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Acts 7:2-60 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Over the past two weeks, we have looked at the brief life and ministry of Stephen, who is this very important transitionary character in Luke's record and life.
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The intensive work of the gospel is about to go forth here in the history that's recorded for us by Luke. The teaching of the apostles has been filling all of Jerusalem. Peter's been the primary character in the narrative. We're soon to see the shift from Peter to Paul as Paul begins to take the gospel to the Gentiles.
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It leaves the wall, it goes out of the gate, and that hinges here on Stephen. The last two weeks, we've looked at Stephen's arrest and his inquiry. Chapter 6, verse 8 through 7, verse 1.
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And you'll recall at the beginning of chapter 6, there's an issue that arises in the church. The widows of the Hellenists, that is the Greek-speaking Jews, are not being served, and so the first deacons are called, and Stephen is amongst them.
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Not long after this, we see, beginning in verse 8, that Stephen has a broadening ministry, not the service of tables, but he's also doing great wonders and signs among the people.
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And we understand, as we are good students of the Scripture, that any time biblical signs and wonders are being done, they're accompanied by the preaching of the gospel.
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We see this as a consistent pattern in the life of Christ. We see this as a consistent pattern throughout the book of Acts.
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And although it's not recorded here by Luke, it's proper to assume that. And we can see, beginning in verse 9, that this commotion begins between Stephen and some of the synagogues of the freedmen, the Cyrenians, the Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia.
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These would all have been Hellenist Jewish populations. These were all Greek-speaking Jews.
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And they dispute with him, not about the things he was doing, but about the things he was saying.
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And they, unable to dispute with him and withstand his wisdom, they raise up false witnesses,
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and they bring him before the council, the Sanhedrin, the religious ruling Jews of the day.
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And the question is asked of him, chapter 7, verse 1, are these things so?
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What is the high priest referring to?
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The charges that are made against him, made in these three pairs, beginning in verse 11, and then in verse 13, and in verse 14.
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They're repeated and expanded upon.
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And the initial accusation made in verse 11 is that Stephen is speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God,
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or irreverent words against Moses and God.
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And as we look in verse 13 and verse 14, we saw that he explains to us what this means.
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To speak blasphemous words against Moses is to speak against the law and the customs that were handed down by Moses.
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And to speak blasphemous words against God is to speak against the temple.
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So the high priest asks the question, are these things so?
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Defend yourself, Stephen.
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What do you have to say of these accusations?
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And we're going to look at his response and the result of his response this morning.
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And before we get into our text, I want to remind you, I've asked you over the last two weeks to keep two general lessons in mind as we look at the life and ministry of Stephen.
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Number one, a life given in service to God is a life that is not wasted.
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I've shown you that God uses Stephen and the persecution that arises as a result of Stephen's life and ministry to spread the gospel across continents in the next generation.
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And we're a result.
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Those of us who are found in Christ now are a result of the life and ministry of Stephen.
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So a life given in service to God is a life that is not wasted.
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And secondly, the significance of such a life cannot be measured by its short-term gains, its breadth, or its length.
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This very short ministry, this ministry that doesn't seem to yield much fruit, ends in Stephen's martyrdom, has such great reach and effect.
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God uses it in such mighty ways.
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And as we consider our own lives beloved, we need to be thinking, is our life given in service to God the way Stephen's was?
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And have we been measuring the way in which we give our lives to God in terms of short-term gains, breadth, or length?
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So I'm going to read the text this morning.
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Our text will be Acts 7, verse 2 through 60.
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Yes, verse 2 through 60.
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And there's a temptation at this point to not read the text.
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There's a temptation just to highlight some things throughout the text.
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And many faithful preachers have done that.
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And I find that to be an acceptable practice.
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I'm not suggesting if you have a favorite preacher who doesn't read the entire text to you that he's wrong in doing so.
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But I feel compelled to read the entire text to you because the power that the Spirit wields in our lives comes from the Scripture
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and true things that I may say about the Scripture, but it's the Word of God that needs to be saturating our meetings together.
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So I think it's important for us to actually open the text and actually read the text and consider it before I begin to make comments about it.
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Yes, I timed myself.
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It takes about seven minutes to read the text.
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That's not too long.
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Let me ask, you know, I'll try to read it well for you.
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I'm reading from the ESV.
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You may find if you don't have an ESV, it's hard to follow along.
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You might want to just listen.
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If you have an ESV, it may help for you to follow along.
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But let me ask that you try to clear your mind and engage in what's actually happening.
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So here's Stephen standing before the Sanhedrin.
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They would have sat in a semicircle around him.
