The First Martyr (Part 2) | Misunderstood Spiritual Heritage
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsStephen begins his defence to the temple courts by clarifying their spiritual heritage.
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Introduction
As I have witnessed to people through the years and asked them about their salvation, the responses very from person-to-person but all are typically related. I often hear the response, yes, I’m a Christian, I was born that way. I hear, yes, I’m a Christian, I’m a member at such-and-such church. I hear, yes, I’m a Christian, I was baptized at such-and-such age. Yes, I’m a Christian, my grandfather, uncle, dad, or brother is a pastor. As I hear these responses, I’m always lead to explain to them they have a misunderstanding of salvation. I begin to ask clarifying questions to address this. I want them to understand what I’m asking and gain clarification themselves.
Stephen had been accused of blaspheming Moses, blaspheming God. He had been accused of teaching a doctrine that was going to cause an insurrection. As we begin to dive through the longest and most important discourse within the book of Acts, which will not be finished within this one message, we see Stephen begin to address some misunderstandings of his fellow country men. Stephens message deals with three areas of importance: 1) Their rejection of God’s servants; 2) Their disobedience; and 3) Their misunderstood spiritual heritage. It is within this misunderstanding of their spiritual heritage that their disobedience and rejection find root. Stephen knew that if he was to make them understand, this is where he had to begin, the root of the problem.
Focus Passage | Acts 7:1-8
1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
Outline
Begins and Ends with the Glory of God (vv.1-2)
The high priest, after hearing the false testimonies from the false witnesses (vv.11,13), ask Stephen, Are these things so? In essence, he was asking Stephen what he had to say for himself. What did Stephen have to say about his these charges of blaspheme about the temple and the Holy Spirit? What did Stephen have to say about this Jesus he follows wanting to destroy the law and the customs of which Moses had taught them? Now there is some irony within their accusations, because they were accusing him of speaking about a law that was so important to them and yet they did not even follow this law themselves. Their man made rituals were more important to them than the law of Moses (Mark 7:13). How does Stephen respond? Does he respond in fear? in trepidation? No. He responds in confidence. His response is not based on himself but within the Spirit that God has given him. Every child of God, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, does not have to fear. Fear is of the devil. God has given each and everyone of his children a spirit of power, love, and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
Stephen’s witness focused on one thing, the Glory of God
Stephen’s testimony begins focused on the Glory of God - ‘…The God of glory appeared...’
Stephen’s testimony will end focused on the Glory of God
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Stephen desired for his fellow countrymen to focus on the glory of God - ‘…he said Men, brethren, and fathers…the Glory of God appeared...’
It was the glory of God that spoke to their forefathers and especially the father of their nation, Abraham, and brought him out of the land of the Chaldeans, out of a time of wilderness, darkness, and gave them a promise of a future home. It was the glory of the God that revealed to them that they, who were not a people, would become a people. Stephen, when he begins his testimony, wants them to focus on the glory of God and not the traditions of men.
As Wiersbe writes, the nation of Israel is the only nation privileged to have the Glory of God as part of their inheritance...
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory.
18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
Then they in turn have seen that inheritance removed from them and sadly rejected that inheritance through their rejection of Jesus Christ.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Promise of a Future Home (vv.3-5)
God chose the people of Israel when they were no people
God went into a land of darkness and sanctified Abraham and drew him out to create His very own people - ‘...Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then came he out of t he land of the Chaldaeans...
God promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation even though he had no children - ‘…when as yet he had no child...’
God promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the land that he inhabited
Abraham was not of any certain people group. He lived within the lands of Mesopotamia. He had no land, no wealth, no identify. He was a herds man.
Yet, God chose him to bless him and ordain a people from him.
Although he did not himself inherit any of the land promised, he trusted God in his promise. For his promise was for his descendants, he game none inheritance in it, no, no so much as to set his food on: yet he promised that he would it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him.
Despite not seeing the promises he trusted God in faith for the promise.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
God’s Sovereign Plan (vv.6-7)
As Stephen continues to remind the religious leaders of his day, of their spiritual inheritance and clear up the misunderstandings, he reminds them that all happens according to God’s sovereign plan. Long before the Jewish people would inherit their land, they would first go into bondage.
Stephen reminds them God is sovereign in His plans for His people (v.6)
Stephen reminds them God’s plans are always best to follow (v.7)
Salvation by Grace Through Faith (v.8)
Abraham was blessed by his relationship with God. God was going to bless him as the father of His nation, His people. This relationship was going to be based off grace and faith. This relationship was sealed by the sign of circumcision, And he gave him the covenant of circumcision.
Abraham was saved by grace through faith
Abraham was not saved by circumcision. He was not saved by the law. These came after he was counted as being righteous. If there was any doubt, this was made clear through the apostle Paul’s writing to the church at Rome (Romans 4) and to the churches of Galatia (Galatians 3).
Within the record of Abraham’s life this is made abundantly clear by God’s testimony of Abraham
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Abraham’s descendants would be saved by grace through faith
The issue that the Jews broadly, and the religious leaders of Stephen’s time specifically, was that they though that they were promised eternal life because they were the descendants of Abraham. That is not how it works. They were not saved just because Abraham was their fore father.
They would only be saved by their faith in the Lord, the selfsame Lord they were rejecting and were guilty of crucifying.
They would not be saved by a righteous blood line
They would not be saved by the law
They would not be saved by works
They could only be saved though faith in the Lord through Christ Jesus.
We have but one option for salvation, by grace through faith
We are not saved by works
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
We are saved only by grace through faith
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
You will not be saved by works
You will not be saved by a righteous blood line
You will not be saved by money
You will not be saved outside of any source other than the blood of Christ
Conclusion
Many of us are like the descendents of Abraham. We think that because we’ve been to church our whole life we are saved. We think that because our dad, our uncle, our brother, etc., is a preacher, we’re saved. We think that because we were going to church nine months before we left our mother’s womb that we are saved. We think that because our name is on a church membership roster somewhere, we’re saved. We are not saved by anything outside of the blood of Christ. We are saved by grace through faith alone. It is grace through faith plus nothing. Too many are banking on a spiritual heritage to get them into heaven. May I declare to you and may you have your misunderstanding of a spiritual heritage corrected. You are only saved through a person decision afforded by and called by, and directed by the Holy Spirit of God to accept the Grace of God through Faith afforded by and in God in the acceptation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There is no other option. He alone is the one, the only one that we must be saved by.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.