:10.759 --> 00:31:11.599
 Colossians 2

00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:12.099
 verse 10

00:31:12.099 --> 00:31:12.519
 when he says

00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:13.699
 that to believers,

00:31:13.939 --> 00:31:15.039
 you have been

00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:16.639
 filled in Him

00:31:16.639 --> 00:31:17.759
 who is the head

00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:18.459
 of all rule

00:31:18.459 --> 00:31:19.099
 and authority.

00:31:19.939 --> 00:31:20.459
 This is similar

00:31:20.459 --> 00:31:21.219
 to what Paul says

00:31:21.219 --> 00:31:22.039
 in Ephesians 1

00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:23.240
 22-23

00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:24.199
 that God gave

00:31:24.199 --> 00:31:25.439
 Christ as head

00:31:25.439 --> 00:31:26.259
 over all things

00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:27.059
 to the church

00:31:27.059 --> 00:31:28.439
 which is His body,

00:31:28.599 --> 00:31:29.179
 the fullness

00:31:29.179 --> 00:31:29.899
 of Him

00:31:29.899 --> 00:31:30.439
 who fills

00:31:30.439 --> 00:31:31.419
 all in all.

00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:33.599
 Human beings

00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:34.919
 were alienated

00:31:34.919 --> 00:31:35.419
 from God

00:31:35.419 --> 00:31:36.319
 due to their sin

00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:37.039
 and guilt

00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:37.899
 before God.

00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:38.939
 And God

00:31:38.939 --> 00:31:39.740
 was alienated

00:31:39.740 --> 00:31:40.819
 from human beings,

00:31:40.980 --> 00:31:41.759
 sinful human beings

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.740
 because of His

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.859
 righteous wrath

00:31:43.859 --> 00:31:44.919
 towards sinners.

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.460
 But by dying

00:31:46.460 --> 00:31:47.240
 on the cross

00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:48.559
 for our sins,

00:31:49.399 --> 00:31:49.919
 Jesus

00:31:49.919 --> 00:31:51.700
 simultaneously

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:53.299
 removes our guilt

00:31:53.299 --> 00:31:55.119
 and satisfies

00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:56.200
 God's wrath

00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:57.460
 so that we can

00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:58.240
 be reconciled

00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:58.599
 to God.

00:31:58.599 --> 00:32:02.799
 and when Jesus

00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:03.779
 died on the cross,

00:32:04.379 --> 00:32:04.980
 the curtain

00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.719
 of the temple

00:32:05.719 --> 00:32:06.759
 was torn in two,

00:32:07.639 --> 00:32:08.299
 indicating that

00:32:08.299 --> 00:32:08.899
 the barrier

00:32:08.899 --> 00:32:09.839
 between God

00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:10.539
 and man

00:32:10.539 --> 00:32:11.379
 had been

00:32:11.379 --> 00:32:12.159
 torn down.

00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:15.219
 And now Jesus

00:32:15.219 --> 00:32:16.139
 is the one

00:32:16.139 --> 00:32:16.839
 mediator

00:32:16.839 --> 00:32:17.500
 between God

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:17.939
 and man

00:32:17.939 --> 00:32:19.299
 and when we

00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:20.419
 repent of our sins

00:32:20.419 --> 00:32:21.699
 and believe in Jesus,

00:32:22.459 --> 00:32:23.159
 His death

00:32:23.159 --> 00:32:24.159
 and His resurrection

00:32:24.159 --> 00:32:25.039
 on our behalf,

00:32:25.179 --> 00:32:25.980
 we are united

00:32:25.980 --> 00:32:26.500
 to Jesus

00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:27.219
 by faith.

00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:28.839
 we become

00:32:28.839 --> 00:32:29.579
 one with Him,

00:32:29.620 --> 00:32:30.019
 we become

00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:30.940
 His body

00:32:30.940 --> 00:32:32.339
 and by extension

00:32:32.339 --> 00:32:33.160
 because Jesus

00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:33.759
 is the temple

00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:34.259
 of God,

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:35.319
 we ourselves

00:32:35.319 --> 00:32:36.700
 become temple

00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:37.720
 of the Holy Spirit

00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:39.299
 as 1 Corinthians

00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:40.960
 3 says.

00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:42.920
 And that's why

00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:43.900
 where we meet

00:32:43.900 --> 00:32:44.740
 for corporate worship

00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:45.400
 is ultimately

00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:46.160
 not important.

00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:48.059
 We are looking

00:32:48.059 --> 00:32:49.000
 hard right now

00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:50.000
 for a place to meet,

00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:50.559
 for a permanent

00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:51.640
 home for our church.

00:32:52.860 --> 00:32:54.839
 But in light

00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:55.480
 of this truth,

00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.380
 it's not ultimately

00:32:56.380 --> 00:32:56.900
 important.

00:32:57.220 --> 00:33:00.880
 we can worship

00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:01.819
 God at a building

00:33:01.819 --> 00:33:03.019
 dedicated to His

00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:03.980
 worship like this

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.380
 place,

00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:05.660
 or at a rented

00:33:05.660 --> 00:33:06.700
 school facility

00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:08.339
 like we used to,

00:33:08.620 --> 00:33:09.680
 or even outdoors.

00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:12.140
 The Spirit of God

00:33:12.140 --> 00:33:13.380
 indwells God's

00:33:13.380 --> 00:33:13.900
 people.

00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:15.380
 The church

00:33:15.380 --> 00:33:16.180
 is the gathered

00:33:16.180 --> 00:33:17.299
 people of God.

00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:18.039
 So it's not

00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:19.140
 inside a church

00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:19.640
 building,

00:33:19.900 --> 00:33:20.880
 but wherever we are

00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:21.900
 gathered as God's

00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:22.279
 people,

00:33:22.700 --> 00:33:23.380
 that God

00:33:23.380 --> 00:33:24.140
 is present.

00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:26.660
 And this is such

00:33:26.660 --> 00:33:27.240
 a wonderful

00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:28.200
 privilege.

00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:29.360
 Think about it.

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:31.120
 God dwells

00:33:31.120 --> 00:33:32.060
 with us.

00:33:34.620 --> 00:33:35.740
 All of the other

00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:36.580
 major religions

00:33:36.580 --> 00:33:38.800
 have pilgrimages

00:33:38.800 --> 00:33:39.600
 to sites

00:33:39.600 --> 00:33:40.460
 that they deem

00:33:40.460 --> 00:33:40.840
 holy.

00:33:41.740 --> 00:33:42.560
 You have to make

00:33:42.560 --> 00:33:42.980
 long,

00:33:43.140 --> 00:33:43.960
 arduous journeys

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:45.220
 in order to make

00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:45.740
 merit

00:33:45.740 --> 00:33:46.840
 by visiting

00:33:46.840 --> 00:33:48.200
 these holy sites.

00:33:48.540 --> 00:33:49.140
 Every other

00:33:49.140 --> 00:33:50.240
 major world

00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:51.180
 religion has this.

00:33:51.180 --> 00:33:54.539
 but true

00:33:54.539 --> 00:33:55.539
 biblical Christianity

00:33:55.539 --> 00:33:56.660
 has no such

00:33:56.660 --> 00:33:57.160
 requirement.

00:33:58.720 --> 00:33:59.560
 God is not

00:33:59.560 --> 00:34:00.320
 over there

00:34:00.320 --> 00:34:02.000
 in the distant

00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:02.460
 land,

00:34:03.019 --> 00:34:03.920
 in some holy

00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:05.240
 place quarantined

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:06.080
 from rest of

00:34:06.080 --> 00:34:07.200
 sinful humanity.

00:34:10.099 --> 00:34:11.420
 He is with

00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:11.960
 us.

00:34:13.240 --> 00:34:14.320
 He is

00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:14.860
 imminent.

00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:16.740
 He inhabits

00:34:16.740 --> 00:34:17.599
 us.

00:34:17.780 --> 00:34:18.599
 He befriends

00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:20.119
 us.

00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:20.319
 us.

00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:25.000
 Look at the

00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:25.779
 intimate way

00:34:25.779 --> 00:34:26.139
 in which

00:34:26.139 --> 00:34:27.019
 Revelation 3

00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:27.980
 20 describes

00:34:27.980 --> 00:34:29.400
 God's indwelling

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:30.420
 presence among

00:34:30.420 --> 00:34:30.839
 us.

00:34:31.299 --> 00:34:31.920
 The Lord Jesus

00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:32.319
 says,

00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:32.920
 Behold,

00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:34.079
 I stand at

00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:34.539
 the door

00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:35.079
 and knock.

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:35.619
 If anyone

00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.199
 hears my

00:34:36.199 --> 00:34:37.279
 voice and

00:34:37.279 --> 00:34:38.000
 opens the

00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:38.339
 door,

00:34:38.739 --> 00:34:39.739
 I will come

00:34:39.739 --> 00:34:40.619
 into him

00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:41.519
 and eat

00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:42.219
 with him

00:34:42.219 --> 00:34:43.059
 and he

00:34:43.059 --> 00:34:44.420
 with me.

00:34:45.819 --> 00:34:46.500
 The living

00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:47.579
 God comes

00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:48.739
 into our

00:34:48.739 --> 00:34:49.139
 home.

00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:51.460
 into our

00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:51.960
 life,

00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:53.460
 into our

00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:53.960
 body,

00:34:54.879 --> 00:34:55.599
 he dines

00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:56.379
 with us.

00:35:00.379 --> 00:35:01.179
 You get

00:35:01.179 --> 00:35:01.659
 that in no

00:35:01.659 --> 00:35:02.259
 other religion.

00:35:02.260 --> 00:35:03.260
 God comes

00:35:03.260 --> 00:35:04.260
 to

00:35:04.260 --> 00:35:05.580
 God.

00:35:05.580 --> 00:35:06.300
 God

00:35:06.300 --> 00:35:06.720
 is

00:35:06.720 --> 00:35:07.800
 God.