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Seventy men, high rulers of the day, dressed in their fancy garb.
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This was the Supreme Court of the day.
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The high priest sitting behind him.
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He's asked this question.
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These accusations have been made.
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Are these things so?
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And Stephen says, and he doesn't really defend himself.
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I don't want to say that at the outset.
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He doesn't really give a defense, but he launches into this speech.
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So let's listen carefully as I read.
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Beginning in verse 2, 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 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 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, though he had no child.
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And God spoke to this effect, 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, king of Egypt,
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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 no 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 that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver
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from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
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But at the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham,
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the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
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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 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, it 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 man
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and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian.
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He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving him 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, saying,
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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, 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 I have heard their groaning, 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 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 and at the Red Sea
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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 with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai.
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And with our fathers, 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 during the forty years in the wilderness,
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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, Raphon,
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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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and 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 a 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,
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and the earth is my footstool.
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What kind of house will you build for me,
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said 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,
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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 now 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,
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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,
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and rushed together at him.
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Then they cast him out of the city,
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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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Beloved, this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory,
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and for our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it,
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in order to believe its promises,
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and obey its commands.
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Now, there's a lot before us.
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I certainly can't,
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and won't deal with this verse by verse this morning.
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We'll try to take it thematically.
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And I want to use kind of a simple structure
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for such a large text.
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I'd like you to hear that structure in advance.
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You may not be able to write this down just yet,
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but I want you to hear it
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just so you know where we're headed.
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Now, structure will be in four parts.
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First, Stephen's brief history of Israel.
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Second, Stephen's conclusion from Israel's history.
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Third, God's approval of Stephen's conclusion.
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And fourth, the council's reaction to Stephen's conclusion.
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So Stephen begins in this speech,
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not really a defense as you'll soon see,
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but in this speech to give a brief history of Israel.
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And that is the major portion of our text,
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verse 2 through 50.
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And just as an aside,
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I find it really astounding
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that he's standing before the religious elite of the day
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and he repeats to them their history.
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But he does so to make a point,
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as we'll see in his conclusion.
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He begins in verse 2 by saying,
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Brothers and fathers, hear me.
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And I want to note this
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because it's the candor of the way in which he's speaking
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and the heart that follows along with it.
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Stephen shows in this,
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by calling them brothers,
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his solidarity with them.
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He recognizes that he himself is also a Jew,
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that this is his history that he is about to speak.
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And he also shows them respect
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in calling them fathers.
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And this sets the tone for what he's about to say.
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And he goes through a number of characters,
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kind of high points in Israel's history.
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And he begins with Abraham in verses 2 through 8.
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And in speaking about Abraham,
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Stephen emphasizes the divine work
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of bringing Israel to be
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and to be in the land
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in which they're currently dwelling at this time.
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He emphasizes the fact
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that while Abraham was the means,
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that God was accomplishing his ends
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through the life of Abraham.
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Let me draw your attention to verse 4.
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Abraham's commanded to go to the land.
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Verse 4 says,
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Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans
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and lived in Haran,
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which is about halfway to where he was supposed to go.
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And after his father died,
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look at the way that Luke records this,
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the words of Stephen,
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and God removed him from there
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into this land in which you are now living.
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Stephen recognized that God was sovereign
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over redemptive history,
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over the history of Israel themselves.
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He emphasizes this as he speaks
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about Abraham to begin with.
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He then moves on to Joseph.
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I promise we're going to move quickly
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through these characters.
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Verses 9 through 16,
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in which Stephen expresses
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his understanding in God's sovereignty
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and bringing about Israel's movement
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to Egypt.
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The fulfillment of this promise
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that was given to Abraham,
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that there would be a people
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that would rule over them.
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Verse 9,
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And the patriarchs,
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jealous of Joseph,
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sold him to Egypt,
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but God was with him
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and rescued him
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out of all his afflictions
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and gave him favor
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and wisdom
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before Pharaoh.
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Sold into slavery,
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later put into a jail,
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sees visions and dreams,
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interprets things for Pharaoh,
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and he's put in charge
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of the whole land
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and in the process
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of gathering in
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and preparing for this famine
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that was going to come.
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This is the way in which
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God brings
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and brings about the promise
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that the great nation
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that he's bringing forth
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in Abraham
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would be ruled over
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in a foreign place.
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Stephen then spends
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the majority of his speech
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on Moses.
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Remember the accusation
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made against him
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that he's blaspheming
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against Moses.
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Verses 17 through 44.
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He speaks of God's work
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in Israel's increase
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and the slavery.
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Verse 17.
