Acts 7:1-60

Sunday Morning Bible Study

November 2, 1997

Introduction

We've been looking at the life of one of the church cafeteria workers, named Stephen.

We saw that God used Stephen mightily, working miracles and telling people about Jesus.

Stephen ends up getting arrested, and has been brought before the Sanhedrin and put on trial.

Rather than break up Stephen’s message, we’re going to try and look at it all at once, to get the overall effect it originally had.

:1-60 Stephen’s Defense

:1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

Keep in mind that the charges have just been made concerning Stephen:

(Acts 6:13-14 KJV) And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: {14} For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

:2 Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken

Stephen’s message is going to contain a lot of history, but the basic message is this –

"You are doing just what your ancestors have done, persecuting God’s prophets"

:2 Charran

This is the place known as "Haran" in the Old Testament.

:3 Get thee out of thy country

Throughout the speech that Stephen gives to the Sanhedrin, he will be constantly quoting portions of Scripture. Here he’s quoting directly from Genesis 12:1.

Lesson:

The man God uses is a man of the Word.

This is not a prepared speech. The Holy Spirit is pulling things out that have been hidden in Stephen’s heart.

Jesus had promised –

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

But the Holy Spirit can’t bring to your remembrance what you’ve never put into your heart and mind in the first place.

:3 the land which I shall shew thee

Abraham is often called "the father of the faith", because he was a man of faith.

He was a man who trusted God, even when he didn’t know where he was going, or how things would turn out.

God lay out before Abraham some big travel brochure with color pictures. He didn’t have to sign a contract with Abraham promising him a certain salary per year. He just said "go".

Lesson:

Faith is trusting God, even when you don’t understand.

Some of you struggle because you don’t understand what’s going on. That’s what faith is all about, trusting in the unseen.

:6 entreat them evil four hundred years

Quoting from Genesis 15:13.

:9 the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt

This is a part of Stephen’s argument. Even though Joseph was rejected by his brothers, he would one day be a great ruler. Just as Jesus was rejected by His people, and is The Greatest Ruler.

It was also envy that caused this same group of men to turn Jesus over to Pilate for crucifixion (Mark 15:10).

:16 Sychem

Or, Shechem

:18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph

Stephen quotes from Exodus 1:8

:19 cast out their young children, to the end they might not live

Worried about an Israeli uprising, the Pharaoh commanded the people to throw their young baby boys into the Nile.

:23 to visit his brethren

visit – episkeptomai – "to look upon". Even though it often carries the idea of visiting those in need, there is a sense in which the word literally means "to look down upon".

I wonder if Moses had a kind of subtle "superior" attitude. After all, he’s now had the benefit of having lived in Pharaoh’s house, being a son to Pharaoh’s daughter, having received all this wonderful education, and now it’s time to go out and visit the poor under-privileged people.

It seems that Moses knew he had to come down from his exalted place to help the people, but I kind of wonder if God had to take Moses down a little farther than Moses had planned.

At forty years old, Moses thought he was God’s gift to the world.

Moses was mighty in words and deeds, but the problem was that his education was all Egyptian.

It took him forty years to be educated in the world’s ways of deliverance, but it took another forty years in God’s school of the desert until he was ready for God’s ways of deliverance.

By eighty years old, he didn’t think he was good for anything. Yet that was when God could use him.

Lesson:

Learn full, true humility.

Don’t settle with the half-way humility.

If you still get bothered by having to do the little, insignificant jobs because you’re too good for it, you’re not there yet. If you’re too good of a teacher to waste it on the Children’s Ministry, you may have to spend some time in God’s "seminary in the desert".

(1 Pet 5:5-6 KJV) … Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. {6} Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Spurgeon said: "Success exposes a man to the pressure of people and thus tempts him to hold on to his gains by means of fleshly methods and practices, and to let himself be ruled wholly by the dictatorial demands of incessant expansion. Success can go to my head, and will unless I remember that it is God who accomplishes the work, that He can continue to do so without my help, and that He will be able to make out with other means whenever He cuts me down to size."

:35 This Moses whom they refused … to be a ruler

Stephen’s argument: Moses was the promised deliverer, yet wasn’t accepted right away.

:37 A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up …

Stephen now mentions another prophesy given (Deu 18:15), one by Moses about some future prophet, a prophesy that was fulfilled in Jesus.

:38 that was in the church in the wilderness

church – ekklesia – "called out ones". Israel had been "called out" of Egypt, and was now meeting in the wilderness.

