I have a job for you
Acts 6:1-8:1
Today we are taking a huge chunk of scripture and we are going to jump through it very quickly.
In reality we are only going to highlight some of the really big things in this section.
This block of scripture starts with an internal view of things happening inside the church. We are starting with the Beginning of Chapter 6 because it provides us with some details that help us with the big picture.
It starts with a complaint. The Grecian Jews, also called Hellenistic, think that the Widows that are in that group are being slighted or perhaps even ignored.
I want to make a guess as to the nature of what is happening. The scripture specifically mentions Grecian…Which means they were from outside of Israel. They had come to town and stayed.. perhaps made a pilgrimage and wanted to remain in the home land.
The real problem is that they probably don’t speak Hebrew or Aramaic. They can’t read the flyers about the help that the church offers and perhaps they even live too far to just come and check it out. Since they are not from around there, they have trouble getting connected, to the resources offered.
A couple of weeks ago, we learned that the believers were sharing everything in common, and some were so generous that they sold land and houses and gave the money to the apostles to help out thoes in need.
But there is some kind of a problem, Some age being neglected, the Whole group is called together, I take it to be all of them….and they decide that their call is to teach and preach and that someone else should be selected to serve in this other ministry.
I don’t think that are avoiding getting their hands dirty. They are figuring out that as the church grows, they can’t do all the jobs needed to help the community of faith…
They empower others to serve in ministry.
Seven men are chosen. The text gives us some names: “They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.”
Stephen is set apart with a few characteristics, Full of Faith, and the Holy Spirit. It names Philip who we will hear more about later. Luke has a tendency to give us names of people that will hear more about. Stephen is about to be like some of the fire works that some of you may have wittiness last week.
He is like one of thoes shells that rise way up in the sky and make a huge impression and suddenly fade into black.
You would think that we will hear about how great he meals on wheels program comes together under his leadership. Perhaps some other accounts of the great job this group does..
But no, we will never hear about the ministry again. I suppose that means that it all worked out. Except, I am afraid it will be a fairly short lived program.
What we do hear about Stephen is very different.
Let me read Verses 8-12
Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."
So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
So what is Stephen doing? The description of being full of God’s grace and power, is nice but doing great wonders and miraculous signs.
Doesn’t that sound like he is some how doing the same thing as the apostles. Miracles, that is their department. So while, the apostles choose him to serve the community he is endowed by God with the A list powers and graces.
It talks about opposition from the synagogue…..They say tat there is evidence that during this time that there were between two and fie synagogues operating in Jerusalem. They were led by the Pharisees and cam together to pray and to read and hear teaching about scripture. But the Temple was less than a mile across town, why start synagogues?
The temple services were preformed in Hebrew. The daily services might have been a mystery. The synagogues would have offered teaching and prayers in a language that the Jews that were borne and raised else ware could understand.
The synagogue of the Freedmen, was probably Greek speaking and Stephen goes there and preaches and teaches, signs and wonders happen.
While the people argue with him, they never win. The trump up charges.
So, Stephen, is not just running meals on wheels. He is gong out and doing the work of the Apostles. He is preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. And has the powers that they yield.
One point for you to carry with you today, The apostles had responsibility of every ministry within the church…They request a group to take on primary responsibility of part of the ministry….However, in reality, while they and others in the church have specialized functions … they are all responsible for the ministries of the church.
Stephen is doing his assigned role and still giving his testimony as to his knowledge of the messiah.
Stephen goes to court, just like Peter and John and others. But he goes on trumped up charges. The Synagogue leaders are ranting and raving, they produce false witnesses that miss-quote Stephen.
Then Verse 15 says, “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”
What do you think that means? When babies sleep that idea comes to mind. But a young man….Sounds a little strange.
Could it be is was a cute guy, perhaps but , I doubt that this would be flattering. Perhaps, it means innocent looking. But most of the time people are afraid of angels.