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But as the time
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of the promise
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drew near
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which God had granted
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to Abraham,
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the people increased
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and multiplied in Egypt.
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We read about that
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this morning
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to the children
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until there arose
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over Egypt
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another king
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who did not know Joseph,
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who didn't have
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favorable opinions
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of Joseph
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and his people.
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Stephen expresses
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his understanding
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in God's selection
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of Moses
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to redeem the people
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from their slavery.
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The first part of verse 20.
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At this time,
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Moses was born
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and he was beautiful
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in God's sight.
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Verse 35.
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This Moses
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whom they rejected
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saying,
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who made you a ruler
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and a judge?
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This man God sent
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as both ruler
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and redeemer
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by the hand of the angel
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who appeared to him
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in the bush.
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This man led them out
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performing wonders
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and signs in Egypt
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and at the Red Sea
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and in the wilderness
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for 40 years.
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This is the Moses
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who said to the Israelites,
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God,
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speaking of Christ,
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will raise up for you
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a prophet
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like me
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from your brothers.
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So Stephen is very aware
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of God's selection
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and use
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of Moses.
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Stephen
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emphasizes
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Israel's rejection
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of God.
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Beginning in verse
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39.
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It speaks that
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the fathers refused
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to obey
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the commands of God
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given to Moses.
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They thrust Moses aside
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and their hearts
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they turned to Egypt.
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You recall that they
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made a golden calf.
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Moses has not been up
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on Mount Sinai
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for very long
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but they're very worried
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about what has happened
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to him.
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So they make a calf
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and they worship
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that calf.
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Verse 42 says,
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but God turned away
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and He gave them over
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to their worship,
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the host of heaven,
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as it is written
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in the book of Prophets.
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This is Amos 5,
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25-27.
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Did you bring me
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slain beasts
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and sacrifices
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during the forty years
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in the wilderness,
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O house of Israel?
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You took up the tent
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of Moloch,
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a false god,
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and the star of your god,
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Raphon,
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a false god,
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the images that you made
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to worship
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and I will send you
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into exile
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beyond Babylon.
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And so you see
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that Stephen
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in his speaking
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of Israel's rejection
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of God
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as their rebellious activity
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that that continues on,
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right?
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All the way
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to the prediction
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of Amos
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that they would go
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into exile
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in Babylon.
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It happened
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in the forty years
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in the wilderness
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and it was still happening.
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He briefly speaks
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about Joshua
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and David
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and Solomon.
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A little rapid fire
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verses we get
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in verses 45
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and 50
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to speak about
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God's dwelling place.
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The tabernacle
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that God had instructed
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them to build,
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a place where
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His Shekinah glory
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could exist,
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later became
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a temple
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dreamed up by David,
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accomplished by
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Solomon.
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But then he's
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very quick to say,
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speak the words
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of the Lord
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from Isaiah 66,
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1 and 2.
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God says,
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heaven is my throne
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and the earth
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is my footstool.
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What kind of house
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will you build for me,
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says the Lord,
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or what is the place
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of my rest?
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Did not my hand
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make all these things?
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And what he's saying
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is that I'm not limited
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to this temple,
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this place.
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You remember
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the accusation made,
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right?
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You were blaspheming
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against the temple
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itself.
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So he sweeps
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through the high points
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of their history,
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making these clear points.
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God has been in control.
22:41
God has been moving.
22:42
God has been establishing.
22:44
God has been commanding.
22:45
And Israel
22:46
has been
22:47
rebellious.
22:50
So you have to read this.
22:52
I'm coming at it,
22:52
you know,
22:53
from the beginning,
22:54
but you have to read it
22:55
from his conclusion.
22:57
They become enraged
22:59
with the things
22:59
that he is saying to them.
23:01
They're furious with them.
23:03
And why?
23:04
Because it concludes
23:05
this historical sweep
23:06
in verse 51
23:09
through 53.
23:11
He's been driving
23:12
to this place
23:14
as he's been speaking
23:15
all along.
23:18
You stiff-nicked people,
23:20
uncircumcised
23:21
in hearts and ears,
23:22
you always resist
23:23
the Holy Spirit.
23:24
As your fathers did,
23:25
so do you.
23:26
Which of the prophets
23:27
did your fathers
23:28
not persecute?
23:29
And they killed
23:31
those who announced
23:31
beforehand the coming
23:32
of the righteous one.
23:34
Think just recently
23:35
of John the Baptist
23:36
in our study of Mark.
23:38
Whom you,
23:39
the righteous one,
23:40
have now betrayed
23:40
and murdered.
23:42
You who received the law
23:43
as delivered by angels
23:44
and did not keep it.
