MPC, 17th June 2001.Acts 6:8-7:60 - "Like Father Like Son"
Phil Campbell MPC, 17th June 2001.
But the point is, according to Louise, my tree trimming habits are EXACTLY LIKE MY FATHERS. I never realised. But apparently Lou over the years has watched MY DAD at work as well. Not entirely approvingly. And apparently when my DAD starts trimming a few branches off a tree, the tree can end up with exactly the same sort of NEATNESS. And so Louise last Monday could hardly contain herself. And over and over again as she looked at the tree she kept saying, "You're JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER." And she spent the rest of the afternoon calling me NEVILLE. You're just like your Father.
Now as we look here at what's almost entirely a word for word account of a speech made by Stephen, you'll see that's exactly what he's saying about his OPPONENTS. The leaders of the Jews. That they're making exactly the same mistakes as the generations that came before. It's all summed up in what he says at the end. Acts 7:51. Have a look at it, because that's where he's heading in everything else he says. And in a nutshell, it's simple. He says, "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!"
It's a serious charge. That the thing that makes THEM like their forefathers is that at every point, they've REJECTED GOD'S WILL. And gone their own way instead.
But let's back up a little and see what's going on. We're picking up where we left off last week at the start of chapter 6. Where seven godly men, seven men full of the Spirit and of wisdom are appointed to look after the food distribution for the widows in the church.
And back in verse 5, the first to be appointed is Stephen. First choice, when it comes to looking for a guy with those qualifications.
Now I don't know about you, but I reckon if I was one of those guys, I'd sort of be breathing a sigh of relief. A nice easy job. Out of the limelight. Out on the front lines it's getting dangerous - the apostles keep on getting dragged into court. All Stephen and Philip and the five other guys have to do is to make sure the widows get their food; collect the money, buy the bread, maybe do the occasional home delivery.
But it's funny, isn't it. You don't hear anything about Stephen's career in the community kitchen at all. Because apparently, while he's doing that, he's doing something else as well. Just like the apostles, STEPHEN can't help keeping on telling people the gospel. And that gets him into serious trouble.
Verse 9, there's opposition from one of the Jewish synagogues; and he's called up to explain the stuff he's been saying. Or they accuse him of saying.
Because according to verse 10, because Stephen's so WISE in his answers, they resort to dirty tricks. They can't stand up against Stephen's wisdom, or the Spirit by which he speaks. And so verse 10; they line up a couple of false witnesses; and they say, "We've heard Stephen speak words of Blasphemy AGAINST MOSES. And against GOD."
Which was a very serious charge. A capital offence. Stephen's dragged off to the Sanhedrin Council meeting at the temple and they accuse him again. Verse 13. And you need to notice carefully what the charges are, because Stephen goes on to answer them in his speech. Follow it while I read it. They say "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place - the temple - and against the Law. For we've heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
Two big charges. That he's speaking against MOSES; who gave the law. And he's speaking against THE TEMPLE. Which in their eyes was the same as speaking against GOD HIMSELF.
So here's Stephen. The man in charge of sharing the FOOD. Up in front of the High Court; the Jewish ruling council. The same Sanhedrin that put Jesus to death on pretty much the same trumped up charges. Stephen's face is glowing; he's full of God's Spirit; and the high priest asks him to speak in his own defense. In chapter 7, you've got a record of what he says. Sermon notes.
I heard about a lawyers wedding a while back where the speeches went for so long they had to have an intermission so people could have a toilet break and come back.
Well, Stephen's speech isn't quite that long. But at first glance it's fairly complicated. In fact, if you look at it carefully, you'll see it's a summary of the Old Testament; from God's promises to Abraham in Genesis 12, through the story of Joseph in Egypt; right up to Solomon building the temple in 1 Kings 7. In my bible that takes up around 300 pages. And Stephen sums it up in a nutshell in a 20 minute talk.
We're not going to look at it in detail. But I want to draw out a couple of key points. I want you to think about what they're accusing him of. And see how his speech is responding to the charges.
The first accusation was this. That he was SPEAKING AGAINST MOSES. And trying to change THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW that Moses had handed down to them.
I want you to notice a few key points that Stephen makes in return. Because for Stephen, the big question is this. WHO IS IT THAT'S REALLY REJECTED MOSES and God's law for Israel? Cause it's certainly not him.
And as Stephen sees it, REJECTING GOD'S RULE is all part of a trend. That started back with Joseph.
God's promised Abraham his descendants are going to become a great nation; that they're going to have a land of their own; that through this nation of Israel, he's going to bring BLESSING TO THE WORLD. A Saviour.