00:35:07.800 --> 00:35:07.980
 And the

00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:08.840
 implication of

00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:09.340
 this is that

00:35:09.340 --> 00:35:10.040
 we can't

00:35:10.040 --> 00:35:10.880
 box God

00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:11.100
 in.

00:35:13.260 --> 00:35:14.320
 We can't

00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:15.340
 set him

00:35:15.340 --> 00:35:16.200
 aside somewhere

00:35:16.200 --> 00:35:17.940
 in a neat

00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:18.640
 little box

00:35:18.640 --> 00:35:19.700
 where he

00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:20.400
 doesn't disturb

00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:21.020
 our lives.

00:35:21.019 --> 00:35:23.019
 God

00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:23.539
 God

00:35:23.539 --> 00:35:24.420
 is

00:35:24.420 --> 00:35:24.500
 God.

00:35:24.500 --> 00:35:24.679
 This is

00:35:24.679 --> 00:35:25.099
 Stephen's

00:35:25.099 --> 00:35:25.679
 main charge

00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:26.300
 against his

00:35:26.300 --> 00:35:26.980
 fellow Jews.

00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:27.960
 The problem

00:35:27.960 --> 00:35:28.440
 is not the

00:35:28.440 --> 00:35:29.199
 temple itself.

00:35:29.300 --> 00:35:29.739
 The problem

00:35:29.739 --> 00:35:30.559
 is the way

00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:31.280
 they use

00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:31.820
 the temple

00:35:31.820 --> 00:35:32.900
 to box

00:35:32.900 --> 00:35:33.659
 God in,

00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:34.559
 to try to

00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:35.539
 contain him

00:35:35.539 --> 00:35:36.739
 and control

00:35:36.739 --> 00:35:37.199
 him.

00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:38.860
 In a

00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:39.579
 similar way,

00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:40.780
 people nowadays

00:35:40.780 --> 00:35:42.099
 reduce God

00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:43.340
 to amulets

00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:44.280
 and pendants

00:35:44.280 --> 00:35:45.559
 and talismans,

00:35:46.659 --> 00:35:47.400
 as if we

00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:48.199
 can put God

00:35:48.199 --> 00:35:48.559
 in our

00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:49.340
 pockets and

00:35:49.340 --> 00:35:50.199
 carry him

00:35:50.199 --> 00:35:50.860
 around like

00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:51.420
 a good luck

00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:51.799
 charm.

00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:55.139
 We reduce

00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:55.840
 God to

00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.860
 rituals and

00:35:56.860 --> 00:35:58.099
 formulas and

00:35:58.099 --> 00:35:59.400
 legal requirements

00:35:59.400 --> 00:36:00.320
 as if we

00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:01.199
 can control

00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:01.659
 him and

00:36:01.659 --> 00:36:02.639
 manipulate him

00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:03.920
 to do what

00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:04.679
 we want him

00:36:04.679 --> 00:36:05.039
 to do.

00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:08.559
 As one of the

00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.059
 prayers we

00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:09.759
 sometimes use

00:36:09.759 --> 00:36:10.400
 for a confession

00:36:10.400 --> 00:36:11.219
 of sin says,

00:36:11.320 --> 00:36:11.900
 we often

00:36:11.900 --> 00:36:13.199
 worship not

00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:14.000
 your true

00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:15.000
 self, but

00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:15.960
 who we wish

00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:16.599
 you to be.

00:36:17.139 --> 00:36:17.559
 We too

00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:18.360
 often ask you

00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:18.920
 to bless

00:36:18.920 --> 00:36:19.500
 what we

00:36:19.500 --> 00:36:19.940
 do,

00:36:20.260 --> 00:36:20.620
 rather than

00:36:20.620 --> 00:36:21.099
 seeking to

00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:21.800
 do what

00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:22.599
 you bless.

00:36:23.220 --> 00:36:23.760
 Forgive us

00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:24.440
 for seeking

00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:25.640
 concessions when

00:36:25.640 --> 00:36:26.160
 we should be

00:36:26.160 --> 00:36:27.579
 seeking guidance.

00:36:28.160 --> 00:36:28.700
 Forgive us

00:36:28.700 --> 00:36:29.099
 when our

00:36:29.099 --> 00:36:30.320
 worship shapes

00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:30.740
 you into

00:36:30.740 --> 00:36:31.320
 what we

00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:31.800
 want,

00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:32.440
 instead of

00:36:32.440 --> 00:36:33.220
 shaping us

00:36:33.220 --> 00:36:34.140
 into what

00:36:34.140 --> 00:36:34.960
 you want.

00:36:37.960 --> 00:36:38.780
 In what

00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:39.700
 ways have

00:36:39.700 --> 00:36:41.160
 you compartmentalized

00:36:41.160 --> 00:36:41.740
 God in your

00:36:41.740 --> 00:36:42.039
 life?

00:36:46.420 --> 00:36:46.940
 Sunday

00:36:46.940 --> 00:36:47.780
 worship is

00:36:47.780 --> 00:36:49.079
 God's

00:36:49.079 --> 00:36:49.539
 time, but

00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:49.940
 the rest

00:36:49.940 --> 00:36:50.159
 of the

00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:50.559
 week is

00:36:50.559 --> 00:36:50.940
 mine.

00:36:52.619 --> 00:36:53.019
 Is that

00:36:53.019 --> 00:36:53.440
 your attitude?

00:36:56.700 --> 00:36:57.159
 No,

00:36:57.220 --> 00:36:58.099
 every hour

00:36:58.099 --> 00:36:58.599
 of your

00:36:58.599 --> 00:36:59.599
 life you

00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:00.360
 are alive

00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:01.059
 to glorify

00:37:01.059 --> 00:37:01.500
 God.

00:37:05.280 --> 00:37:06.420
 A tithe of

00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:07.019
 my income

00:37:07.019 --> 00:37:07.820
 belongs to

00:37:07.820 --> 00:37:08.200
 God, but

00:37:08.200 --> 00:37:08.820
 the rest of

00:37:08.820 --> 00:37:09.300
 the paycheck

00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:10.579
 is mine.

00:37:11.579 --> 00:37:12.280
 Is that

00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:12.740
 your attitude?

00:37:15.180 --> 00:37:15.700
 No,

00:37:15.780 --> 00:37:17.200
 every dollar

00:37:17.200 --> 00:37:17.880
 in your

00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:18.600
 bank account

00:37:18.600 --> 00:37:19.560
 is a gift

00:37:19.560 --> 00:37:20.300
 from God

00:37:20.300 --> 00:37:20.660
 that you

00:37:20.660 --> 00:37:21.560
 might glorify

00:37:21.560 --> 00:37:22.300
 God with

00:37:22.300 --> 00:37:22.560
 it.

00:37:24.920 --> 00:37:25.580
 Do you

00:37:25.580 --> 00:37:25.920
 behave

00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:26.420
 yourself,

00:37:26.640 --> 00:37:27.320
 wear nice

00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:28.000
 clothes and

00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:28.960
 abstain from

00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:29.680
 profanity and

00:37:29.680 --> 00:37:30.100
 put on a

00:37:30.100 --> 00:37:31.120
 smile during a

00:37:31.120 --> 00:37:31.900
 worship service

00:37:31.900 --> 00:37:32.700
 only to live

00:37:32.700 --> 00:37:33.320
 in a way

00:37:33.320 --> 00:37:33.900
 that is

00:37:33.900 --> 00:37:34.480
 completely

00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:35.840
 contrary to

00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:36.360
 the gospel

00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:36.800
 of Jesus

00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:37.440
 Christ the

00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:37.900
 rest of the

00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:38.160
 week?

00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:41.739
 God cannot

00:37:41.739 --> 00:37:42.639
 be contained.

00:37:42.839 --> 00:37:43.339
 He cannot

00:37:43.339 --> 00:37:44.579
 be boxed

00:37:44.579 --> 00:37:45.379
 in and

00:37:45.379 --> 00:37:46.259
 set aside

00:37:46.259 --> 00:37:47.199
 so that our

00:37:47.199 --> 00:37:47.799
 life and

00:37:47.799 --> 00:37:48.639
 worship is

00:37:48.639 --> 00:37:49.960
 compartmentalized.

00:37:50.739 --> 00:37:51.920
 Our entire

00:37:51.920 --> 00:37:52.759
 life is

00:37:52.759 --> 00:37:53.299
 supposed to

00:37:53.299 --> 00:37:54.059
 be a

00:37:54.059 --> 00:37:55.279
 living sacrifice,

00:37:56.059 --> 00:37:56.719
 a spiritual

00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:57.599
 worship to

00:37:57.599 --> 00:37:58.759
 God because

00:37:58.759 --> 00:37:59.519
 our bodies

00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:00.319
 themselves are

00:38:00.319 --> 00:38:00.859
 the temple

00:38:00.859 --> 00:38:01.219
 of the

00:38:01.219 --> 00:38:02.000
 living God.

00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:06.359
 That's

00:38:06.359 --> 00:38:06.799
 Stephen's

00:38:06.799 --> 00:38:07.139
 charge,

00:38:07.259 --> 00:38:08.059
 his defense.

00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:11.399
 The

00:38:11.399 --> 00:38:12.059
 Sanhedrin's

00:38:12.059 --> 00:38:12.759
 second charge

00:38:12.759 --> 00:38:13.579
 against Stephen

00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:14.519
 was that he

00:38:14.519 --> 00:38:15.399
 spoke against

00:38:15.399 --> 00:38:15.980
 the law of

00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:16.279
 Moses,

00:38:17.579 --> 00:38:18.199
 that he

00:38:18.199 --> 00:38:18.599
 told them

00:38:18.599 --> 00:38:19.019
 not to

00:38:19.019 --> 00:38:19.639
 follow Moses'

00:38:19.879 --> 00:38:20.299
 customs,

00:38:20.399 --> 00:38:20.779
 the customs

00:38:20.779 --> 00:38:21.299
 handed down

00:38:21.299 --> 00:38:21.699
 to them by

00:38:21.699 --> 00:38:22.019
 Moses.

