Acts 7:1

Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the libertines, and the Cyrenians, and the Alexandrians, and them of Cilicia, and of Asia... And they set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law... And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. And then said the high priest, Are these things so?

When a simple task becomes a holy calling, the world's opposition cannot resist the wisdom of the Spirit.

Seven Men for an Overlooked Ministry

In Acts chapter 6, we saw an area of ministry the disciples had overlooked. The apostles gathered the body of Christ together and exhorted them to seek out seven men to be appointed to this task—the care of the widows within the body.

There were two groups within the church: Jewish believers from a Hebrew background, and Jewish believers from a Hellenistic, or Greek, background. The Hebrew widows were being cared for, but the Hellenistic widows were not. This led to envying, murmuring, and anger. So the apostles reminded the church that they were all one body and told them to identify seven men whom they would appoint to the task.

The criteria were given in Acts 6:3. These men had to be of honest report with a good testimony, full of the Holy Spirit, and full of wisdom. You would think waiting on widows is a simple enough task. Why require men of such caliber? Because God oftentimes has different plans than we do. God's plans for you and for me are bigger than the way we plan for ourselves.

God's Larger Plan in a Small Task

The first of these seven was a man named Stephen. Acts 6:5 says the saying pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. The apostles laid hands on them and prayed for them. Verse 8 tells us Stephen was full of faith and power and did great works among the people.

Many of you are serving in different capacities—cleaning, children's ministry, ushering, greeting, the nursing homes, the nursery. We have nine babies in the nursery this morning; the church is growing through the babies. Sometimes we look at our work and say, "It's just a small thing." But not to God. He is doing something greater in our lives than we realize.

Opposition Arises

As is always the case when God is doing a great work in and through you, the enemy will be there to combat it. If you have ever served God in any capacity, you know there is opposition and spiritual warfare.

In Acts 6:9, certain Jews from the synagogues arose against Stephen. The synagogue of the Libertines likely came from Libertina near Carthage in northern Africa. There were the Cyrenians from Cyrene in modern Libya, the Alexandrians from Egypt, and those of Cilicia—whose capital city was Tarsus. From Tarsus came a man named Saul, whom we will be introduced to today, and it is very likely he was part of this group. These were Jews who had come from foreign lands and gathered together with like-minded people from their own cultures, many of them carrying a strong Greek influence.

The Lord opened a door of opportunity for Stephen far bigger than waiting on tables. He began to dispute with these men, but verse 10 says they were not able to resist the wisdom of the Spirit by which he spoke. The word translated "disputed" can also mean questioned, examined, or debated. They began to discuss, but things escalated and grew louder.

When Force Replaces Logic

One commentator said it is not uncommon for those with a bad cause—one which can neither stand the test of Scripture nor of reason—to support it by physical force rather than logical force. When you cannot defend your position, you are tempted to move from logical discussion to physical force. They proved their doctrine by apostolic blows and punches instead of the Word of God.

Every married person knows what I'm talking about. There are times when you are convinced you are right, but the more you discuss, you start to realize you might be wrong—and rather than admit it, you just get louder. That is exactly what happened. These men could not defend what they were saying, but Stephen could. He was full of the Spirit and full of wisdom, answering every question. Unable to resist his wisdom, they resorted to force.

They induced evil men to bring false accusations, charging him with blasphemous words against Moses and against God. They brought him before the council—the same Sanhedrin that had forbidden the apostles to speak in Jesus' name, had jailed and beaten them, and had crucified Christ. They accused Stephen of saying that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy the temple and change the customs Moses delivered.

A Promise Fulfilled

This was exactly what Jesus said would happen. In Matthew 10:16, He said:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and gentle as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you to councils... But when they deliver you, do not take any thought how or what ye shall speak... for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

As Stephen stood before the council, perhaps the thought came—what am I going to say? But the Lord would be faithful to give him the words.

The Face of an Angel

Acts 6:15 says that all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Did they hear a heavenly voice and see a glowing halo? Probably not. I believe what they saw was that Stephen stood in their midst at complete and total peace. They no doubt meant to intimidate him, yet he stood in perfect peace.

How is that possible? Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." In Hebrew the word for peace is shalom, and the verse repeats it—shalom, shalom—peace, peace. In poetic Hebrew, repetition adds emphasis. The one kept in perfect peace is the one whose mind is set on the Lord because he trusts God. The logical application follows in verse 4: "Trust ye in the LORD for ever."

