Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Acts 6-8
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: Hey, it's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. And this is our Journey Through Scripture podcast. ⁓ so we are going in a chronological look through Scripture. We're up to Acts. ⁓ you can also go through it. You can listen to all of them going all the way back to Genesis. ⁓ we're in Acts. We'll be in Acts six, seven, and eight today. So if you want to read Acts six, seven, and eight. Again, this is the time period. Now that Jesus has has ascended, ⁓ the Holy Spirit has descended, if you will, and and we've had Pentecost. ⁓ you have the disciples ⁓ preaching, and this there's a movement that is is beginning very quickly. And so it's it's growing. And remember they had people that started, they all were were living together, they were supporting each other, ⁓ because they had come from all over. ⁓ they had come to celebrate ⁓ the one of the festivals and and now God is moving and Jerusalem is ⁓ is changing quickly. ⁓ and and that brings us to Acts chapter six because what that's gonna do is it's going to to start ⁓ you're you're gonna start seeing some controversy and start seeing some problems and issues. ⁓ and and what's gonna happen is this is going to lead to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Remember the Great Commission said sh ⁓ share the ⁓ good news in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ⁓ rest ends of the earth. Well, this is this process is starting now. ⁓ so in in chapter six of Acts, you have ⁓ basically you had different types of Jews. And and you know it's important to know that we're we always are going to deal with ⁓ ethnic differences. We tend to segregate ourselves based on ⁓ certain ⁓ characteristics, whether it's skin color, where where you grew up, ⁓ right? Like you probably have a connection with your hometown. I grew up in Sterling City. So anything that happens in Sterling City now, I still feel a connection there because I grew up there. ⁓ d does is everyone in Sterling City ⁓ the same ethnic background as me? No, but we there's a connection there on those lines. Then there's ethnic connections, all kinds of things, right? And and that's just part of what we do as as humans. And it can be ⁓ a problem whenever we elevate that higher than it should be. And so the gospel message is cutting across all of those ⁓ tribal lines that we ⁓ that we create. And so what what you see is you had Jews and you had Greek speaking Jews or the Hellenists. So they are Jewish as well. ⁓ but they are they have a more Greek influence. ⁓ many had been enslaved by Rome. Remember, you had Jews that had left, ⁓ you had the splitting of the kingdom, the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom. So you have Jews that are in different parts of the world, ⁓ but but that are that are not from Jerusalem. And and so now you had this large group of Jews from Jerusalem. But then you had the Hellenists, who are the Greek speaking Dru Jews. And you can tell that there's a little bit of an issue there. ⁓ you see in ⁓ chapter six, verse one, now in those days when the number of disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists. Right? So they saw each other as different, even though though they were both Jewish, one was more Aramaic speaking, one was more ⁓ Greek speaking, and so ⁓ well clearly we needed to divide ourselves. And and so they they ⁓ felt that the widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. ⁓ and so the twelve disciples came together and said, Listen, we don't have time for this. We are we are sharing in the gospel message, right? We are ⁓ creating this ⁓ this new movement has been created by Jesus and we need to tell people about it. But we also need to make sure everyone's taken care of. So they said, choose seven. ⁓ Hellenist, and they will be in charge of this. And that said ⁓ verse three, therefore seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. There's that wisdom again, how important it is to be wise. And they they they're gonna oversee these problems. And one of them, it says in verse five, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and then the other six. ⁓ and so now you have this guy named Stephen who is the first deacon. He's the first table server. That's literally what deacon means, table servant. and and so you have these ⁓ guys that are now making sure everything is being distributed equally. All right. And ⁓ and then you have Stephen, because he is full of the Holy Spirit and he is wise and he is well respected. ⁓ he is ⁓ starting to see some comfort. ⁓ confrontation in his synagogue. His synagogue was called the synagogue of the freedmen. So this would have been other Hellenists, Hellenist Jews ⁓ didn't like that someone who had a good reputation, which meant he probably was serving in that synagogue. Right? Now he's serving this new group of people who believe that Jesus is the Messiah. And and so the Hellenist Jews did not like that. ⁓ and it said ⁓ that he would speak and in verse ten it says, And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. What does that mean? In other words, they k they couldn't argue it. What he was saying made sense. There there wasn't