:38 the lively oracles

or, "living words", referring to God’s Word which was given to Moses.

:39 To whom our fathers would not obey

The leaders are making a big deal about how important it is to follow after Moses, yet their own fathers, the ones that knew Moses, weren’t real good about following Moses, nor obeying the Law.

:40 we wot not what is become of him

or, "we don’t know what has become of him".

Moses had been up on the mountain for forty days, and the people became impatient because they didn’t know why it was taking so long, so …

:41 they made a calf in those days

Referring to the famous "golden calf" which Aaron made for the people. (Ex. 32)

Lesson:

Impatience can be dangerous.

Sometimes I think that my impatience is just something that "I need to work on".

Yet it’s something that can get me into very big trouble, and cause me to get into things I shouldn’t be into.

:42 written in the book of the prophets

Here quoting from Amos 5:25-27

:43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan,

Moloch was a name for one of the popular Canaanite gods. He was the one that little babies were sacrificed to.

Remphan was the name of a god connected with the planet Saturn.

This is a specific example from Moses’ own day, showing that the people weren’t so devoted in their worship of Yahweh. Many of them brought along their other gods to worship in addition to Yahweh.

Lesson:

Don’t settle for half hearted worship.

Outwardly they looked as if they were worshipping Yahweh with the tabernacle and it’s sacrifices.

Yet truthfully, they had never given up their old gods, and had been secretly carrying them with them out of Egypt.

When you come to the Lord, and ask Him to be your Lord, He wants ALL of your heart.

There’s no room for the "other gods" anymore.

We saw this at the Men’s Retreat in our study in Ephesians that the people were not to walk like those in the world, getting into all kinds of lust and greediness. Instead, they had been taught that as Christians, we are to "put off" the old nature, be renewed in our minds, and to "put on" the new nature which is like Jesus (Eph. 4:17-24).

Some of us have struggles because we’re trying to put on the new man without ever having put off the old nature.

Illustration
The Beggar's Rags

A beggar lived near the king's palace. One day he saw a proclamation posted outside the palace gate. The king was giving a great dinner. Anyone dressed in royal garments was invited to the party. The beggar went on his way. He looked at the rags he was wearing and sighed. Surely only kings and their families wore royal robes, he thought. Slowly an idea crept into his mind. The audacity of it made him tremble. Would he dare? He made his way back to the palace. He approached the guard at the gate. "Please, sire, I would like to speak to the king." "Wait here," the guard replied. In a few minutes, he was back. "His majesty will see you," he said, and led the beggar in. "You wish to see me?" asked the king. "Yes, your majesty. I want so much to attend the banquet, but I have no royal robes to wear. Please, sir, if I may be so bold, may I have one of your old garments so that I, too, may come to the banquet?" The beggar shook so hard that he could not see the faint smile that was on the king's face. "You have been wise in coming to me," the king said. He called to his son, the young prince. "Take this man to your room and array him in some of your clothes." The prince did as he was told and soon the beggar was standing before a mirror, clothed in garments that he had never dared hope for. "You are now eligible to attend the king's banquet tomorrow night," said the prince. "But even more important, you will never need any other clothes. These garments will last forever." The beggar dropped to his knees. "Oh, thank you," he cried. But as he started to leave, he looked back at his pile of dirty rags on the floor. He hesitated. What if the prince was wrong? What if he would need his old clothes again. Quickly he gathered them up. The banquet was far greater than he had ever imagined, but he could not enjoy himself as he should. He had made a small bundle of his old rags and it kept falling off his lap. The food was passed quickly and the beggar missed some of the greatest delicacies. Time proved that the prince was aright. The clothes lasted forever. Still the poor beggar grew fonder and fonder of his old rags. As time passed people seemed to forget the royal robes he was wearing. They saw only the little bundle of filthy rags that he clung to wherever he went. They even spoke of him as the old man with the rags. One day as he lay dying, the king visited him. The beggar saw the sad look on the king's face when he looked at the small bundle of rags by the bed. Suddenly the beggar remembered the prince's words and he realized that his bundle of rags had cost him a lifetime of true royalty. He wept bitterly at his folly. And the king wept with him.

We too have been invited to a royal feast. We’ve been promised new clothes, and we no longer have to carry around the weight of the old ones. When we do, we only are hurting ourselves.

:44 the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness

Referring to the Tabernacle that Moses built, a kind of portable worship center, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.

:45 Jesus

This is talking of the person we know as "Joshua". Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua. It was the leader Joshua that took the people into the Promised Land.

