WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.660 and Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:12.599 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the freedmen, as it was called, 00:00:13.259 --> 00:00:17.900 and of the Cyreneans and of the Alexandrians and those of Cilicia and Asia, 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:20.679 rose up and disputed with Stephen, 00:00:21.080 --> 00:00:25.940 but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking. 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:29.620 Then they secretly instigated men who said, 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.979 We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. 00:00:34.619 --> 00:00:37.939 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:42.179 and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council. 00:00:42.740 --> 00:00:45.500 And they set up false witnesses who said, 00:00:45.859 --> 00:00:51.000 This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law. 00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:56.480 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place 00:00:56.480 --> 00:00:59.840 and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:07.379 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 00:01:07.379 --> 00:01:11.679 And the next passage. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:18.920 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, 00:01:19.540 --> 00:01:21.440 you always resist the Holy Spirit. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.200 As your fathers did, so do you. 00:01:25.140 --> 00:01:28.320 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:32.880 And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the righteous one, 00:01:33.460 --> 00:01:35.440 whom you have now betrayed and murdered. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:41.259 You who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it. 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:45.439 Now when they heard these things, they were enraged, 00:01:45.819 --> 00:01:48.179 and they ground their teeth at him. 00:01:48.679 --> 00:01:53.680 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:56.319 and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:57.479 And he said, 00:01:57.699 --> 00:02:03.839 Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 00:02:04.339 --> 00:02:09.639 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:12.819 And they cast him out of the city and stoned him. 00:02:14.259 --> 00:02:18.259 And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 00:02:18.259 --> 00:02:22.500 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, 00:02:23.239 --> 00:02:25.780 Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 00:02:26.739 --> 00:02:29.939 And falling at his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:33.060 Lord, do not hold this sin against them. 00:02:34.199 --> 00:02:36.340 And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 00:02:37.539 --> 00:02:39.500 And Saul approved of his execution. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:44.299 And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem. 00:02:44.300 --> 00:02:48.320 And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, 00:02:48.600 --> 00:02:49.400 except the apostles. 00:02:50.300 --> 00:02:53.700 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 00:02:54.620 --> 00:02:58.380 But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house. 00:02:59.020 --> 00:03:01.700 He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:05.300 Now those that were scattered went about preaching the word. 00:03:11.920 --> 00:03:12.939 Good morning, everyone. 00:03:14.300 --> 00:03:18.500 Will you pray with me as we come to God's word? 00:03:20.780 --> 00:03:26.540 Lord, we're all coming in today with different things on our minds and heart. 00:03:27.380 --> 00:03:32.600 But the one thing we all share in common is that we need to see Jesus afresh, 00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:38.740 to warm our hearts again to your power and your grace. 00:03:39.820 --> 00:03:41.300 So please would you do that. 00:03:41.300 --> 00:03:42.400 Speak through your word. 00:03:44.300 --> 00:03:45.060 In Jesus' name. 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:45.460 Amen. 00:03:47.900 --> 00:03:52.400 Well, reading newsletters from missionaries, 00:03:54.020 --> 00:03:58.120 I don't know how you feel when they arrive in your inbox. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:04.000 But one of the privileges is you get to share their discouragement. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:10.379 You feel their discouragement and it moves us to pray. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:15.120 And I just want to share a few, just a few of recent ones I've heard. 00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:18.439 One, he feels at the mercy of others. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:25.300 He was put on a plane to get to a hospital for surgery over a sickness he can't control 00:04:25.300 --> 00:04:26.300 and then flown to the wrong place. 00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:34.300 And then he's put on a bus and the bus driver kicked him off because someone had ruined his paperwork. 00:04:37.020 --> 00:04:48.439 Another had dozens come to the Christmas lunch and they invited them a few days later to a little church gathering in their home. 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:53.160 And many said that they would come and you know where this is going. 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:54.000 They get up early. 00:04:54.100 --> 00:04:55.180 They prepare the house. 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:57.879 They buy some food for the people coming to share. 