23:49
So remember these accusations
23:51
that are made against him.
23:53
611.
23:55
Blasphemous words
23:56
against Moses and God.
23:58
Stephen's conclusion
24:00
is to say
24:01
it is not I
24:03
who have offended God,
24:05
but you.
24:07
What a defense.
24:09
The accusation
24:10
you're making against me
24:11
is not true,
24:11
but it is true of you.
24:13
It is not I
24:14
who have spoken
24:15
against Moses,
24:17
but you
24:18
and your disobedience
24:19
and your failure
24:20
to keep the law.
24:21
It is you
24:21
that has blasphemed
24:22
the law
24:24
and Moses.
24:26
He calls them
24:27
stiff-necked people,
24:31
which is a reference
24:31
to Exodus 33,
24:34
1-6.
24:35
And I'd appreciate it
24:36
if you'd turn there
24:36
quickly with me.
24:40
The second book
24:41
of your Old Testament,
24:42
Exodus 33.
24:43
And I'm doing this for you.
24:52
I want you to see
24:53
the conclusion.
24:53
I want you to really
24:54
wrap your mind
24:54
around the accusation
24:57
that he's making
24:57
against these religious
24:59
elites.
25:00
Exodus 33,
25:01
verses 1-6.
25:03
This is immediately
25:03
following
25:04
chapter 32,
25:05
Israel
25:06
worshiping
25:07
the golden calf.
25:09
This is what happens
25:11
on the very heels
25:12
of that event.
25:13
The Lord says to Moses,
25:15
verse 1,
25:15
Depart,
25:16
go up from here,
25:17
you and the whole people
25:18
whom you have brought
25:18
up out of the land of Egypt,
25:20
to the land of which
25:20
I swore to Abraham,
25:21
Isaac,
25:22
and Jacob,
25:22
saying,
25:22
To your offspring
25:23
I will give it.
25:25
So go ahead,
25:26
pick up.
25:26
You're in the desert
25:27
of Sinai,
25:27
pick up and take off.
25:29
Go to the place
25:30
that I promised you.
25:31
Verse 2,
25:31
I will send an angel
25:32
before you,
25:33
and I will drive
25:34
out the Canaanites,
25:34
the Amorites,
25:35
the Hittites,
25:36
the Perizzites,
25:36
the Hivites,
25:37
and the Jebusites.
25:39
Go up to a land
25:40
flowing with milk and honey,
25:41
but I will not go up
25:43
among you,
25:45
lest I consume you
25:46
on the way,
25:47
for you are a stiff-necked
25:50
people.
25:52
Now,
25:53
what that means
25:53
is that there are people
25:54
who are not willing
25:55
to bow
25:56
to the will of God.
25:58
So what he's saying to them is,
26:00
you have been so disobedient.
26:01
I have redeemed you.
26:02
I have led you out.
26:03
I have taken you from slavery
26:05
and brought you
26:06
to this place.
26:07
I've called your servant Moses
26:09
up onto the mountain.
26:10
I have given him the law.
26:12
And you have turned
26:13
and you have worshipped
26:14
a golden calf.
26:16
I better stay behind
26:17
because if you guys
26:18
keep up with this
26:19
and I'm with you,
26:20
I'm going to consume you
26:21
with fire, right?
26:22
You will die.
26:23
I cannot go with you.
26:25
Verse 4,
26:26
When the people
26:26
heard this disastrous word,
26:28
they mourned,
26:29
and no one put on
26:30
its ornaments,
26:31
which means they didn't
26:32
adorn themselves,
26:33
they weren't joyful.
26:33
For the Lord had said
26:35
to Moses,
26:36
Say to the people of Israel,
26:37
You are a stiff-necked people.
26:40
If for a single moment
26:41
I should go up among you,
26:42
I would consume you.
26:44
So now take off
26:45
your ornaments
26:46
that I may know
26:47
what to do with you.
26:49
Therefore the people
26:49
of Israel stripped
26:50
themselves of their ornaments
26:51
from Mount Horeb onward.
26:53
It's significant
26:54
that Stephen accuses
26:56
these men
26:57
of being stiff-necked people.
26:58
He's saying,
26:59
You are just like
27:00
your forefathers
27:01
who worshipped wrongly.
27:02
They worshipped the golden calf
27:04
in the desert of Sinai.
27:07
He goes on to say
27:07
that they're uncircumcised
27:09
in hearts and ears.
27:11
Their flesh had been
27:12
circumcised as Jews,
27:13
but they weren't clean
27:15
before God.
27:16
He's saying to them
27:17
that you are as unclean
27:19
as the Gentiles.
