WEBVTT 00:00:07.509 --> 00:00:19.743 So any children here today ages three to six who would like to go downstairs for our children's church, you can kind of make your way out right now and go with the teacher who will meet you at the door. 00:00:19.743 --> 00:00:22.490 Go downstairs, and you'll come back up a little later. 00:00:22.490 --> 00:00:26.527 If there's any children here that want to do that, this would be a good time to go. 00:00:26.527 --> 00:00:31.013 We're going to continue our sermon series in the Acts of the Apostles. 00:00:31.013 --> 00:00:38.301 By now your Bible should open automatically to the Acts of the Apostles. 00:00:38.301 --> 00:00:41.347 Doesn't work on your cell phone, though, so don't try that. 00:00:41.347 --> 00:00:46.134 If you would like a sermon outline, our usher would be happy to hand you one. 00:00:46.134 --> 00:01:05.359 Just raise your hand and they'll give you one. 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:09.954 A man once built a wooden car. 00:01:09.954 --> 00:01:20.079 It had a wooden engine, wooden doors, wooden wheels and wooden seats. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:33.596 Then he put the wooden key in the wooden ignition and it wouldn't start. 00:01:33.596 --> 00:01:33.840 I know, okay. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:41.219 Last time in Acts, chapter 7, we'll have Stephen standing before the Sanhedrin. 00:01:41.219 --> 00:01:54.272 The religious Jewish council charge of everything in Jerusalem in answer charges that he was speaking against the temple and speaking against God's law given to them by Moses. 00:01:54.272 --> 00:01:59.549 But as we saw last time, the charges against him wouldn't stick. 00:01:59.549 --> 00:02:09.389 Okay, that's why I put the car up there, all right. 00:02:09.389 --> 00:02:30.750 Stephen not only answers the charges against him if you were here last week but at the end of his speech he infuriates the religious leaders who set these false charges against him and accuses them of rejecting, betraying and murdering the righteous one, jesus, whom God sent to save us. 00:02:30.750 --> 00:02:42.454 In Acts, chapter 7, this is what he says 51, you stiff-necked people, your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. 00:02:42.454 --> 00:02:44.962 You're just like your ancestors. 00:02:44.962 --> 00:02:47.284 You always resist the Holy Spirit. 00:02:47.284 --> 00:02:49.527 Was there ever a prophet? 00:02:49.527 --> 00:02:55.276 Your ancestors didn't persecute, they even killed those who predicted the coming of the righteous one. 00:02:55.276 --> 00:03:06.385 And now you've betrayed and murdered him, you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it. 00:03:07.507 --> 00:03:24.021 Now, before I dive into the rest of Acts, chapter 7, I want to consider where Luke got this report of Stephen, of what he said and how he died. 00:03:24.021 --> 00:03:32.467 Why does Luke go to the trouble of recording Stephen's very long speech, spending so much time on it? 00:03:32.467 --> 00:03:58.671 If you remember Luke, when he writes his gospel, he's writing to a man named Theophilus and he's trying to be very careful to make sure he's recording the facts of what happened with Jesus and his disciples and in the same way, he's doing the same thing in the book of Acts, recording by eyewitness testimony these things that are happening. 00:03:58.671 --> 00:04:28.391 Luke said it in his gospel, chapter 1, inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile and account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the exact truth about the things that have been taught. 00:04:28.391 --> 00:04:32.290 And it's the same spirit that he writes Acts. 00:04:32.290 --> 00:04:41.427 He's using eyewitness testimony to report the things he is told when he's not actually present. 00:04:41.427 --> 00:04:47.971 Well, he was not present with Stephen when that was happening. 00:04:47.971 --> 00:04:51.043 All this he's recording so far by eyewitness. 00:04:51.043 --> 00:04:56.012 Now, later on in Acts, luke joins them. 00:04:56.012 --> 00:05:01.264 He will be an eyewitness, but now he's just reporting what the eyewitnesses have told him. 00:05:02.728 --> 00:05:07.540 Where would Luke have gotten the eyewitness testimony of Stephen's speech? 