00:04:58.540 --> 00:04:59.660 And no one turns up. 00:05:04.659 --> 00:05:10.540 Another spending multiple years raising support from churches and training mission agencies 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:18.980 and then getting a visa in a very closed location, uprooting their two children, 00:05:19.939 --> 00:05:22.660 over a year of language learning on location, 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:27.820 and then the government authorities arrest colleagues of theirs 00:05:27.820 --> 00:05:30.400 and they don't know what to do now. 00:05:31.259 --> 00:05:32.580 All their plans shattered. 00:05:32.579 --> 00:05:44.120 I heard of, this isn't a newsletter, but I heard of a man and his wife and their child 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:47.759 who were killed in the 2004 tsunami. 00:05:49.060 --> 00:05:53.339 They were training for Christian ministry, working among uni students. 00:05:53.339 --> 00:06:02.799 Why did God wipe out some of his servants who were ready to go? 00:06:04.579 --> 00:06:05.899 Do you feel the discouragement? 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:09.379 It's one of the privileges of reading the newsletters. 00:06:10.039 --> 00:06:11.279 It should move us to pray. 00:06:12.739 --> 00:06:16.539 And I think it makes us ask, what are you doing, Jesus? 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:18.299 What are you doing? 00:06:18.300 --> 00:06:29.920 So often, don't you feel disillusioned and discouraged at the church's call to display 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:32.720 and speak the good news of Jesus? 00:06:33.620 --> 00:06:37.560 Here in the story of Acts, we do not get all the answers to our questions. 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:40.280 Of course we don't, but I'm not going to claim we do. 00:06:40.400 --> 00:06:46.879 But the Holy Spirit through Luke, he shows us what Jesus was doing in the early church. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:51.719 I don't know how you read Acts and not be encouraged. 00:06:52.839 --> 00:06:57.199 You read the rest of the epistles and you see there's a lot of mess in the church. 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:05.579 But you read Acts, I dare you not to be encouraged because we're shown what Jesus was doing. 00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:12.699 And the comfort we can take is Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:19.379 So in Acts, we pick up the story. 00:07:19.479 --> 00:07:23.939 The church in Jerusalem is going from strength to strength. 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:30.300 That internal threat we looked at in chapter 6 of the Greek-speaking widows being overlooked 00:07:30.300 --> 00:07:32.180 in the church's care. 00:07:32.180 --> 00:07:39.459 That threat to undermine the display of the household of God is sold. 00:07:39.900 --> 00:07:43.840 They appoint what we're going to call deacons and they care. 00:07:44.060 --> 00:07:47.319 All the prejudice is gone in the household of God. 00:07:47.420 --> 00:07:50.139 They care for all widows alike. 00:07:50.500 --> 00:07:53.420 But they keep prioritising the word of God going out. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:58.060 Satan attempts to undo the church from within and he can't. 00:07:58.060 --> 00:08:02.079 Jesus uses that threat to advance the witness of the gospel. 00:08:02.300 --> 00:08:04.519 Not to undermine it, but he uses it to advance it. 00:08:05.899 --> 00:08:14.899 So compelling was the church now in Jerusalem that Luke wants us to see even many priests believe. 00:08:18.899 --> 00:08:22.340 Jerusalem, we picture Jerusalem and yes, it revolved around the temple. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.300 Even the early church were meeting in the temple. 00:08:25.300 --> 00:08:27.480 The apostles are teaching in the temple. 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:29.660 So the temple was filled with this new movement. 00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:32.299 But there were many synagogues. 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:35.379 Some were Hebrew-speaking, some Greek-speaking, 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:40.340 because Jews from surrounding nations who only spoke Greek had resettled in Jerusalem 00:08:40.340 --> 00:08:41.299 and they had synagogues. 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:45.600 And in these synagogues, they had priests who were teaching the law of Moses. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:56.480 What motivates priests to give up their job? 00:08:59.940 --> 00:09:06.820 The first few weeks of Bible college, I was just exhausted meeting so many people 00:09:06.820 --> 00:09:09.139 and everyone was just asking each other their story. 00:09:09.300 --> 00:09:10.740 It's like, how did you come to faith? 00:09:11.019 --> 00:09:12.560 How did you end up at Bible college? 00:09:12.980 --> 00:09:14.500 And it's just exhausting, to be honest. 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:16.480 It's a privilege, like it's encouraging. 00:09:17.019 --> 00:09:19.820 But so many different stories. 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:21.259 No two stories are the same. 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:22.320 But there's a similar theme. 00:09:23.539 --> 00:09:25.379 People had given up promising careers. 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:29.059 People had given up certain plans of study. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:31.679 Some of them very high-paying. 00:09:31.779 --> 00:09:33.740 Some of them just very secure jobs. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:37.899 And Jesus had rudely interrupted their life. 00:09:37.899 --> 00:09:42.759 He turned our lives upside down. 