84. The Martyrdom of Stephen (End-TImes Series Part 33)

The PRODCAST

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:05

Hello everyone and welcome back to the broadcast where we prod the sheep and beat the wolf this is episode 84 the martyrdom of Stephen The beginning of martyrdom

00:30

Now when you examine the history of the Christian Church There are many reasons why believers have been persecuted and even martyred for their faith

00:38

For instance during periods of Roman persecution It was commonplace for believers to be murdered for refusing to acknowledge

00:46

Caesar as Lord The Romans didn't care in the slightest that people wanted to worship a messianic upstart that they in turn had crucified

00:53

No, no, no, they only took issue when the Caesar was not a part of your pantheon of gods

01:00

You could worship any number of ridiculous deities so long as you acknowledge the Lordship of Caesar and since Christians Only have one

01:08

Lord they were killed in droves and significantly persecuted for failing to acknowledge Caesars deity now as we've noted in previous articles and previous blogs and podcasts the most violent period of Christian persecution that has

01:23

Existed and I'm talking about when you look at that from the percentage of Christians that are murdered from their faith Overwhelmingly occurred in the first century at the hands of the blood -thirsty

01:31

Jews Long before Christianity reached a million people or even 2 .4 billion people for that matter and long before It had spread throughout the

01:40

Roman world which occurred around the third century AD This messianic offshoot of biblical

01:46

Old Covenant Judaism called the way Acts 9 to began in Judea and it was heavily persecuted in Jerusalem Which is precisely what

01:55

Jesus promised would happen Matthew 24 9 Now that persecution began almost immediately after Jesus's resurrection and it increased in intensity quite rapidly

02:09

For instance in Acts chapter 2 the crowds mocked the disciples for speaking in various tongues at Pentecost in Acts 4

02:17

Persecutions are intensified leading to their arrest and they're being warned never to teach in the name of Jesus again

02:24

When they fail to comply with that warning They were arrested a second time in Acts chapter 5 this time without a warning and without an offer to be released

02:34

It was at this point that an angel broke them out of the prison and then they went back to preaching and teaching in the temple

02:39

Mount once again, which led to a third arrest and their first public beating

02:44

So by the time you get to Acts chapter 6 One of the early deacons a man named Stephen is not only arrested for his faith in Jesus and he's not only beaten

02:53

But he becomes the first Christian to undergo the brutality of martyrdom after Stephen was stolen thousands upon thousands of Christians would be butchered in the first century by the

03:03

Jews in various and sundry ways now Everybody needs a recap.

03:08

So we know where we're at If you've been tracking along with this series of eschatology through the book of Acts You'll remember where we have been at week one

03:16

We identified the need for an eschatological series in the book of Acts because frankly the book is filled with eschatological passages

03:23

In week two, we saw how Jesus's end time kingdom was inaugurated in heaven at his ascension

03:29

But it doesn't stay there in week three We watched a significant eschatological passages from the

03:34

Old Testament were fulfilled at Pentecost Bringing that heavenly kingdom down to earth so that now it exists in the physical realm

03:42

Then in weeks four five six and seven we examined Peter's first eschatological sermon in Jerusalem Where he not only foreshadowed the awful doom of all of those who rejected

03:53

Christ But he also set forth the glorious kingdom that would be inherited by all who love him in week eight

03:59

We examined Peter's second eschatological sermon which not only teaches about who's going to enter the kingdom but it talks about how expansive the kingdom is going to be for the elect of God and then last week we witnessed how the

04:12

Jews Unwittingly following the prophecy of Gamaliel were found to be fighting against God and rejecting his kingdom by rejecting his church and Just like the

04:24

Messianic upstarts that Gamaliel Mentions in Acts chapter 5 through this and Judas of Galilee the

04:30

Jews would soon likewise perish at the hands of the invading Roman armies Now I'd like to transition from this point to our to this episode and talk about how the theme of the

04:42

Exodus has been informing our time so far and the theme of the Exodus is going to push us into this section where where Stephen is martyred

04:52

So in a sense our time in the book of Acts has been telling us the story of a brand new

04:58

Exodus a true and a better Deliverer was raised up better than Moses and his name is

05:03

Christ calling upon his people to leave their slavery to sin Be removed from the tyranny of the serpent king and to follow him to the paradise land