27:21
You have no part
27:22
in the things of God.
27:25
He says that they
27:25
always resisted
27:27
the Holy Spirit.
27:28
They've never been obedient
27:30
just as their fathers.
27:32
All of the messengers of God,
27:35
the prophets of God,
27:36
were persecuted
27:37
by you and your fathers.
27:39
Killed the ones
27:40
that announced
27:41
the righteous one.
27:42
Now you have killed
27:43
the righteous one.
27:45
You received the law,
27:47
but you have never
27:48
kept the law.
27:51
It's a massive accusation.
27:53
A bold accusation.
27:54
We spoke last week
27:56
and the week before
27:56
about Stephen's courage
27:58
before these people.
27:59
A spirit-filled courage
28:01
to speak such words
28:03
to them.
28:06
Now,
28:07
beginning in verse 54,
28:10
we're going to see
28:11
God's approval
28:12
of Stephen's conclusion.
28:15
So he comes to this conclusion.
28:16
He gives this speech.
28:17
History of Israel.
28:18
He comes to this conclusion.
28:19
You are wicked.
28:20
Just as Israel has been wicked.
28:22
You need Christ.
28:25
But you killed Him.
28:29
Now,
28:29
when they heard these things,
28:31
they were enraged.
28:33
And they ground
28:34
their teeth at Him.
28:36
I don't know that I've ever
28:37
been that mad.
28:39
They ground their teeth
28:41
at Him.
28:42
But verse 55,
28:43
but he,
28:45
full of the Holy Spirit,
28:47
gets a vision.
28:48
He gazes into heaven
28:49
and he sees the glory of God
28:51
and Jesus standing
28:52
at the right hand of God.
28:54
And verse 56,
28:55
he makes that known to them.
28:57
So he sees it,
28:58
verse 55,
28:59
and verse 56,
29:00
and he said,
29:00
Behold,
29:01
I see the heavens opened
29:02
and the Son of Man
29:03
standing at the right hand
29:05
of God.
29:08
Now,
29:08
there are 17
29:09
New Testament
29:11
references
29:12
to Jesus being
29:13
at God's right hand.
29:15
The right hand
29:16
is the place
29:17
of honor
29:18
next to the King.
29:19
It's the place
29:20
of authority.
29:22
Jesus is seen
29:23
17 times
29:23
at the right hand
29:25
of the Father.
29:27
We should be familiar
29:28
with this.
29:29
Four of those
29:30
17 verses
29:31
describe Him
29:32
simply as
29:32
at God's right hand.
29:34
We don't know
29:35
exactly
29:36
the position
29:37
of His session.
29:39
That's the old word
29:40
for this.
29:40
His being
29:41
at the right hand
29:42
of the Father.
29:43
His session.
29:44
Four verses
29:45
simply at God's
29:46
right hand.
29:47
11
29:48
describe Him
29:49
as seated.
29:52
And this is meant
29:53
to show
29:54
the completed work.
29:55
He's not active.
29:56
He's seated.
29:57
He's currently
29:58
sitting.
29:58
You'll hear us say that
29:59
here on Sunday mornings
30:00
often.
30:01
Jesus seated
30:01
at the right hand
30:03
of God.
30:03
Interceding even now
30:05
for us.
30:06
11 verses
30:07
describe Him
30:08
as seated.
30:09
And then we have
30:10
two.
30:11
Right here together.
30:12
Verse 55
30:12
and verse 56
30:14
describing Him
30:16
as standing.
30:19
But why?
30:23
Now some have suggested
30:24
that He is standing
30:28
giving Stephen
30:31
a standing ovation.
30:32
That He's standing
30:34
in approval
30:34
over what is happening.
30:36
Stephen's the first
30:38
Christian martyr.
30:40
Some have suggested
30:41
that He's standing
30:41
in order to
30:43
welcome Stephen
30:45
knowing that He's
30:46
about to be
30:47
martyr.
30:48
And I think these
30:48
are all fantastic thoughts.
30:50
You may be familiar
30:51
with them.
30:51
You may have heard
30:52
this.
30:54
They're fantastic
30:55
but they're not
30:56
exegetically faithful
30:58
to go,
31:00
huh,
31:00
standing?
31:01
How interesting.
31:02
I wonder why.
31:03
Oh,
31:04
well,
31:04
Stephen,
31:05
a man approved.
31:06
Right?
31:07
Full of the Holy Spirit.
31:09
But if you look carefully
31:11
at the very next verse
31:13
after He says this,
31:15
they are even more furious.
31:18
You notice verse 57?
31:20
They cry out
31:22
with a loud voice
31:23
and they stop their ears.
