Here’s the notes for my sermon on Acts 6:8-15 “Stephen’s SETUP” preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville.
INTRO: A persistent myth we hear as Christians is this: if we faithfully follow Jesus, then we will avoid suffering.
-REALITY: Following Christ will not exempt us from suffering in this life, but lead us into new forms of suffering.
-Suffering can often come in ways that is perplexing and hard to understand.
–HOPE: God rules over it, He is trustworthy, and will work all things out for our good.
–JOY: knowing Christ is better than a life free from suffering & perplexity.
KIDS: Do you know what a martyr is? =someone who dies for their religion or cause.
-Stephen, the first martyr recorded for us in the Book of Acts.
-We’ll spend 3 Sundays looking at him together as we work through Acts 6:8-8:3.
-Luke tells us about what led to Stephen’s arrest, his final sermon, and his death.
-It is not just an interesting account, but also tells us about God!
-What does this account of Stephen teach us about God? What does Luke hope we’ll see?
-As the gospel is preached Christians will face unjust suffering, but God’s kingdom continues to advance.
-CONTEXT: REMEMBER LAST WEEK: Appointment of the Seven (6:1-7)
-Stephen was one of the seven…
-The word continued to be preached and many were added to the church.
TODAY: Introduced to the preaching ministry of Stephen and learn of the unjust circumstances that led to his death
*MAIN IDEA: God is with his people as they preach the gospel and endure unjust suffering.*
I. Stephen’s Gospel Ministry (8)
In addition to being one of the SEVEN who led the ministry to widows, he also had a preaching ministry!
-Stephen’s godly character: full of grace and power,
-These are traits we can pray God manifests in our lives as we minister to others.
-God’s supernatural signs: was doing great wonders and signs among the people.
-Was a unique season when apostles were alive, and God used this to confirm truth of gospel.
APP: -Not just the apostles had gospel ministry; today, not just pastors do gospel ministry!
-You have people in your lives that the pastor will never meet or be able to speak with.
-Who has God placed in your life that you can pray for and share the gospel with?
-By God’s grace, use those opportunities to proclaim Christ.
*You may suffer, but God is with his people as they preach the gospel and endure unjust suffering.
II. Opposition to the Gospel Message (9-10)
In Acts, and church history, we see that as the gospel is preached and the kingdom of God grows, it faces opposition.
-Opposition comes in different forms: sometimes religious, sometimes secular.
-In our section, we see it is the religious leaders who are opposing the gospel and Stephen’s ministry
-Varied Opposition (9)
-5 different groups, or different groups from one synagogue!
-“ rose up and disputed with Stephen.”
-Active attempt to defeat Stephen with arguments
-One versus the many.
How will Stephen overcome?
-Will the gospel be overcome by arguments and varied opposition?
-Resistance to the gospel is Futile (10)
-COULD NOT WITHSTAND: 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.
-Numbers of people and learning cannot overcome the truth of the gospel!
-WISDOM: God’s wisdom.
– Prov 21:30; Col 2:3
-SPIRIT: Holy Spirit.
-Numbers do not matter, God’s wisdom is irrefutable.
-Time at meetup with many atheists vs one Christian
God helped Stephen, and he will help you as face opposition to the gospel!
-Gospel is wisdom of God: this is true even if you feel like you are not good as testifying or arguing for Christ
-It does not depend on our ability to argument, it stands on its own indomitable ground.
-We need to remember this as we live out our faith here in suburbia.
*CONSIDER WITH ME THE Wisdom of living for Christ in Suburbia*
-WISDOM OF Treasuring Christ about the TRINKETS of programs and sports
-WISDOM of Prioritizing Church over PROGRAMS and Sports or activities on Sunday mornings
-WISDOM of Sacrificially Giving to God’s kingdom over Spending our all on pleasures of this life
-WISDOM of Embracing God’s plan for sexuality over culture’s approach (ruled by feelings which can deceive)
-WISDOM of Living for a kingdom that endures forever, rather than merely accumulating possessions for now.
-Be REASSURED: this is wisdom, and it is indomitable wisdom.
-You may not see the results in this life—but be assured you will in eternity (as Stephen did!)
III. Stephen’s Shining Face (6:11-15)
As the narrative continues, we see Stephen’s opponents—knowing they cannot win the argument—resort to immoral, deceptive tactics to overcome Stephen. They play dirty!
-1997 Boxing Match of Iron Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield.
-Lion King: Simba vs Scar (rakes hot coals in his face)
-Jews Secretly Instigated Men to Turn Crowd Against Stephen (11-12a)
-“secretly instigate”=the leaders, in secret (because they knew it was wrong) secured individuals to slander Stephen
-Inflammatory message: “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
–Stirred up crowd: 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes,
-Stephen before council (12b-14)
-Arrested (12b) and brought before council
-SET UP FALSE WITNESSES (READ 13-14)
-Luke wants us to see the character of Stephen’s opponents: deceitful, sinful.
-Stephen faced an unjust persecution and so will other Christians.
-You too, may be slandered, and set up to fail.
APPLICATION: Be READY: Being a Christian will spare you from unjust suffering!
-Phil 1:29-30
EXAMPLES WE EXPERIENCE
-Work Place: Exclusion, firing.
-Social: Ignored, left out.
-Relational: Strains and awkwardness, slander, gossip
-Government: Oppression.
-STEPHEN’S FACE (15) 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
-Stephen’s face was aglow with the glory of God!
-Moses’s shining face
-Ps 34:5
God is with his people as they preach the gospel and endure unjust suffering!
APPLICATION: God will be with us as we preach the gospel and face unjust persecution.
-We follow a Savior who was unjustly persecuted.
–JESUS: arrested, persecuted, crucified.
-He did this in love for you and me, to pay for our sins and make us right with God.
CONCLUSION:
God is with his people as they preach the gospel and endure unjust suffering.
God was with Stephen and He will be with you.