00:05:07.540 --> 00:05:17.524 You may know already he got it from a young man who was there by the name of Saul, acts 7.58. 00:05:17.524 --> 00:05:27.021 When they had driven Stephen out of the city, they began stoning him and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 00:05:27.021 --> 00:05:35.274 Saul would later become the apostle Paul, the author of 13 books in the New Testament. 00:05:35.274 --> 00:05:38.583 Saul heard Stephen's speech. 00:05:38.583 --> 00:05:43.189 He was part of the squad that executed Stephen. 00:05:43.189 --> 00:05:53.925 Saul held the coats of those who were stoning Stephen Saul gave his approval for Stephen's death Acts chapter 8, verse 1,. 00:05:53.925 --> 00:06:01.711 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death and on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem. 00:06:01.711 --> 00:06:13.761 The only possible source of this incredible speech and the details describing Stephen's death was from Paul, who remembered it. 00:06:13.761 --> 00:06:38.240 Many commentators have pointed out that the themes we see in Stephen's speech in Acts 7, many are similar themes in Paul's writings Law and grace, abraham's faith, israel's rejection of Messiah, resisting the Holy Spirit, on and on and on. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:46.973 Stephen's speech must have had a huge impact on the Apostle Paul. 00:06:46.973 --> 00:06:51.343 He's listening Now. 00:06:51.343 --> 00:07:02.435 It didn't immediately make Saul a better man, but what happened to Stephen must have been incredibly convicting and shocking for Paul to see and hear. 00:07:02.435 --> 00:07:11.908 So let's look at what happened when Stephen finished his speech Acts 7, 54 to 60. 00:07:11.908 --> 00:07:16.812 Now, when the religious leaders heard this, they were cut to the heart. 00:07:16.812 --> 00:07:23.324 They began gnashing their teeth at him, but, being full of the Holy Spirit. 00:07:23.324 --> 00:07:38.548 He gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and he said behold, I see the heavens open and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. 00:07:38.548 --> 00:07:51.190 But they cried out with a loud voice and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse and when they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 00:07:51.190 --> 00:07:59.600 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said Lord, jesus, receive my spirit. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:07.189 And then, falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice Lord, do not hold this sin against them. 00:08:07.189 --> 00:08:10.569 And having said this, he fell asleep. 00:08:12.141 --> 00:08:16.172 First, it says the religious leaders were cut to the heart. 00:08:16.172 --> 00:08:19.485 We've heard this before. 00:08:19.485 --> 00:08:22.608 What does it mean to be cut to the heart? 00:08:22.608 --> 00:08:32.889 Cut to the heart is a Greek word, katanuso, and it's usually it's only used in the book of Acts, and it's only in the book of Acts three times. 00:08:32.889 --> 00:08:42.206 And it's always in the passive voice, meaning you're not doing the action, you're not cutting your own heart, something's cutting you. 00:08:42.206 --> 00:08:51.144 The passive Greek word katanousou literally means to be pierced or stabbed by someone or something. 00:08:51.144 --> 00:09:07.816 In Acts it's used figuratively and it means to be stabbed emotionally deep in the soul with a deep feeling, sharp pain, resulting in either remorse or rage. 00:09:07.816 --> 00:09:14.671 Cut to the heart means to be stabbed at your spiritual and emotional core. 00:09:14.671 --> 00:09:29.201 Something from outside you is entering your life at its deepest level through God's Holy Spirit level. 00:09:29.201 --> 00:09:30.142 Through God's Holy Spirit. 00:09:30.142 --> 00:09:36.950 In the book of Acts it's used three times to describe a deep emotional response to the word of God. 00:09:36.990 --> 00:09:54.346 We've seen it twice before to describe the response to the apostle Peter's first sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2, where it says when the people heard this Peter's sermon, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the Apostle Brothers what shall we do? 00:09:54.346 --> 00:10:02.567 Peter said Repent and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you'll receive the Holy Spirit. 