31:25
Literally,
31:26
they put their hands
31:27
over their ears
31:27
because they did not
31:28
want to hear Him
31:29
say anything else.
31:31
Why is this
31:32
so enraging to them?
31:35
So think about that.
31:36
Think about the accusation
31:37
He's already made.
31:38
Right?
31:39
Verse 51 through 53.
31:40
He's made this accusation.
31:42
They're mad.
31:43
He sees a vision.
31:44
He shares the vision.
31:45
They get even more mad.
31:47
And then we know
31:48
that He's martyred
31:49
as a result.
31:52
That's your context.
31:54
Right?
31:54
If we're going to be
31:55
faithful,
31:55
studying the Word,
31:57
the context helps us.
31:59
you may recall
32:03
just up in verse 49,
32:06
He quotes from Isaiah 66,
32:09
1 and 2.
32:11
God says,
32:11
Heaven is my throne
32:13
and the earth
32:13
is my footstool.
32:14
Does that ring any
32:15
little flags going off,
32:17
bells going off,
32:17
anybody's footstool?
32:18
Footstool?
32:19
Where else do we hear
32:20
that type of thing?
32:21
How about Psalm 110.
32:22
1?
32:23
Not too much earlier.
32:25
Not too much time earlier
32:26
in the book of Acts.
32:28
Peter's used this reference
32:30
on the day of Pentecost.
32:31
Chapter 2,
32:31
verse 34 and 35.
32:33
Psalm 110.
32:34
1.
32:34
The Lord says to my Lord,
32:37
God says to Christ,
32:40
sit at my right hand
32:42
until I make your enemies
32:44
your footstool.
32:46
There's some clue here.
32:47
Okay.
32:47
Alright.
32:48
What's going on?
32:49
Who are these listeners?
32:50
What would have been
32:51
their understanding
32:51
of the Scripture?
32:53
Would this have been
32:53
significant to them
32:54
that Jesus is standing
32:56
at the right hand of God?
33:00
They would have been familiar
33:01
with Psalms like Psalm 68.
33:04
1.
33:05
God shall arise.
33:08
His enemies shall be scattered
33:10
and those who hate Him
33:12
shall flee before Him.
33:14
God will stand up.
33:16
And when God stands up,
33:18
His enemies will scatter.
33:20
God will stand up.
33:21
And Isaiah 3.
33:23
Verse 13.
33:24
The Lord has taken His place
33:26
to contend.
33:29
He stands to judge the peoples.
33:32
So the vision that Stephen sees here
33:36
is a continuation of his indictment.
33:39
His in turn accusation
33:41
to these men
33:42
who are before him.
33:44
These men who have now heard
33:45
the Gospel preached
33:46
in multiple ways
33:47
and at multiple times.
33:50
He's saying to them,
33:51
you wicked Israelites.
33:54
You who killed Christ
33:56
and will not now believe
33:58
in Him as your risen Savior
34:00
and Lord.
34:01
He will stand
34:02
and He will judge.
34:06
It's a much different picture
34:07
than a standing ovation,
34:09
isn't it?
34:10
It's being painted
34:10
of our Lord.
34:13
Prophet, priest, king
34:15
coming judge.
34:17
To judge Him.
34:18
This is why they are so enraged.
34:21
He's heaping up accusation on them.
34:25
This is why they cry out
34:27
with a loud voice.
34:28
They stop their ears.
34:29
Remember, these are the older men,
34:33
the esteemed men,
34:35
the well-dressed men,
34:37
the wealthy men.
34:39
They fly into a rage
34:42
at this accusation.
34:46
This is God's approval.
34:48
Stephen's conclusion.
34:52
The council's reaction
34:53
to Stephen's conclusion.
34:54
Verse 57.
34:55
I've mentioned already.
34:56
Cry out with a loud voice.
34:57
They stop their ears.
34:58
They rush together at Him.
35:01
Luke simply records
35:02
verse 58.
35:03
Then they cast Him
35:03
out of the city
35:04
and stoned Him.
35:06
We get the introduction
35:07
of Paul,
35:09
now known as Saul,
35:10
likely one of the witnesses.
35:12
It was tradition
35:13
that the witnesses
35:14
in a trial
35:15
would be the first
35:16
to throw stones.
35:18
They lay their garments
35:19
at the feet
35:20
of a young man
35:21
named Saul.
35:22
Saul.
35:24
And then we picture
35:24
the way in which Stephen dies.
35:26
As they're stoning Stephen,
35:27
he calls out
35:27
in much the way
35:29
that Christ did to God,
35:31
Lord Jesus,
35:32
receive my spirit.
