The Promise of God’s Presence
Acts 7:1-8
Good Morning
John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. NKJV
Charles Williams said, “In Jesus, the truth and self-expression of God has become human; the meaning of life and all existence has become human.
Therefore, only if you know this human being will you find what you have hoped for in philosophy or the Bible
The difference between any other great figure in history and Jesus is the difference between an example of living and the One who is life itself.
Jesus is real life, and without Him, there is no life!
Many of us have heard the statement, “Jesus loves you”, so many times that we fail to ponder its significance.
The Holy, righteous, creator of the universe, whose very nature demands holiness, Loves You despite yourself!
This phrase embodies a more important truth than anyone could ever grasp: the fact that the LORD has called you into a loving relationship with Himself.
After we enter into a relationship with the LORD, He promises to be with us from that time through eternity!
Our part is simply to trust and believe in the deep care and compassion Jesus freely extends to us.
Please open your Bibles to Acts 7
Remember from last week’s message about the early Deacon Stephen, he was forced to go before the religious leaders and he told them how Jesus is so far superior to Moses.
Those who were in power were not willing to accept this teaching and became furious with Stephen.
We learned that Stephen was not only God’s agent of change, he was also a person of Faith, Character, and Courage.
So, as the religious leaders were accusing Stephen of blasphemy, they were getting stones ready to execute him.
I. The God of glory appeared.
Read Acts 7:1-5
In vs 1, the question posed to Stephen is, “Are these things so?"
What was the high priest asking about?
Acts 6:11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."
They also accused Stephen of speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.
The Jews identified themselves as a people who were very proud of four things: Moses, the Law, their Land, and their Temple.
Moses is revered by the Jews as a central figure, as the most important prophet and the greatest of all prophets.
Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments as the LORD appeared to him at Mount Sinai.
At this time in history, the Temple represented their main place of worship, the place where God’s glory dwelt, and it also represented their national pride.
So, as Stephen was being accused of attacking everything the Jews held dear, he began his defense by reminding these religious leaders of how the LORD appeared to Abraham.
Stephen gave reverence for their history as he demonstrated that the LORD is not limited by the Temple or the Promised Land.
Not only did the LORD appear to Moses before entering the Promised Land and the existence of the Temple, but the LORD appeared to Abraham before those things as well.
Stephen was trying to show these religious leaders that the LORD is present everywhere and He is always with His people, no matter where they are.
John Stott said, “A single thread runs right through the first part of his defense. It is that the God of Israel is a pilgrim God, who is not restricted to any one place…
“If He has any home on earth, it is with His people that He lives.” (Stott)
When we get to the New Testament, as Paul said…
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? NKJV
Stephen, while being accused of wrongdoing, used the opportunity to reveal the gracious heart of the LORD through Israel’s history.
So, Stephen gave a rebuttal to the religious leaders about the story of Abraham’s faith and promise.
Abraham left the land of his father, leaving behind any possible inheritance; he had no home, no land, no children, but he believed the LORD.
Although Abraham never fully received the promise in his lifetime, his offspring would receive the Promised Land after him.
Abraham did nothing at all to deserve God’s Promise. The LORD chose him to receive the Promise, and there were no strings attached; it was an unconditional or unilateral promise.
The LORD has made us an unconditional promise as well, and that is to save those who trust in Jesus for salvation.
Stephen explained to these leaders that even though the LORD told Abraham to leave Mesopotamia, he did not immediately go into the land of Canaan but went to his father in Haran.
Even though Abraham did not immediately obey the LORD, he still became the father of faith because he trusted the LORD.
Abraham was not immediately given children or the Promised Land, but he trusted the LORD for those things by faith.
Stephen’s lesson is that the LORD is a rewarder of faith, and He is not physically bound by a Temple building or a certain land.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Hebrews 11:9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. NKJV
II. God’s timing is always right.
Read Acts 7:6
As the LORD was telling Abram about His promise to him, we are told in…
Genesis 15:13 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. NKJV
Later, we see the fulfillment in Exodus 12:40, “Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.
Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years — on that very same day — it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. NKJV
The LORD waited to give Israel their Promised Land for a couple of reasons that we know and other reasons we don’t.
One reason the LORD waited is found within the promise to Abram in
Genesis 15:14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
The Egyptian people gave the Israelites many possessions as they were leaving Egypt.
The second reason, Genesis 15:15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.
Genesis 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." NKJV
The Amorites worshiped other gods, and the LORD promised to remove them from the land, which happened after Israel went into Canaan.
gotquestions.org said, “God certainly could have chosen a different way or a different time frame for placing the Israelites in their Promised Land, but He chose a particular way to bring glory to Himself.
“The 400-year sojourn in Egypt included many examples of God’s wisdom and might.” (gotquestions.org)
Joseph’s preservation of the Israelites during a famine, Moses’ rise to leadership, and God’s great miracles, such as the crossing of the Red Sea, were all part of Israel’s time in Egypt.”
There are times when God’s will is not clear to us, and during those times, we are to trust Him by faith and wait on the LORD.
We trust and wait on the LORD because He is trustworthy, and we love Him.
We serve and love the LORD because He first loved us; it is a response from a love relationship, not based on our deeds.
The LORD’s timing is perfect, and He allows His plan to happen in our lives, so now we are to live for Him every day!
Because the Lord’s timing is perfect and His desire is for all to come to repentance, may we go out and be His hands and feet to a lost, dying world; God’s Promise will always come through!