anything they could factually disagree with. and and I I think that's very interesting because then what do they do? Do they decide to convert and say, Well, you know what, since we can't Find any fault in what you're saying, I guess maybe we should believe. No, they did not. They said they secretly induced men to say, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. Now, he has been speaking words about Jesus, but he would not speak negatively about Moses or God, right? Because they saw that Jesus was just the natural progression of God, the Creator. God who called Moses, God who called Abraham, you know, right? So that Jesus was just the normal progression. ⁓ and so but they know that it'll rile the people up if they can convince them that he is blasphemous against ⁓ Moses and against God. So what do they do when they can't fight the truth with ⁓ with facts or they can't refute what he is saying? They just start lying about him. ⁓ you know, we we see that in human nature. ⁓ as as well that whenever you can't ⁓ argue with the facts of the case, ⁓ just lie about it. Lie about the the person who's del delivering the message. ⁓ we certainly see that today. ⁓ so they seized him, they brought him to the council, ⁓ they set set up false witnesses. does any of this sound familiar? ⁓ yes it does. It's ⁓ false ⁓ just like Jesus. This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against the holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which ⁓ Moses delivered to us. Right? So so they are fear mongering there saying he's trying to destroy all of this, which is not at all what was going on. So then Stephen begins to address, and in chapter seven, I encourage you to read, it's a great summary of the old testament. He basically sums up all that they believe about Moses, the history that they that their people cherish, because he's not trying to destroy that. That is never what Christianity ⁓ was about. That's not what Jesus was about. He was not trying to destroy Judaism. He was a a a continuation of God's work in the world. ⁓ and so Stephen goes into to detail and and talks about The call of Abraham. He talks about ⁓ the how they Joseph ends up in Egypt. He calls how Moses ⁓ brought them out of Egypt. ⁓ verse thirty-five, it's interesting. He says this, he says, This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge is the one ⁓ who God sent to be a ruler and deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. Right. So he's kind of showing listen. The people who were enslaved, they rejected Moses, ⁓ but God used Moses anyway. Then he continues and he talks about how they would ⁓ reject ⁓ God, that they would create other idols. ⁓ verse forty two said, Did you offer me slaughtered animals? He's quoting from Amos, ⁓ and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel. You also took up the tabernacle tabo the tabernacle. of Moloch and the star of your God ⁓ Remphon, images which you made to worship, and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. So he's reminding them of how they have ⁓ rebelled from God in the past. ⁓ right he's he's setting up for the what what he's going to to claim ⁓ soon. But he's at the same time he's reiterating the fact that He believes in the God of Moses, the God of Abraham, just as they do. So their their blasphemy charges are completely false. ⁓ then he goes into God's true tabernacle. ⁓ it talks about ⁓ how the the tabernacle went with the people and then Solomon built a temple, ⁓ but ⁓ that that God is not limited to the the temple. ⁓ verse ⁓ forty nine, Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. This is in Isaiah. ⁓ what house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? My hand ⁓ has my hand not made all things? Right. So again he is connecting all of this for them. ⁓ verse fifty one, he says, You stiff neck and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do you. Right, so he's just laid out how the people had resisted God in the past. Now he's saying you're doing the same thing. ⁓ which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They ⁓ and they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers. Right. So ⁓ yeah, pretty pretty powerful he is ⁓ is saying that you have treated Jesus just as your forefathers treated many of the prophets. ⁓ it says when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and they gnashed at him with their teeth. ⁓ but ⁓ but he but being full of the spirit, he responded, and this kind of sealed his faith. ⁓ he said, Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. And they freaked out and they took him to stone him. and verse 59, they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God. and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then they knelt down and cried out ⁓ with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. ⁓ wow powerful again he's taking Jesus' example and he is using that as how to be a martyr. ⁓ very very powerful. it shows how serious things are getting. and then you have Verse eight or chapter eight, and you have a new character that is introduced that ends up being the ⁓ the predominant character throughout the rest of the New Testament. ⁓ it says, now Saul was consenting to his death. And then at that time a great