35:34
Looking to the greater joy
35:36
that he was going to have
35:37
being with Christ forever
35:39
and falling to his knees,
35:40
he's cried out with a loud voice,
35:42
Lord,
35:42
do not hold
35:43
this sin
35:44
against them.
35:45
Repeating the words
35:46
of Christ
35:47
on the cross.
35:48
And when he had said this,
35:50
he fell asleep
35:51
and thus we are
35:52
witnesses
35:53
to the first
35:54
Christian
35:55
martyrdom.
35:57
And just as they had killed
35:58
the prophets before,
36:00
the ruling Jews
36:01
now
36:01
murder
36:02
Stephen.
36:03
And it is a great
36:04
injustice.
36:06
And they kill Stephen
36:07
by the traditional way
36:08
that Jews would have
36:10
executed
36:10
a death
36:11
sentence.
36:13
But they didn't do it
36:14
in the proper manner.
36:16
He's stoned,
36:17
it would seem,
36:18
that a great group
36:19
of men
36:19
standing around him
36:20
hurling rocks at him.
36:23
The way that it was
36:24
meant to be done
36:25
is he was actually
36:25
meant to be thrown
36:26
off a cliff.
36:27
And if that didn't kill him,
36:28
a huge stone was supposed
36:29
to be thrown
36:29
from the cliff.
36:31
And if that didn't kill him,
36:32
then smaller stones.
36:34
They're so angry.
36:36
They're not even going
36:36
to wait to do it
36:37
properly.
36:38
They simply take him
36:39
outside of the city
36:40
and begin to beat him
36:41
with rocks.
36:43
It's a major injustice
36:45
even by their standard
36:46
and certainly by ours
36:48
as we know him
36:49
to be a follower of God,
36:51
a man
36:51
whose message
36:53
should have been
36:54
heeded
36:55
and listened to.
36:58
After this,
36:59
this great persecution
37:00
that arises,
37:01
it goes forth from there.
37:02
We're going to look at that
37:03
in some coming weeks.
37:06
The church is scattered.
37:07
God uses the death
37:09
of Stephen
37:09
in such a magnificent
37:11
way.
37:14
So what's the application
37:15
for us this morning?
37:18
You fall into two categories
37:19
this morning.
37:20
You either have placed
37:21
believing faith
37:22
in Jesus Christ
37:23
or you have not.
37:26
And I'm always concerned
37:28
that in the place
37:28
that we live
37:29
and in the day
37:29
that we live
37:30
that there are many
37:31
who think that they have
37:32
and haven't.
37:34
Beloved,
37:35
if you've placed
37:35
believing faith
37:36
in the personal work
37:37
of Jesus Christ,
37:38
you have been changed.
37:40
You are not different
37:41
in degree.
37:41
You are now different
37:42
in kind.
37:43
Enemy of God
37:44
now a friend.
37:46
Able to worship him.
37:47
Able to not sin.
37:48
Your life will be
37:49
progressing in holiness.
37:51
You will be able
37:52
to put off sin
37:53
and put on righteousness
37:55
by the empowering work
37:56
of the Spirit.
37:57
Your life will change.
38:00
You need to ask yourself
38:01
this morning
38:01
which category
38:02
you fall into.
38:03
For those
38:04
who have not placed
38:06
believing faith
38:07
in Jesus Christ,
38:08
I want you to hear
38:08
two points of application
38:09
from this text.
38:11
Number one,
38:11
encouragement.
38:13
God is long-suffering.
38:16
This major history
38:17
that's laid out
38:18
in these high points
38:19
by Stephen.
38:20
God is patient.
38:21
God is patient.
38:22
God is patient
38:23
with his people.
38:26
Peter puts that this way
38:28
in 2 Peter 3.9,
38:29
The Lord is not slow
38:30
to fulfill his promise
38:31
as some count slowness.
38:32
but is patient
38:34
towards you.
38:35
Not wishing that
38:36
any should perish
38:36
but that all
38:37
should reach repentance.
38:39
Be encouraged
38:40
that God is patient
38:41
with you.
38:43
Let this morning
38:44
be your time
38:46
of turning to him
38:47
because of his great love,
38:48
his steadfastness
38:49
that he's shown you.
38:51
That that love
38:51
would compel you
38:52
to love him in return
38:53
to believe in Christ
38:55
for the salvation
38:55
of your soul.
38:56
Second point of application
38:59
for those
39:00
who have not placed
39:01
believing faith in Christ
39:02
is a warning.
39:04
God will not
39:05
be patient
39:06
forever.
39:09
God will not
39:09
be patient
39:10
forever.