05:12

Where they will be in the eternal land of milk and honey under the canopy of his covenant blessings forever

05:19

Jesus is the greater Moses Well, like Israel the early church was also experiencing great fruitfulness and multiplication

05:27

We see Israel experiencing that fruitfulness and multiplication in Exodus chapter 1 verse 7 where it says that they were fruitful and multiplied in the land of Egypt and we see that for the church in Acts chapter 6 verse 7 where even though they were experiencing

05:42

Persecutions they were being fruitful and multiplying. Well, like Israel the people of the land

05:48

That's the that's the Jews were becoming jealous of God's people and they were attempting to stomp them out

05:55

Deuteronomy 32 31 talks about this jealousy that God has given them over to a spirit of jealousy because of their idolatry and We see that that is coming true in Acts 5 17 where it says that they were made jealous

06:08

So that passage is coming alive Like Israel the early church is being led by a hovering fire and a wind cloud theophany of God's presence in the same way that the people of the

06:19

The people of Israel were being led by a cloud by day and a fire by night

06:25

Now you remember that was the people of Israel being led through the wilderness to the promised land by the Spirit of God who was

06:30

Who was showing up in this fire in this cloud? Theophany form well in the

06:36

Pentecost the Spirit of God hovers over the people of Israel like a fire and he hovers over them like a rushing wind coming into their into the upper room so loud in fact that people out in the

06:48

Out in the city came in order to hear what was going on So in the same way that you have fire and cloud and the

06:53

Exodus you have fire and cloud over the disciples In the same way this growing expansive wandering people became too much for one man

07:02

Moses to lead and administrate faithfully, that's Exodus 18 17 through 21 where his father -in -law

07:09

Jethro gives him this great advice on how to Administrate the this wandering group of nomadic people called the

07:16

Israelites well in Acts you've got the disciples saying that they can't handle the the administrative load of the early church and you've got them following Jethro's advice divvying out the

07:25

Responsibilities to faithful men in the community so that the Apostles could focus on the intercessory

07:30

Ministry of the word and prayer acts 6 1 through 3 Some of these men were set apart as elders in the community

07:37

Just like we see in numbers the elders are established or in Acts 14 The elders are established in the New Covenant community while others were set apart like the

07:45

Levites as deacons We see that in Acts 6 5 through 6 now regardless of their position or their place in the church

07:53

Every one of them was coming together to joyfully serve the Living Christ It was the cornerstone of the church and in doing that they were trying to see

08:01

Jesus's kingdom built up as the true in time Temple 1st Corinthians 3 16 instead of the tabernacle in the wilderness

08:08

Built with living stones instead of with sheets of goat hair and fur First Peter 2 5 that would fill the entire world not just the land of Canaan with God's glory

08:18

These events are clear allusions to the original Exodus But they're amplified to be a greater

08:24

Exodus and they help us understand clearly why God is going to destroy the first century

08:29

Jews instead of being the chosen people of God who had tender hearts and following him and his chosen deliverer they

08:37

Acted more like the Egyptians who were chasing God's people and hunting them down and killing them If nothing else they grumbled like their ancestors did before they turned on God's deliverer and they not only threatened to kill him like the

08:50

Wandering at wilderness generation threatened to kill Moses, but they also they shamefully succeeded in killing the

08:56

Lord Jesus Christ For their covenant crimes killing God's one and only Son Acts 2 36

09:01

God would do to them What he did to the original wilderness generation by allowing them to wander in their sins for 40 years and allowing their dead bodies to Litter the wilderness ground after that period of 40 years was up numbers 1433 and we see that in the

09:17

New Covenant in Matthew 24 28 and 34 It's not just the Old Covenant people who are gonna die after 40 years

09:24

Jesus prophesied that this generation this wicked and adulterous generation is going to just like the people of old die in the city of Jerusalem for their covenant crimes.

