WWUTT 2581 Stephen Stands on the Gospel (Acts 6:8-15)

There was a man named Stephen who was appointed one of the first deacons in the church there in Jerusalem.

And he testified to the goodness of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ and was persecuted for it when we understand the text.

This is When We Understand The Text, a daily Bible study in the word of Christ. For he is before all things and in him all things hold together.

Tell your friends about our ministry at www .wutt .com. Hey, once again, it's Pastor Gabe.

Thank you, Becky. We're back to our study in the book of Acts, picking up where we left off last time.

We started in chapter six, reading of the selection of the first deacons. And among those men was a man named

Stephen. We will read more about his ministry today in the latter half of chapter six, where Stephen upsets the elders and the scribes and is brought for trial before the

Sanhedrin. I'm reading Acts 6 verses 8 through 15. Hear the word of the

Lord. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders in signs among the people.

But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both

Cyrenians and Alexandrians and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and were arguing with Stephen, but they were unable to oppose the wisdom and the spirit by whom he was speaking.

Then they secretly induced men to say, we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.

And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came to him, dragged him away, and brought him to the

Sanhedrin. And they put forward false witnesses who said, this man never ceases speaking words against this holy place and the law.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and alter the customs which

Moses handed down to us. And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the

Sanhedrin saw his face like the face of an angel.

Now this introduces us to Stephen, his ministry, and the charges that are being brought against him.

We'll read of this today, but then as we continue this tomorrow, we get into chapter seven, where we have the longest speech, longest sermon really in the book of Acts.

And that is the speech of Stephen that he delivers there before the Sanhedrin.

In this section that we're looking at today, we are bookended with statements about Stephen's ministry.

First of all, that he is full of grace and power, that's in verse eight. And then at the end, we see that the blessing of God is on him in such a way that his face begins to shine like an angel's face.

That's in verse 15. And then in between verses nine to 14, we have the opposition that he faces in the ministry that he presents.

So once again, in verse 18, Stephen full of grace and power was doing great wonders and signs among the people.

Now remember, Stephen's just a deacon, and yet this man has such an incredible gift that's been given to him by God to be able to speak the gospel in such a powerful way.

And not only that, but affirm what he preaches by doing great wonders and signs.

Anytime we read of the word signs, it's often in reference to miracles, performing miracles.

So wonders and signs are regarding those miracles that Stephen did, which affirmed that the message that he spoke was not from himself.

It was not from man. It was from no human devices, but it was the word of God that had been given.

The gospel is still going out, even here in Jerusalem. It hasn't been scattered from Jerusalem yet into the rest of the world.

But the things that are about to transpire concerning Stephen will eventually lead to the scattering of Jewish Christians into other parts of the

Roman empire so that the gospel may spread. And God will be with the one who proclaims his gospel.

Now, even at this time, when they are performing great signs and wonders to affirm that the message that they preached was from God, yet that did not keep them from being killed, from being martyred, but God would even use that martyrdom to advance the gospel.

Still, we will see, even in the short ministry of Stephen, how God is with him, affirming him and upholding him in the midst of this opposition.

And that is demonstrated even in the short section that we're looking at here today. So in verse nine, but some men from what was called the synagogue of the freedmen.

So this would have been a particular place of teaching that was probably run by those who had formerly been slaves.

So a person who was called a freedman is one who had acquired his freedom, either because he worked off his debt or somehow he was able to purchase his freedom, or maybe somebody else bought him and let him go.

And there are any number of reasons how a person could be freed from slavery. But those who were formerly slaves still had that reputation of having once been sold into slavery.

And so those who had now gained their freedom were regarded as freedmen. So this is the synagogue of the freedmen, which included both

Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia. And they rose up and were arguing with Stephen.

So some of these men could have included some Greeks. It's a possibility, though it's more likely that the majority of them were

Jews. They would have lived in other places, probably had some Greek names. But remember, we have seen how through the festivals,

Passover, Pentecost, and things like that, Jews have come from all over the place back to Jerusalem and would settle there.

Oftentimes we think of them coming back to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts as being there only temporarily, like a week -long vacation or something like that, because they have their jobs to get back to and otherwise.

Well, remember, they have family that's there in Jerusalem, family roots. So when they come back to this place, they stay with their extended family.

And those lands belong to the lineage of the families that they would have been staying with.

So they've got places to work and they have places to live. It's not like being there for a few weeks on vacation, and then they just go back to where they came from.

So even here as we've been reading of these things, the church that has built up there in Jerusalem, remember the church is thousands of people now at this point, the church is made up of folks from all over the

Roman Empire. We saw in Acts chapter two, even the nationalities that were listed there, 12 different persons, 12 different groups of people from different places around the

Roman Empire. And if they were Greek -speaking Jews, then they were regarded as Hellenists.

We saw that name previously even in here in chapter six. So some of these men may have very well been

Hellenists. They were Greek -speaking Jews and had come from all over the place. We're now with the

Jews there in Jerusalem and they're arguing with Stephen. But verse 10, they were unable to oppose the wisdom and spirit by whom he was speaking.