00:10:02.567 --> 00:10:06.749 Well, we saw it again in Acts, chapter 5. 00:10:06.749 --> 00:10:15.743 To the religious leaders, peter said the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging him on a cross. 00:10:15.743 --> 00:10:27.400 He is the one whom God exalted to his right hand as prince and savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins, and we are witnesses of these things. 00:10:27.400 --> 00:10:31.149 So is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. 00:10:31.149 --> 00:10:48.254 When they heard this, they were cut to the heart and intended to kill them Two very different, extreme responses to hearing God's word, specifically the gospel. 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:53.152 What did Peter say in his first two sermons that cut them to the heart? 00:10:53.152 --> 00:10:55.840 Chapter 2, verse 37,. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:11:03.629 Let all Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, both the Lord and Christ Jesus, whom you crucified. 00:11:03.629 --> 00:11:05.186 You crucified him. 00:11:05.186 --> 00:11:12.370 Stephen said essentially the same thing Peter said to the religious leaders in Acts 7.52. 00:11:12.370 --> 00:11:15.149 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? 00:11:15.149 --> 00:11:22.149 They killed those who previously announced the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. 00:11:22.149 --> 00:11:25.629 You killed Jesus, the righteous one. 00:11:25.629 --> 00:11:31.046 Same message People are responding. 00:11:31.046 --> 00:11:37.208 Basically, they're responding to the gospel of Jesus from Peter and Stephen's sermons. 00:11:37.208 --> 00:11:44.350 You see, the gospel says my sins put Jesus there to die. 00:11:44.350 --> 00:11:46.203 That's why he did it. 00:11:46.203 --> 00:11:52.482 My sins, I drove those nails. 00:11:52.482 --> 00:12:02.828 Now, all three times. 00:12:02.870 --> 00:12:09.331 The people understood the gospel because of the way they responded. 00:12:09.331 --> 00:12:15.730 It sunk to their hearts, not just to their head. 00:12:15.730 --> 00:12:23.347 On the one hand, it brought some people to a saving knowledge of Jesus' bread. 00:12:23.347 --> 00:12:23.970 What shall we do? 00:12:23.970 --> 00:12:27.349 Repent and believe and be baptized. 00:12:27.349 --> 00:12:36.808 On the other hand, those who heard it, it brought rage and a desire to put the messenger to death. 00:12:36.808 --> 00:12:55.148 Basically, what happens when anyone you and I included hear and understand the gospel the Holy Spirit brings a conviction of our sin to our heart and it cuts us deeply. 00:12:55.148 --> 00:13:08.671 If we really understand the gospel, the message of the gospel hits you deep in your heart that your sins were responsible for Jesus' death. 00:13:08.671 --> 00:13:31.043 And there are only only two responses to that, to really understanding the gospel Either you want to repent of your sin, leading to belief in Jesus as your Savior, or being deeply offended by the gospel, which infers somehow I'm not good enough to be with God. 00:13:31.043 --> 00:13:35.330 I'm a good person, I didn't kill him. 00:13:35.330 --> 00:13:43.913 And that results in a hard resistance to the gospel and many times it ends in rage. 00:13:43.913 --> 00:13:48.671 How dare you? 00:13:48.671 --> 00:13:51.471 You know it's funny. 00:13:51.471 --> 00:14:00.017 In my life as a Christian believer and witness to Jesus, I've seen both responses front and center. 00:14:00.017 --> 00:14:10.717 I've had a lot of really great responses, but I have one that's stuck in my mind from early on in my Christian life. 00:14:11.427 --> 00:14:22.339 Not too long after I became a Christian, my dorm floor at Michigan State University caused quite a stir. 00:14:22.339 --> 00:14:31.654 You know I was with the in crowd partying all the time and then all of a sudden, I stopped. 00:14:31.654 --> 00:14:39.293 People were absolutely bewildered what, what is this? 00:14:39.293 --> 00:14:44.695 And I kept getting questions. 