00:38:23.879 --> 00:38:24.379
 And Stephen

00:38:24.379 --> 00:38:25.079
 answers this

00:38:25.079 --> 00:38:25.579
 charge by

00:38:25.579 --> 00:38:26.239
 demonstrating that

00:38:26.239 --> 00:38:27.259
 Jesus is the

00:38:27.259 --> 00:38:28.319
 new and

00:38:28.319 --> 00:38:29.339
 greater Moses,

00:38:30.440 --> 00:38:31.139
 who instead of

00:38:31.139 --> 00:38:31.899
 merely giving the

00:38:31.899 --> 00:38:32.980
 law engraved in

00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:34.099
 stone, who now

00:38:34.099 --> 00:38:35.019
 engraves the

00:38:35.019 --> 00:38:35.920
 very law of God

00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:36.819
 onto our hearts

00:38:36.819 --> 00:38:37.599
 so that we can

00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:38.400
 actually obey

00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:38.679
 him.

00:38:42.059 --> 00:38:43.059
 Even before

00:38:43.059 --> 00:38:44.299
 Moses, God

00:38:44.299 --> 00:38:45.400
 had ordained that

00:38:45.400 --> 00:38:46.019
 he would deliver

00:38:46.019 --> 00:38:47.079
 his people from

00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:47.739
 the upcoming

00:38:47.739 --> 00:38:49.159
 famine by making

00:38:49.159 --> 00:38:50.159
 Joseph a ruler

00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:50.739
 over them.

00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:51.699
 So this is part of

00:38:51.699 --> 00:38:52.460
 the history that

00:38:52.460 --> 00:38:54.199
 Stephen recounts.

00:38:55.319 --> 00:38:56.599
 And he revealed

00:38:56.599 --> 00:38:58.039
 this to Joseph in

00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:58.699
 a dream that he

00:38:58.699 --> 00:38:59.199
 would be a ruler

00:38:59.199 --> 00:39:00.239
 over God's people,

00:39:01.239 --> 00:39:01.719
 that he would be

00:39:01.719 --> 00:39:02.420
 used by him to

00:39:02.420 --> 00:39:03.059
 rescue them.

00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:04.500
 But Joseph's

00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:05.059
 brothers, the

00:39:05.059 --> 00:39:05.860
 patriarchs, were

00:39:05.860 --> 00:39:06.700
 jealous of Joseph.

00:39:06.840 --> 00:39:07.519
 They rejected

00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:08.340
 him and sold

00:39:08.340 --> 00:39:09.099
 him into slavery

00:39:09.099 --> 00:39:09.559
 in Egypt.

00:39:11.680 --> 00:39:12.920
 Much like the

00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:13.559
 Jewish leaders,

00:39:14.340 --> 00:39:15.200
 who are filled

00:39:15.200 --> 00:39:16.240
 with jealousy,

00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:16.880
 as it says in

00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:17.920
 Acts chapter 5,

00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:18.800
 verse 17,

00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:20.400
 and Acts chapter

00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:21.700
 13, verse 45,

00:39:21.900 --> 00:39:22.579
 and in Acts

00:39:22.579 --> 00:39:23.480
 chapter 17,

00:39:23.579 --> 00:39:23.980
 verse 5,

00:39:24.019 --> 00:39:24.200
 there's a

00:39:24.200 --> 00:39:25.120
 recurring theme.

00:39:26.120 --> 00:39:27.559
 He's setting up

00:39:27.559 --> 00:39:29.559
 a pattern that

00:39:29.559 --> 00:39:30.640
 the Jews that are

00:39:30.640 --> 00:39:31.940
 persecuting Christians

00:39:31.940 --> 00:39:33.519
 actually fit the

00:39:33.519 --> 00:39:34.559
 pattern of those

00:39:34.559 --> 00:39:35.760
 who reject God's

00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:36.619
 prophets and his

00:39:36.619 --> 00:39:37.700
 messengers time

00:39:37.700 --> 00:39:38.380
 and time again

00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:39.220
 out of jealousy.

00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:42.260
 And not only

00:39:42.260 --> 00:39:43.360
 Joseph, but Moses,

00:39:43.579 --> 00:39:44.579
 the lawgiver himself,

00:39:44.679 --> 00:39:45.440
 was rejected by

00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:46.019
 the Israelites.

00:39:47.300 --> 00:39:47.820
 Chapter 7,

00:39:47.860 --> 00:39:48.380
 verse 22,

00:39:48.500 --> 00:39:49.280
 described Moses

00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:51.099
 as mighty in his

00:39:51.099 --> 00:39:52.860
 words and deeds.

00:39:53.179 --> 00:39:53.760
 That's a phrase

00:39:53.760 --> 00:39:54.519
 that's not actually

00:39:54.519 --> 00:39:55.380
 found in the book

00:39:55.380 --> 00:39:55.840
 of Exodus,

00:39:56.400 --> 00:39:57.039
 but it's a phrase

00:39:57.039 --> 00:39:57.840
 that's actually found

00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:58.860
 later in Acts chapter,

00:39:59.260 --> 00:40:01.179
 or in Luke chapter 24,

00:40:01.179 --> 00:40:01.940
 verse 19,

00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:03.599
 where Jesus is

00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:05.639
 described as mighty

00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:07.299
 in deed and word.

00:40:08.879 --> 00:40:09.639
 So, immediately,

00:40:09.819 --> 00:40:10.819
 Luke is establishing

00:40:10.819 --> 00:40:11.879
 a connection between

00:40:11.879 --> 00:40:12.759
 Moses and Jesus

00:40:12.759 --> 00:40:13.619
 when he describes

00:40:13.619 --> 00:40:14.579
 Moses this way.

00:40:15.739 --> 00:40:16.119
 And then,

00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:17.339
 he further recounts

00:40:17.339 --> 00:40:18.539
 in verses 23-25

00:40:18.539 --> 00:40:19.359
 that when Moses

00:40:19.359 --> 00:40:20.539
 was 40 years old,

00:40:20.899 --> 00:40:21.779
 it came into his

00:40:21.779 --> 00:40:22.399
 heart to visit

00:40:22.399 --> 00:40:23.000
 his brothers,

00:40:24.219 --> 00:40:24.879
 and when he tried

00:40:24.879 --> 00:40:25.539
 to make peace

00:40:25.539 --> 00:40:26.059
 among them

00:40:26.059 --> 00:40:28.199
 by trying to

00:40:28.199 --> 00:40:28.779
 stop them

00:40:28.779 --> 00:40:29.239
 from fighting

00:40:29.239 --> 00:40:29.940
 against each other,

00:40:30.279 --> 00:40:30.879
 once again,

00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:32.000
 the Jews rejected

00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:32.599
 Moses,

00:40:34.559 --> 00:40:36.440
 retorted to him,

00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:37.340
 who made you

00:40:37.340 --> 00:40:38.820
 ruler and a judge

00:40:38.820 --> 00:40:39.420
 over us?

00:40:41.760 --> 00:40:42.280
 Repeatedly,

00:40:42.440 --> 00:40:43.360
 Moses is rejected.

00:40:43.539 --> 00:40:44.099
 The people don't

00:40:44.099 --> 00:40:46.220
 understand that God

00:40:46.220 --> 00:40:47.180
 is making him,

00:40:47.300 --> 00:40:48.559
 using him to rescue

00:40:48.559 --> 00:40:49.160
 them from their

00:40:49.160 --> 00:40:49.920
 slavery in Egypt.

00:40:51.420 --> 00:40:51.900
 Likewise,

00:40:52.140 --> 00:40:52.700
 the Jews,

00:40:53.079 --> 00:40:54.039
 in Stephen's day,

00:40:54.140 --> 00:40:54.460
 it says,

00:40:54.599 --> 00:40:56.160
 acted in ignorance

00:40:56.160 --> 00:40:57.559
 in chapter 3,

00:40:57.619 --> 00:40:58.300
 verse 17,

00:40:58.420 --> 00:40:59.400
 in crucifying Jesus.

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:00.280
 They did not

00:41:00.280 --> 00:41:01.099
 understand.

00:41:03.300 --> 00:41:04.220
 And Stephen says

00:41:04.220 --> 00:41:05.680
 in verse 35-38

00:41:05.680 --> 00:41:06.599
 that this Moses

00:41:06.599 --> 00:41:07.760
 whom they rejected

00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:08.920
 as their ruler

00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:09.960
 and judge,

00:41:10.380 --> 00:41:11.059
 God himself

00:41:11.059 --> 00:41:11.579
 has made

00:41:11.579 --> 00:41:12.440
 both ruler

00:41:12.440 --> 00:41:13.440
 and redeemer.

00:41:14.880 --> 00:41:15.720
 He uses

00:41:15.720 --> 00:41:16.400
 Moses

00:41:16.400 --> 00:41:17.280
 to perform

00:41:17.280 --> 00:41:18.440
 signs and wonders.

00:41:19.139 --> 00:41:20.059
 He uses Moses

00:41:20.059 --> 00:41:20.680
 to speak

00:41:20.680 --> 00:41:21.519
 God's living

00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:22.000
 oracles.

00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:24.380
 And this,

00:41:24.539 --> 00:41:25.199
 once again,

00:41:25.260 --> 00:41:25.940
 establishes the

00:41:25.940 --> 00:41:26.880
 parallels to Jesus.

00:41:27.880 --> 00:41:28.500
 Like Moses

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:29.039
 who performed

00:41:29.039 --> 00:41:29.900
 signs and wonders,

00:41:30.059 --> 00:41:31.079
 Jesus is described

00:41:31.079 --> 00:41:32.360
 as attested

00:41:32.360 --> 00:41:32.739
 to God

00:41:32.739 --> 00:41:33.619
 by mighty works

00:41:33.619 --> 00:41:34.239
 and wonders

00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:35.039
 and signs

00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:35.860
 in Acts chapter 2,

00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:36.460
 verse 22.

