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Text File | 1993-08-06 | 20KB | 733 lines

C:\LESSON\KINGDOM\STEPHEN2.DOC 27.10.91 THY KINGDOM COME PART 5 STEPHEN PART 2 Acts 6:1 to 5 read --- We left last week by saying -- In one sense I put Stephen higher than Saul -- Saul had never forgotten the debates that he had with Stephen -- and when he became converted he used much of the wisdom that Stephen imparted to him --- Years later he wrote saying -- he was the one who was behind martyring Stephen --- If you studied the epistles of Paul -- all the doctrine concerning Christ sprang out from what Stephen had said --- As Stephen and Saul debated -- Saul was losing -- Saul knew there was something about what Stephen said rang true --- Saul being a very proud man -- could not and would not accept what Stephen was saying -- because it would upset his doctrine --- Saul knew that if what Stephen was saying -- goes onto the streets -- Judaism is finished -- The Temple will be no more The sacrifices a thing of the past I think you can say -- the disciples were very upset at what Stephen was saying --- There is a strange absence of -- Peter and John -- and the others at this time --- STEPHEN PART 2 When the persecution really came upon the Church -- it did not touch the apostles -- who are the fathers of the Church at this time -- I think they looked upon Stephen as some young upstart -that is upsetting the apple cart --- The disciples were still operating in the Temple -- they could possibly see it becoming some great Charismatic movement -- In Acts it says -- A great number of priests had become obedient to the faith -- And here comes this Stephen -- and saying things against the Temple -- we had better disown him -- we cannot be for him --- It was Luke that wrote about Stephen -- if it had been Peter that had written the Acts -- I wonder if Stephen would have been mentioned --- Saul -- a true Pharisee -- a religious man -- and true to religious form -- would never admit he was wrong -- even when the truth is staring him in the face -- he would do anything -- rather than admit he is wrong -- So Saul and his company stoop to the lowest --- It is amazing how they can argue over -- how to not break the Sabbath -- and yet think nothing of employing thugs from the street -- to tell lies against the man who disagreed with them --- They sure have a double standard --- It is like the day the Sadducees and Pharisees crucified Jesus -- They hurried Jesus across the court of the Temple -- STEPHEN PART 2 and brought him to where Pilate held court -- and there pushed Jesus in -- but themselves would not go in -- unless they be defiled -- and thus could not eat the Passover -- They can crucify the Messiah -- this is alright -- but as long as I do not touch a Gentile paved floor -- How is this for a double standard Saul sees that this Stephen is right -- and if he continues -- we are finished -- so let us kill him -- And the only way we can kill him -- with respect -- and fit our theology -- is to prove that he is blaspheming --- And then the highest court of the land will have him executed -- So it is that they find false witnesses -- who twist his real words -- only a little to make them blashemy --- Up to this time -- the authorities and the believers have had an uneasy peace -- the authorities -- have allowed people to accept Jesus -- it is not easy but they are tolerating it -- But what is going on now is -- Stephen has taken the finished work of Jesus to its logical conclusion -- and they are furious now war has been declared If he is allowed to continue -- then the Temple will be destroyed --- The only conclusion that they can see -- is that Stephen must be destroyed -- STEPHEN PART 2 For the good of the Temple -- and the people We must save God's reputation we cannot let his Temple be destroyed therefore we must destroy Stephen before he destroys the Temple --- In Jerusalem there would be many people who were going along with the Stephen -- because of the miracles -- But once they had to face the issue that Jesus equals the end of -- Judaism and the Temple and the sacrifice Miracles or no miracles -- they would take their stand back with the Temple --- They were locked into the Temple it was their very life it was their religion while Christianity is a sect of Judaism If Christianity will go along with the Temple -- then we will join the sect -- but if that sect means -- breaking with the Temple breaking with our religion the answer is -- no Miracles will not convince us to do this We will accept that there is power in the name of Jesus -- but if this means that my Temple must go -- then I will back off ---- They bring Stephen in and he stands where Peter and John -- and Jesus had stood -- and this is in front of the council of 70 men -- and the High Priest announced the charge -- then asks Stephen what he has to say --- STEPHEN PART 2 Let us have a quick look at Stephen's defence -- and later -- you go through it