09:34

So there you have another allusion to the Exodus now amid all of this Exodus context between You know back 1 ,500 years ago with Moses and this

09:44

Exodus context that is sort of developing in the book of Acts amid that God is beginning to raise up faithful men out of that crooked and perverse generation like he calls them in Deuteronomy 32 5

09:56

In the original Exodus there was Caleb and Joshua. These are men who were set apart because their faithfulness

10:02

And they were allowed to enter the Lord's good land because of it numbers 32 12 Well in the

10:08

New Testament, you don't see two men you see seven men seven men who were appointed to the office of deacon because of their faithfulness to God and Just like Caleb and Joshua they would not die in the

10:19

Old Covenant sands along with the rest of the rebels But instead they would lead God's people like Joshua into the

10:25

New Covenant paradise That we call the kingdom of God or the age of the church Now one of these men named

10:32

Stephen after he laid after they laid hands on him And this is the church installed him to the office of deacon

10:39

He was said to be like Joshua full of faith serving God in the power of the Holy Spirit Which is exactly how

10:45

Joshua was described in Deuteronomy 34 9 according to the text he was doing signs miracles and wonders just like Moses was described in Deuteronomy 34 10 and You know

10:57

It says that he was doing these things in Acts chapter 6 verse 8 When the people of Judah finally turned on him and threatened to kill him he broke out in one of the greatest sermons of the

11:07

New Testament mirroring the words of Moses and Deuteronomy 32 and that sermon

11:12

He walked the crowds through the noteworthy events that went on in the Exodus and he showcased to them how they had the same stiff -necked heart of the people of old

11:22

Acts chapter 7 now Just before his spirit wrought message the people noted that his face was shining like the face of an angel which again is the same

11:32

Phenomenon that happened to Moses in the Exodus. That's Exodus 34 29 through 35 in almost every single paragraph of the book of Acts Exodus themes are bubbling to the surface and this of course is not by accident

11:46

God is alerting us that the same kind of people who rejected him back Then are going to reject him again and like the people of old they will die after 40 years of wandering now back to the streets of Jerusalem as Stephen stood before the angry crowd whipped into a kind of frenzy the likes of which you rarely see unless you're talking about modern -day mostly peaceful protests

12:11

Stephen opened his mouth and beautifully articulated the history of Old Covenant Israel. He went through most of their early existence

12:18

Explicitly focusing on the call of Abraham the deliverance from Egypt and the wilderness generation that was led by Moses to the edge of the promised

12:25

Land upon hearing this familiar tale one can assume that there may have been a few hearty Amens, maybe even a couple of silent head nods because the men of Israel would have been well accustomed to and enjoyed

12:38

Hearing their ancient story and here Stephen is telling it really well They there may have been a few in the crowd wondering what all the controversy was all about since this man is telling the story

12:49

So so articulately, but if the crowd in that moment were just a little fired up Stephen was about to let loose the gasoline the flamethrower that he was gonna bring came near the end of his message when he jarringly compared his

13:04

Interlocutors with the wicked and the adulterous generation who died in the days of old things were going so well for the 80 % of the message

13:11

He's saying exactly what they love to hear and then at the end of the message He switches and he says you are the ones who killed the

13:17

Christ That's when things got especially hot because he told them that they were guilty of killing the prophet that Moses had prophesied

13:24

Who's also known in? Isaiah 53 as the righteous one. This is what he tells them you men who are stiff -necked and uncircumcised

13:33

In your heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit You are doing just as your father's did which one of the prophets did your father's not persecute

13:42

They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the righteous one whose betrayers and murderers you have now become

13:49

You you who received the law as ordained by angels yet. You did not keep it acts 751 through 53

13:58

Here Stephen keeps the Exodus flames rolling first calling his contemporaries a generation of stiff -necked people

14:05

Which is an Exodus moniker and then he proclaims that they were uncircumcised of heart which chides them for Discarding the dead foreskin of their body, but not putting away the rotten flesh of their soul these are particularly fiery names considering that Moses is the one who

14:22

First invented them and nicknamed the generation of the wilderness people 1500 years ago

14:28

Deuteronomy 10 16 by all accounts It seems like the Jews who were picking up what he was throwing down getting ready to pick up stones to throw him down Which is why the text tells us that they gnashed their teeth at him like tormented and mangled souls who were living in hell

14:43

Because they hated God and they hated God's people now Meanwhile back up in the heavens while Stephen had just finished his sermon and the rabid crowds are clamoring for his blood

14:55

The lowly deacon looked up into the sky and beheld the risen Christ Instead of seeing

15:00

Jesus seated upon his throne at the right hand of God Which is what we've talked about several times in this series on acts

15:05

He saw he saw the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords standing at the alert and ready and this is remarkable

15:13

What Luke tells us this is what he says being full of the Holy Spirit. That's Stephen He gazed intently into heaven and he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God And he said behold,