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:44.500 That's the story of every Christian, isn't it? 00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:50.799 Jesus has rudely interrupted your plans and he's turned your life upside down. 00:09:50.899 --> 00:09:58.620 You are not living and caring about what you would be if Jesus hadn't ruined your self-destructive plans. 00:09:59.899 --> 00:10:02.019 That's every Christian's story. 00:10:02.019 --> 00:10:08.559 What convinces priests out of a job? 00:10:10.259 --> 00:10:10.899 Think about it. 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:18.720 They were, by coming to faith, they were laying down their high status as mediators between God and man. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:25.279 They were going, oh, I shouldn't be called a priest anymore, really. 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:31.860 Like, maybe they haven't worked all this out yet, but the outcome is I shouldn't be a priest. 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:33.179 I shouldn't be a mediator. 00:10:34.019 --> 00:10:36.980 Because there's only one mediator, the Lord Jesus. 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:41.319 They weren't claiming to be the authorities on God's word anymore. 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:42.579 They weren't the ones teaching. 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:44.259 They were submitting to the apostles. 00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:48.419 They're the ones who interpret scripture correctly. 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:49.779 Not me. 00:10:49.779 --> 00:11:01.259 Their identity, their calling has been obliterated and they've been turned upside down. 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:02.939 Many priests came to faith. 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:04.919 So compelling was the witness. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:05.740 What convinced them? 00:11:05.740 --> 00:11:21.060 Well, I think the opening chapters of Acts would lead us to the answer that it was obvious that the Holy Spirit was just poured out in abundance. 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:23.799 Something was going on in Jerusalem. 00:11:25.379 --> 00:11:27.080 Something massive had changed. 00:11:28.980 --> 00:11:32.560 What the prophets called the last days are here. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:37.559 That's what Peter's speech at Pentecost, chapter 2, is about. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:48.179 He focuses the outpouring of the Spirit, not only on the kings and prophets, like in the Old Testament, and a few special individuals, but on all God's people. 00:11:48.319 --> 00:11:50.379 Just a deluge of the Spirit. 00:11:51.719 --> 00:11:52.159 Why? 00:11:52.959 --> 00:11:55.019 Because the king is enthroned. 00:11:56.179 --> 00:11:57.439 That's Peter's speech. 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:00.099 We're in the last days. 00:12:00.100 --> 00:12:05.600 Marked by the Spirit because the king is enthroned. 00:12:09.379 --> 00:12:15.620 And so this teaching had filled Jerusalem, this teaching about Jesus of Nazareth. 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:26.840 The apostles were teaching in the temple courtyard and we see in our passage today that the teaching is also filling the Greek synagogues. 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:36.420 The church and the apostles appoint Stephen and he has the authority to speak this message as well. 00:12:36.920 --> 00:12:39.040 And it's filling all of Jerusalem. 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:45.680 I think that's why we get the detail of this synagogue from lots of different countries coming in. 00:12:45.740 --> 00:12:47.200 It's not just a bit of Jerusalem. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:49.840 It's filled now with this teaching. 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:55.920 And this teaching was amassing a huge following. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:01.620 Like thousands upon thousands of people were coming to this movement. 00:13:03.800 --> 00:13:09.480 Luke tells us that the ruling class, in chapter 5, verse 17, they're jealous. 00:13:10.899 --> 00:13:13.300 Now that's a divine insight into what's going on. 00:13:13.299 --> 00:13:19.599 They saw this mass following of the apostles and the religious authorities were jealous. 00:13:21.379 --> 00:13:22.599 Something was going on. 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.399 This movement, something was going on and the priests were seeing it. 00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:31.519 More than that, there were signs and wonders going on through the apostles and through Stephen. 00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:33.479 It was undeniable. 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:36.019 You go back and read the stories. 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:42.779 They heal the cripple and the authorities, they can't question the signs and wonders. 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:45.060 They just want to silence the apostles. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:49.320 But the priests who came to faith are going, what is going on? 00:13:49.420 --> 00:13:52.080 Signs and wonders are happening left, right and centre. 00:13:52.560 --> 00:13:57.539 People were bringing their sick into the street just for Peter's shadow to fall over them. 00:13:57.539 --> 00:14:06.480 Everyone held the apostles in high esteem because of their teaching and the signs and wonders. 00:14:08.659 --> 00:14:13.279 And as we saw in chapter 6, the division in Jerusalem in the synagogues, 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:18.539 between Greek speaking and Hebrew speaking, there's unity in the church. 00:14:20.939 --> 00:14:22.980 They're caring for one another as family. 00:14:23.199 --> 00:14:25.039 I think even that is part of the witness. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:27.919 The spirit is moving. 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:33.259 I think that's why the priests came to faith. 00:14:33.719 --> 00:14:38.159 Because it's just so obvious that the spirit is just being poured out. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:44.579 And if the spirit is being poured out, the king must be enthroned. 00:14:46.219 --> 00:14:47.559 Jesus is that king. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:53.419 So some, like the priests, they believe. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:54.419 They're cut to the heart. 00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:56.659 They come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:01.179 And they submit to the apostles, believing Jesus is Lord. 00:15:05.379 --> 00:15:08.120 But Jesus always divides. 00:15:10.699 --> 00:15:16.779 The high priests and the authorities who counted themselves more pure, Hebrews, 00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:19.179 they're in charge of the temple. 00:15:19.179 --> 00:15:22.479 They're in charge of all God's people, Israel. 00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:28.179 They're not willing for Jesus to turn their lives upside down. 00:15:29.559 --> 00:15:32.059 And the pressure has been building. 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:34.259 They've been opposing this movement from the outset. 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:39.720 All of Jerusalem is now divided. 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:42.460 Even the Greek-speaking synagogues are divided. 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:43.379 Some are believing. 00:15:44.340 --> 00:15:50.879 But it's here in this Greek-speaking synagogue that it reaches boiling point. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:58.480 I think maybe that's because Jerusalem is just full of the witness of the church now. 00:15:59.220 --> 00:16:00.939 And people are fully divided. 00:16:01.779 --> 00:16:03.460 Jesus said he didn't come to bring peace. 00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:04.519 He came to bring a sword. 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:07.299 And he's divided Jerusalem. 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:10.460 And he's still dividing even our families today. 00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:12.120 He divides. 00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:23.659 The authorities first strictly warn Peter and John, stop talking about this Jesus. 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:26.860 Then they arrest all the apostles. 00:16:27.419 --> 00:16:28.700 But the angel sets them free. 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:36.299 And then they willingly come to the council again and stop talking about Jesus. 00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:39.560 And this time they give them a good beating. 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:47.500 And now we come to the very first Christian martyr. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:50.220 It's reached boiling point. 00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:59.720 Now we're going to spend two weeks looking at Stephen's speech. 00:17:00.899 --> 00:17:03.279 I'm just going to tell you what the major themes are now. 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:05.420 But I would encourage you to go and read it. 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:09.299 We'll get the most out of this if we are familiar with the passage. 00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:13.139 So I want to stay bird's eye view today. 00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:16.559 And then we're going to go a bit deeper in the next two weeks. 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:21.759 There's two accusations against Stephen and his gospel. 00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:25.220 You're blaspheming God. 00:17:26.139 --> 00:17:27.399 Talking about Jesus. 00:17:28.680 --> 00:17:29.859 You're blaspheming God. 00:17:29.980 --> 00:17:31.159 You're blaspheming Moses. 00:17:31.160 --> 00:17:38.360 You're blaspheming God because you're saying that the temple will be destroyed. 00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:45.620 You're blaspheming Moses because you're saying that the customs of Moses are going to change. 00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:48.180 There's the two accusations. 00:17:49.660 --> 00:17:51.160 That's what his speech is about. 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.120 Temple. 00:17:54.100 --> 00:17:54.420 Moses. 00:17:54.420 --> 00:18:05.900 I would encourage you as you're reading it this week, if you read it this week, consider is the charges true or not? 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:08.640 Because Luke says they're false witnesses. 00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:11.580 In what sense are they false? 00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:13.259 I'm just going to leave you with that question. 00:18:13.259 --> 00:18:20.019 So that's where we're heading in the next two weeks. 00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:31.940 But I want you to consider Stephen being arrested, brought before this high priestly council. 00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:36.339 This is the same council Jesus was condemned under. 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:40.720 Do you get nervous at a job interview? 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:42.700 I don't know if you've had one recently. 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:47.900 It's terrifying, the thought of being rejected. 