III. God’s covenant given.
Read Acts 7:7-8
The promise had to be received by faith because Abraham could not see the fulfillment with the eyes of flesh.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. NKJV
Stephen let the religious leaders know that the LORD protects His people, and Abraham believed the LORD.
Notice, “He gave him the covenant of circumcision…Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.”
Circumcision was a sign of the covenant for Israel, and the covenant was passed down to the descendants of Abraham.
Genesis 17:10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised.
Genesis 17:11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
Genesis 17:12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.
Genesis 17:13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Circumcision was the cutting off of the flesh as a sign and covenant with the LORD. It also represents the fact that God wants to be Lord of even the most intimate parts of my life.
When we get to the New Testament, Paul said…
Colossians 2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, NKJV
Circumcision is an outward sign of an inner decision made to dedicate oneself to the LORD. That’s how one receives Christ’s Circumcision; i.e., “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh”
There are 3 lessons from circumcision we can apply to our lives:
a. Our bodies belong to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. NKJV
Paul said to be careful what we do with our physical bodies; because spiritually, we offered ourselves to the LORD.
b. Circumcision of the heart.
Deuteronomy 30:6 the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. NKJV
The sign of cutting away the flesh was simply to be an outward sign showing surrender and allowing the Lord to change hearts.
c. When I am weak, He is strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." NKJV
In our thinking, weakness is not a good thing…but when we are weak, then we allow God to work, which is real strength.
When the children of Israel escaped Egypt and crossed over the Jordan River to take the Promised Land, the LORD told them.
Joshua 5:1 when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea…
…heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel. NKJV
The enemies of the Israelites were scarred because of the miracle the Lord had just performed by drying up the River…
Joshua’s military leaders probably came to Joshua and said, “This is a perfect time to attack our enemies because they are scared to death.” But…
Joshua 5:3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
What a lousy military strategy; to inflict your army with a surgical procedure just before battle. The leaders around Joshua were probably complaining about this terrible idea.
Do you realize how much pain these men would be in?
Two weeks later, the LORD told them to march around Jericho, but not to attack it. The LORD’s methods seem foolish to people who are not following Him, yet God brought the victory.
Curtis Vaughn said, “Our spiritual circumcision meant the putting off of the old man.
“The Greek word for ‘putting off’, a double compound, denotes both stripping off and casting away. The imagery is that of discarding – or being divested of – a piece of filthy clothing.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV
For Christians, the outward representation of an inward heart change is now shown through Water Baptism.
IV. Practical Application.
Israel was called God’s own special people, but they never understood how the LORD wanted them to enter into a personal relationship with Him by faith.
The Jews identified themselves as a people who were very proud of four things: Moses, the Law, their Land, and their Temple.
Moses is revered by the Jews as a central figure, as the most important prophet and the greatest of all prophets.
Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments as the LORD appeared to him at Mount Sinai.
At this time in history, the Temple represented their main place of worship, the place where God’s glory dwelt, and it also represented their national pride.
The nation had pride in all these things but they missed the LORD when He visited them in the person of Jesus Christ.
Charles Williams said, “In Jesus, the truth and self-expression of God has become human; the meaning of life and all existence has become human.
Therefore, only if you know this human being will you find what you have hoped for in philosophy or the Bible
The difference between any other great figure in history and Jesus is the difference between an example of living and the One who is life itself.
Jesus is real life, and without Him, there is no life!
Many of us have heard the statement, “Jesus loves you”, so many times that we fail to ponder its significance.
The Holy, righteous, creator of the universe, whose very nature demands holiness, Loves You despite yourself!
This phrase embodies a more important truth than anyone could ever grasp: the fact that the LORD has called you into a loving relationship with Himself.
After we enter into a relationship with the LORD, He promises to be with us from that time through eternity!
Our part is simply to trust and believe in the deep care and compassion Jesus freely extends to us.
The Lord is always present, whether we feel or realize it.
Hebrews 13:5 For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." NKJV
There are moments when we can sense the manifest presence of the LORD more than at other times.
We do not want to live for emotions or try to remanufacture moments with the LORD, but there are sweet moments when we experience the manifest presence of God that we desire.
David desired the LORD’s presence and said,
Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. NKJV
God's manifest presence is spiritual, not physical, but it can be just as real as the physical for a Christian. I can experience His presence with prayer, personal worship, times of need, or trials.
When I truly enter in and allow my mind’s eye to go before the throne of God in prayer, I sense the manifest presence of God.
During times of need or intense spiritual trials, I can also sense the manifest presence of God. I believe the Lord allows certain situations in my life so that I can authentically experience Him.
Time with the LORD is so important for His followers.
It refreshes us, renews us, and re-energizes us. If you are struggling in life, try seeking the manifest presence of the Lord.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Spending more time with the LORD won’t necessarily stop the trials in our lives, but it will help us to know that Jesus walks through the fires of life with us.
Jesus will either remove the trials, or He will give us the strength to endure them.
Although it was spoken to Israel, the same is true for us. In Christ, the LORD promises never to leave us nor forsake us.
If you are tired of trying to manage this life on your own, call out to Jesus and allow Him to take over and direct your path.
The Lord is not hiding or trying to make it difficult to find Him. He is seeking people who will receive His gift of salvation.
Romans 10:11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
Romans 10:11 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
Romans 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." NKJV