00:14:44.695 --> 00:15:02.750 I kept sharing my faith and one day around noon, in the school cafeteria, I have a bunch of my dorm friends sitting around a table together and one guy looks over and says what on earth has happened to you? 00:15:02.750 --> 00:15:07.599 You no longer join us in these things and you're reading your Bibles. 00:15:07.599 --> 00:15:08.807 What happened to you? 00:15:08.807 --> 00:15:11.091 I said well, I became a Christian. 00:15:11.091 --> 00:15:14.376 And he said what you mean? 00:15:14.376 --> 00:15:17.149 You were like born again. 00:15:17.149 --> 00:15:19.456 I said yeah, that's exactly right. 00:15:19.456 --> 00:15:22.332 And I could see his face change. 00:15:22.332 --> 00:15:33.774 He literally was enraged and pushed himself away there, knocked over the chair and marched out of there in a rage. 00:15:35.625 --> 00:15:39.176 I said I'm like, did I say something? 00:15:39.176 --> 00:15:39.697 I was really confused. 00:15:39.697 --> 00:15:41.884 I said I'm like, did I say something? 00:15:41.884 --> 00:15:44.815 I was like, I was really confused, until I read these accounts in Acts. 00:15:44.815 --> 00:15:57.630 If you really understand, look, if you're just indifferent to the gospel, jesus is just okay with me. 00:15:57.630 --> 00:15:58.133 Blah, blah, blah. 00:15:58.133 --> 00:16:01.269 It means you haven't understood it yet. 00:16:01.269 --> 00:16:02.854 You have not. 00:16:02.854 --> 00:16:15.772 It either is going to lead to repentance and opening your heart to receive Jesus, or you're going to be enraged, thinking how dare they say I'm not good enough, I'm a good person. 00:16:15.772 --> 00:16:32.693 The people who heard Stephen were not only deeply moved emotionally, but their emotional response became physical when, in their rage it says verse 54, they began gnashing their teeth. 00:16:32.693 --> 00:16:33.756 Now we're physical. 00:16:33.756 --> 00:16:47.336 You can see it on their face, could see it on their face, and their rage ultimately was expressed in stoning Stephen to death verse 57. 00:16:47.336 --> 00:16:50.688 You know we'd look at this. 00:16:50.688 --> 00:16:58.614 Wow, that's a really sad account, a really bad thing for believers. 00:16:58.614 --> 00:17:04.315 Then in the church, man, oh man, why did God let that happen? 00:17:04.315 --> 00:17:08.191 Good question. 00:17:08.191 --> 00:17:22.018 So now let's consider how Stephen suffered and died, as a remarkable example to us of how to suffer in a meaningful way. 00:17:22.018 --> 00:17:26.755 This is how Stephen changed the world. 00:17:26.755 --> 00:17:36.738 Stephen changed the world not by just what he said, but by how he suffered. 00:17:38.708 --> 00:17:47.518 Several times in the passage, Luke records what Paul remembered about Stephen's demeanor while people were torturing, punishing him. 00:17:47.518 --> 00:17:51.452 You know what it says in Acts 6.60. 00:17:51.452 --> 00:17:58.589 Back there they're throwing false accusations at Stephen and his face looked like an angel. 00:17:58.589 --> 00:18:17.391 He was radiant, he was perfectly at peace, he was confident in his faith in Jesus and not afraid, and while he was speaking, being on trial for his life, he wasn't snarling at his accusers. 00:18:17.391 --> 00:18:19.915 He wasn't cursing at them or being mean. 00:18:19.915 --> 00:18:22.165 There was no ill will. 00:18:22.165 --> 00:18:27.077 He's trying to help them really understand and grasp the gospel of Jesus. 00:18:27.077 --> 00:18:30.074 Stephen was not afraid of the people who were accusing him. 00:18:30.074 --> 00:18:33.906 He wasn't trembling, worrying about what they might do. 00:18:33.906 --> 00:18:38.778 And while they're killing him, he's praying that God would forgive them. 00:18:38.778 --> 00:18:48.782 And while they're killing him, he's praying that God would forgive them, just like Jesus did. 00:18:48.782 --> 00:18:50.306 You know why? 00:18:50.306 --> 00:18:51.147 Because his heart was filled with Jesus. 00:18:51.147 --> 00:18:56.096 It was filled with forgiveness, peace and love. 00:18:56.096 --> 00:19:01.049 What's your heart filled with? 00:19:01.049 --> 00:19:02.573 The Apostle Paul looked on. 00:19:02.573 --> 00:19:15.201 He'd never seen anybody die like that, ever Never seen anybody suffer like that. 00:19:16.265 --> 00:19:19.538 Now I want to take a closer look at how Stephen suffered, so that we might find meaning in our suffering. 