Stephen’s sermon (3) Martyrdom for the Lord
Acts 7:45-60; 6/11/2023; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang
Introduction
The martyrdom of Stephen was a major event in the New Testament church, inheriting and starting the persecution of the church. This is a major matter that every believer in Jesus Christ should face and make a choice honestly, right? Let’s look at the first point:
Meaning of the holy temple
The holy temple is the dwelling place of God, and it is the historical witness of God’s chosen people walking with God. What is important is that the holy temple evolved from the tabernacle, witnessing the historical leap of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan. First, the inheritance of the tabernacle. The Israelites left Egypt, received the Ten Commandments, built the tabernacle, walked with God, and brought the tabernacle into Canaan. The ancestors experienced God’s tabernacle in the world and walked with the Lord daily, and received free grace. The original inhabitants of Canaan were expelled by God, because there is no land in the world that does not belong to the king. This king is not that king, but the king of kings. Land is ordained by God, not human wars. Humanism and God-based thinking also distinguish their positions and affiliations here. Today’s people use all kinds of reasons and excuses to seize the boundaries of land and sea, but ultimately it is in vane. The only right way is for God’s people to inherit the land according to God’s promise.
Second, David’s favor. The Holy Spirit moved David to prepare a dwelling place for God, the God of Jacob. On the one hand, God accepted David’s devotion to build the temple, but on the other hand, God did not allow David to build the temple because of David’s sin and uncleanness. Therefore, the responsibility for building the temple fell to David’s son Solomon, who finally lived up to expectations and completed the construction of the temple. About a thousand years BC, Solomon used about 200 tons of gold and silver to build a resplendent and glorious temple. The entire holy city is also built with marble and gopher wood, which is famous far and wide and envied by others. It is a pity that the good times of such a glorious holy city are short-lived. The Bible records, saying: “In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. He carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. (1 King 14:25-26)”
Finally, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Job said, God blesses, but does He not also bring disaster? Similarly, God can bless David and his son to build an extremely glorious temple, or because of Solomon’s son Rehoboam’s idolatry and sin, God can raise up Shishak, king of Egypt, to sweep away all the gold and silver that was used to build the temple, and fall from glory, so that humiliation is self-inflicted humiliation. Stephen’s sermon used a strong concept of logic to point out that the nature of the temple was not a temple in which the high priest lived. Most importantly, God may not live in the temple! This made the high priest angry, this is a big treason! This is the second holy temple built by God through Ezra, Nehemiah, etc. How can you, a Greek man, defile it? The hateful thing is that Stephen was not afraid of death, and he called himself a prophet, implying that our high priest killed Jesus just like our ancestors killed prophets. Let’s look at the second point:
Obedience to the law
When Luke talked about the law and Paul talked about the law, they had different starting points and achieved different results. Paul said bluntly that the law is a teacher, it convicts, but it cannot save people’s lives. Luke pointed out that the high priests did not keep the law because they did not know the Holy Spirit. First, the words of the law. When the Jews read the law, what they read is reverence and obedience. When we go to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem today, we can still see some “classical” Jews. They wear black traditional clothes, and the son is still shaking his head and reciting scriptures in front of his father. However, because they missed the incarnation of Jesus Christ, of course they did not experience the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In this way, they could not receive the living water of God’s word in the law, not even as comprehensible as the Samaritan woman at the well. This is also the same as some of us who regard reading the Bible as an increase or supplement of knowledge, rather than words that can be lived out. We might as well ask ourselves: Is God’s word living water in our hearts?
Second, the testimony in the law. The scripture quoted by Stephen is in the first verse of the sixty-sixth chapter of Isaiah, which says: “This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? (Isaiah 66:1)” Haven’t the high priests read it? They read it, but can’t understand it! If they understood, didn’t they understand Stephen’s words? When the Holy Son Jesus Christ came, he was not born in the temple, but chose to be in the manger in Bethlehem. The challenge to the high priests is that they should leave the space of the temple, follow the example of the three Magi, and go to Bethlehem to catch up with the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. This is why the New Testament chose Greek, including its philosophical and logical soil. The subtext Stephen abstracted here is that God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.
Finally, reproof of the law. At this point, the high priests still did not understand, and the reproach of the law came upon them. Stephen said: “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! (Acts 7:51)” Stephen’s sermons were meant to enlighten the wisdom of the people, including the high priest,of course. Because the high priests did not know the Holy Spirit, nor could they know the Holy Spirit. If they don’t know it, of course it’s easy to resist the Holy Spirit. Next, Stephen used his own life as a living sacrifice to prophesy to the rulers: “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him. (Acts 7:52)” Stephen was tantamount to announcing his own death sentence directly. It’s a bit like Pastor Wang Yi’s sermon, announcing his arrest, imprisonment, and possible martyrdom in the future. Let’s look at the third point:
Filled with the Holy Spirit
Acts probably has the most “filled with the Spirit” words in the Bible, right? In today’s scriptures we are told that being filled with the Spirit is a word that requires caution. First, the Holy Spirit-filled reproof. Unless it is not the Holy Spirit that fills you, the Holy Spirit’s reproof must accompany the Holy Spirit’s filling. Stephen’s rebuke was severe: You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You always resist the Holy Spirit! This sentence is tantamount to directly hitting the weakness of the Jews, and it is also a reminder and warning to New Testament believers. The Jews were circumcised, but they did not really know God. Just as we have been baptized, words and deeds are not commensurate with what we believe. Bitterness in heart,unforgiving words,lack of testimony in behavior, disobedience in life, lack of spiritual growth, sins without repentance, and difficulty giving account to the Lord. May I ask, what is our attitude after hearing the reproach?
Second, Spirit-filled martyrdom. The spiritual muscles of the high priests have been necrotic, without any “elasticity”, and they can no longer hear any voices of opposition. The Bible says: “When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. (Acts 7:54)” May I ask under what circumstances do people “gnash their teeth”? It should be that apart from emotions, the rest is self-righteousness. It feels a bit like the Red Guards during our Cultural Revolution, or the little pinks of today. Anyway, as soon as the politically correct sentiment comes up, they don’t care about it. The Bible says: “At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, (Acts 7:57)” This reminds me of the times during the Cultural Revolution, when the Red Guards dragged school teachers onto the stage to criticize them, put high hats on them, knelt down, slapped them, and tortured them. Finally, the Jews pushed Stephen out of the city, stoned him, and killed him.
Finally, the glory of the Holy Spirit filled. Stephen was the first person in the New Testament to be martyred for the Lord, and the only person recorded in the Bible who was greeted by the Lord Jesus standing when he returned to the heavenly home. What a glory! Luke’s record should be an interview with the apostles who were present at the time. Some eyewitnesses heard Stephen say: “Saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55) Luke deliberately repeats: “ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:56)” In this way, the Bible records twice that Jesus Christ stood to welcome Stephen back to the heavenly home. I believe this is also a promise, and an encouragement and exhortation to everyone who is martyred for the Lord! The manner of Stephen’s final death was the greatest glory, for he was conformed to the likeness of the Lord before his death, “Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60)”
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters, Stephen’s martyrdom is the climax of the Acts message. Stephen reinterpreted the faith history of the Israelites from the perspective of the New Testament, and brought people to Jesus Christ. This is the choice of history, and it is also for everyone to face. Excuse me, what is your choice? How will you face the Lord who loves you?
Let us pray……
Acts 7:45-60
45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David,
46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’
51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—
53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.
55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