:46 desired to find a tabernacle

David had a desire to build God a house, but was not allowed to.

:48 the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands

Regarding the quote from "the prophet", Stephen quotes from Isaiah 66:1-2.

Stephen has been accused of saying things against the temple, the "holy place".

Yet Solomon himself, the builder of the temple said,

2Ch 2:6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who [am] I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

Lesson:

Don’t make too much of buildings.

As important as a church building is, we need to be sure to keep in mind that it’s only just a building.

:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears …

Keep in mind, this was Stephen’s defense against the accusations made against him. Yet here he’s turned the tables, and leveled a few accusations of his own.

:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?

This has been woven throughout Stephen’s argument. Isaiah the prophet was sawn in two. Jeremiah was constantly persecuted, being thrown into pits and jails. Elijah was on Jezebel’s "ten most wanted" list. And it goes on and on.

:52 of whom ye have been now the betrayers

These ancient prophets were telling about the coming of Jesus the Messiah, and they were persecuted.

These men before Stephen were the ones who actually killed the Messiah!

:54 they gnashed on him with their teeth

They weren’t biting him, they were grinding their teeth in disgust at him.

:55 looked up stedfastly into heaven

It’s not uncommon for those who know Jesus to get a glimpse of heaven as they die.

Illustration

A few hours before Dwight L. Moody died, he caught a glimpse of the glory awaiting him. Awakening from a sleep, he said, "Earth recedes, heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go!" His son who was standing by his bedside said, "No, no father, you are dreaming."

"No," said Mr. Moody, "I am not dreaming; I have been within the gates; I have seen the children's faces." A short time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death struggle, he spoke again: "This is my triumph; this my coronation day! It is glorious!"

In his book, "Lectures to My Students" (pg.206), Charles Spurgeon gives this instruction to those pastors who don’t have a lot of books to learn from:

"Be much at death beds – they are illuminated books. There shall you read the very poetry of our religion, and learn the secrets thereof. What splendid gems are washed up by the waves of Jordan! What fair flowers grow on its banks! The everlasting fountains in the glory-land throw their spray aloft, and the dew-drops fall on this side of the narrow stream! I have heard humble men and women, in their departing hours, talk as though they were inspired, uttering strange words, aglow with supernal glory. These they learned from no lips beneath the moon; they must have heard them while sitting in the suburbs of the New Jerusalem. God whispers them in their ears amid their pain and weakness; and then they tell us a little of what the Spirit has revealed. I will part with all my books, if I may see the Lord’s Elijahs mount their chariots of fire."

:55 Jesus standing on the right hand of God

Why is Jesus standing? Some have suggested that Jesus is standing to welcome the first believer to die for the faith.

Ps 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the death of his saints.

:58 and stoned him

When a man was stoned, as they approached the place where it was to take place, the victim’s clothes were removed. Then the "first witness" was to push the victim off a platform that was twice the height of a person. If he didn’t die from that, then the second witness was to take a stone, the weight of two men, and throw it on the man. If he was still alive, then the rest of the crowd would start throwing stones until he was dead.

:58 whose name was Saul

As we’re going to see, this young man, Saul, will one day have an encounter with the One Stephen saw when he died.

Lesson:

Your witness is important.

Ultimately, it’s going to be a one on one encounter with Jesus that will change Saul (or Paul) forever. But I believe the witness of Stephen played an important part in planting the seeds in Paul’s life.

:60 Lord, lay not this sin to their charge

Just like Jesus, Stephen is asking the Lord to forgive these people.

Lesson:

You must forgive too.

It’s really not an option.

(Eph 4:32 KJV) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Difficulties in the passage …

:14 threescore and fifteen souls

In Gen. 46:27, we are told that 70 people came to Egypt. Yet the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament says that it was 75 people, because it includes the grandsons of Joseph, whereas the count in Gen. 46 does not. Stephen, being a Hellenistic (Greek) Jew, would be familiar mostly with the LXX.

:16 laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem

This is a little confusing if you bother to check the Old Testament accounts.

Abraham did buy a burial ground, but from Ephron the Hittite, at Mamre, and it was here that Jacob was buried –

(Gen 50:13 KJV) For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

But it was Joseph that was later buried in Shechem –

(Josh 24:32 KJV) And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

Stephen might be confusing the two events.

It’s possible that he’s just combining the two events, since the first part of the phrase does apply to Jacob, while the second part of the phrase applies to Joseph, who is after all the subject of the paragraph.