Acts 7:51-60
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BECAUSE STEPHEN HAD COURAGE, HE APPLIED THE TRUTH
APPLICATION/ACCUSATION
You men are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears v. 51a
stiff-necked - unwilling to bow down and be saved because, like Joseph’s brothers, they couldn’t see how submission would lead them to salvation
uncircumcised - although circumcised in the flesh, they were not a part of the people of God; they looked the part but didn’t have a new heart
resisting the Holy Spirit v. 51b
just as your fathers did v. 51c
They persecuted the ones who announced the coming of the Righteous One v. 52a
the Righteous One that you have betrayed and murdered v. 52b
you received the law, loved it as given by angels, but you did not obey it, v. 53
46 “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.
BECAUSE STEPHEN HAD COURAGE, HE DIED FOR THE TRUTH
RESPONSE
They were cut to the quick and began gnashing their teeth at him v. 54
Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed intently intently into heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God v. 55
“Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God,” v. 56
The Son of Man - the Messiah, Jesus
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
At the right hand of God
The place of all power and authority
Standing - Why not sitting?
They covered their ears and rushed him as one, drove him outside the city, and stoned him v. 58
“the witness laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul”
went on stoning Stephen as called to Jesus, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” v. 59
Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” v. 60a
Having said this, he fell asleep.
On sleep as a metaphor for death that only applies to the Christian: The moment we Christians die here on earth, our eyes open in eternity. To absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Because Jesus has defeated death and has been raised from the dead, all who trust in Him shall be raised like Him. Sin leads to death, but Jesus has paid for our sins! So even if we die in the body, we will live in eternity!
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]