This post by christinecoltman was originally published at GRACE PLACE
Acts Chapter 6 and 7
Let’s just remind ourselves or for those of you who are here for the first time this term or even the first time to this ladies’ bible study. The book of Acts doesn’t make much sense without the book of Luke, they go together. Luke tells us how Jesus began to teach – Acts picks up with Jesus ascension it tells how Jesus worked through the Holy Spirit continuing His ministry. Acts is not a how to guide or how we do church today. Acts is the story of the Holy Spirit weaving through lives allowing us to see how they encountered Jesus through such a real way. Tonight, we are looking briefly at chapter 6 but mostly at chapter 7.
So far in the book of Acts there has been explosive growth in this young church. We heard from Anne last week in Ch 2 about the dramatic arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost just as Jesus had promised. Peter preaches a message about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, declaring Him as both Lord and Messiah; this message cut to the hearts of the people – that day about 3,000 people were added to the church. Chapter 2 ends with a beautiful picture of the early Christian church.
In chapter 6 we see that there was some unrest in the church – the Hellenists (Greek speaking Jews) believed their widows were being neglected by the local Hebrews in the church. To resolve this issue seven men were chosen from within the church to coordinate provision to the widows. One of the men was named Stephen who was described in both v5 and v8 as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit and a man full of Gods grace. He was mature in his faith but may have only been a follower of Jesus for a short time. Stephen would go to the Jewish synagogue and share his faith, although for Stephen following Jesus was more than just doing the right thing; his life was devoted to following Jesus – he ordered his life around Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit. The Jews of many provinces became angry and began to argue with Stephen; v10 they couldn’t stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. Interestingly it wasn’t them who brought Stephen before the Jewish court (the Sanhedrin), they persuaded some other men to say that they had ‘heard’ Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. Stephen was brought before the same court who convicted Jesus and had him crucified around 2-4 years prior. This is the most powerful court in the land, the supreme Jewish council and high court around 71 members, chief priests’ scribes and elders. Stephen is accused of speaking against Moses, against the law and against the temple. I don’t know about you, but I would be feeling very defensive by now, I would want to fight my corner – I would like to think I would remain calm – trying to get my words out. In Acts ch6v15 we are beginning to get a picture of a man who, through Jesus, by the Holy Spirit dwelling in him, is continuing to build God’s kingdom.
Chapter 7 is a long sermon which can look a little overwhelming, and is on the face of it just a history lesson, but Stephen is very strategic in retelling the story of their history with specific points that address the core tenants of belief. The Jewish leaders have a long history of rejecting God and the Holy Spirit and his chosen deliverers; they also believe the temple is not where God dwells. Through this sermon Stephen is emphasising God is with his people wherever they are at – God was never confined to the temple but this was blasphemy to these leaders. God is bigger than the temple. As believers we receive the Holy Spirit, so this means God is with us wherever we are – he dwells with us by his Spirit.
Stephen could have denied the charges but instead gives a history lesson to the experts in history. Stephen would have learned Old Testament history as a Jew; he now has the Holy Spirit in him bringing the truth, but he is not a scholar, and he is faced with these 71 people of the Sanhedrin who claim to know history inside out they are all round him from all sides. At the beginning of Ch 7 the high priest asks Stephen “are these charges true”; at once Stephen refers to them as brothers and fathers, he is starting with a soft heart not a defensive heart. Stephen identified with them as much as he honestly could, he was not up for a fight. He then says to them “Listen the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham in Mesopotamia” – Stephen starts with the call of Abraham and Gods promises to him (Genesis 12 v 1-3). Stephen is highlighting that God is the one who initiated the promise with Abraham appearing to him in a glorious majestic way to begin his redemptive plan. He then in turn mentions Joseph, Moses and David; all chosen prophets who have been mistreated by the Jewish leaders of old. In Stephen’s speech, God’s redemptive plan starts with his promises to the patriarchs in Genesis to give an inheritance to the offspring of Abraham. All the men in the Sanhedrin that Stephen is addressing prided themselves on the fact that they followed the law of Moses and yet they missed the foretelling of the Messiah (Acts ch7v37 and Deuteronomy 18v15).
At the end of his sermon, he turns the accusation round and says ‘I am not the one blaspheming against the law and the temple; you are rejecting Jesus’ – this was a huge challenge to this group of people just like Jesus said in John ch 5 v 39-40.