persecution arose against the church ⁓ that was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the reason regions of Judea and Samaria. Except the apostles and the devout carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentations over him. As for Saul he made havoc of the church, entering every house and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. So now you start to see a a transition period. So we've been focused on just Jerusalem and the early church there in Jerusalem that was growing. ⁓ now you start to have problems, so it starts to be dispersed. into Judea and Samaria, which is what God had called them to do anyway. So now they are are are going. But we do have, of course, the Saul who who is ⁓ introduced, and the first thing we know about him is that he was basically taking part ⁓ of the death of Stephen and ⁓ that he began wreaking havoc on the early church. As you continue to read read through chapter eight. We see how the gospel is specifically being spread throughout Judea and Samaria. ⁓ Christ is being preached in ⁓ Samaria. ⁓ so ⁓ Philip ⁓ is preaching in the Samaria, ⁓ and you have this kind of interesting ⁓ connection with a sorcerer there named Simon. ⁓ many of the people began to ⁓ believe Philip and ⁓ give their lives to to Christ. says ⁓ verse twelve of chapter eight, but when they believed Philip as he preached these things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed. And when he was baptized he continued with Philip and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done, right? So he had been kind of a con game and a was being a sorcerer and had had all of this prestige. Well now he's he actually is seeing what real power looks like. And he's intrigued by this. ⁓ and he he says that he believes, but he's still believing in a he he has a misunderstanding. ⁓ and so ⁓ he he continues and ⁓ he sees ⁓ Peter ⁓ and John laying hands on people and the power of the Holy Spirit. In verse 18, he says, When Simon saw that the let through the laying on the hands, apostles' hands of the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money. Saying, Give me this power also that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. So he is seeing this as ⁓ as as a religious thing, as a religion, not as a relationship with God. He's not understanding the power that it that this really is. ⁓ he thinks that you can manipulate that power, and he wants to be able to do that, and he's willing to pay for it. And so Peter says to him, Your money perish with you. Because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money. You have neither p ⁓ you have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of your wickedness, and pray God is perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven. ⁓ for I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. And Simon answered, Pray to the Lord for me, that so that none of these things which you have spoken may come upon me. So Simon has a heart that is willing to adjust and but but you can see his learning curve. ⁓ but ⁓ he is symbolic ⁓ of of Samaria and and now they are beginning to ⁓ to believe. So the the gospel message is proceeding. And then you have this ⁓ wonderful interaction between Philip and the Ethiopian ⁓ eunuch. The Ethiopian eunuch ⁓ was under Candace the queen of Ethiopians. ⁓ Candace is probably not the name. That is the title, kind of like Pharaoh o over Egypt. This is the Candace, the queen over Ethiopia. ⁓ but he is high up. ⁓ he is clearly traveling. ⁓ so he's a long way, but he's reading from the prophet Isaiah from Isaiah chapter fifty-three. ⁓ you kind of have this cool stuff that ⁓ that we we don't know exactly how this if how much miraculous things were going on. says that Philip ran and caught him. ⁓ that's kind of interesting how fast was Philip. you know, but ⁓ but clearly God was putting them together. and so Philip begins to to teach, and the ⁓ Ethiopian eunuch says, See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may, and he answered, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And so he was baptized and then ⁓ Philip was taken away before him. Now what's interesting about this is eunuchs ⁓ were were not allowed to be part ⁓ of the Jewish people. they were separate. Now usually they were eunuchs because they ⁓ were you know, worshiping other gods, there were different things in that, but there was a separation that you saw there. It is interesting that it is clear that this message, the ⁓ the message of of the gospel, ⁓ is crossing all lines, ethnic lines. ⁓ the the lines of people who had not been ⁓ allowed to come into the temple before, this message is for them. ⁓ right. So you you're seeing how this message is spreading ⁓ across geographical lines, ethnic lines, ⁓ just ⁓ you know, kind of ⁓ human lines that have been made to keep people out of the temple. ⁓ the gospel message is for everyone and for anyone who truly believes in him, who gives their heart to Christ and believes that Jesus is God and that he died and rose again, now are filled with the Holy Spirit and can be part of God's kingdom. All right, we're going to stop there. we'll ⁓ pick up on chapter nine through twelve. So let's go chapters nine through twelve. All right. We will see you then.