00:19:19.538 --> 00:19:24.125 What's the secret sauce of Stephen's suffering? 00:19:24.125 --> 00:19:32.073 That he was able to be literally radiant at peace, praying for his enemies, dying, with forgiveness on his lips. 00:19:32.073 --> 00:19:37.832 What did he do that gave him the strength to suffer in a meaningful way? 00:19:37.832 --> 00:19:40.875 Well, it wasn't due to what he said or knew in his head. 00:19:40.875 --> 00:19:47.694 It had to do with what he saw in the eyes of his heart. 00:19:47.694 --> 00:19:54.328 That's how he saw Jesus, acts 7.55,. 00:19:54.730 --> 00:20:09.472 But, being full of the Holy Spirit, stephen gazed intently into heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said behold, I see the heavens open, the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. 00:20:09.472 --> 00:20:10.990 He saw heaven open. 00:20:10.990 --> 00:20:15.276 This is the same expression used when Jesus was baptized. 00:20:15.276 --> 00:20:19.711 John and the others saw heaven open, spirit descending on him. 00:20:19.711 --> 00:20:22.952 This is my beloved son, with whom I'm well pleased. 00:20:22.952 --> 00:20:24.096 The heavens are open. 00:20:25.605 --> 00:20:32.330 Stephen saw the son of man, which is a reference to Jesus the king and comes to judge the world, mentioned in Daniel 7. 00:20:32.330 --> 00:20:39.373 Jesus sees, stephen sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 00:20:39.373 --> 00:20:48.053 And you know at the right hand of God and you know the right hand of God really is the position of ultimate authority in the universe. 00:20:48.053 --> 00:20:54.174 It's the heavenly courtroom. 00:20:54.174 --> 00:21:02.375 Every other time this description is mentioned in the Bible, jesus is seated at the right hand of God. 00:21:02.375 --> 00:21:05.474 Not here. 00:21:05.474 --> 00:21:06.569 This is unique. 00:21:06.569 --> 00:21:13.624 Here Stephen sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God while he's being killed. 00:21:13.624 --> 00:21:19.256 And when Jesus is seated on the throne, that means it's a place of judgment. 00:21:19.256 --> 00:21:20.845 But when Jesus is seated on the throne, that means it's a place of judgment. 00:21:20.845 --> 00:21:27.069 But when Jesus is standing at the throne of God, it's the place of advocacy. 00:21:27.069 --> 00:21:38.596 Welcome Jesus gets up from the throne in order to advocate and welcome Stephen to heaven. 00:21:38.596 --> 00:21:40.109 Job, well done. 00:21:44.006 --> 00:21:56.713 When the Holy Spirit gave Stephen this vision, stephen was at perfect peace, oh, my goodness, because he sees the righteous one who stands before God's throne as his advocate. 00:21:56.713 --> 00:22:06.997 When Stephen stood before the earthly courtroom, he was condemned, but now, standing before the heavenly courtroom, he's commended. 00:22:06.997 --> 00:22:12.329 Earthly courtroom and judgments of others is only temporary. 00:22:12.329 --> 00:22:17.164 The heavenly courtroom and judgments are forever. 00:22:17.164 --> 00:22:21.605 Room and judgments are forever. 00:22:22.305 --> 00:22:23.531 That's how Stephen faced and found meaning in his suffering. 00:22:23.531 --> 00:22:24.195 This is very important. 00:22:24.195 --> 00:22:30.136 He saw Jesus with him and he saw Jesus for him. 00:22:30.136 --> 00:22:51.234 He's for you, interceding for you, advocating for you Before the throne of God, to the degree that you don't just know about Jesus and know about God's love for you in your head, but have experienced the reality of that love in your heart. 00:22:51.234 --> 00:22:54.589 Through the Holy Spirit, you can face anything, just like Stephen did. 00:22:54.589 --> 00:23:03.354 No amount of suffering can destroy you If the thing you love the most is Jesus. 00:23:03.354 --> 00:23:12.936 In fact, it gives meaning to your suffering as it draws you close to the one who suffered for you. 00:23:18.065 --> 00:23:21.935 Stephen's suffering and death, I believe, changed the world. 00:23:21.935 --> 00:23:29.989 Not only was the Apostle Paul deeply impacted by watching Stephen suffer and die and hearing his sermon. 00:23:29.989 --> 00:23:37.136 All true, but God used Stephen's suffering and death for something good and something much greater. 