Stephen stands before an unjust court. The rulers of Israel are not seeking righteousness. Those claiming to be zealous for Moses and the Law set up men to bear false witness and accuse Stephen of thrusting Moses and the Law aside.  But it is they that have thrust Moses and the Law aside. The tables are turned. Leading representatives of Israel find themselves indicted. Israel is on trial. In prophetic style, Stephen serves as a messenger of God indicting Israel for patterns of rejection that culminated in the rejection of the one and only truly Righteous One—Christ Jesus.

Stephen answers the charges against him. His life now hinges on words. The defense he gives is for Christ and not himself. In powerful, Spirit-borne words, Stephen sweepingly yet selectively expounds the Law of Moses to show that the true and better substance and glory of the presentation and presence of God are in His son, Christ Jesus.

The witness of Jesus as the Christ advances against all opposition. Intensity has been mounting against the messengers of the gospel message. Now an unexpected turn of events leads to an expected but tragic episode. Stephen introduces us to martyrdom—the ultimate price of bearing witness to the worth of Christ. The glory of Christ stands behind the end of Judaism. And to this Stephen bears witness. Here the shadows of the Old fade away by the light of the New Covenant. It is a pivotal scene in the formation and distinction of the early church. And all is powerfully demonstrated in the likeness and echo of Christ.

The fear of the Lord derives from a right view of His glorious perfections and excellencies. It is the consequence of beholding and thus knowing Him as holy, just, and gracious. Godward fear is realized in all its goodness and gladness to the redeemed in Christ. But it is not something that can be acquired by human effort. It is a divine grace. Yet the redeemed are still responsible to steward the means of grace to grow in Godward fear. This last sermon in the series focuses on our responsibility to grow in Godward fear.

A rich digression is featured to highlight the danger of distraction in the church. Many are the needs that the church must attend. But never to the distraction of knowing and making known the surpassing worth of Christ. The church increases though under attack, and the assaults are felt from some outside the church and now again from some inside. The cycle continues but with intensifying force. Pressures test priorities.

The consequences of godly fear are not only good for us but induce a marvelous and mysterious mixture of gravitas and gladness. Godward fear is not simply compatible with joy, it is a way of depicting the sheer intensity of it. Joy without fear lacks weight. But the fear of the Lord has both.

Nothing drives the heart of man like desire. What makes Christ’s purposes in and through His church unstoppable? On the divine side, it is His sheer sovereignty. On the human side, it is the delight of knowing His surpassing worth. The mounting hostilities against the name of Christ draw Acts 5 to a powerful close with a profound witness to the surpassing worth of Christ.

An unholy hatred increases and intensifies against Christ and His apostles. The collision of Judaism and the witnesses of Jesus reaches new heights. Evidently the gospel is dangerous and threatens certain and cherished worldly and religious strong holds. An astounding advance of the church is here presented in thick irony. Those who appear to be in control are schooled by divine sovereignty. Christ is building His church despite all the powers that oppose. He and His purposes are unstoppable.

One of the most well-known reformers of all time, whose name is nearly synonymous with reform, is Josiah, king of Judah. The events that God providentially brought about during his reign remarkably testify to the sovereign grace and power of God to achieve reform in and through His people. This sermon celebrates several key patterns of reform demonstrated in the reign of Josiah. Its occasion commemorates God’s providential grace in the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. It uses key highlights and features of the English Reformation to illustrate one of the foundational principles of reform, namely truth over tradition.

This is the third and final message of a three-part series on the English Reformation with a particular focus on the life, contribution, and martyrdom of Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), Archbishop of Canterbury.