00:41:37.619 --> 00:41:38.320
 Like Moses

00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:39.079
 was rejected

00:41:39.079 --> 00:41:40.179
 by his fellow Jews

00:41:40.179 --> 00:41:41.079
 from being ruler

00:41:41.079 --> 00:41:41.699
 and judge,

00:41:41.940 --> 00:41:42.579
 but nonetheless

00:41:42.579 --> 00:41:43.739
 appointed ruler

00:41:43.739 --> 00:41:44.320
 and judge

00:41:44.320 --> 00:41:44.940
 and redeemer,

00:41:45.559 --> 00:41:46.699
 Jesus is rejected,

00:41:46.920 --> 00:41:47.659
 but then God

00:41:47.659 --> 00:41:48.280
 appoints him,

00:41:48.320 --> 00:41:49.059
 it says in Acts

00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:49.739
 chapter 5,

00:41:49.780 --> 00:41:50.320
 verse 31,

00:41:50.320 --> 00:41:52.100
 leader and savior

00:41:52.100 --> 00:41:53.539
 to give repentance

00:41:53.539 --> 00:41:54.120
 to Israel

00:41:54.120 --> 00:41:54.800
 and forgiveness

00:41:54.800 --> 00:41:55.460
 of sins.

00:41:56.900 --> 00:41:57.460
 In short,

00:41:57.640 --> 00:41:58.700
 Jesus is

00:41:58.700 --> 00:42:00.120
 the prophet

00:42:00.120 --> 00:42:01.039
 like Moses

00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:02.400
 that Moses

00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:03.080
 himself

00:42:03.080 --> 00:42:04.180
 had prophesied

00:42:04.180 --> 00:42:05.000
 that God

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:05.980
 would raise up

00:42:05.980 --> 00:42:06.900
 in Deuteronomy

00:42:06.900 --> 00:42:07.600
 chapter 18,

00:42:07.700 --> 00:42:08.300
 verse 15.

00:42:10.059 --> 00:42:11.680
 So it's no surprise

00:42:11.680 --> 00:42:12.720
 then that the Jews

00:42:12.720 --> 00:42:13.840
 in Stephen's day

00:42:13.840 --> 00:42:14.700
 reject Jesus

00:42:14.700 --> 00:42:15.420
 the same way

00:42:15.420 --> 00:42:16.220
 their forefathers

00:42:16.220 --> 00:42:16.980
 rejected Moses.

00:42:16.980 --> 00:42:20.380
 verses 39

00:42:20.380 --> 00:42:21.039
 to 40

00:42:21.039 --> 00:42:21.740
 and following

00:42:21.740 --> 00:42:22.940
 Stephen

00:42:22.940 --> 00:42:23.780
 talks about

00:42:23.780 --> 00:42:24.740
 how the Jews

00:42:24.740 --> 00:42:26.260
 continually

00:42:26.260 --> 00:42:27.179
 turned back

00:42:27.179 --> 00:42:28.199
 in their hearts

00:42:28.199 --> 00:42:28.860
 toward Egypt,

00:42:29.199 --> 00:42:30.639
 made an idol,

00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:32.699
 a golden calf,

00:42:33.699 --> 00:42:34.800
 and worshipped

00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:35.679
 other gods.

00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:37.039
 He quotes

00:42:37.039 --> 00:42:37.599
 from Amos

00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:37.900
 5,

00:42:37.920 --> 00:42:39.019
 25 to 27

00:42:39.019 --> 00:42:39.360
 there.

00:42:41.199 --> 00:42:42.199
 And having

00:42:42.199 --> 00:42:42.599
 observed

00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:43.280
 this pattern

00:42:43.280 --> 00:42:43.960
 in Israel's

00:42:43.960 --> 00:42:44.380
 history

00:42:44.380 --> 00:42:45.300
 of rejecting

00:42:45.300 --> 00:42:45.880
 God's

00:42:45.880 --> 00:42:46.640
 bookspersons,

00:42:47.140 --> 00:42:47.940
 Stephen challenges

00:42:47.940 --> 00:42:48.500
 the Jews

00:42:48.500 --> 00:42:48.960
 in verses

00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:50.260
 51 to 53.

00:42:50.500 --> 00:42:50.740
 He says,

00:42:50.840 --> 00:42:51.800
 You stiff-necked

00:42:51.800 --> 00:42:52.360
 people,

00:42:52.940 --> 00:42:53.980
 uncircumcised

00:42:53.980 --> 00:42:54.900
 in heart and ears,

00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:56.119
 you always resist

00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:56.880
 the Holy Spirit

00:42:56.880 --> 00:42:58.480
 and as your

00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:59.180
 fathers did,

00:42:59.280 --> 00:42:59.820
 so do you.

00:43:00.400 --> 00:43:01.000
 Which of the

00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:01.380
 prophets

00:43:01.380 --> 00:43:02.340
 did your fathers

00:43:02.340 --> 00:43:03.380
 not persecute?

00:43:04.619 --> 00:43:05.340
 And they killed

00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:05.940
 those who announced

00:43:05.940 --> 00:43:06.380
 beforehand

00:43:06.380 --> 00:43:06.800
 the coming

00:43:06.800 --> 00:43:07.400
 of the righteous

00:43:07.400 --> 00:43:07.760
 one,

00:43:08.099 --> 00:43:08.860
 whom you have

00:43:08.860 --> 00:43:09.500
 now betrayed

00:43:09.500 --> 00:43:10.220
 and murdered.

00:43:11.660 --> 00:43:12.460
 As he did

00:43:12.460 --> 00:43:12.800
 earlier,

00:43:12.940 --> 00:43:13.720
 Stephen is now

00:43:13.720 --> 00:43:14.660
 again

00:43:14.659 --> 00:43:16.019
 distancing himself

00:43:16.019 --> 00:43:16.480
 from his

00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:17.139
 fellow Jews.

00:43:18.119 --> 00:43:18.519
 Previously,

00:43:18.599 --> 00:43:19.059
 he spoke of

00:43:19.059 --> 00:43:19.759
 our fathers,

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:20.480
 but now he

00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:20.920
 says,

00:43:21.480 --> 00:43:22.679
 Your fathers

00:43:22.679 --> 00:43:23.139
 did.

00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:26.739
 He's trying

00:43:26.739 --> 00:43:27.319
 to make the

00:43:27.319 --> 00:43:28.460
 point that he's

00:43:28.460 --> 00:43:29.059
 trying to tell

00:43:29.059 --> 00:43:29.519
 them what

00:43:29.519 --> 00:43:30.859
 separates Stephen,

00:43:31.119 --> 00:43:31.920
 what separates

00:43:31.920 --> 00:43:32.339
 him from the

00:43:32.339 --> 00:43:32.779
 rest of the

00:43:32.779 --> 00:43:33.099
 Jews.

00:43:33.639 --> 00:43:34.480
 It's his

00:43:34.480 --> 00:43:35.940
 submission to,

00:43:36.059 --> 00:43:36.779
 his listening

00:43:36.779 --> 00:43:38.000
 to Jesus

00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:39.460
 as God's

00:43:39.460 --> 00:43:40.480
 chosen Messiah,

00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:42.699
 unlike his

00:43:42.699 --> 00:43:43.239
 fellow Jews

00:43:43.239 --> 00:43:43.739
 who reject

00:43:43.739 --> 00:43:44.019
 him.

00:43:46.039 --> 00:43:46.859
 The charge

00:43:46.859 --> 00:43:47.179
 of being

00:43:47.179 --> 00:43:47.739
 a stiff-necked

00:43:47.739 --> 00:43:48.099
 people,

00:43:48.219 --> 00:43:48.479
 of course,

00:43:48.579 --> 00:43:49.099
 was the

00:43:49.099 --> 00:43:50.159
 charge that

00:43:50.159 --> 00:43:50.539
 the Old

00:43:50.539 --> 00:43:51.159
 Testament uses

00:43:51.159 --> 00:43:51.639
 over and

00:43:51.639 --> 00:43:52.119
 over again

00:43:52.119 --> 00:43:52.539
 to refer

00:43:52.539 --> 00:43:53.159
 to God's

00:43:53.159 --> 00:43:53.659
 people and

00:43:53.659 --> 00:43:53.819
 their

00:43:53.819 --> 00:43:54.239
 rejection

00:43:54.239 --> 00:43:54.699
 of him.

00:43:57.359 --> 00:43:57.959
 And so

00:43:57.959 --> 00:43:58.279
 it's a

00:43:58.279 --> 00:43:58.559
 stinging

00:43:58.559 --> 00:43:59.039
 charge.

00:44:00.459 --> 00:44:00.719
 And even

00:44:00.719 --> 00:44:01.199
 though the

00:44:01.199 --> 00:44:01.739
 Jews took

00:44:01.739 --> 00:44:02.459
 pride in the

00:44:02.459 --> 00:44:02.839
 fact that

00:44:02.839 --> 00:44:03.339
 God gave

00:44:03.339 --> 00:44:03.979
 Abraham the

00:44:03.979 --> 00:44:04.479
 covenant of

00:44:04.479 --> 00:44:05.059
 circumcision,

00:44:05.859 --> 00:44:06.619
 he now calls

00:44:06.619 --> 00:44:07.259
 these proud

00:44:07.259 --> 00:44:07.859
 descendants of

00:44:07.859 --> 00:44:08.319
 Abraham

00:44:08.319 --> 00:44:09.719
 uncircumcised

00:44:09.719 --> 00:44:10.919
 in hearts

00:44:10.919 --> 00:44:11.819
 and ears.

00:44:11.820 --> 00:44:17.180
 once again,

00:44:17.500 --> 00:44:18.300
 Moses himself

00:44:18.300 --> 00:44:19.080
 had prophesied

00:44:19.080 --> 00:44:19.720
 in Deuteronomy

00:44:19.720 --> 00:44:20.440
 30 that

00:44:20.440 --> 00:44:21.380
 one day

00:44:21.380 --> 00:44:22.200
 God would

00:44:22.200 --> 00:44:23.039
 circumcise

00:44:23.039 --> 00:44:23.980
 our hearts

00:44:23.980 --> 00:44:25.120
 so that we

00:44:25.120 --> 00:44:25.640
 can actually

00:44:25.640 --> 00:44:26.320
 obey him.