A few generations down the track, it's starting to happen. You've got Abraham's great-grandsons; 12 guys who the people of Israel have looked back to as their FOUNDING FATHERS. The heads of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Now you might not know the story of Joseph. But maybe you've heard the songs from JOSEPH and the AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. Joseph is the kid brother of the big guys who have gone down in history as the Patriarchs of Israel. And like any kid brother, he gets pampered. They're jealous. We didn't get treated THAT WELL when we were growing up. And so they decide to get RID of the KID.
Have a look at the way Stephen tells it in chapter 7 verse 9 and you'll see what happened. "Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph they sold him as a slave into Egypt." But God had DIFFERENT PLANS. Keep reading. "BUT GOD WAS WITH HIM and rescued him from his troubles."
Now I want you to see if you can spot the start of a trend here. The heavyweights of Israel, the Patriarchs; the great grandfathers of the nation. They sell their little brother off as a slave. When little brother JOSEPH IS THE ONE GOD HAS CHOSEN TO SAVE THEM. And if you read the next few verses Stephen goes on to talk about how their rejected saviour becomes a GREAT KING. And saves them from certain death. See the pattern? THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL, right from the start. rejecting God's king who's their saviour.
Sound familiar?
Let's keep moving. Moses. Who they say Stephen's speaking against. It's four hundred years later, and the Israelites are slaves in Egypyt. Verse 20, Moses is born - no ordinary child. Because again, he's singled out by GOD to be SAVIOUR OF ISRAEL.
Moses is brought up in the court of the King of Egypt. Royalty. And Stephen says, when Moses is 40 years old he decides to visit his fellow Israelites. He steps in to help one of them being beaten up by an Egyptian; saves the guys life and, kills the attacker. And look what happens. Verse 25. Moses thinks his own people will see that GOD'S USING HIM TO RESCUE THEM.
Well, think again Moses. BUT THEY DID NOT. Verse 27, he comes upon a couple of Israelites and tries to sort out a fight they're having, and THEY TURN ON HIM. They push him aside. They say "Who made YOU ruler and judge over us?"
And so Moses backs off - REJECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. Until God speaks to him from a burning bush and sends him back 40 years later - to rescue them from slavery in Egypt once and for all.
Verse 35; this is the same Moses who they'd rejected with the words WHO MADE YOU RULER AND JUDGE. Well, GOD DID. God made him ruler and judge. And so Moses leads them out of Egypt, and he does miraculous signs and wonders. And yet what happens? Verse 39.
I mean, the people Stephen's speaking to have accused HIM of speaking against Moses and God's law. These Jewish leaders so proud of their traditions - but Stephen's spelling out an even DEEPER tradition. That the Jews traditionally REJECT THE ONES GOD SENDS TO SAVE THEM. Moses has saved them from Egypt, he's brought them to freedom, he's done great signs and wonders. And now this. Verse 39 - BUT OUR FATHERS REFUSED TO OBEY HIM. Instead, in their hearts they rejected him - and turned back to Egypt.
Like Father like Son. Right through their history. God sends a saviour. Israel REJECTS them. And prefer idols instead. Made-up gods; of their own convenience.
You don't need to be too smart to read between the lines, do you. Because it's exactly what they've done with Jesus. Back in verse 37, Stephen reminds them, Moses told them GOD WILL SEND YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM AMONG YOUR OWN PEOPLE. And they REJECTED HIM exactly like Moses as well.
Remember the charge Stephen's up for? For SPEAKING AGAINST MOSES. Well, if anyone's been against Moses it's THESE GUYS. Who've put him on trial. Who are making exactly the same mistake as their FOREFATHERS DID.
Now very quickly, the second charge. That Stephen's been speaking against the temple. That he's saying Jesus was is going to KNOCK IT DOWN. And rebuild it.
If you want to follow it in his speech, Stephen's picking up the TEMPLE issue in verse 44 to 48. And we're just going to glance at it on our way through.
Now again, the charge is, he's accused of saying Jesus will destroy it. Which if you think back to Mark 13, or you want to take a look at John chapter 2 sometime, it's VERY SIMILAR to something Jesus actually said. And Stephen might be repeating. But it's entirely missed the point. Do you remember, in John 2, Jesus is talking about his BODY. Which really WAS the dwelling place of God. The ULTIMATE TEMPLE. And he says DESTROY THIS BODY - and I'll rebuild it in three days. Kill me. and I'll be back. He was TALKING ABOUT HIS RESURRECTION. And now it's taken entirely out of context. And used as an accusation against Stephen.
