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“The Stand of Stephen – Part 2” (Acts 7)
You may recall that we were introduced to Stephen a few weeks ago.
We learned that he was one of the seven men chosen to serve the church by serving the widows of the church.
In our last sermon together, we saw his heroic stand before the Freedmen’s Synagogue and the Sanhedrin (the full Jewish court).
Remember that he was full of grace and power. Remember that he was performing great wonders and signs. Remember that he was full of the Holy Spirit. Remember that his face was like the face of an angel.
Do you remember all of that?
Well, last time, the sermon was called “The Stand of Stephen (Part 1).” I’ve cleverly entitled this sermon, “The Stand of Stephen (Part 2).”
This sermon is going to be a bit different because we’re covering an entire chapter.
This chapter contains sort of a sermon from Stephen that is broken up into themes or sections.
So, we’re going to look at a lot of Scripture, and hopefully learn a lot from God.
Before we go any further, let’s go to God in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.
(prayer)
I want to look at verse 1 before we go into the main part of the passage.
It says in verse 1,“‘Are these things true?’ the high priest asked.”
Well, the things to which the high priest is referring are the accusations that were brought against Stephen. Remember, he was accused of speaking against Moses and God, he was accused of speaking against the temple and the law, and he was accused of saying Jesus would destroy the temple and change the customs of Moses.
So, the high priest wants to know, “Are these things true?”
Well, let’s hear what Stephen has to say.
First, as we dive into this passage, notice that Stephen provides . . .
I. A review of Israel’s past.
Ok, I’m going to read a lot of this passage. Let’s look at verses 2-50:
2 “Brothers and fathers,” he replied, “listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 3 and said to him: Leave your country and relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.
4 “Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this land in which you are now living. 5 He didn’t give him an inheritance in it—not even a foot of ground—but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he was childless. 6 God spoke in this way: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and they would enslave and oppress them for four hundred years. 7 I will judge the nation that they will serve as slaves, God said. After this, they will come out and worship me in this place. 8 And so he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. After this, he fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his troubles. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household. 11 Now a famine and great suffering came over all of Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food. 12 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time. 13 The second time, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Joseph invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all, 15 and Jacob went down to Egypt. He and our ancestors died there, 16 were carried back to Shechem, and were placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 “As the time
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By First Baptist Church Bartow
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You may recall that we were introduced to Stephen a few weeks ago.
We learned that he was one of the seven men chosen to serve the church by serving the widows of the church.
In our last sermon together, we saw his heroic stand before the Freedmen’s Synagogue and the Sanhedrin (the full Jewish court).
Remember that he was full of grace and power. Remember that he was performing great wonders and signs. Remember that he was full of the Holy Spirit. Remember that his face was like the face of an angel.
Do you remember all of that?
Well, last time, the sermon was called “The Stand of Stephen (Part 1).” I’ve cleverly entitled this sermon, “The Stand of Stephen (Part 2).”
This sermon is going to be a bit different because we’re covering an entire chapter.
This chapter contains sort of a sermon from Stephen that is broken up into themes or sections.
So, we’re going to look at a lot of Scripture, and hopefully learn a lot from God.
Before we go any further, let’s go to God in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.
(prayer)
I want to look at verse 1 before we go into the main part of the passage.
It says in verse 1,“‘Are these things true?’ the high priest asked.”
Well, the things to which the high priest is referring are the accusations that were brought against Stephen. Remember, he was accused of speaking against Moses and God, he was accused of speaking against the temple and the law, and he was accused of saying Jesus would destroy the temple and change the customs of Moses.
So, the high priest wants to know, “Are these things true?”
Well, let’s hear what Stephen has to say.
First, as we dive into this passage, notice that Stephen provides . . .
I. A review of Israel’s past.
Ok, I’m going to read a lot of this passage. Let’s look at verses 2-50:
2 “Brothers and fathers,” he replied, “listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 3 and said to him: Leave your country and relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.
4 “Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this land in which you are now living. 5 He didn’t give him an inheritance in it—not even a foot of ground—but he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he was childless. 6 God spoke in this way: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and they would enslave and oppress them for four hundred years. 7 I will judge the nation that they will serve as slaves, God said. After this, they will come out and worship me in this place. 8 And so he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. After this, he fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his troubles. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household. 11 Now a famine and great suffering came over all of Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food. 12 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time. 13 The second time, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Joseph invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all, 15 and Jacob went down to Egypt. He and our ancestors died there, 16 were carried back to Shechem, and were placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 “As the time