remembering what I have said -- What is Stephen trying to say -- First of all he tries to correct everthing that is said against him --- Has he spoken again against this Temple has he spoken against Moses and against God has he said that the customs will be changed is he blasheming NO he answers these point by point In answering them he goes beyond this -- and he presents what the whole of the Old Testament scriptures have been waiting for --- It begins in chapter 7:2 -- with the patriarchs -- this is Abraham -- Isaac and Jacob --- He begins at the beginning of Jewish history -- and then moves up to the present -- to prove his point -- So from verse 2 to 16 -- he is dealing with the patriarchs -- Stephen said -- God spoke to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees -- Now their whole thoughts were -- the land -- the Temple He is saying to them -- the God of glory appeared to Abraham the Shekinah glory appeared to Abraham Abraham is the founder of all this -- This took place in the Gentile country of Ur -- which was the headquarters of the worshippers of the moon -- STEPHEN PART 2 This is where God appeared to Abraham -- not in -- this land this Temple But in Gentile territory -- where the worst idolatry possible existed -- Then says Stephen -- Abraham moved to many places living in a tent -- and all these places were Gentile places -- and even when he moved down to this land he did not own a piece of it -- he lived in a tent he was a stranger he was an alien Stephen is saying -- Even back in Abraham's time men met with God wherever they were -- and his glory was also found there --- When Abraham came to this land -- he did not even think enough of it to build a house on it -- this is what Abraham thought of this land that you are so wrapped up in - Later on he says to them -- Abraham had to buy a piece of land from the Canaanite nation to bury his wife -- Abraham owned nothing -- Even though there was no Holy Place -- no Temple -- yet this man lived in a tent -- and walked with God --- Stephen was saying -- True religion is not in a piece of land -- or in a building --- Stephen points out that in the time of the patriarchs - there was Joseph -- the one who was going to be the deliverer of Israel in their day of trouble -- STEPHEN PART 2 And he says -- What did the patriarchs of Israel do to Joseph -- they refused him and sold him off -- as a slave Stephen centres on this in his reasoning to the council He says -- When God sends you a deliverer -- all you do is to refuse him -- Wrapping up this bit of what Stephen said is -- Abraham had no great emphasis on this land He met with God without a Holy Place He lived in God's glory without a Temple made with hands and in that period of history -- God sent a deliverer -- and you refused him -- In chapter 7:17 to 43 -- He deals with Moses and the Law -- There the suggestion is that Israel had perfect happiness in the land of Egypt -- it was only when a new Pharoah came -- that things changed --- Stephen is saying -- There for a time Israel lived as the people of God -- right in the land of Egypt -- and when it came to be delivered -- they refused Moses their deliverer -- The people said -- who made you a deliverer over us - When it comes to Moses -- where did he meet with God It was in the Sinai Desert -- which belonged to Egypt -- Gentile land --- STEPHEN PART 2 What did Moses find in Gentile land -- a burning bush of God's glory --- Stephen is reminding them -- that God is not confined to this land -- here beside the Mediterranean Sea -- They are so narrow minded -- that all they can see is our piece of land -- our Temple He is saying -- Moses saw the glory of God in Sinai - he walked with God in Sinai -- he did not have to go into Canaan -- It was in Sinai that our fathers received the Law -- not in this piece of land right here -- Stephen was reminding them -- that this man Moses who they refused as their deliverer -- did actually deliver them --- Then Stephen quoted the words of Moses -- From Deuteronomy 18:15 -- that a prophet like unto Moses would be raised up --- He says -- Did I speak against Moses -- In the days of Moses -- Israel spoke against Moses -- Israel worshipped their foreign God --- Stephen is really saying -- You Sanhedrin council are just like your forefathers -- the prophet that Moses spoke about has been raised up -- It is not I that is speaking against Moses -- It is you that is speaking against Moses -- It is you that have rejected the prophet that Moses said would be raised up --- STEPHEN PART 2 In this Sanhedrin council -- all the sins of their past have come to there conclusion --- Go back into the history of Israel -- and you will find much wickedness -- Manasseh is just one -- But Jesus says -- The Temple Pharisees and the Sadducees -- are worse than him -- Stephen says -- You have rejected the prophets -- you are worse than your forefathers --- Stephen speaks about how the Tabernacle moved from place to place -- how the presence