“BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH” (Outline)
April 25, 2010 -
Easter 4 -
ACTS 7:51-60
INTRO: Faithfulness and commitment are rare words in our society today. Too many break their com-mitments because of unfaithfulness. Divorce is rampant. Living together without marriage is the norm rather than the exception. Athletes break contracts (commitment) for more money. Faithfulness and commitment need to be the trademarks of today’s Christian church. Being faithfully committed to Christ does not mean a protected life of luxury or ease. In fact the opposite can be quite true. "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life" (REVELATION 2:10).
“BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH”.
Believers who are faithful to the point of death will be
I. Faithful to God’s truth. II. Faithful to God’s glory.
I. FAITHFUL TO GOD’S TRUTH
A. The twelve apostles chose Stephen as an elder to help with the daily charities of the growing church.
1. God blessed Stephen. The synagogue leaders were jealous. They arrested him
2. Stephen reminds the leaders of their precious history. Once slaves in Egypt but now free.
3. Moses led them to freedom in the Promised Land. Pharaoh hardened his heart time and again.
B. Verse 51a. God was concerned with the hearts of these people not their outward, faithless obedience.
1. Verse 51b. Like their fathers these people resist God and his word. They finally reject.
2. Verse 52a. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc lived the majority of their lives under death threats.
C. Verses 52b, 53. “You” = they were the ones who killed Jesus even though they knew better.
1. Verse 54. With anger the people rejected God’s law. They were angry and upset at Stephen.
2. Last week the people responded with repentance: “Brothers, what shall we do?” (ACTS 2:37).
D. God’s law is harsh. God’s law simply and clearly points out our sins and shortcomings. God’s law reminds us that we fall short of the glory of God over and over and over again and again. Sadly, all too many would rather reject God’s truth than listen, believe, repent. At times, we too turn a deaf ear to what God says to us. Who really wants to hear how bad they are? Who really wants to hear that God is holy and we are not? Yet God does not give up. "Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen"(2 CHRON. 24:19).
E. God’s truth contains law and gospel. The law of God may at times be very unpleasant at times. God’s law is still the truth of God. To be faithful even to the point of death believers need to always be faithful to God’s truth. This is not always easy in our day and age. Every day brings us closer to the re-turn of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Last Day. That will be a great day. But, until then, things will get (and already are) much worse. "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving" (2 TIMOTHY 3:1-3ff). There is more to this list. Looking at this list we quickly realize that each one of us fit into at least half of the evil things listed. Study it closer and a bit longer and we soon realize that none of us can claim any innocence from any of the evil things listed.
F. Such is the truth of God’s law. While many today would try to do away with the brutal impact of the law it is vital to our faith-life. God’s truth, yes, even God’s law teaches the believer about faithfulness. "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes" (PSALM 19:7,8). Law, statutes, precepts, and commands all mean the same thing. God’s law makes us wise to our sinful condition. God’s law opens our eyes to see that we cannot save ourselves. God’s law makes us look for the Savior who saves providing joy in our hearts.
“BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH”.
Believers want to be faithful to God’s truth.
II. FAITHFUL TO GOD’S GLORY
A. Stephen had to remind the leaders in the synagogue they were the stubborn ones, murderers: anger.
1. Verse 54. God gave Stephen a rare glimpse into heaven itself. There was Jesus – arisen!
2. Verse 55. Stephen testifies to the great glory of God. Jesus is alive and well and with God!
B. Verses 57, 58a. Rather than rejoice the crowd is angrier and resorts to violence. They resist, reject.
1. Verse 58b. This is Saul who later becomes Paul. Stoning takes effort on part of the crowd.
2. Crucifixion is the worst way to perish. Stoning would be a close second: bruised to death.
C. Verse 59. "While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Stephen does not try to escape. He does not complain. Stephen looks forward to heaven.
1. Verse 60. "Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep." Like Jesus, Stephen prays for those who are unfairly putting him to death.
2. After all is said and done, “he fell asleep”: what a beautiful description of a believer’s death.
D. The death of Stephen does not at first glance seem to be very glorious. What did Stephen know? What does every believer know? God’s glory awaits every faithful believer on the other side of this mortal life. The world thinks it can win by taking away the breath and human life of a person. That is not the truth at all. The physical death for any and every believer means to fall asleep safely in the arms of Jesus. We often welcome sleep at the end of a long day. We wake up refreshed. The believer’s death is described as a welcome sleep. More importantly we will wake up refreshed forever. "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’" (1 CORINTHIANS 15:54).
E. None of us know when the time will come for us to see the eternal glory of God in heaven. For some that day is near. For others that day is farther away. Until that time the faithful believer will want to remain faithful to God’s glory. God’s glory is seen in our lives of faith that reflect the life of Jesus (and Stephen). The Christian has the privilege, blessing, and responsibility to live life with a much higher standard than compared to the view of this world. Too often we think we want to be like others. God wants us to live above the low standards of this wicked world. "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (LUKE 6:27,28). Yes, there are those who oppose God and his word. Pray for them. There are those who oppose our nation because of the freedoms we enjoy. Pray for them. Yes, do good to all people.
F. What God asks is not always easy. This is one reason that we gather together around God’s word of truth. We meet together and worship together to encourage one another. We also meet and worship together to be encouraged by the Lord God Almighty himself. Christian living with faithfulness and commitment does not depend on our human efforts. Rather, by grace God plants faith in our hearts that we might live with Christ in our lives. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (EPHESIANS 4:32). In Christ we know God’s love. In Christ we have God’s forgiveness. Through Christ we live God’s love and share God’s forgiveness. This is God’s glory.
CONC: Once again, today (and every day), we rejoice in the grace of God that has raised Jesus from the dead. By grace we testify to the truth of God’s word. God’s law shows us our sins. God’s gospel shows us our Savior. We strive to be faithful to God’s truth. God’s truth reveals to us God’s glory. Our lives do want to show and share God’s glory. "In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.’" (ISAIAH 25:9). “BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH”. May our gracious and forgiving God keep us faithful day after day right into eternity. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EASTER 4 rdgs:
ACTS 13:15,16a, 26-33;
REVELATION 7:9-17;
JOHN 10:22-30;
(PSALM 23)
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