CSSA 1-5-05 - STEPHEN - FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH

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105. STEPHEN - FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH

"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God".

Aim

To show how Stephen was prepared to lose his life in preaching the way of salvation to men.

Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. The Lord had warned his disciples that men would not want to hear the Gospel. "Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake", he said, "but he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matt. 10:22). Although they would suffer, they were promised the gift of eternal life, if they served God faithfully to the end. Stephen was the first of the disciples to suffer in this way.

Acts 6 and 7

SEVEN BRETHREN CHOSEN (6:1-6)

Since the day of Pentecost the apostles had continued to preach the Gospel to the Jews in Jerusalem. The rulers of the Jews still kept trying to stop them teaching in the name of Jesus. But the work went on and God blessed it, so that the ecclesia grew and grew. It was becoming too difficult for the apostles to continue preaching and to look after the needs of such a large company of newly baptised brethren and sisters at the same time. So the apostles said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God, and serve tables (i.e. give out food and money to the poor)". They suggested that seven brethren who were wise and well prepared should be chosen to take charge of caring for the daily needs of the ecclesia. The apostles laid their hands on them, after they had prayed, so that the seven might be blessed and strengthened to do the work set before them. Among the seven was Stephen.

STEPHEN PREACHES THE GOSPEL (vv. 8-10)

We are told that Stephen was "full of faith and power", who "did great wonders and miracles among the people". He obviously used every opportunity to preach the Gospel to the Jews. They could not help listening to him. The miracles he did by the power of the Holy Spirit would have left his listeners in no doubt that what he said was through the power of God. But there were still many, especially among the leaders of the Jews, who were stubborn and would not believe that Jesus of Nazareth was Messiah. They could find no answer to Stephen's words and actions, but they refused to believe. So they did exactly what the Jewish leaders had done to Jesus. They found wicked men who agreed to tell lies against Stephen.

STEPHEN IS PUT ON TRIAL (vv. 11-15)

These evil men said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God" (v 11). This was not true, but the people and the elders of the Jews got very excited and rushed Stephen into the Council, called the Sanhedrin. The false witnesses added more lies to the stories already told. "We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us" (v 14). When Stephen was given his chance to answer what the false witnesses said against him, an amazing thing happened. Those that looked at him "saw his face as it had been the face of an angel". God was with him to help him speak the Truth before the council of the Jews.

STEPHEN SPEAKS BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN (7:1-53)

At last the leader of the council, the High Priest, spoke. "Are these things so?" he asked.

Stephen replied, "Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken" (that is, listen carefully). He reminded them of many things that had happened to Israel in the past. He spoke about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom God had promised the Land of Israel. He reminded them of Moses and the children of Israel who had all worshipped God in the wilderness, long before there was a temple.

Now Stephen knew that God would indeed destroy Herod's Temple and those who trusted in it. He wanted these men to see that the Temple was, after all, only a building made of stone and faithful men had worshipped God long before there even was a temple. "The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands", Stephen said (v. 48). He was quoting from the prophets.

By now Stephen could see that they were not paying any attention to his words. Just as their fathers had not taken any notice of the prophets but had killed them, so these men had killed the Son of God. "As your fathers did, so did ye", he said (v. 51).

STEPHEN IS KILLED (vv. 54-60)

The Sanhedrin became terribly angry when they heard Stephen's words. They were so angry that they ground their teeth together. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw God's glory, with Jesus standing at God's right hand.

"Behold", said Stephen, "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God". God was pleased with Stephen, for he spoke the truth even to men who hated him. So God showed him the Lord Jesus Christ at His right hand, the place of power.

When the Sanhedrin heard Stephen's words, they shouted with rage and put their hands over their ears and rushed at him. They did not want to hear him, they were so angry. They seized him and pushed him out of the city. They took off their coats and laid them at a young man's feet (whose name was Saul) and then picked up stones and threw them at Stephen. He put up with all that they did to him and still prayed to God. Just as the Lord had been willing to forgive those who crucified him, so faithful Stephen prayed to God to forgive these wicked men. As the stones hit Stephen he kneeled down on his knees. "lay not this sin to their charge", he cried (v. 60). Then Stephen died.

LESSON FOR US

We may not be asked to die for the Truth, as Stephen did, but we must love God as much as he did. What a humble servant of God he was to pray for his enemies even though they hated him so much and stoned him. That is a lesson he learnt from the Lord Jesus, and so must we - to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us. If we truly love God, we will be able to do that.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

In his reply, Stephen pointed out to the Jews many examples from their history. He wanted to show them two things in particular which would answer the false charges against him. God is with His people wherever they worship Him "in spirit and in truth".

He appeared to Abraham - in Ur; He blessed Joseph -in Egypt; He blessed Moses - in Egypt and in Midian. The promised land of Israel had not been given to them then. There certainly was no temple in Jerusalem in those days.

But these faithful men of old worshipped and obeyed God wherever they were. So the Jews ought not to be so sure that God would not destroy the Temple and drive them out. These faithful men of old whom Stephen referred to obeyed God even before the Law was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. So the Jews ought not to boast in the Law of Moses. In fact, not one of them had ever been able to obey it properly in their lives.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ had obeyed it perfectly. After his death there was no need for men to look back to the Law of Moses. Once God had raised him from the dead all men must believe in him and be baptised. This is how we can please God today.

This was what Stephen had been trying to tell them, but they were as "stiff-necked" and stubborn as ever. God did punish them a few years later. When the Roman armies marched against Jerusalem in AD 70, they shut themselves up in the Temple, thinking they would be safe. Herod's Temple was burnt to the ground and those inside were destroyed.

QUESTIONS

Short Answers

The apostles were very busy preaching the Gospel What other work did they have to do?
How many brethren were chosen to help the apostles?
What sort of man was Stephen?
The Jews could find no answer for Stephen's words. So how did they set out to trap him?
What did the wicked men first say against Stephen?
What did Stephen's face look like when he spoke in the council?
What did the Jews do to Stephen?
What were Stephen's last words?