of God is where God chose it to be --- You cannot lock God up just for the elite -- even the heaven of heavens cannot contain him -- Then Stephen says -- you stiff necked and hard hearted council -- you are the ones who have rejected the Messiah --- and his face shone as that of an angel -- It was the glory of God upon his face -- Christ in him the hope of glory -- was bursting out from within -- and at this they can stand no more and they rush upon him --- And he says -- I see Jesus standing on the right hand of God -- While this was going on -- the apostles were doing their religious thing in the Temple -- proving to all that they were proud Jews --- And here is this one saying -- I see Jesus -- STEPHEN PART 2 He is speaking from an Eternal Kingdom -- he is in the Eternal Temple -- this makes him ruler over all nations -- not just the Jews --- He is not king in Jerusalem He is king in the heavens Over all nations and people With this the council rush Stephen and execute him without Roman permission -- When they crucified Jesus -- they had to have Roman permission -- for they wanted the Romans to be blamed for it -- they wanted Jesus blood on the Romans hands -- and not on their own hands --- If Caiaphas was blamed for crucifying Jesus -- then he would have much of Israel upon him -- so Caiaphas needs the Romans to do it -- so as he can keep to the rules --- This time with Stephen they do not bother -- he was executed there and then --- The condemned person would be held by the legs -- and dragged through the streets -- with his body and head banging on every stone it came in contact with -- to the rock of execution -- which was outside Jerusalem -- There they would pick him up and throw him on the rock-- the executioners were the witnesses at the trial that spoke against him --- Whenever you witnessed against someone at a trial -- then you were the executioner -- and if you were found to be a false witness -- then you would be executed in the same way as the one you spoke against --- So these false witnesses against Stephen drag him through the streets -- then throw him on the rock -- then the execution was by stoning --- STEPHEN PART 2 Saul the Pharisee -- he was the leader of all this opposition -- but he does not cast stones -- The scripture says -- They laid their clothes at his feet -- Saul is saying -- I will look after your clothes boys- you do the dirty work -- As this went on Stephen says -- Lord lay not this sin to their charge -- Then whose charge was it laid to Stephen was saying -- this has already been paid for - Jesus paid the price for their sins --- I sit with Father and say -- lay it not to their charge for it had been laid to another --- In this sense he was saying -- the same as Jesus -- Father forgive them Saul was one that Stephen prayed for -- and because of Stephens prayer -- Saul came to know that his sin had been laid to another -- and he became a great advocater of this expression --- The fact that our sin is laid to another is equal to what the New Testament calls -- justification --- This all happened there at the rock of exercution -- STEPHEN PART 2 Here something entered into Saul -- it was a rage it was a passion that controlled him A passion that would unite Pharasses and Sadducees together There would be a consentrated drive against these people who were going to distroy the temple -- and he thought he was doing God a Service --- He thought that the rage inside of him was no more than the annointing of God's wrath --- As Stephen dies he says -- I see Jesus standing -- I believe Jesus stood up to receive Stephen -- the first marter into heaven -- while Saul was coming under a demonic anointing to scatter the church --- God even makes his enemies to praise him -- God says -- if they want to argue about food in Jeruselam I will send a force to scatter them -- and he scatters the church -- to do what they were supposed to do from the very beginning --- From here they go to the ends of the earth gosiping the Gospel --- This is the word that is used in the Greek -- It says -- they went every where preaching -- and this word preaching here is not the usual one -- The word preaching here means -- that they were gosiping --- This was over the back fence -- on the street corner - where ever they found an ear that would listen --- STEPHEN PART 2 It took Saul and his persicution to do this --- Out of this came what we now understand as the church of Jesus Christ --- It is something special to know that we are part of this -- that we are set free from form set free from a dead ritual set free from mans ways I am set free into the Kingdom of God into the temple of the Spirit into the Preisthood of believers and I am washed in the blood of Jesus and am now in the New Covenant Now -- I am free to worship him in Spirit and in truth -- Because I have come to Stephens revelation that we are part of this Spirit Kingdom -- through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ --- AMEN