15:26

I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God Luke 7 55 through 56

15:34

Now beyond the Exodus Explicit references that we've seen above this text acts 1 through 7 has been littered with clear and unmistakable

15:43

References to eschatology and this is especially clear and obvious in the stoning of Stephen Where several eschatological floodwaters come together for instance

15:53

There are only three times in the Bible where Jesus stands in heaven and every single one of them is referencing the same eschatological event

16:02

For instance Daniel chapter 7 is the first one when the heavens are opened up Daniel sees in the night visions one like the

16:09

Son of Man who rides upon the clouds and comes up From the earth up to the

16:14

Ancient of Days who dwells in heaven. It's Daniel 7 13 a Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 24 30 and Caiaphas at his trial that they were witnessing that very event in their lifetime

16:26

Matthew 26 64 Then a mere 40 years after Jesus's resurrection. He does exactly what he says

16:33

He ascends into heaven on a cloud just like he and Daniel Foretold leaving his disciples standing there gazing up at the clouds and watching with paralyzing

16:42

Fixation and astonishment on what was happening before their very eyes Acts chapter 1 verse 11

16:48

Now other than the two angels who came down that morning to rebuke the disciples for just standing there in cloud gazing

16:54

The rest of the angels in heaven and God the Father the Ancient of Days were receiving

17:00

Jesus Joyfully home to heaven where he was presented before the host of heavenly Armies for his heavenly coronation and his enthronement ceremony

17:08

Daniel 7 13 B Before he sat down to rule He was given all authority by his father and all dominion over every square inch of the cosmos that said explicitly in Daniel 7 14

17:19

So that when all of heaven rejoiced in the standing Lord then and only then did he sit down for his never -ending rule

17:26

That is how Daniel 7 describes it. Listen. I kept looking in the night visions behold with the clouds of heaven one like the

17:33

Son of Man was coming and he came up to the Ancient of Days and was Presented before him and to him was given dominion glory and a kingdom

17:42

That all the people's nations and men of every language might serve him His dominion is an everlasting dominion

17:50

Which will not pass away and his kingdom is one in which will not be destroyed

17:55

Again, Daniel 7 13 through 14 this occasion of Jesus is standing is fulfilled in his ascension unto heaven

18:03

So that's the first one the second occasion of Jesus standing occurs in the last book of the

18:08

Bible which is Revelation chapter 5 Giving us the most spectacular view of the exact same heavenly phenomenon

18:15

But using grand and visionary language to paint the picture in chapter 5

18:20

John tells us that a scroll was presented in heaven and that no one could open it because it was sealed with many seals

18:26

Now John the Revelator the one who's writing this wept at that news thinking that no one

18:31

Would be possibly found that was worthy enough to open this scroll yet Since there's only one scroll in the

18:38

Bible that it said explicitly that God commanded for it to be sealed Which was the messianic prophecies of Daniel.

18:45

We see that Daniel 9 24 12 4 and 12 9 and Since those scrolls were to be opened

18:51

Explicitly by the Messiah, which is what Daniel says that he will open them in his messianic age It should not be surprising to us that the

19:00

Messiah in Revelation chapter 5 stands up shows up in heaven And he is the one who is found supremely worthy to open the scroll in Revelation 5 he doesn't appear as he doesn't

19:12

Daniel is the son of man But he appears as a lamb the one who has been slain and he is the one who will open up the scrolls and open

19:19

Up the seal and then he will gain a kingdom, which is exactly what Daniel says But Revelation is saying it with a little bit of panache

19:26

John says it this way Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it and one of the elders said to me stop weeping because the lion that is from the tribe of Judah the root of David has

19:41

Overcome so as to open the book and it's seven seals and I saw between the throne with the four living creatures and the elders

19:49

Standing as if slain having seven horns and seven eyes Which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth and he came and he took the book out of the right

19:58

Hand of him. That's God who sat upon the throne And when he had taken the book the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb each one holding a harp

20:08

And golden bowls of incense Which are the prayers of the Saints and they sang a new song saying worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals?