00:44:28.420 --> 00:44:29.140
 Prophet

00:44:29.140 --> 00:44:29.800
 Ezekiel in

00:44:29.800 --> 00:44:30.460
 chapter 36

00:44:30.460 --> 00:44:31.320
 also said

00:44:31.320 --> 00:44:31.700
 that God

00:44:31.700 --> 00:44:32.000
 would give

00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:32.559
 us a new

00:44:32.559 --> 00:44:33.860
 heart and

00:44:33.860 --> 00:44:34.160
 a new

00:44:34.160 --> 00:44:36.400
 spirit and

00:44:36.400 --> 00:44:37.160
 cause us to

00:44:37.160 --> 00:44:37.760
 walk in his

00:44:37.760 --> 00:44:38.320
 statutes.

00:44:39.519 --> 00:44:40.559
 This promise

00:44:40.559 --> 00:44:41.579
 is fulfilled

00:44:41.579 --> 00:44:42.579
 ultimately by

00:44:42.579 --> 00:44:43.179
 the person

00:44:43.179 --> 00:44:43.799
 and work

00:44:43.799 --> 00:44:44.219
 of Jesus

00:44:44.219 --> 00:44:44.699
 Christ.

00:44:46.259 --> 00:44:46.960
 As it

00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:47.279
 says in

00:44:47.279 --> 00:44:47.860
 Romans 2

00:44:47.860 --> 00:44:48.799
 28-29,

00:44:49.079 --> 00:44:50.820
 what matters

00:44:50.820 --> 00:44:51.159
 is not

00:44:51.159 --> 00:44:51.679
 physical

00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:52.380
 circumcision,

00:44:53.079 --> 00:44:53.440
 but the

00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:54.000
 circumcision

00:44:54.000 --> 00:44:54.340
 of the

00:44:54.340 --> 00:44:54.759
 heart.

00:44:56.039 --> 00:44:56.559
 And that

00:44:56.559 --> 00:44:57.099
 circumcision

00:44:57.099 --> 00:44:57.400
 of the

00:44:57.400 --> 00:44:57.840
 heart is

00:44:57.840 --> 00:44:58.420
 performed

00:44:58.420 --> 00:44:59.599
 not by

00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:00.340
 human hands,

00:45:00.460 --> 00:45:00.719
 but it

00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:01.340
 says by

00:45:01.340 --> 00:45:02.199
 the spirit

00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:02.759
 in Romans

00:45:02.759 --> 00:45:03.559
 2-29.

00:45:03.559 --> 00:45:07.679
 it's

00:45:07.679 --> 00:45:09.000
 when we

00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:09.840
 have the

00:45:09.840 --> 00:45:10.340
 obedience

00:45:10.340 --> 00:45:11.179
 of faith

00:45:11.179 --> 00:45:11.739
 to Jesus

00:45:11.739 --> 00:45:12.259
 Christ,

00:45:13.259 --> 00:45:14.279
 when we

00:45:14.279 --> 00:45:15.079
 accept him

00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:15.500
 as our

00:45:15.500 --> 00:45:15.980
 Lord and

00:45:15.980 --> 00:45:16.299
 Savior,

00:45:16.980 --> 00:45:17.380
 as the

00:45:17.380 --> 00:45:18.139
 Messiah sent

00:45:18.139 --> 00:45:18.679
 by God

00:45:18.679 --> 00:45:19.000
 for our

00:45:19.000 --> 00:45:19.460
 redemption,

00:45:19.840 --> 00:45:20.599
 to be our

00:45:20.599 --> 00:45:21.259
 ruler and

00:45:21.259 --> 00:45:21.659
 king,

00:45:22.219 --> 00:45:22.759
 that's when

00:45:22.759 --> 00:45:22.960
 we are

00:45:22.960 --> 00:45:23.579
 indwelled by

00:45:23.579 --> 00:45:24.019
 the spirit

00:45:24.019 --> 00:45:24.420
 of God.

00:45:27.019 --> 00:45:27.559
 So

00:45:27.559 --> 00:45:28.039
 according to

00:45:28.039 --> 00:45:28.380
 Stephen,

00:45:28.519 --> 00:45:28.920
 it's not

00:45:28.920 --> 00:45:31.259
 him who

00:45:31.259 --> 00:45:31.759
 has rejected

00:45:31.759 --> 00:45:32.079
 the law

00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:32.480
 of Moses.

00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:32.659
 Moses.

00:45:34.059 --> 00:45:34.760
 It's his

00:45:34.760 --> 00:45:35.079
 Jewish

00:45:35.079 --> 00:45:35.880
 accusers who

00:45:35.880 --> 00:45:36.420
 have rejected

00:45:36.420 --> 00:45:36.920
 Moses,

00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:38.219
 because they

00:45:38.219 --> 00:45:38.780
 have rejected

00:45:38.780 --> 00:45:39.360
 the prophet

00:45:39.360 --> 00:45:39.980
 like Moses

00:45:39.980 --> 00:45:40.519
 that Moses

00:45:40.519 --> 00:45:41.280
 himself

00:45:41.280 --> 00:45:42.340
 prophesied

00:45:42.340 --> 00:45:42.539
 of.

00:45:45.139 --> 00:45:45.960
 These Jews

00:45:45.960 --> 00:45:46.500
 sought to

00:45:46.500 --> 00:45:46.880
 justify

00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:47.679
 themselves by

00:45:47.679 --> 00:45:48.320
 keeping the

00:45:48.320 --> 00:45:48.760
 letter of

00:45:48.760 --> 00:45:49.139
 the law

00:45:49.139 --> 00:45:50.179
 when God

00:45:50.179 --> 00:45:50.820
 himself had

00:45:50.820 --> 00:45:51.480
 ordained that

00:45:51.480 --> 00:45:51.940
 we should be

00:45:51.940 --> 00:45:52.780
 justified by

00:45:52.780 --> 00:45:53.500
 faith in

00:45:53.500 --> 00:45:54.219
 Jesus Christ.

00:45:55.860 --> 00:45:56.659
 These Jews

00:45:56.659 --> 00:45:57.059
 put their

00:45:57.059 --> 00:45:57.800
 confidence in

00:45:57.800 --> 00:45:58.179
 their own

00:45:58.179 --> 00:45:58.800
 flesh, in

00:45:58.800 --> 00:45:59.460
 the trappings,

00:45:59.619 --> 00:46:00.199
 the external

00:46:00.199 --> 00:46:00.920
 trappings of

00:46:00.920 --> 00:46:01.400
 religion,

00:46:01.860 --> 00:46:02.400
 rather than in

00:46:02.400 --> 00:46:02.860
 the inward

00:46:02.860 --> 00:46:03.639
 testimony of

00:46:03.639 --> 00:46:03.920
 the Holy

00:46:03.920 --> 00:46:04.300
 Spirit.

00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:07.639
 Do you

00:46:07.639 --> 00:46:08.000
 put your

00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:10.519
 confidence in

00:46:10.519 --> 00:46:11.039
 the external

00:46:11.039 --> 00:46:11.559
 religious

00:46:11.559 --> 00:46:12.119
 trappings?

00:46:18.940 --> 00:46:19.559
 Do you

00:46:19.559 --> 00:46:19.820
 put your

00:46:19.820 --> 00:46:20.460
 confidence in

00:46:20.460 --> 00:46:20.920
 your religious

00:46:20.920 --> 00:46:21.559
 heritage,

00:46:22.579 --> 00:46:23.539
 your pedigree,

00:46:25.579 --> 00:46:26.720
 your father

00:46:26.720 --> 00:46:27.340
 as a pastor

00:46:27.340 --> 00:46:27.960
 or a seminary

00:46:27.960 --> 00:46:28.380
 professor,

00:46:28.380 --> 00:46:32.140
 that your

00:46:32.140 --> 00:46:32.800
 family has

00:46:32.800 --> 00:46:33.460
 been Christians

00:46:33.460 --> 00:46:34.019
 for many

00:46:34.019 --> 00:46:34.599
 generations?

00:46:36.420 --> 00:46:37.220
 Many Jews

00:46:37.220 --> 00:46:37.780
 of Stephen's

00:46:37.780 --> 00:46:38.260
 day could say

00:46:38.260 --> 00:46:38.660
 the same

00:46:38.660 --> 00:46:40.240
 thing, and

00:46:40.240 --> 00:46:40.680
 yet they were

00:46:40.680 --> 00:46:42.320
 uncircumcised in

00:46:42.320 --> 00:46:42.740
 hearts and

00:46:42.740 --> 00:46:43.000
 ears.

00:46:45.059 --> 00:46:45.500
 Do you put

00:46:45.500 --> 00:46:46.079
 your confidence

00:46:46.079 --> 00:46:46.680
 in your own

00:46:46.680 --> 00:46:48.019
 moral or

00:46:48.019 --> 00:46:48.420
 religious

00:46:48.420 --> 00:46:49.220
 observance,

00:46:50.180 --> 00:46:50.680
 that you go

00:46:50.680 --> 00:46:51.059
 to church

00:46:51.059 --> 00:46:51.660
 every week,

00:46:52.700 --> 00:46:53.400
 that you read

00:46:53.400 --> 00:46:54.099
 the Bible and

00:46:54.099 --> 00:46:54.840
 pray regularly,

00:46:55.619 --> 00:46:56.619
 that you subscribe

00:46:56.619 --> 00:46:57.339
 to the right

00:46:57.339 --> 00:46:57.900
 theology,

00:46:58.079 --> 00:46:58.400
 or that you're

00:46:58.400 --> 00:46:58.900
 part of the

00:46:58.900 --> 00:46:59.859
 right denomination,

00:47:01.000 --> 00:47:01.380
 that you have

00:47:01.380 --> 00:47:02.179
 not committed any

00:47:02.179 --> 00:47:03.000
 blatant sins

00:47:03.000 --> 00:47:03.940
 recently, or that

00:47:03.940 --> 00:47:04.639
 you support the

00:47:04.639 --> 00:47:05.639
 right social and

00:47:05.639 --> 00:47:06.599
 political causes,

00:47:07.599 --> 00:47:08.079
 or that you're

00:47:08.079 --> 00:47:08.659
 an upstanding

00:47:08.659 --> 00:47:09.579
 citizen, or that

00:47:09.579 --> 00:47:10.359
 you donate money

00:47:10.359 --> 00:47:11.099
 to charity.