I found on person that suggested that his face was like Moses when he came down from the mountain. That it glowed, with a Shekinah Glory. Their suggestion comes from the speech that Stephen gives.
I think it is very strange that his accusers fail to be influenced by what is described to us.
In Chapter 7 Stephen starts his sermon, He starts by telling the story of Abraham.
The group he is speaking too, change everything they know on Moses and the Law that comes from God. Stephen is baking up to the older covenant. A covenant made by God, for the descendants of Abraham…the promise or contract guaranteed by God himself.
Here is another point to consider. The promises made to Abraham did not come to reality until long after Abraham’s death.
Stephen says in 7:4-6
"God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.
God’s covenant offered him no physical land the farm or live on, and for a long time, not even a child as a sign of fulfillment. Yet Abraham responded.
Then Stephen goes into a brief history where points out the actions of God, modes and the prophets and how Israel rejects every advance. He compares the Temple to the Tabernacle.
The tabernacle was designed by God as a mobile worship center. That traveled where the people were to remind them of the presence of God. Then Stephen points out that God never asked for a temple. That He allowed its construction but that nothing that man could build could ever contain God.
Stephen says starting in 7:48-53
"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: " ’Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?
Has not my hand made all these things?’
"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."
Do you think that Stephen is talking like a person that is worried about what the Sanhedrin will do to him?
I am pretty sure he knows about the rock pile not to far away. But he uses fighting words.
As a fire work he has traveled up, and up and burst into the colorful display, with a bang, he blatantly tells them they are just like their fathers, resisting the Holy Sprit, ignoring the signs and wonders and even Murdering the Righteous One.
Then the biggest attack, he flat tells them that the Law that they want to protect, they have never obeyed.
The scripture tells us their response. (54)
“When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.”
The word furious, is only used twice in the New Testament, means sawn in half, a couple of weeks ago I suggested that it meant so man they were beside themselves. Can you picture this group of pious religious leaders geeing so upset that they grit their teeth.
They ignore the telling of scripture, they are not angry because he told it wrong ….. they are upset because he is pointing out truth.
Truth can hurt. Truth can damage relationships. When the police man points to the radar and starts writing a ticket. Truth can ruin our day.
It is so easy to get angry when confronted with truth.
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 8
1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death
This huge chunk of information is not so large because I think it can be gone thought quickly because there is not much for us. In fact I think there is a lot God says in this section. It is this large because it is one story and in our time in the Book of Acts we are trying to stand back and look at the life of the early church and not just moments and situation but events.
In the story of Stephen we find the largest sermon in acts, the detail and theology far exceeds what we learn form Peter. Stephen is a bright guy called by God to do both church work and the work of the church.
He has a ministry to feed the Widows and to preach the gospel in the Greek community. God calls him to a job and he responds. His daily actions make what we know about him to be like that fire work that is burning full and bright the suddenly after this one fiery sermon he is snuffed out.
Makes you wonder what kind of disciple he would have been of he had not been stoned by the Sanhedrin.
So what are we as readers of the word and especially as Christians today need to find in Stephen’s story.
Don’t talk about Jesus or you might Die? No Definitely not…Stephen was not afraid to die.
None of us should be afraid to die.
The quick answer is that God calls all of us to serve in the ministry of the church. Each of us will have a specialty which we will do and almost no one will even notice. The Grass gets cut, People are visited, the Light bulbs get changed, the communion table gets set. Our ministry to the church itself goes on with minimum notice and attention.
However we are all called to minister to people outside the church. We are called to preach the Gospel and sometimes that means with words.
We are called to a live of service inside and outside the church. We are called to be fire works that bring people’s attention to the good news. We are called as the body of Christ to live in the world, to love the sinners, to reach the lost.
We are called to live a life that includes at least a little risk, so that others will notice the brilliance and beauty the infilling of the Sprit gives each of us.
Are we burning for Christ or are we a dud.
ANDREW LEWIS story - All Glory be to God!