39:12
Christ will return
39:13
and he will
39:15
judge.
39:17
And I don't want
39:18
any of you
39:18
to be in the category
39:19
of these men.
39:21
I don't want
39:23
any of you
39:24
to find yourself
39:25
at the
39:26
retribution
39:27
end of Christ's
39:29
judgment.
39:30
God will not
39:31
be patient
39:31
forever.
39:34
Notice here
39:35
that Stephen
39:35
filled with the Spirit
39:37
does not
39:39
offer repentance
39:40
to the council.
39:44
When he indicts them
39:45
he says
39:46
you are guilty
39:46
and Christ
39:47
will judge you
39:48
but he does not
39:49
offer them
39:50
repentance.
39:53
It had been
39:53
offered before.
39:55
I'm sure they had
39:55
heard the gospel
39:56
message in many ways
39:57
and at many times
39:58
specifically Peter
39:59
offers it to them
39:59
in Acts 4.12
40:01
He says
40:01
then there is
40:02
salvation in no one
40:02
else for there is
40:03
no other name
40:04
under heaven
40:05
given among men
40:05
by which
40:06
we must be
40:08
saved.
40:10
But it is not
40:11
offered
40:11
now.
40:13
You have not
40:14
placed believing
40:15
faith in Jesus
40:16
Christ.
40:17
Let today be the
40:17
day of your
40:18
salvation.
40:20
Believe that he
40:21
died on your
40:21
behalf.
40:22
That he is
40:23
raised at the
40:23
right hand of
40:24
the Father
40:24
seated for now
40:26
interceding for
40:27
you to stand
40:28
one day and
40:29
judge those who
40:29
don't believe
40:31
in him.
40:32
And for those
40:33
of you who
40:33
have placed
40:34
believing faith
40:35
in Christ
40:36
I remind you
40:38
of the general
40:40
lessons given
40:41
weeks ago
40:43
in two points
40:44
of application
40:44
salvation for
40:45
you.
40:47
Number one
40:48
a life given
40:49
in service to
40:50
God is a
40:51
life that is
40:51
not wasted.
40:54
We find our
40:54
great purpose
40:55
and our high
40:55
value in being
40:56
disciples of
40:57
Jesus Christ
40:58
and in giving
40:59
our lives the
41:00
way in which
41:00
he gave his
41:01
life.
41:01
Not specifically
41:02
necessarily to
41:04
die on a
41:04
cross but
41:05
emptying
41:05
ourselves for
41:06
the sake of
41:08
others for
41:09
the high purpose
41:10
of the glory
41:10
of God.
41:11
A life given
41:12
in service to
41:12
God is a
41:13
life that is
41:14
not wasted.
41:16
All the
41:16
activity of our
41:17
lives that's
41:17
not focused on
41:17
the kingdom is
41:18
wasted energy
41:19
and effort.
41:20
Turning to
41:21
dust.
41:21
The things that
41:22
we will build
41:22
that have
41:23
nothing to do
41:23
with the
41:23
kingdom will
41:24
one day
41:25
disappear.
41:27
Secondly,
41:28
the significance
41:28
of such a
41:29
life cannot be
41:30
measured by
41:31
its short-term
41:31
gains,
41:32
its breadth,
41:33
or its length.
41:35
So beloved,
41:35
I would just
41:36
encourage that
41:37
as you submit
41:38
yourself to the
41:39
will of the
41:39
Lord,
41:40
Lord.
41:41
Do not look
41:41
to others and
41:42
the significance
41:42
of what they're
41:43
doing,
41:43
the significance
41:44
of their
41:44
ministry,
41:45
the particular
41:46
positions that
41:47
they hold,
41:47
the acclaim
41:48
that they
41:48
receive.
41:50
There are many
41:51
followers of
41:51
Christ that are
41:52
getting their
41:52
glory now.
41:54
Put it off.
41:55
Invest in it
41:56
later.
41:57
Serve faithfully
41:58
Christ in all of
42:00
the spheres in
42:00
which you walk,
42:01
whether it be
42:01
here together
42:02
with us,
42:02
with the
42:03
church,
42:03
whether it
42:03
be at your
42:05
workplace as
42:06
you do the
42:07
daily grind for
42:08
the glory of
42:08
God.
42:08
and the
42:09
short-term
42:10
gain of
42:11
your boss.
42:12
Be with your
42:13
classmates,
42:15
your roommates,
42:16
your spouse.
42:19
Seek to lay
42:21
your life down
42:22
for the sake
42:22
of the kingdom.
42:24
Let's pray
42:24
together.
42:25
Let's pray.