We've got these three occasions in which it is said that God is with Stephen in his ministry.

Three times it said here in verses eight through 15. I've already mentioned verse eight, where through the signs and wonders that Stephen did, it was affirmed that the message that he spoke came from God.

And I've mentioned verse 15, even before we got there, that as Stephen began to testify there before the

Sanhedrin, his face began to shine like the face of an angel. The second statement is here in the middle, the one in verse 10.

They were unable to oppose the wisdom and spirit, Holy Spirit, that should be capital

S in your Bible, the spirit by whom he was speaking because the

Holy Spirit was with him. Remember that Jesus had said to his disciples that when they go sharing the message of the gospel, that they were gonna be arrested, they would be brought before the temple officials, they would be brought before the

Sanhedrin, but do not fear what you are to say in those moments for God would give you the words that you are to say.

It would be through the Holy Spirit that was in them that they would know what to speak. And even though Stephen was not with the disciples in the upper room, when

Jesus told them those things, yet he has the spirit of God to be able to communicate the word of God and no one's able to oppose him.

It's not because Stephen was a really, really smart guy, although he could have been, could have been a very learned individual and the

Lord used the talents that he had to proclaim the gospel, but surely because the

Holy Spirit is with Stephen and in his words, when the people are opposing him, when they are arguing with him, they are arguing against God's word itself.

There are many, many times when I have had a conversation with somebody, it might've had something to do with a real world scenario or some sort of current event, things that were happening in the midst of the times, and I'm giving a biblical position on it.

Here is what we as Christians should believe regarding this thing that is going on. And that person might try to oppose me and they may even judge the words that I say.

Well, what gives you the authority to be able to say that? How do you would take that position on such a thing? Might be something like gay marriage.

So somebody says, how do you know that God is opposed to gay marriage? Well, because the

Bible says right here, it's not even a thing. Marriage in the Bible is defined as being between a man and a woman.

And those who are in homosexuality, as said in 1

Corinthians 6, verses nine and 10, that even homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God.

So a person can't be a gay Christian. God does not honor gay marriages nor recognizes them even as marriages.

And so when somebody argues against such a thing like this, they are actually arguing against the word of God.

They think they're arguing against me. They think they're trying to bring points against me and that I'm just a judgmental

Christian and I need to love one another and all this other kind of thing. Well, I am loving you by telling you the truth.

And when a person opposes the truth in such a way, what they oppose is not me, they oppose

God's word. And that has allowed me to, in the years that I have been arguing for the

Christian faith or sharing the gospel with others, that helps to take me out of the equation.

Like I don't take the insults personally because it's not really me that they're coming against. If I've spoken the word of God to them, what

God has said in the Bible, not that I'm given any new revelation, but the revelation that we already have in scripture, when

I give that to them and they despise it, it's not me that they're coming after, it's because they despise

God and his righteousness. Jesus saying to his disciples, remember that when they hate you, they hated me first.

And so I consider it an honor to suffer for the sake of the name of Christ.

Just as we read of the disciples doing here in the book of Acts in chapter five, where it was talked about how they rejoiced in God because they were considered worthy to suffer for the name.

I'm willing to do that. It's not my word that they oppose, but God's word. And I hope that their hearts would be softened to the truth and they would come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ.

There is a guy in the midst of this whole saga here, what we're reading here in Acts six, what we'll go on to read in chapter seven, there's a guy amidst this crowd who opposes

Stephen and his heart will eventually be softened to the truth. You may already know who

I'm talking about, but you'll certainly know as we continue in our study. So they were unable to oppose the wisdom and the spirit by whom

Stephen was speaking. Verse 11, then they secretly induced men to say, we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.

So the proclamation of Christ, of Jesus the Nazarene, the

Jews are regarding as a message opposed to Moses and God. Remember when we were going through the book of Luke that Jesus said in Luke chapter 16, if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they listen if someone should rise from the dead.

Someone has risen from the dead and they won't even listen to him. Because they don't even listen to Moses and the prophets.

Though they claim that Stephen is proclaiming blasphemous words against Moses and God, it's actually

Stephen who knows the word of Moses and God. The words of the

Pentateuch, Genesis through Deuteronomy that were written down by Moses. And that of course being the word and law of God.

Stephen understands it. The people who are opposing him don't, even though they're the ones calling on the name of Moses and God.

He's spoken blasphemous words against Moses, the writings of Moses and the word of God.

No, Stephen actually has it right and you are using the name of God in vain. And Stephen's gonna demonstrate the knowledge that he has of the testimony of Moses when we get to his speech, his sermon in chapter seven.

We'll pick up there tomorrow. But we continue on with this section, verse 12. And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes and came to him, dragged him away and brought him to the

Sanhedrin. And they put forward false witnesses who said this man never ceases speaking words against this holy place and the law.