00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:58.720 Could you imagine being dragged into court knowing they're looking for ways to find you guilty? 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:01.980 It would be terrifying. 00:19:01.980 --> 00:19:17.019 When Martin Luther was finally brought before the Catholic authorities to recant all his views that we so, our church is built on. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:20.019 Well, it's not his views. 00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:21.860 It's scripture. 00:19:21.859 --> 00:19:22.500 It's scripture. 00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:33.799 But when he was brought before that council to recant or be killed as a heretic, he's famous for boldly saying, 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:37.159 My conscience is captive to the word of God. 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:39.019 Here I stand. 00:19:40.019 --> 00:19:41.220 I can do no other. 00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:47.940 But he first, that was the next day. 00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:57.900 The first time he appeared before the council, apparently he was mumbling, trembling, asking for time to consider. 00:19:57.900 --> 00:20:04.800 And then he went that night and was praying in deep prayer and came back the next day bold. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:10.059 I tell that because we might lift Martin Luther up. 00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:14.659 He was as fearful as any of us. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:18.740 It was the spirit that made him bold. 00:20:18.919 --> 00:20:20.799 And I think that's the same here for Stephen. 00:20:20.940 --> 00:20:24.759 We're not meant to go, wow, Stephen is a courageous character. 00:20:25.180 --> 00:20:28.539 We're meant to see the spirit field him. 00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:30.019 We're told that again and again. 00:20:30.099 --> 00:20:31.519 He was full of the spirit. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:31.859 Amen. 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:38.960 All who believe in Jesus have the gift of the spirit. 00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:48.559 But we get a glimpse in Acts, I think, that we get a fresh feeling when we're called to certain tasks. 00:20:49.220 --> 00:20:50.480 All of us share the spirit. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:56.839 But the spirit is the one who makes Stephen courageous. 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:03.700 I think Luke wants us to see Jesus in Stephen. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:08.659 He shares so much in common with Jesus' death. 00:21:10.099 --> 00:21:11.579 The secret false witnesses. 00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:15.359 Answering before the high priest. 00:21:17.059 --> 00:21:21.819 I think Stephen, in choosing to give this speech, is really choosing to lay down his life. 00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:28.759 The climax of his speech is what Jesus says before the high priest. 00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:31.599 It's talking about seeing the son of man. 00:21:33.399 --> 00:21:35.819 Stephen's the only one to use that phrase, son of man. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:39.500 He's condemned like Jesus outside the city. 00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:41.619 Like the covenant curse. 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:43.559 You are outside Israel. 00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:45.779 As a blasphemer. 00:21:46.339 --> 00:21:49.179 He prays like Jesus, entrusting his spirit. 00:21:50.339 --> 00:21:51.740 And praying for his enemies. 00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:53.440 We're meant to be seeing Jesus here. 00:21:55.159 --> 00:21:58.019 It's Jesus by his spirit feeling, Stephen. 00:21:58.019 --> 00:22:09.119 And what tips the council over the edge into a murderous frenzy? 00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:18.980 Well, it's with a fresh feeling of the spirit, but he, full of the Holy Spirit, verse 55, 00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:24.139 he gets this vision of, he gets to see straight into heaven. 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:34.020 And instead of keeping that vision to himself, he says to those who are already ready to kill him, 00:22:35.140 --> 00:22:38.780 he boldly says, look, behold. 00:22:40.860 --> 00:22:42.259 He shares it with them. 00:22:42.780 --> 00:22:48.900 And he gives the clearest, understandable gospel presentation. 00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:51.259 I see the heavens open. 00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:55.720 And the son of man standing at the right hand of God. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:03.619 He's saying the glory that you once found in the temple, that's in Jesus. 00:23:06.539 --> 00:23:10.599 I don't have just access to a physical temple in Jesus. 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:12.359 I can see straight into heaven. 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:21.059 Stephen's defence to the charges that the temple and the customs of Moses are changing. 00:23:23.579 --> 00:23:25.679 In a sense, he's saying, yeah, yes. 00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:28.699 Because we're in the last days. 00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:33.599 He gives just a very clear testimony. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:38.000 And it's that testimony that sends them into a frenzy. 