00:47:12.139 --> 00:47:13.039
 Many Jews of

00:47:13.039 --> 00:47:13.859
 Stephen's day could

00:47:13.859 --> 00:47:14.659
 say the same

00:47:14.659 --> 00:47:15.380
 thing, and yet

00:47:15.380 --> 00:47:16.019
 they were

00:47:16.019 --> 00:47:17.339
 uncircumcised in

00:47:17.339 --> 00:47:18.279
 hearts and

00:47:18.279 --> 00:47:18.759
 ears.

00:47:19.420 --> 00:47:21.099
 The only way to

00:47:21.099 --> 00:47:22.139
 have right standing

00:47:22.139 --> 00:47:23.400
 with God, the

00:47:23.400 --> 00:47:24.539
 only way to be

00:47:24.539 --> 00:47:26.299
 saved is to

00:47:26.299 --> 00:47:27.039
 believe in the

00:47:27.039 --> 00:47:27.759
 name of Jesus,

00:47:28.579 --> 00:47:30.079
 the righteous

00:47:30.079 --> 00:47:30.559
 one.

00:47:31.579 --> 00:47:32.440
 Instead of

00:47:32.440 --> 00:47:33.279
 resisting the

00:47:33.279 --> 00:47:33.920
 Holy Spirit, we

00:47:33.920 --> 00:47:34.799
 are to yield to

00:47:34.799 --> 00:47:35.659
 the Holy Spirit by

00:47:35.659 --> 00:47:36.799
 repenting of our

00:47:36.799 --> 00:47:38.000
 sins and trusting

00:47:38.000 --> 00:47:38.980
 in Jesus Christ

00:47:38.980 --> 00:47:39.940
 alone for our

00:47:39.940 --> 00:47:40.400
 salvation.

00:47:42.920 --> 00:47:43.619
 I want to

00:47:43.619 --> 00:47:44.199
 plead with those

00:47:44.199 --> 00:47:44.699
 of you who are

00:47:44.699 --> 00:47:45.579
 living with guilt

00:47:45.579 --> 00:47:46.319
 that hasn't been

00:47:46.319 --> 00:47:47.219
 dealt with, or

00:47:47.219 --> 00:47:48.519
 with shame in

00:47:48.519 --> 00:47:48.839
 your own

00:47:48.839 --> 00:47:49.299
 identities.

00:47:49.300 --> 00:47:52.060
 stop trying to

00:47:52.060 --> 00:47:53.039
 save yourself.

00:47:54.840 --> 00:47:55.940
 Stop trying to

00:47:55.940 --> 00:47:56.720
 atone for your

00:47:56.720 --> 00:47:57.460
 own sins.

00:47:58.360 --> 00:47:59.260
 Stop putting your

00:47:59.260 --> 00:48:00.220
 confidence in your

00:48:00.220 --> 00:48:01.220
 own flesh, in your

00:48:01.220 --> 00:48:02.680
 own qualifications,

00:48:02.960 --> 00:48:03.760
 as Stephen's

00:48:03.760 --> 00:48:05.420
 Jewish contemporaries

00:48:05.420 --> 00:48:05.840
 did.

00:48:06.460 --> 00:48:07.680
 It's not our own

00:48:07.680 --> 00:48:08.160
 labors.

00:48:08.300 --> 00:48:09.660
 It's not our own

00:48:09.660 --> 00:48:10.260
 righteousness.

00:48:11.180 --> 00:48:12.120
 It's not our own

00:48:12.120 --> 00:48:13.420
 piety or devotion

00:48:13.420 --> 00:48:14.400
 that atones for

00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:14.940
 our sins.

00:48:16.280 --> 00:48:17.539
 Only those who

00:48:17.539 --> 00:48:18.760
 come naked to the

00:48:18.760 --> 00:48:19.280
 cross,

00:48:19.300 --> 00:48:20.820
 can be clothed

00:48:20.820 --> 00:48:21.100
 with the

00:48:21.100 --> 00:48:21.840
 righteousness of

00:48:21.840 --> 00:48:22.100
 Jesus.

00:48:23.460 --> 00:48:24.420
 Only those who

00:48:24.420 --> 00:48:25.160
 come empty

00:48:25.160 --> 00:48:25.880
 handed to the

00:48:25.880 --> 00:48:26.760
 cross of Jesus

00:48:26.760 --> 00:48:28.620
 can receive God's

00:48:28.620 --> 00:48:29.440
 mercy and be

00:48:29.440 --> 00:48:30.840
 filled with the

00:48:30.840 --> 00:48:31.560
 Holy Spirit.

00:48:34.960 --> 00:48:36.320
 Jesus alone

00:48:36.320 --> 00:48:38.519
 saves us.

00:48:40.760 --> 00:48:41.360
 Unfortunately,

00:48:41.539 --> 00:48:42.220
 Stephen's Jewish

00:48:42.220 --> 00:48:43.060
 audience didn't

00:48:43.060 --> 00:48:43.840
 heed this warning,

00:48:44.000 --> 00:48:44.800
 and instead, we

00:48:44.800 --> 00:48:45.420
 are told in

00:48:45.420 --> 00:48:46.740
 verses 54 to 58

00:48:46.740 --> 00:48:47.300
 that they were

00:48:47.300 --> 00:48:48.960
 enraged, they

00:48:48.960 --> 00:48:50.039
 ground their teeth

00:48:50.039 --> 00:48:50.500
 at him.

00:48:51.240 --> 00:48:51.960
 And after hearing

00:48:51.960 --> 00:48:52.659
 of Stephen's

00:48:52.659 --> 00:48:53.400
 vision of the

00:48:53.400 --> 00:48:54.240
 glory of God

00:48:54.240 --> 00:48:54.920
 and Jesus

00:48:54.920 --> 00:48:55.599
 standing at the

00:48:55.599 --> 00:48:56.199
 right hand of

00:48:56.199 --> 00:48:58.139
 God, verse 57

00:48:58.139 --> 00:48:58.980
 says, they cried

00:48:58.980 --> 00:48:59.699
 out with a loud

00:48:59.699 --> 00:49:00.800
 voice and stopped

00:49:00.800 --> 00:49:01.579
 their ears and

00:49:01.579 --> 00:49:02.539
 rushed together at

00:49:02.539 --> 00:49:02.780
 him.

00:49:04.240 --> 00:49:05.139
 Covering their ears,

00:49:05.260 --> 00:49:06.079
 a gesture of

00:49:06.079 --> 00:49:06.880
 righteousness,

00:49:07.079 --> 00:49:08.000
 self-righteousness,

00:49:08.619 --> 00:49:09.699
 saying that I can't

00:49:09.699 --> 00:49:10.760
 bear to hear the

00:49:10.760 --> 00:49:12.099
 blasphemous words that

00:49:12.099 --> 00:49:12.659
 are coming out of

00:49:12.659 --> 00:49:13.199
 Stephen's mouth.

00:49:13.199 --> 00:49:15.639
 But all it does is

00:49:15.639 --> 00:49:16.379
 to confirm what

00:49:16.379 --> 00:49:17.159
 Stephen said earlier,

00:49:17.259 --> 00:49:17.619
 that they are

00:49:17.619 --> 00:49:18.739
 uncircumcised in

00:49:18.739 --> 00:49:19.259
 their ears.

00:49:20.379 --> 00:49:21.980
 They are deaf to

00:49:21.980 --> 00:49:22.599
 the truth of

00:49:22.599 --> 00:49:22.879
 Jesus.

00:49:24.239 --> 00:49:25.000
 They throw Stephen

00:49:25.000 --> 00:49:25.799
 out of the city and

00:49:25.799 --> 00:49:26.539
 stone him to death.

00:49:28.000 --> 00:49:29.000
 It's a brutal way

00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:31.019
 to die, a

00:49:31.019 --> 00:49:31.739
 punishment reserved

00:49:31.739 --> 00:49:32.339
 for the most

00:49:32.339 --> 00:49:33.379
 heinous of sins in

00:49:33.379 --> 00:49:34.019
 the Old Testament,

00:49:34.319 --> 00:49:35.699
 sins that threaten

00:49:35.699 --> 00:49:37.079
 the very survival of

00:49:37.079 --> 00:49:37.859
 the Jewish faith

00:49:37.859 --> 00:49:39.859
 community from

00:49:39.859 --> 00:49:40.779
 which the Messiah

00:49:40.779 --> 00:49:41.559
 had to be born.

00:49:41.559 --> 00:49:43.679
 sins like

00:49:43.679 --> 00:49:44.279
 blasphemy.

00:49:46.299 --> 00:49:47.119
 When stoning

00:49:47.119 --> 00:49:47.960
 someone to death,

00:49:48.239 --> 00:49:49.559
 they lower you to

00:49:49.559 --> 00:49:51.139
 a pit or to a

00:49:51.139 --> 00:49:52.799
 valley outside the

00:49:52.799 --> 00:49:53.500
 city and then

00:49:53.500 --> 00:49:54.579
 starting with the

00:49:54.579 --> 00:49:55.420
 witnesses of the

00:49:55.420 --> 00:49:56.059
 trial themselves,

00:49:56.299 --> 00:49:57.340
 they throw stones

00:49:57.340 --> 00:49:57.759
 at you.