20:16

For you were slain and Purchased for God with the blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation

20:24

Revelation 5 4 through 9 Now a slightly different language John and Daniel are describing the exact same thing the son of man and Daniel 7 is the slain lamb of Revelation 5 his presentation in front of the host of heaven and Daniel 7 is

20:39

His approach to the throne of God to grab the book in Revelation 5 and while Daniel Foresaw this messianic figure being cut off from the land of the living

20:47

Daniel 9 26 John adds necessary details to the prophecy showing that the way he was cut off was by becoming the righteous slain lamb

20:57

Where whereby he died in his crucifixion the one who would appear victoriously in heaven in his resurrection

21:03

And while Daniel authored the confusing scroll that God commanded to be sealed up to the very end

21:08

It was this lion from the tribe of Judah the victorious lamb from Revelation 5 that was slain

21:14

Who would be found worthy to open Daniel scroll? this opening in Revelation 5

21:20

Corresponds to the same event that Daniel is describing where the Son of Man is presented before the ancient of days and Given an eternal kingdom to reign over and we know that's exactly and precisely why because when the lamb opens the scroll

21:35

Revelation 5 says that he's given a kingdom which is exactly what Daniel 7 says Look at what

21:41

John look at how John describes this then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders and the number of Them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessings and Every creature and every created thing which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and under the sea and all of them

22:07

I heard them saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and Dominion forever and ever

22:18

Again, Daniel 7 Revelation 5 are saying the exact same things when Jesus stands in heaven

22:24

It is referring to the same event. It is the moment just prior to him being seated on the throne

22:30

Taking up his role for all eternity It is the moment right before he reigns at the right hand of the

22:37

Father It is the moment where he has ascended up to heaven and he is received by God received by the angels and given

22:45

His everlasting dominion That's what Daniel 7 in Revelation 5 are talking about the ascension of the

22:51

Sun being received in the heaven given his eternal dominion He appears as the risen victorious lamb and as the son of man in the throne room to be given all

23:02

Dominion all authority and the kingdom Based on the obedience that he earned in his death barrel and resurrection now

23:10

When Stephen looks up into heaven and he sees Jesus standing You and I should not conclude that Jesus is doing anything different than what

23:20

Daniel 7 and Revelation 5 is talking about Daniel is not or sorry.

23:25

Stephen is not seeing Jesus take a stretch break or a yoga break Absolutely not and More seriously, we should not conclude that he has been sitting down to rule and now that they're killing

23:36

Stephen Jesus is getting a little bit nervous and he creeps up to go peek beyond the clouds. That's not true either

23:42

Jesus is standing in Acts chapter 7 for the same reason He's standing in Daniel chapter 7 and he's standing for the same reason as he stood in Revelation chapter 5

23:50

He is standing in heaven because when he arrived it broke out in celebration to greet him And then he was presented to the ancient of days in his coronation.

23:59

Then as the lamb who was slain He was given the scroll of Daniel to open it from the right hand of God guaranteeing his ownership and his victory over all flesh and then in Acts chapter 7 before he sat down to reign with all authority power and Dominion He allowed himself to be seen by this by the martyred

24:18

Stephen just before his death Standing in all of his authority and power the newly inaugurated king of glory

24:24

Who will watch? Stephen die and then sit down on his throne to reign in the kingdom that will put all violence sin and misery to death

24:33

That day when Stephen saw the risen resurrected glorified standing

24:40

Lord He was given a hopeful glimpse that would sustain him through every blow of the stone

24:46

Striking against his body until he was dead in that moment He saw a demonstration that even though this evil is being perpetrated against him the

24:56

Lord Jesus Christ reigns and That gave our brother courage and that gave the early church courage

25:03

To stand against every single bitter strike to the very end We know from acts that he has come into his kingdom

25:11

Jesus has we know that he has all authority in heaven and on earth and while this martyrdom of Stephen in Jerusalem Kick -started one of the worst periods of persecution martyrdom the church has ever seen the standing

25:23

Christ reminds us that Evil does not win That Jesus's church will not be defeated and that we must march on in battle knowing that we are gaining ground glory, hallelujah

25:43

Thanks so much for listening to another episode of the podcast is my joy and pleasure to bring these episodes to you each week

25:50

I know this episode today was very dense listen to it again a second time if you need to read it on the blog at the shepherds church and If you like what we're doing here subscribe to it send it out to more people

26:02

You can also give by going to the shepherds church and clicking the give tab to help support us and help make sure that more

26:08

Content like this is produced until next time. God richly bless you and get to work