SERIES: Acts #12
TOPIC: Consecration; Witness
TITLE: STEPHEN - Owned By God
TEXT: ACTS 6:15 (8-15)
CONCISE OUTLINE:
In spite of intense persecution by both civil and religious authorities, the new church prospered at every turn.
They were growing in numbers, in knowledge, and in the fear of the Lord and they were learning how to faithfully respond to threats … externally and internally!
One man, Stephen, first deacon and first martyr (i.e., witness), caught the attention of influential religious zealots, why? Because he was “full of faith and power” and “performing great wonders and signs among the people.” [v. 8]
Stephen followed closely in the footsteps of his Master and Savior; proclaiming the coming Kingdom to all with ears to hear. But their attention wasn’t healthy … again, why?
Because the zealots felt threatened and “they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was preaching.” [v. 10] You see, God owned Stephen … lock, stock, and barrel.
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What in this passage confirms that Stephen was wholly owned by God?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:
God owns us ...
The church must once again find ways to let the world know our homes (i.e., “hearts”) have a new Owner.
TOPIC: Consecration; Witness
TITLE: STEPHEN - Owned By God
TEXT: ACTS 6:15 (8-15)
And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
[D. L. MOODY] Said …FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What in this passage confirms that Stephen was wholly owned by God?“The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.” [Desiring Life]However, he was in error … the world has seen Enoch, Joseph, Joshua, Daniel, and John the Baptizer; all pre-Ascension.
But now Stephen, post-Ascension and sold out to God; he signed his pink slip over to God; he wanted nothing but God’s presence and pleasure.
CONCISE OUTLINE:
I. HIS GIFTS CONFIRM ITTRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: Much like the Church today, the people of Israel hungered to personally experience God (8 in 10 Americans admit to such a hunger).
II. HIS ENEMIES CONFIRM IT
III. HIS HEART CONFIRMS IT
IV. HIS HONOR CONFIRMS IT
In spite of intense persecution by both civil and religious authorities, the new church prospered at every turn.
They were growing in numbers, in knowledge, and in the fear of the Lord and they were learning how to faithfully respond to threats … externally and internally!
One man, Stephen, first deacon and first martyr (i.e., witness), caught the attention of influential religious zealots, why? Because he was “full of faith and power” and “performing great wonders and signs among the people.” [v. 8]
Stephen followed closely in the footsteps of his Master and Savior; proclaiming the coming Kingdom to all with ears to hear. But their attention wasn’t healthy … again, why?
Because the zealots felt threatened and “they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was preaching.” [v. 10] You see, God owned Stephen … lock, stock, and barrel.
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What in this passage confirms that Stephen was wholly owned by God?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:
I. HIS GIFTS CONFIRM ITAPPLICATION: Bottom-line -Among them were – Spirit and wisdom [3]; faith and Holy Spirit [5]; grace and power with signs and wonders [8]; and evangelical eloquence [10]II. HIS ENEMIES CONFIRM IT
These are all (charisma) gifts and effects (energẽma) of the Holy Spirit …“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”1 Corinthians 12:11 [1-11]
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.”John 3:34III. HIS HEART CONFIRMS IT“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.Stephen’s (and Christ’s) enemies began with argumentation [9,10]; failing, they incited a fabrication [11]; failing, they move to provocation [12]; then, to ensure the desired result they employed …
“If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.”Matthew 10:24-26– Abduction [12]Two things were operative on this day:
– Falsification [13]
– Then Misrepresentation! [13-14]
- the Light of Truth walked in the shadow of Mount Moriah in Jerusalem
- the fight to darken that Truth skulked in the shadows of evil, fearing the Light
“There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to [do] evil, A false witness who ut-ters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.”Notice Stephan confounded his persecutors with wisdom and Scripture.Proverbs 6:16-18
They failed both intellectually and spiritually … so they abused the Law to justify stoning him.
Historically, if a powerful movement’s followers appear to turn from the movement’s teachings, to adopt the teachings of another, these leaders are confronted with three choices:– turn with them
– turn from them
– or turn upon themJesus said,IV. HIS HONOR CONFIRMS IT“… store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”Can there be any question about what is stored up in Stephen’s heart?Matthew 6:20-21Stephen highly honored God in his last moments. [7:1-53]
God highly honor him by gifting him more abundantly than others.
This was done that his mirror of righteousness might reflect God’s Shechinah glory.
It was not Stephen’s flesh which glowed as an angel, it was the righteousness of God being reflected in him and from him.
CHALLENGE: Our job is to understand the spiritual mechanics of this martyr (i.e., “witness”) Stephen … and be inspired by him.In the egocentric and humanistic courts of fallen man, with man's version of truth, the calm but confident spirit of a man owned by “this Nazarene, Jesus” [6:14] will trump a thousand tanks and a multitude of defense attorneys.I believe, to some degree, we’ve allowed Moses’ veil to again slip down before our eyes.
I believe we are not truly owned by the Father! Have we accepted Jesus as Savior? Yes! But not Lord! He owns us but we've held back the owner's slip.
In view of our claims, unbelievers say they are unimpressed“You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ … written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. [vv. 2-4]
We are not adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter [law] kills, but the Spirit gives life. [vv. 5-6]
But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit [life] fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. [vv. 7-11]
Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. [vv. 12-16]
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. [vv. 17-18]2 Corinthians 3:1-18
God owns us ...
“For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”And ...1 Corinthians 6:20
“You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.”Plus ...1 Corinthians 7:23
“... false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”And for those in leadership … church leaders didn't purchase the sheep; the were paid for by the Lord's shed blood ... we don't own you.2 Peter 2:1
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”God owns us all!Acts 20:28
The church must once again find ways to let the world know our homes (i.e., “hearts”) have a new Owner.
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