00:49:59.219 --> 00:50:00.159
 And they don't

00:50:00.159 --> 00:50:01.039
 pelt you with these

00:50:01.039 --> 00:50:01.659
 little pebbles.

00:50:02.940 --> 00:50:04.460
 They crush you by

00:50:04.460 --> 00:50:06.039
 hurling large stones

00:50:06.039 --> 00:50:06.539
 at you.

00:50:08.940 --> 00:50:09.940
 And since this

00:50:09.940 --> 00:50:10.900
 happened during the

00:50:10.900 --> 00:50:11.539
 trial before the

00:50:11.539 --> 00:50:12.320
 Sanhedrin, it

00:50:12.320 --> 00:50:13.219
 seems the Sanhedrin

00:50:13.219 --> 00:50:14.039
 sanctioned it.

00:50:15.079 --> 00:50:15.920
 However, we know

00:50:15.920 --> 00:50:16.880
 from John chapter

00:50:16.880 --> 00:50:18.119
 18 that the Jews

00:50:18.119 --> 00:50:19.239
 did not have the

00:50:19.239 --> 00:50:20.779
 right under Roman

00:50:20.779 --> 00:50:22.599
 rule to execute

00:50:22.599 --> 00:50:23.039
 people.

00:50:23.659 --> 00:50:24.440
 They did not have

00:50:24.440 --> 00:50:27.059
 the right to meet

00:50:27.059 --> 00:50:28.099
 a capital punishment.

00:50:29.179 --> 00:50:30.159
 So this is not an

00:50:30.159 --> 00:50:31.079
 official killing.

00:50:31.920 --> 00:50:32.559
 It's not an

00:50:32.559 --> 00:50:33.019
 execution.

00:50:33.179 --> 00:50:33.639
 This is a

00:50:33.639 --> 00:50:34.079
 lynching.

00:50:36.659 --> 00:50:37.259
 Unauthorized

00:50:37.259 --> 00:50:38.340
 lynching.

00:50:38.340 --> 00:50:41.120
 that's how the

00:50:41.120 --> 00:50:42.100
 first martyr of the

00:50:42.100 --> 00:50:42.660
 faith died.

00:50:45.920 --> 00:50:46.680
 But there are

00:50:46.680 --> 00:50:47.640
 several details that

00:50:47.640 --> 00:50:48.920
 suggest a great

00:50:48.920 --> 00:50:51.280
 reversal of what's

00:50:51.280 --> 00:50:51.640
 happening.

00:50:52.720 --> 00:50:54.079
 In the Mishnah, the

00:50:54.079 --> 00:50:55.880
 official commentary of

00:50:55.880 --> 00:50:56.800
 the rabbis, of the

00:50:56.800 --> 00:50:58.860
 Jewish rabbis, it

00:50:58.860 --> 00:51:00.260
 details the steps that

00:51:00.260 --> 00:51:01.019
 you're supposed to

00:51:01.019 --> 00:51:01.559
 take when you're

00:51:01.559 --> 00:51:02.340
 stoning someone to

00:51:02.340 --> 00:51:02.620
 death.

00:51:02.619 --> 00:51:02.719
 death.

00:51:04.139 --> 00:51:05.699
 And it specifies that

00:51:05.699 --> 00:51:06.500
 the person that is

00:51:06.500 --> 00:51:07.480
 being stoned is

00:51:07.480 --> 00:51:08.079
 supposed to be

00:51:08.079 --> 00:51:08.679
 stripped of his

00:51:08.679 --> 00:51:09.019
 clothing.

00:51:10.699 --> 00:51:12.039
 But interestingly, in

00:51:12.039 --> 00:51:13.139
 verse 58, it's not

00:51:13.139 --> 00:51:14.519
 Stephen, but the

00:51:14.519 --> 00:51:15.819
 witnesses, the false

00:51:15.819 --> 00:51:16.880
 witnesses who testified

00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:18.900
 against him, who are

00:51:18.900 --> 00:51:19.759
 stripped of their

00:51:19.759 --> 00:51:20.079
 clothing.

00:51:20.159 --> 00:51:20.799
 They take their

00:51:20.799 --> 00:51:21.779
 garments off and lay

00:51:21.779 --> 00:51:23.000
 them at the feet of a

00:51:23.000 --> 00:51:23.679
 young man named

00:51:23.679 --> 00:51:23.980
 Saul.

00:51:25.859 --> 00:51:26.779
 The Mishnah also

00:51:26.779 --> 00:51:27.679
 specifies that the

00:51:27.679 --> 00:51:28.440
 person that's being

00:51:28.440 --> 00:51:29.219
 stoned to death is

00:51:29.219 --> 00:51:30.440
 supposed to confess at

00:51:30.440 --> 00:51:31.000
 the time of his

00:51:31.000 --> 00:51:32.460
 stoning and say, may

00:51:32.460 --> 00:51:33.920
 my death atone for

00:51:33.920 --> 00:51:34.860
 all my sins.

00:51:36.300 --> 00:51:37.380
 But instead, Stephen

00:51:37.380 --> 00:51:38.679
 prays in verse 60,

00:51:38.880 --> 00:51:40.440
 Lord, do not hold

00:51:40.440 --> 00:51:41.699
 this sin against

00:51:41.699 --> 00:51:42.239
 them.

00:51:43.980 --> 00:51:44.960
 Stephen does not

00:51:44.960 --> 00:51:46.579
 confess his sin, but

00:51:46.579 --> 00:51:47.880
 the sins of his

00:51:47.880 --> 00:51:48.840
 accusers and

00:51:48.840 --> 00:51:50.159
 persecutors, and he

00:51:50.159 --> 00:51:51.420
 pleads for God's

00:51:51.420 --> 00:51:52.119
 mercy on their

00:51:52.119 --> 00:51:52.639
 behalf.

00:51:53.559 --> 00:51:54.159
 And of course, in

00:51:54.159 --> 00:51:54.880
 doing this, he's

00:51:54.880 --> 00:51:55.539
 following in the

00:51:55.539 --> 00:51:56.320
 footsteps of his

00:51:56.320 --> 00:51:59.800
 master, Jesus, who

00:51:59.800 --> 00:52:00.820
 himself was charged

00:52:00.820 --> 00:52:01.460
 with the same

00:52:01.460 --> 00:52:02.380
 charge that Stephen

00:52:02.380 --> 00:52:03.080
 is being charged

00:52:03.080 --> 00:52:04.600
 of, who himself

00:52:04.600 --> 00:52:05.420
 had false

00:52:05.420 --> 00:52:06.740
 accusers, false

00:52:06.740 --> 00:52:07.360
 witnesses brought

00:52:07.360 --> 00:52:08.640
 against him, who

00:52:08.640 --> 00:52:10.019
 himself was unjustly

00:52:10.019 --> 00:52:11.160
 tried and executed,

00:52:12.740 --> 00:52:13.960
 and who himself

00:52:13.960 --> 00:52:15.180
 cried out, Father,

00:52:15.280 --> 00:52:16.240
 into your hands I

00:52:16.240 --> 00:52:18.000
 commit my spirit, who

00:52:18.000 --> 00:52:19.380
 himself prayed for

00:52:19.380 --> 00:52:21.320
 his executioners, saying,

00:52:21.400 --> 00:52:22.280
 Father, forgive them,

00:52:22.340 --> 00:52:23.400
 for they know not what

00:52:23.400 --> 00:52:24.160
 they do.

00:52:24.640 --> 00:52:25.860
 Luke intentionally

00:52:25.860 --> 00:52:27.900
 presents Stephen's

00:52:27.900 --> 00:52:29.160
 martyrdom in the

00:52:29.159 --> 00:52:30.299
 pattern of Jesus'

00:52:30.579 --> 00:52:31.779
 death, because he

00:52:31.779 --> 00:52:32.659
 wants to teach us

00:52:32.659 --> 00:52:33.659
 that this is not an

00:52:33.659 --> 00:52:34.619
 isolated incident.

00:52:35.739 --> 00:52:36.739
 This is a pattern

00:52:36.739 --> 00:52:39.319
 that every Christian

00:52:39.319 --> 00:52:41.179
 is called to follow.

00:52:43.839 --> 00:52:45.259
 We should not be

00:52:45.259 --> 00:52:46.440
 surprised when, as a

00:52:46.440 --> 00:52:47.659
 church, we face

00:52:47.659 --> 00:52:48.699
 determined and

00:52:48.699 --> 00:52:50.119
 organized opposition

00:52:50.119 --> 00:52:51.219
 and persecution.

00:52:52.219 --> 00:52:53.699
 We should not be

00:52:53.699 --> 00:52:54.719
 surprised when people

00:52:54.719 --> 00:52:56.000
 launch smear campaigns

00:52:56.000 --> 00:52:57.819
 against us, or drag us

00:52:57.820 --> 00:52:59.559
 to court, sue us for

00:52:59.559 --> 00:53:00.320
 our allegiance to

00:53:00.320 --> 00:53:00.720
 Christ.

00:53:02.240 --> 00:53:03.480
 But when we suffer in

00:53:03.480 --> 00:53:04.780
 this way, we must not

00:53:04.780 --> 00:53:05.539
 lose hope.

00:53:06.640 --> 00:53:07.160
 And there's a

00:53:07.160 --> 00:53:08.860
 wonderful hope here

00:53:08.860 --> 00:53:10.720
 in verses 55 to 56.

00:53:11.380 --> 00:53:12.480
 We are told that

00:53:12.480 --> 00:53:14.240
 Stephen sees Jesus at

00:53:14.240 --> 00:53:15.320
 the right hand of God,

00:53:15.880 --> 00:53:16.820
 which is a fulfillment

00:53:16.820 --> 00:53:18.180
 of Luke chapter 22,

00:53:18.320 --> 00:53:20.860
 verse 69, that Jesus

00:53:20.860 --> 00:53:22.300
 himself prophesied when

00:53:22.300 --> 00:53:23.620
 he was standing on trial

00:53:23.620 --> 00:53:24.440
 before the Sanhedrin.