00:23:40.399 --> 00:23:46.859 They'd rather silence and kill this man rather than have their lives turned upside down. 00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:53.299 So what does a spirit-filled witness to Jesus look like? 00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:54.299 It's bold. 00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.940 It's bold. 00:23:56.779 --> 00:23:58.000 And it's clear. 00:24:00.639 --> 00:24:05.200 And it's character that chooses to lay your life down for your opponents. 00:24:05.899 --> 00:24:07.319 And it's to point to Jesus. 00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:07.819 Look. 00:24:11.220 --> 00:24:12.519 That's what sends them. 00:24:13.099 --> 00:24:13.899 That's what they hate. 00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:14.480 Jesus. 00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:14.579 Jesus. 00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:25.399 Now, the ministry family I talked about who were killed in that tsunami back in 2004, 00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:32.139 his dad was a member of parliament in Denmark. 00:24:32.639 --> 00:24:38.519 And because he was known, the press wanted to interview him. 00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:44.639 And so on TV, with the pressure of a TV interview, the hard question was put to him. 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:45.799 You say you're a Christian. 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:51.680 How can you believe in a God who took your son like that? 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:54.960 Oh, what pressure. 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:02.440 The father said, I can't answer all those questions. 00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:10.799 But my final measure that God is good is that he gave his own son to die on the cross. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:15.700 Not only in my stead, but in the stead of my son. 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:20.039 And I will see my son and my daughter-in-law again. 00:25:21.860 --> 00:25:22.640 It's bold. 00:25:22.840 --> 00:25:23.640 It's clear. 00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:29.059 Clearly pointing to Jesus. 00:25:29.460 --> 00:25:31.640 That's what spirit-filled witness looks like. 00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:34.100 The spirit helps us do that. 00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:41.279 If we feel afraid in our own ability, I think that's the point. 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:43.279 We're not meant to rely on that. 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:45.740 The spirit fills us. 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:54.059 Consider how dark this day was. 00:25:57.600 --> 00:26:01.759 The Jerusalem church was going from strength to strength. 00:26:02.440 --> 00:26:09.100 And then just imagine if one of us here in this room was killed like Stephen. 00:26:11.779 --> 00:26:13.259 Or a modern version of it. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.620 Wouldn't that shake us to the core? 00:26:17.619 --> 00:26:24.019 Great lamentation was made for Stephen. 00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:26.159 Did he have a family? 00:26:26.399 --> 00:26:27.099 We're not told. 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.379 But great lamentation. 00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:32.339 His years of ministry snuffed out. 00:26:35.539 --> 00:26:37.639 And then Saul targets not. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:39.079 That wasn't enough. 00:26:39.899 --> 00:26:46.779 Saul leads the charge in men and women just searching for all he can find and putting them in prison. 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:49.559 And so the believers are running for their lives. 00:26:51.379 --> 00:26:52.839 Very little hope of returning. 00:26:53.399 --> 00:26:54.960 That they're leaving their homes. 00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:56.299 They're leaving Jerusalem. 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:00.139 Like that was meant to be the place you met God. 00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:02.559 They're leaving all the security of what they've known. 00:27:04.139 --> 00:27:06.680 The believers, like, think of the church. 00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:08.680 So beautiful in chapter 6. 00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:10.259 It's structured under the apostles. 00:27:10.420 --> 00:27:11.940 They're now cut off from the apostles. 00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:14.640 All that structure, gone. 00:27:14.820 --> 00:27:16.340 They're just scattered. 00:27:19.340 --> 00:27:25.660 Instead of the rich fellowship of being gathered, it looks like God's judgment. 00:27:26.140 --> 00:27:31.519 Scattering in scripture, that is a word that pictures God's judgment. 00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:34.080 It looks like and it feels like God's judgment. 00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:36.080 They're dark days. 00:27:36.080 --> 00:27:36.680 They're dark days. 00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:43.259 But most dark of all are those with the moral outrage. 00:27:45.100 --> 00:27:50.960 Who rejected the only name under heaven given to man by which we can be saved. 00:27:52.940 --> 00:27:56.920 As they judged the messenger who clearly pointed to Jesus, 00:27:57.759 --> 00:28:03.080 Jesus is standing in judgment over them. 00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:11.119 Their darkness, that's the biggest darkness of that day. 00:28:12.339 --> 00:28:14.659 They're cutting themselves off from life. 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:26.140 There might be some listening today who sense that the Lord has been pursuing you. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:31.100 You've been resisting him. 00:28:31.960 --> 00:28:34.860 You just can't shake all these Christian thoughts. 