Let’s read Acts 7 v 51-53 – Stephen is saying that though they have undergone physical circumcision to mark themselves as belonging to God (which was the Jewish requirement), their hearts are far from Him. Verse 51 uses the uncircumcised heart phrase which refers to their spiritual state despite being physically circumcised. Stephen is using language familiar to them straight out of the Old Testament, from the rebellion of Israel in the desert. In Deuteronomy Ch 10 v16 Moses says to the Israelites ‘Circumcise your hearts therefore and do not be stiff necked any longer’ – it is a call to change, urging the Israelites to move past spiritual stubbornness and have a circumcised heart before God. It’s like Stephen is saying ‘can’t you see, you are just like our ancestors! You fell into the same trap’. Stephen is trying to warn them not to miss the blessing of Abraham – the PROMISE of the Holy Spirit. They refused to listen then, and they are refusing to listen to Stephen now.
Being an authentic follower of Jesus with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit demands an open tender heart. This has been a personal challenge for me. Do I have a tender heart? This has made me ask myself ‘do I just hear and talk about spiritual things? Or do I live up to what I talk about? Where in my life am I not reflecting Christ?’ – for me I know when I’m neglecting my daily time in his word, I drift. The Holy Spirit works in us though his word it; becomes locked in our thoughts, speaking to our hearts. Spending time with Jesus in the word clothes us with the Spirit becoming more like him. Stephen finishes his speech with a direct challenge to the Jewish authorities who think of themselves as holy, Stephen argues that they are just like the Jewish leaders of old who persecuted and rejected God’s prophets – including Jesus, although the difference is the prophets of old spoke of the righteous one to come whereas Jesus IS that righteous one. It was through his persecution and death that our sin was removed, and we can now share in his righteousness in fact we do (Corinthians 5 v 21).
So when the Sanhedrin hear this (ch7v54-56), they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him – imagine this crowd of leaders all around facing Stephen with gritted teeth. So angry at what Stephen has accused them of. At this point Stephen knows his life is about to end and yet he is full of the Holy Spirit. What does he do at that moment? Is he looking at the people about to kill him? No, his eyes are not on his present situation but on the one who put creation in place – as he looks to God, he sees a vision of what is happening in heaven. Stephen sees something beautiful; he sees God in all his glory, which is amazing, but then he sees something more spectacular – he sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He says to the angry crowd ‘Look I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God’.
This is how Jesus referred to himself; ‘the Son of Man’ (Matthew 26 v64-66). In this passage we see the response from the high priest to Jesus – he tore his clothes in rage. This is what Stephen is presenting to the angry crowd of leaders; although Stephen is not copying Jesus, he had become like Jesus with the Holy Spirit guiding him. So, what is so special about what Stephen is saying? Whenever the Bible talks about Jesus in his relationship with the Father, the position in those situations every single time is that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father – but here for the first time in history of the first martyr of the church, Jesus is standing. There is no direct explanation in the text for this, but the image for me is Jesus standing up to welcome Stephen into the kingdom – the picture is amazing – he stands up from his throne to cheer Stephen on as he welcomes him. Even now Jesus is at the right hand of the Father cheering us on.
By now the Jewish leaders are so angry, they rush at Stephen with their fingers in their ears – these are very dignified men, they are the 71 top religious leaders of their time, the most respected scholars consumed with murderous rage towards Stephen at this point. I imagine them picking up their robes and rushing forward to Stephen. Just as a side note v 58 says they laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul who approves of what’s happening. v60 keep an eye out for Saul you will hear more about him later in the series. They drag Stephen outside the temple ignoring any legal process and begin stoning him with stones of all sizes. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed “Lord Jesus receive my spirit”, then he cried out “Lord do not hold this sin against them”. Just before Stephen’s death, or as written ‘fell asleep’, what pours out of Stephen is his heart toward his enemies. Stephen has his eyes on Jesus right until the end.
There is something amazing about seeing Jesus and seeing his work everywhere; maybe you are wondering where Jesus is working in your life right now, but you can’t see. Do you have an open tender heart? You might even be crying out for him. You may have a discouraged heart tonight and wonder where Jesus is. In the middle of what you are going through or what you may be facing Jesus is closer than you ever imagine; just because your eyes have been unable to see him don’t believe he is not there – just as Stephen saw Jesus – Jesus is with us now. He knows how weak we are. He knows about our relationships with our family, or the grief we bear from the loss of loved ones or the desire to be in a loving relationship. He knows the struggles we have with parenting or maybe the desire to be a parent. He knows about that health issue which is overwhelming or the concern for a loved one with ailing health. He knows about the days we wake up and feel like we just can’t face the world and the times when we are surrounded by people but cripped by isolation and loneliness – you may have struggled to get here tonight – Jesus knows.