Except in another way it's partly right. Because once Jesus comes, the temple in Jerusalem is over and done with. Not needed any more. Which might be what Stephen is getting at. The fact is, as Christians, we don't NEED a temple and a priest and a sacrifice. Because Jesus is ALL THREE OF THOSE for us. All the rituals are OVER.
And that's the sort of point Stephen's making here. That Israel got on fine BEFORE THERE WAS ANY TEMPLE. and there was just a tent. And second, even when Solomon finally built the temple, everyone KNEW God didn't live in it anyway. It was just a SYMBOL. Verse 49. God's not confined to a BUILDING. And we need to always keep it in mind when we talk about OUR church buildings as well. GOD DOESN'T LIVE IN HOUSES BUILT BY MEN. The building we're sitting in this morning, it's NOT the HOUSE OF GOD. In spite of what the old hymns might say.
Verse 49. "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of HOUSE will you build for me?"
I mean, don't be silly. Who'd think they could make a HOUSE for the maker of the universe. It's going to have to be pretty big if you're going to fit in the furniture. The whole EARTH is his footstool. Yet we build puny little buildings and call them THE HOUSE OF GOD.
And so Stephen brings his defense speech in for a close. On trial for speaking against Moses and against the temple. In fact, it's more a speech for the PROSECUTION than the defense, isn't it. And HE SAYS, it ought to be YOU GUYS on trial. Not me. And in verse 51 to 53 he delivers the verdict.
The verdict that they're JUST LIKE THEIR FATHERS. Like father, like son. You're JUST LIKE YOUR FATHERS[PMC1] . You ALWAYS resist the Holy Spirit. Verse 52. Was there EVER a prophet your Fathers didn't persecute? Time after time after time. They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous one. Jesus. And now you've betrayed and murdered HIM - you who've RECEIVED THE LAW alright. But you haven't obeyed it for a minute.
I mean, there's a terrible problem isn't it? They've got all the right ingredients. But they forgot to bake the cake. They've got the law of Moses they're so proud of. But it didn't occur to them they're meant to obey it.
They're just like their forefathers.
And of course, the people listening have really ENJOYED what Stephen's got to say! THEY'RE FURIOUS. They grind their teeth, they snarl, they rush at him, they drag him out the city gates and they start throwing rocks at him. Pounding down, a constant rain of stones, some as big as your fist, some as bigger. Until finally, Stephen's body lies there in a mess of blood and crushed bones. Dead. Under a pile of rubble.
And his last words were these. He looks up to heaven and sees Jesus waiting for him. And he cries out in verse 60, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them." Echoing the words of Jesus on the cross. And he dies.
And it's like this is the signal for a great persecution to sweep out against the whole church in Jerusalem; like the trumpet has been sounded. Christians driven out of their homes in a frenzy of hatred. And particularly, you can see in verse 3 of chapter 8, this young man Saul makes it his business to DESTROY THE CHURCH. House to house, knocking on doors, dragging off men and women who hold to their faith in Jesus. Throwing them in prison.
They're terrible times. And it's a scene that's been played out countless times down through the generations. But can I ask you to think about the question for a moment, WHO WINS? Here's the weight of OLD ISRAEL doing its best to CRUSH THE LIFE out of Christianity. By first of all crushing the life out of Stephen.
But a funny thing happens. As these first Christians are scattered, they're like seeds in the air. Like a DANDELION; you crush it and you blow away the flower; but what you're doing only spreads it all the more. Somebody once said "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."
Because look at verse 4. Those who had been scattered, PREACHED THE WORD WHEREVER THEY WENT. Philip, goes to SAMARIA - outside the borders of Israel - and preaches the gospel and does miraculous signs. And in Samaria, at least, there's GREAT JOY. While back in Jerusalem, there's persecution. And sorrow.
And through the BAD THING that happens to Stephen, World Mission is finally underway. The mission that finally made its way to us here today.
So will you make sure you've got the message clear. That just like he did in Joseph and Moses, GOD SENT HIS PEOPLE A SAVIOUR. And even though it looks like the leaders of the Jews have WON by killing Jesus and killing Stephen, the fact is, they're on the LOSING SIDE. They've just kept on in the time honoured tradition of REJECTING THE SAVIOURS GOD SENDS THEM.
They've got GOD'S LAW. They've got the TEMPLE. They've got all the traditions in the world. But without the risen Jesus, they've got NOTHING AT ALL. And Stephen, who looks like the loser, is right on the doorstep of heaven. He looks up, and sees the glory of God, and Jesus at his right hand. Verse 56 "Look," he says, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Jesus RULING as he said he would. And Stephen's about to be with him. Who's the winner here? A good question to be asking as you face up to whatever the world's throwing at YOU.