Set Your Mind on Things Above

Again and again the New Testament exhorts us to set our minds on things above, not on the things of this earth. Hebrews 12 tells us to fix our attention on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. When we go through trial and tribulation, we are to set our focus upon the Lord. Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," and all these other things will be added to you.

Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-8 to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make our requests known to God, and the peace of God which passes understanding will guard our hearts and minds. He then tells us to think on whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.

We live in a world ordered to remove our focus off the Lord and place it on the things of this world. If you fix your focus here, you will be discouraged—especially when your 401k has become a 201k. The enemy, the prince of the power of the air, orders this world to distract you so that you will be in fear, worry, and anxiety instead of perfect peace. But the Lord says, set your mind on things above.

The men and women of faith in Hebrews 11 did not look for an earthly city; they looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. As a result, they gained a good testimony through faith. Stephen's peace before the Sanhedrin no doubt angered them. He knew the truth of 2 Timothy 1:7: "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation." That power has been given to you and me.

"Are These Things So?"

In Acts 7:1 the high priest looked at Stephen and asked, "Are these things so?" Are the accusations true—that you blasphemed Moses, God, the temple, and the law, and endorsed Jesus of Nazareth who would destroy the temple?

Stephen began in verse 2: "Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken." He then gave a discourse of about fifty verses from the Pentateuch. He knew his audience. The Sanhedrin was filled with Sadducees, who believed only the first five books of the Bible were inspired. So Stephen retold Israel's history straight from those books, answering their charges and preaching Christ from the Old Testament.

This council was completely absorbed with the temple. They boasted in it, in the priesthood, and in the law of Moses. In that day, men swore by the temple and even by the gold of the temple. To speak against the temple, law, or Moses was blasphemy, punishable by death.

God Appeared Without a Temple: Abraham

Stephen said, "The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran." The first point: God appeared to Abraham without a temple. While Abraham was in Ur of the Chaldees, God spoke to him and said, "Get thee out of thy country... unto the land which I shall shew thee."

But Stephen points out that Abraham only partially obeyed. God told him to leave Babylon for Canaan, yet he went only about fifty miles and dwelt in Haran, taking his father and everything with him. God is long-suffering and patient. Some of you were called twenty years ago and were only partially obedient at first—but aren't you thankful God was patient? Only after his father died did Abraham finally go where God told him.

So in Abraham we see two things: God spoke to him without a temple, and he did not fully obey at first. Partial obedience will not inherit the blessing. The blessing was conditioned upon him doing what God had commanded.

When Abraham finally came into Canaan, God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on, yet promised it to him and his seed when he had no children. Abraham was 75 and his wife was barren. God promised descendants when he had none, and promised the land to descendants who did not yet exist. More than that, God told him his seed would sojourn in a strange land and be in bondage 400 years.

Hebrews 11 tells us Abraham and Sarah, had they been concerned about an earthly city, would have gone back home. But they sought a city whose builder and maker is God, and because of that, God was not ashamed to be called their God. That implies there are some God is ashamed to be called the God of—the kind of people Stephen addressed, focused entirely on Jerusalem and an earthly temple. Sadly, there are still those who name Christ, sit in churches weekly, and yet live wholly for the temporal. But we are to lay up our treasures in heaven, so that when this life falls apart, we do not lose our peace.

Everything Here Will Burn

These men in Jerusalem were losing their peace. Jesus had prophesied that not one stone of the temple would be left upon another. Stephen and the disciples were declaring this place would be no more, and the men of Judaism could not stand it. Remember Caiaphas: "This man must die, or we'll lose our whole city." Now they say the same of Stephen.

But Scripture makes clear that not only would Jerusalem be destroyed—as it was in AD 70—but this whole world will burn. Isaiah 24, Matthew 24, and Revelation declare it. Last night in 2 Peter we read that the elements will melt with fervent heat. For some this is fearful. If that's you, turn to Christ and set your affection on things above. This is all temporal; it will fail and fall, and it could come very quickly. God has not given us a spirit of fear.

God With Joseph Without a Temple

Stephen continued: God told Abraham his people would be in bondage, and the nation that enslaved them God would judge. He gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision; Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

Then Stephen makes another point: even the esteemed twelve fathers were sinners. They were moved with envy and sold their brother Joseph into Egypt. Joseph, the youngest of eleven at the time, had told his brothers that one day they would bow to him. His dream was from God. The patriarchs rejected their redeemer at first—they would not have Joseph rule over them—yet God was with Joseph and delivered him out of all his afflictions.