Now, why is it that they accuse Stephen of speaking against the law? Why are they saying that he speaks blasphemous words against Moses and God?

Because Stephen is proclaiming a gospel of grace that you cannot, by your law keeping, save yourself.

It is not about how many good things that you do that saves you.

It is about Christ who saves you. And to be saved, to be forgiven your sins and made innocent before God, justified before God, you must put your faith and trust in the one who is the sacrifice on your behalf,

Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life. He died the death we were supposed to die. He rose again from the dead and all who believe in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.

And the people are opposing the apostles, Stephen, anyone who is preaching that message, claiming that they are speaking against the law.

Because if you just have to have faith and then by faith you are justified, then what's the point of the law?

Why do we have to keep the law? Now, as Paul says several times, even in the book of Romans, we do not overthrow the law by this faith.

On the contrary, we uphold the law. So in knowing Jesus Christ as savior who has forgiven us our sins.

Now, as followers of Christ, we would do what God requires of us. And we are able to do it in a way that gives glory to God, but are doing good works.

Those things that God has instructed us to do according to his word. Doing those things does not save us.

Doing those things doesn't even sanctify us. It is all the work of God. He has saved us through faith in Jesus Christ, by his grace, through faith in Jesus.

And now believing in Jesus, we will do good works. We will demonstrate that we belong to him by obeying his word.

And again, we're able to do so in a way that is now reverent and pleasing to God where previously we could not.

But because the message of the gospel, the gospel of grace is to say that you're saved by faith, then these people are opposing

Stephen and saying that he speaks against the law. Because you don't even have to keep the law in order to be justified.

You just have to put your faith in this Jesus guy. Didn't we put this Jesus guy to death?

And now they're proclaiming Christ. They had opposed the apostles previously, said no longer preach in this name.

Peter said, we have to preach what we have seen and heard. And so Stephen likewise is speaking of the goodness of God demonstrated in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

They opposed Stephen, say that he is speaking against this holy place and the law.

In what way is he speaking against the holy place? Well, we continue on into verse 14.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and alter the customs which

Moses handed down to us. Is Jesus gonna destroy that place?

Yes, he is. You know, they are talking about Stephen repeating what

Jesus taught in his Olivet discourse. Whether we're talking about Matthew chapter,

I'm blanking on it now, 24. Matthew 24 and 25, Mark chapter 13,

Luke chapter, what is it, 21? Those three places where Jesus talks about the eventual destruction of the temple.

It is coming and Christ himself will do it. That would all happen within 40 years of his ascending into heaven within that generation.

Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and he will alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.

Well, if the temple is gone, of course those customs are gonna be altered because they won't be able to come into the temple and sacrifice anymore.

Sacrifice will be done away with. And ever since the destruction of the temple in 70, the year 70, there has never been animal sacrifice continuing on in Jerusalem in the place that God has designated that sacrifices would be offered to him.

It is by the providence of God that for the last 2000 years, God has prevented the temple from being reconstructed because our

Passover lamb has been sacrificed as said in 1 Corinthians chapter five, and that is

Jesus Christ. And so we no longer keep those customs which Colossians chapter two says, we're just shadows of the things that were to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

It was all pointing to Christ anyway. Jesus saying, I have come not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them.

And so Jesus has done. We are saved not by our works, not by our doing, not by our keeping of the law.

We don't earn the favor of God in any way, but God by his grace, send his son for us so that all who will believe in him will be forgiven our sins.

We still must do good works, but those good works demonstrate that we truly belong to God.

You could probably read this section here with the accusations that they're making against Stephen.

And you could put, instead of the Sanhedrin, you could say it's the Roman Catholic church. You could say it's the

Eastern Orthodox church, Mormonism, Islam. There are many who will impose these rules and regulations and say that you have to do this in order to be saved.

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ in no other way. And God demonstrates that his blessing is upon Stephen in his testimony.

In that we read here in verse 15, fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the

Sanhedrin saw his face begin shining like the face of an angel.

And then we're gonna pick up there tomorrow in chapter seven with the speech of Stephen and consider that as Stephen is speaking, his face is radiant as he delivers the good news of the message of Jesus Christ as he shares with them the message of the word of God.

My friends, God is always with us, always with us if we hold fast to his word.

And even though people will oppose us, God will bless us and uphold us in those moments for his glory.

Heavenly father, we thank you for what we have read. And I pray that we would hold fast to the word of life as the apostle

Paul says in Philippians chapter two. We know that through these words, we have heard the testimony of salvation, that it's through faith in Jesus Christ who died and rose again.

And may we be willing to share the truth of the gospel with other people. We stand firm on the truths of what are said to us in the scriptures.

So that even if man may oppose us, we know that God is with us and you will always uphold us and deliver us into your presence as you did with Stephen, as we will read about tomorrow.

Bless us in our doing today. In Jesus name we pray, amen. Thank you for listening to when we understand the text with Pastor Gabe Hughes.

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