1) HIS CHARACTER
Stephen was a
church member with a and a passion for .
Acts 6:5 - And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…
Acts 6:8 - And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.
2) THE CONTROVERSY
Acts 6:8 - And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”
Matthew 5:17 - Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
John 2:19 - Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Stephen meant what
meant.
Jesus
all the Old Testament symbols and typology. (e.g. Jesus is our priest, our atonement, our access to God, etc.)
(Hebrews 7:25; 9:12, 25–28; 10:10–12; Romans 3:25, 6:4; Mark 14:24; 1 Peter 1:21)
The temple is no longer the place where you go to see the glory of God.
is the place.
Stephen’s teaching was consistent with Jesus’
.
Matthew 24:1 - Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Mark 13:1 - And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Luke 21:5 - And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
John wrote in Revelation 21:22, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the almighty and the Lamb. …”
Acts 6:7 - And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:10 - But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”
They twisted Stephen’s position to sound like
.
3) HIS CONTENANCE
Acts 6:15 - And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
I believe that was one of the greatest
in human history.
1 Peter 4:14 - If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
2 Corinthians 3:7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. 12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
God is calling you to
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Bring It Home: Personal Study
1) Examine your character in light of Stephen’s. Are you “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,” which results in being “full of grace and power” (Acts 6:5, 8)
2) If your life isn’t characterized by a lovingkindness for others and a boldness for the cause of Christ, then maybe you need to go back to step one and increase your trust in God as you yield your life to His control.
3) Are you constantly seeking to know God in a deeper way, and are you allowing Him to take total control of your life whatever the cost? How well do you trust and obey in every area of your life?
4) Take some time to establish some goals and plans for releasing the remaining facets of your life that you have not yet fully entrusted to your Creator and Redeemer.
5) Confess your sins to Christ, your only priest, and ask for spiritual cleansing. Ask Him to cleanse your heart and fill you with His Spirit and boldness to let His gospel, His light, shine in you and from you.