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v03950
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1994-03-02
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03958
* The appointment of deacons. (1-7) Stephen falsely accused of
blasphemy. (8-15)
#1-7 Hitherto the disciples had been of one accord; this often
had been noticed to their honour; but now they were multiplied,
they began to murmur. The word of God was enough to take up all
the thoughts, cares, and time of the apostles. The persons
chosen to serve tables must be duly qualified. They must be
filled with gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, necessary to
rightly managing this trust; men of truth, and hating
covetousness. All who are employed in the service of the church,
ought to be commended to the Divine grace by the prayers of the
church. They blessed them in the name of the Lord. The word and
grace of God are greatly magnified, when those are wrought upon
by it, who were least likely.
03965
#8-15 When they could not answer Stephen's arguments as a
disputant, they prosecuted him as a criminal, and brought false
witnesses against him. And it is next to a miracle of
providence, that no greater number of religious persons have
been murdered in the world, by the way of perjury and pretence
of law, when so many thousands hate them, who make no conscience
of false oaths. Wisdom and holiness make a man's face to shine,
yet will not secure men from being treated badly. What shall we
say of man, a rational being, yet attempting to uphold a
religious system by false witness and murder! And this has been
done in numberless instances. But the blame rests not so much
upon the understanding, as upon the heart of a fallen creature,
which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Yet
the servant of the Lord, possessing a clear conscience, cheerful
hope, and Divine consolations, may smile in the midst of danger
and death.
03973
* Stephen's defence. (1-50) Stephen reproves the Jews for the
death of Christ. (51-53) The martyrdom of Stephen. (54-60)
#1-16 Stephen was charged as a blasphemer of God, and an
apostate from the church; therefore he shows that he is a son of
Abraham, and values himself on it. The slow steps by which the
promise made to Abraham advanced toward performance, plainly
show that it had a spiritual meaning, and that the land intended
was the heavenly. God owned Joseph in his troubles, and was with
him by the power of his Spirit, both on his own mind by giving
him comfort, and on those he was concerned with, by giving him
favour in their eyes. Stephen reminds the Jews of their mean
beginning as a check to priding themselves in the glories of
that nation. Likewise of the wickedness of the patriarchs of
their tribes, in envying their brother Joseph; and the same
spirit was still working in them toward Christ and his
ministers. The faith of the patriarchs, in desiring to be buried
in the land of Canaan, plainly showed they had regard to the
heavenly country. It is well to recur to the first rise of
usages, or sentiments, which have been perverted. Would we know
the nature and effects of justifying faith, we should study the
character of the father of the faithful. His calling shows the
power and freeness of Divine grace, and the nature of
conversion. Here also we see that outward forms and distinctions
are as nothing, compared with separation from the world, and
devotedness to God.
03989
#17-29 Let us not be discouraged at the slowness of the
fulfilling of God's promises. Suffering times often are growing
times with the church. God is preparing for his people's
deliverance, when their day is darkest, and their distress
deepest. Moses was exceeding fair, "fair toward God;" it is the
beauty of holiness which is in God's sight of great price. He
was wonderfully preserved in his infancy; for God will take
special care of those of whom he designs to make special use.
And did he thus protect the child Moses? Much more will he
secure the interests of his holy child Jesus, from the enemies
who are gathered together against him. They persecuted Stephen
for disputing in defence of Christ and his gospel: in opposition
to these they set up Moses and his law. They may understand, if
they do not wilfully shut their eyes against the light, that God
will, by this Jesus, deliver them out of a worse slavery than
that of Egypt. Although men prolong their own miseries, yet the
Lord will take care of his servants, and effect his own designs
of mercy.