00:53:24.519 --> 00:53:25.260
 He said that you will

00:53:25.260 --> 00:53:26.700
 see the Son of Man at

00:53:26.699 --> 00:53:27.719
 the right hand of God.

00:53:27.759 --> 00:53:28.279
 So that's been

00:53:28.279 --> 00:53:28.799
 fulfilled.

00:53:29.419 --> 00:53:30.379
 So Jesus has been

00:53:30.379 --> 00:53:31.000
 vindicated.

00:53:31.159 --> 00:53:32.199
 He has been raised

00:53:32.199 --> 00:53:33.599
 from the dead, ascended

00:53:33.599 --> 00:53:34.039
 to the heaven.

00:53:34.119 --> 00:53:35.019
 Now he's seated at the

00:53:35.019 --> 00:53:36.279
 right hand of the

00:53:36.279 --> 00:53:36.539
 Father.

00:53:40.099 --> 00:53:41.139
 But that's not the only

00:53:41.139 --> 00:53:41.480
 thing.

00:53:41.779 --> 00:53:42.679
 There's something curious

00:53:42.679 --> 00:53:42.919
 here.

00:53:42.980 --> 00:53:43.759
 He says that the Son of

00:53:43.759 --> 00:53:46.159
 Man is standing at the

00:53:46.159 --> 00:53:47.079
 right hand of God.

00:53:49.119 --> 00:53:50.439
 This is a curious detail

00:53:50.439 --> 00:53:53.259
 because wherever Scripture

00:53:53.259 --> 00:53:55.519
 mentions Jesus' session,

00:53:55.519 --> 00:53:57.699
 ascension, his ascension

00:53:57.699 --> 00:53:59.519
 and being ascended at

00:53:59.519 --> 00:54:00.179
 the right hand of God,

00:54:00.239 --> 00:54:01.099
 he's being seated at

00:54:01.099 --> 00:54:01.860
 the right hand of God,

00:54:02.340 --> 00:54:05.019
 it always specifies that

00:54:05.019 --> 00:54:06.219
 he is seated.

00:54:08.500 --> 00:54:10.079
 It implies completion,

00:54:10.739 --> 00:54:11.880
 that it's finished.

00:54:12.739 --> 00:54:13.880
 Jesus is sitting at the

00:54:13.880 --> 00:54:14.619
 right hand of God.

00:54:14.759 --> 00:54:16.259
 But uniquely in this

00:54:16.259 --> 00:54:18.579
 verse, it says that Jesus

00:54:18.579 --> 00:54:20.280
 is standing at the right

00:54:20.280 --> 00:54:21.199
 hand of God.

00:54:21.199 --> 00:54:26.039
 Why is he standing?

00:54:26.739 --> 00:54:27.980
 Isaiah chapter 3, verse

00:54:27.980 --> 00:54:29.159
 13 says that when the

00:54:29.159 --> 00:54:30.739
 Lord judges the nations,

00:54:30.859 --> 00:54:31.759
 he stands.

00:54:35.659 --> 00:54:37.239
 When God is about to

00:54:37.239 --> 00:54:39.099
 issue his verdict, he

00:54:39.099 --> 00:54:39.819
 stands.

00:54:42.319 --> 00:54:43.819
 So then, this is likely

00:54:43.819 --> 00:54:44.919
 connected to what Jesus

00:54:44.919 --> 00:54:46.579
 said in Luke 12, verse

00:54:46.579 --> 00:54:46.839
 8.

00:54:48.639 --> 00:54:49.739
 I think we have that on

00:54:49.739 --> 00:54:50.480
 the screen for you guys

00:54:50.480 --> 00:54:51.460
 to look at everyone

00:54:51.460 --> 00:54:53.260
 who acknowledges me

00:54:53.260 --> 00:54:53.960
 before men.

00:54:54.380 --> 00:54:55.699
 The Son of Man also

00:54:55.699 --> 00:54:57.019
 will acknowledge before

00:54:57.019 --> 00:54:58.340
 the angels of God.

00:54:59.960 --> 00:55:01.360
 While Stephen is

00:55:01.360 --> 00:55:02.980
 being condemned by

00:55:02.980 --> 00:55:04.000
 the human court,

00:55:04.659 --> 00:55:06.059
 Jesus stands to

00:55:06.059 --> 00:55:06.740
 vindicate him.

00:55:08.420 --> 00:55:09.740
 While the Sanhedrin

00:55:09.740 --> 00:55:11.099
 declares Stephen guilty

00:55:11.099 --> 00:55:12.019
 of blasphemy,

00:55:12.440 --> 00:55:13.639
 Jesus declares him

00:55:13.639 --> 00:55:15.159
 not guilty and

00:55:15.159 --> 00:55:16.219
 commends him for

00:55:16.219 --> 00:55:17.159
 bearing faithful

00:55:17.159 --> 00:55:18.480
 witness to him.

00:55:18.480 --> 00:55:20.460
 by every earthly

00:55:20.460 --> 00:55:22.260
 appearance, it's Stephen

00:55:22.260 --> 00:55:23.539
 who is on trial.

00:55:24.199 --> 00:55:25.300
 And it's Stephen who

00:55:25.300 --> 00:55:26.079
 is the loser.

00:55:26.579 --> 00:55:27.340
 In the heavenly

00:55:27.340 --> 00:55:28.980
 court, it's not Stephen

00:55:28.980 --> 00:55:30.460
 who is on trial, but his

00:55:30.460 --> 00:55:32.519
 persecutors who are on

00:55:32.519 --> 00:55:33.039
 trial.

00:55:33.860 --> 00:55:34.960
 And he is, Stephen

00:55:34.960 --> 00:55:36.260
 himself is victorious.

00:55:36.840 --> 00:55:37.980
 He is vindicated.

00:55:39.300 --> 00:55:40.860
 And we must remember

00:55:40.860 --> 00:55:42.320
 this heavenly reality

00:55:42.320 --> 00:55:44.079
 when we are persecuted

00:55:44.079 --> 00:55:45.500
 for bearing witness to

00:55:45.500 --> 00:55:46.460
 Jesus on earth.

00:55:48.280 --> 00:55:50.360
 Even when all men

00:55:50.360 --> 00:55:51.320
 reject us

00:55:51.320 --> 00:55:53.019
 and forsake us,

00:55:53.559 --> 00:55:55.039
 Jesus, our Lord,

00:55:55.559 --> 00:55:57.280
 will stand for us.

00:55:58.639 --> 00:56:00.099
 For all of those

00:56:00.099 --> 00:56:01.159
 who are faithful to him

00:56:01.159 --> 00:56:01.820
 till the end.

00:56:04.420 --> 00:56:05.360
 Let's pray.

00:56:08.239 --> 00:56:09.320
 Heavenly Father,

00:56:09.320 --> 00:56:09.420
 Lord,

00:56:10.420 --> 00:56:19.860
 we do not desire

00:56:19.860 --> 00:56:22.340
 the applause of men.

00:56:30.280 --> 00:56:31.440
 Lord, we do not

00:56:31.440 --> 00:56:33.420
 want to make a name

00:56:33.420 --> 00:56:34.500
 for ourselves here on

00:56:34.500 --> 00:56:34.760
 earth.

00:56:34.760 --> 00:56:39.200
 but Lord,

00:56:39.880 --> 00:56:42.260
 from our heart of hearts,

00:56:43.260 --> 00:56:46.220
 from the depth of our

00:56:46.220 --> 00:56:47.000
 innermost being,

00:56:48.040 --> 00:56:50.380
 we desire

00:56:50.380 --> 00:56:52.760
 the commendation of our

00:56:52.760 --> 00:56:53.180
 Lord,

00:56:54.340 --> 00:56:55.460
 our King Jesus,

00:56:56.460 --> 00:56:59.220
 standing up

00:56:59.220 --> 00:57:01.740
 to vindicate us,

00:57:01.739 --> 00:57:03.899
 to receive us

00:57:03.899 --> 00:57:04.799
 into his kingdom,

00:57:05.739 --> 00:57:07.399
 and to say to us,

00:57:08.079 --> 00:57:08.839
 well done,

00:57:08.939 --> 00:57:09.599
 my good

00:57:09.599 --> 00:57:11.599
 and faithful servant.

00:57:17.299 --> 00:57:17.979
 God,

00:57:18.099 --> 00:57:18.719
 we cannot

00:57:18.719 --> 00:57:21.000
 bear faithful witness

00:57:21.000 --> 00:57:21.519
 to you

00:57:21.519 --> 00:57:22.959
 and acknowledge you

00:57:22.959 --> 00:57:23.839
 before men

00:57:23.839 --> 00:57:25.139
 without your help.

00:57:27.059 --> 00:57:27.519
 So, Lord,

00:57:27.619 --> 00:57:28.559
 fill us with your

00:57:28.559 --> 00:57:29.179
 Holy Spirit.

00:57:29.179 --> 00:57:32.819
 embolden us,

00:57:33.059 --> 00:57:34.079
 empower us.

00:57:40.960 --> 00:57:41.859
 Let us not,

00:57:42.039 --> 00:57:42.519
 let us be

00:57:42.519 --> 00:57:43.679
 men and women

00:57:43.679 --> 00:57:44.079
 who

00:57:44.079 --> 00:57:46.419
 do not

00:57:46.419 --> 00:57:47.500
 love their lives

00:57:47.500 --> 00:57:48.539
 even unto death.

00:57:53.559 --> 00:57:54.799
 And may Jesus

00:57:54.799 --> 00:57:55.759
 be exalted

00:57:55.759 --> 00:57:56.500
 in our lives.

00:57:59.179 --> 00:58:00.659
 In his precious

00:58:05.639 --> 00:58:06.359
 name we pray.

00:58:07.179 --> 00:58:07.460
 Amen.

00:58:07.460 --> 00:58:07.559
 Amen.