00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:38.660 You really want to and just get on with your life, but you can't shake them. 00:28:38.660 --> 00:28:43.600 He keeps putting annoying Christians in your life. 00:28:44.680 --> 00:28:48.340 For some reason you're here today and you're not quite sure why. 00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:55.640 You don't want your life turned upside down by taking this Jesus seriously. 00:28:55.800 --> 00:28:57.220 You know everything will change. 00:28:57.220 --> 00:29:02.380 It will, yes. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:08.079 But hear the warning in this passage. 00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:14.160 It is a dreadful thought that the Lord might stop pursuing you 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:18.660 and leave your life as it is. 00:29:18.660 --> 00:29:28.360 We don't hear of this council again. 00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:31.680 The story moves on. 00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:41.580 It was a dark day. 00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:47.220 The darkest of all for those who rejected Jesus. 00:29:48.660 --> 00:29:52.120 The messenger of Jesus and therefore Jesus and therefore God. 00:29:54.800 --> 00:29:58.100 It would have been strange if the apostles and the scattered believers 00:29:58.100 --> 00:30:00.120 weren't filled with discouragement that day. 00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:03.100 They must have been so disillusioned. 00:30:04.320 --> 00:30:06.080 What are you doing, Jesus? 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:13.439 Was the one Stephen saw standing at the right hand of God, 00:30:13.539 --> 00:30:18.799 was he somehow overpowered by just the sheer social momentum 00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:21.139 against this movement? 00:30:22.919 --> 00:30:28.139 Was he too far away, up in heaven, to help his poor Stephen? 00:30:28.839 --> 00:30:29.980 Did he want to do something? 00:30:30.039 --> 00:30:30.699 He just couldn't? 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:32.519 Of course not. 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:38.279 Could he not have sent his angels and blinded them all like he did for Elisha? 00:30:39.539 --> 00:30:40.960 Like he did to Saul? 00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:49.559 Could he not have raised up Gamaliel to step in again and just calm them down? 00:30:53.240 --> 00:30:54.160 What's he doing? 00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:57.960 He's told us what he's doing. 00:30:58.759 --> 00:31:00.160 In chapter 1 verse 8. 00:31:02.300 --> 00:31:10.800 You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria 00:31:10.800 --> 00:31:13.279 and to the end of the earth. 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:21.000 Jesus used the rage of his opponents to send his people into Judea and Samaria. 00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:27.899 And instead of the believers remaining quiet, you could understand if they just went, 00:31:28.700 --> 00:31:30.559 we're going to be a bit more careful here. 00:31:30.660 --> 00:31:32.700 Let's be a bit quieter, shall we? 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:35.399 Like, we almost died. 00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:36.440 No. 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:43.340 Instead of relying on just the apostles' preaching, we're told in chapter 8 verse 4, 00:31:43.800 --> 00:31:46.820 now those who are scattered went about preaching the word. 00:31:50.120 --> 00:31:53.640 In chapter 8, we're going to find in a couple weeks' time, 00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:57.960 there's just this mass conversion from Samaria. 00:31:58.660 --> 00:32:01.680 People that were cut off from the temple. 00:32:02.820 --> 00:32:04.860 They're now in the living temple. 00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:09.340 They condemn Jesus. 00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:11.360 He comes back three days later. 00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:13.740 They kill Stephen. 00:32:14.820 --> 00:32:16.920 And we get introduced to Saul, 00:32:17.180 --> 00:32:20.700 who we're going to find is going to just take the gospel to Rome. 00:32:25.600 --> 00:32:28.000 They kick them out of Jerusalem. 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:32.600 Samaria is gathered in to the fold of God. 00:32:33.980 --> 00:32:35.180 This Jesus is unstoppable. 00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:39.300 He's busy gathering in his church. 00:32:40.800 --> 00:32:43.860 And Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:46.460 He is still gathering in his people. 00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:54.819 And the self-assured religious people and those who had social power, 00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:58.279 those with the moral outrage, they just drop out of the story. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:02.039 They're left in utter irrelevance. 00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:04.819 Jesus just keeps going. 00:33:04.819 --> 00:33:14.960 Do you believe the gospel will one day get into some of the closed-off places in the world, 00:33:15.619 --> 00:33:17.899 the North Koreas, the Stan countries? 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:26.519 Do you believe in Buddhist countries where you've got halls filled with people with blindfolds on, 00:33:26.599 --> 00:33:30.399 trying to escape the body to reach nirvana? 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:33.480 Do you think Jesus is going to penetrate darkness like that? 00:33:33.800 --> 00:33:34.580 Of course he is. 00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:36.900 Of course he will, won't he? 00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:40.759 Because nothing can stop this Jesus. 