Notice again: Abraham met God in Babylon without a temple; Joseph was with God in Egyptian slavery without a temple. God gave Joseph favor and wisdom before Pharaoh and made him governor over Egypt. When famine came over Canaan and Egypt, Jacob sent the brothers for food, and at the second time Joseph made himself known. Jacob went down into Egypt with seventy-five souls, died there, and the people grew and multiplied.

God With Moses Without a Temple

A new king arose who knew not Joseph and dealt subtly with Israel, casting out their young children that they might not live. In that time Moses was born, exceedingly fair, nourished three months, then cast out and taken up by Pharaoh's daughter. Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and mighty in words and deeds—Josephus says he was in line to be Pharaoh. Interesting that this man, mighty in words, later told God he could not speak; I think that was an excuse.

When Moses was 40, he visited his brethren and, seeing one wronged, defended him and killed the Egyptian. He supposed his brethren would understand that God by his hand would deliver them, but they did not. Once again God's chosen deliverer was rejected. The next day, trying to reconcile two fighting Israelites, he was thrust away: "Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?" So Moses fled.

Here is the striking parallel. At his first coming, Moses was rejected by Israel, went away, and took a Gentile bride in Midian. Who else did that? Jesus came, was rejected by His people—"we will not have this man to rule over us"—and has gone and taken a Gentile bride, you and me. But just as Moses came a second time with plagues and deliverance, so Christ will come a second time.

Forty years later, when Moses was 80, the Lord appeared in the burning bush at Mount Sinai. God said, "Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground." Moses met with God in a holy place apart from any temple. God said, "I have seen the affliction of my people... and I am come down to deliver them." And Stephen drives the point: "This Moses whom they refused... the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer." The same is true of Jesus, whom Israel rejected and whom God will send again to rule and deliver.

Israel's History of Rejecting God

Moses brought them out with wonders and signs and led them forty years. He prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:15, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you... like unto me; him shall ye hear." But Stephen says, "to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt," asking Aaron to make them gods. They made a golden calf and rejoiced in the works of their own hands, and God gave them up to worship the host of heaven.

Stephen recounts that the fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, built according to the pattern Moses was shown, and brought it into the land with Joshua, all the way to David. David desired to build a house for the Lord, but it was Solomon who built the temple. God did not always have a temple. Solomon's temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, rebuilt seventy years later under Ezra and Nehemiah, and refurbished by Herod until it became one of the wonders of the world.

Yet Stephen declares, "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands... Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me?" The Sanhedrin was so focused on a temple that God does not even dwell in.

Cut to the Heart

Then Stephen confronts them directly: "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." They persecuted and slew the prophets who foretold the coming of the Just One, "of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers." They received the law and did not keep it.

This is not how you win friends and influence people. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed on him with their teeth. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up into heaven, saw the glory of God, and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

Jesus had stood before this same council and told them they would see the Son of Man standing in glory. Now Stephen sees it. They cried out, stopped their ears, ran upon him with one accord, cast him out of the city, and stoned him—laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul, who consented to his death. Stephen, calling on God, said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," and then, kneeling, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And he fell asleep.

A Larger Plan

Why did the church have to choose seven men full of the Holy Spirit, of good testimony, and full of wisdom? Because they were not just going to wait on tables. God had a larger plan and view—larger than anything you can think or imagine for your own life. Yes, there is always opposition and spiritual warfare, but greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Stephen was a New Testament example of a man not looking for an earthly city, but for a city whose builder and maker is God. When he breathed his last, he stepped into eternity, into the arms of the Lord standing beside the glory of God. But the men who stoned him, if they refused to repent, are in hell with weeping and gnashing of teeth even now—and two thousand years later, they still remember Stephen looking up and saying, "I see the Lord."

Perhaps you find yourself in fear today. Over the last months you have watched the economy and your investments fall apart, and your focus has been only on this life. I pray the Lord reminds you that this is not all there is, and one day we shall see Him. But if you reject the Lord, two thousand years from now you will still remember this message. May that not be your case. May you be with the Lord eternally, and may you be one who can boldly proclaim the gospel even in the face of opposition, just like Stephen.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word, and I ask that you would help us make application from it by your Spirit as we go from here. Lord, would you pour out your Spirit upon this fellowship, upon all of us, that we would be bright shining lights in a dark world, that we would be salt to this earth. And Lord, I pray that this week you would give us opportunity to boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel, even though people may not like to hear it. We ask it in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, Amen.