00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:46.599 You let Christians talk, people come to Christ. 00:33:46.779 --> 00:33:49.700 You kill them, it's spread and people keep. 00:33:50.279 --> 00:33:51.579 The church grows even more. 00:33:52.059 --> 00:33:52.879 You can't stop him. 00:33:52.880 --> 00:33:58.940 Didn't he break through your darkened understanding if you're a believer here today? 00:34:00.040 --> 00:34:01.220 Nothing stops this Jesus. 00:34:07.020 --> 00:34:13.119 I want to finish by asking, do you struggle with how Jesus got the victory through Stephen? 00:34:13.579 --> 00:34:14.820 I've been wrestling with this. 00:34:17.220 --> 00:34:20.300 Doesn't he care for his servants like Stephen? 00:34:20.300 --> 00:34:26.740 Like so many army generals, are his servants just, are we just cannon fodder? 00:34:27.760 --> 00:34:31.780 Just go, go die so that my mission can be advanced. 00:34:32.100 --> 00:34:33.680 Is that what he's like? 00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:35.560 Does he care about Stephen? 00:34:35.559 --> 00:34:49.099 Well, Jesus is so united to his people by his spirit, he can say to Saul, 00:34:50.239 --> 00:34:53.739 after Saul had approved of Stephen's execution, 00:34:55.139 --> 00:34:59.360 Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:02.559 Me. 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:02.659 Me. 00:35:05.559 --> 00:35:10.599 That's how united Jesus feels with his suffering people. 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:12.699 You're persecuting me. 00:35:14.779 --> 00:35:21.299 And we also know that Jesus cares for Stephen because despite all the similarities to the way these two men died, 00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:22.779 there is a big difference. 00:35:23.259 --> 00:35:24.719 And I love the detail in here. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:29.919 Jesus fully and actually died for Stephen. 00:35:31.739 --> 00:35:38.619 So that when Stephen died for Jesus, it was as harmless as he fell asleep. 00:35:43.399 --> 00:35:45.599 Jesus actually died for Stephen. 00:35:46.239 --> 00:35:52.219 So that when Stephen died for Jesus, it was as harmless as he fell asleep. 00:35:52.219 --> 00:35:52.719 Amen. 00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:58.899 That's how much he cares for his people. 00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:03.959 And does he care for his people? 00:36:04.679 --> 00:36:11.319 Well, what greater honour could you give Stephen in describing his life and his death 00:36:11.319 --> 00:36:15.259 with words that remind us of the Lord Jesus himself? 00:36:15.260 --> 00:36:18.720 Here we are talking about him today. 00:36:20.720 --> 00:36:24.900 To share in the likeness of Christ in dying for your enemies. 00:36:26.280 --> 00:36:27.080 Here is Stephen. 00:36:28.120 --> 00:36:33.080 Over the shouts of rage against him, he's shouting over the top of them saying, 00:36:33.200 --> 00:36:33.880 forgive them. 00:36:33.880 --> 00:36:36.059 Wow. 00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:46.180 Stephen has the honour of sharing in Jesus' suffering so that the gospel spreads. 00:36:50.180 --> 00:36:54.099 Now, I know, as far as I can see, none of us are going to be called to martyrdom. 00:36:54.099 --> 00:36:57.599 It's unlikely at the moment, isn't it? 00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:58.779 Let's be realistic. 00:36:59.259 --> 00:37:06.659 But we may be training people and sending people into places where that is a very possible thing 00:37:06.659 --> 00:37:07.099 to happen. 00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:13.500 AFES might be training up students who do go places like that. 00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:17.360 Are we going to be doing that? 00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:25.739 And aren't we all called to the honour of sharing Christ's suffering by clearly pointing to him? 00:37:25.840 --> 00:37:30.059 We're all called to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him. 00:37:31.679 --> 00:37:32.840 It's going to be costly. 00:37:33.079 --> 00:37:37.960 Whatever situation, we take that seriously, relying on the Spirit. 00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:40.679 He shares that honour. 00:37:40.679 --> 00:37:44.839 The thing we worship Jesus for, he shares it with Stephen. 00:37:44.980 --> 00:37:46.899 He shares that honour with all his people. 00:37:50.279 --> 00:37:54.199 So yes, he very much cares for his people. 00:37:57.899 --> 00:37:59.119 So what are you doing, Jesus? 00:37:59.419 --> 00:38:00.259 He's told us. 00:38:03.179 --> 00:38:04.779 We're still in the last days. 00:38:05.539 --> 00:38:06.799 He is still enthroned. 00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:09.059 He is still pouring out his Spirit. 00:38:09.059 --> 00:38:16.779 And he's sharing with us the honour of laying down our lives to bring in all the people of the family of God. 00:38:20.199 --> 00:38:21.000 Will you pray? 00:38:21.219 --> 00:38:21.539 Let's pray. 00:38:21.539 --> 00:38:37.400 Lord, thank you that you are advancing into the world, into your world. 00:38:37.639 --> 00:38:44.059 Thank you that you've broken through our hearts to bring us to repentance and faith. 00:38:44.059 --> 00:38:49.559 And maybe trust that you are still doing that today. 00:38:49.559 --> 00:39:01.320 Lord, I pray that you would help us to see laying down our life in following you, to point people to the life in you. 00:39:01.460 --> 00:39:08.599 I pray that you would help us to see that as an honour rather than as interrupting life. 00:39:09.199 --> 00:39:12.519 Help us to see it as sharing in your life. 00:39:12.519 --> 00:39:15.739 In Jesus' name I pray. 00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:16.239 Amen.