00:23:37.136 --> 00:23:47.325 Jesus had told the disciples to be his witnesses, beginning in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria and then to the uttermost part of the world. 00:23:47.325 --> 00:24:05.547 But at this point in the church's history they're all still in Jerusalem, nice, comfortable church, fellowshiping and eating together, sharing the Bible together, and they just love each other. 00:24:05.547 --> 00:24:12.252 But Jesus didn't want them to stop in Jerusalem. 00:24:12.252 --> 00:24:28.897 But after Stephen was killed, it initiated a great persecution which scattered believers all over, all over. 00:24:28.897 --> 00:24:41.557 Stephen's suffering and death led to the eternal life of countless others through their faith in Jesus. 00:24:42.465 --> 00:24:44.133 Now I want you to listen to me very carefully. 00:24:44.133 --> 00:24:49.354 This is kind of my what I've taken away from this. 00:24:49.354 --> 00:24:56.536 How do we find meaning in our suffering that we see in Stephen, what can help us? 00:24:56.536 --> 00:24:59.393 How do you find meaning in suffering? 00:24:59.393 --> 00:25:04.647 Well, I believe anytime. 00:25:04.647 --> 00:25:10.940 Anytime our suffering brings us closer to Jesus, it has meaning. 00:25:10.940 --> 00:25:23.513 Anytime our suffering somehow advances the gospel of Jesus, it is meaningful. 00:25:25.688 --> 00:25:28.299 Paul echoes that sentiment in Philippians 1. 00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:35.255 I don't have it on the thing he says in Philippians 1.12,. 00:25:35.255 --> 00:25:37.733 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstance. 00:25:37.733 --> 00:26:06.435 He's in jail, he's in chains in Philippi or no, I don't know Ephesus, and he's writing and he says I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorium and everyone else Ooh, the gospel's advanced. 00:26:06.435 --> 00:26:15.616 I've been with Christians who are dying in the hospital. 00:26:15.616 --> 00:26:24.250 I would marvel at their witness to those around them about the gospel of Jesus. 00:26:24.250 --> 00:26:29.234 You know what their suffering had meaning. 00:26:32.385 --> 00:26:37.791 Suffering has meaning if it brings us closer to Jesus, which that's what God intends. 00:26:37.791 --> 00:26:40.791 Our suffering will always have meaning if it advances the closer to Jesus, which that's what God intends. 00:26:40.791 --> 00:26:43.135 Our suffering will always have meaning if it advances the gospel in any way. 00:26:43.135 --> 00:26:52.087 Allows me to share, allows another person to be impacted by seeing me my response to suffering Anytime. 00:26:52.087 --> 00:27:02.355 Third, anytime our suffering makes us more humble, less selfish, more compassionate and forgiving. 00:27:02.924 --> 00:27:10.411 It is meaningful as far as God's concerned, conforming us to the image of Christ. 00:27:10.411 --> 00:27:13.507 That's what he's doing Sometimes. 00:27:13.507 --> 00:27:17.857 The only way he can do it is through our own suffering. 00:27:17.857 --> 00:27:24.834 Why are we continuing in our pride and selfishness, thinking it's just about me? 00:27:24.834 --> 00:27:26.659 Well, maybe we need to learn. 00:27:26.659 --> 00:27:27.864 It's not just about me. 00:27:27.864 --> 00:27:30.539 How do we do that? 00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:32.563 Jeremiah 9-7,. 00:27:32.563 --> 00:27:43.890 God says to Jeremiah I will refine and test my people, for what else can I do? 00:27:43.890 --> 00:27:49.567 They're not listening, they're not learning. 00:27:49.567 --> 00:27:54.961 They're not listening, they're not learning, they're not changing. 00:27:54.961 --> 00:27:58.469 I'm going to repeat this again because this is so significant. 00:27:58.469 --> 00:28:01.638 We see it in Stephen. 00:28:01.638 --> 00:28:02.260 We see it. 00:28:02.280 --> 00:28:18.897 There are many other things how God uses our suffering, but we find meaning anytime it brings us closer to Jesus, anytime our suffering advances the gospel of Jesus and anytime our suffering makes us more humble, less selfish, more compassionate and more forgiving. 00:28:18.897 --> 00:28:20.602 It is meaningful. 00:28:20.602 --> 00:28:22.747 Don't forget that. 00:28:22.747 --> 00:28:26.397 Look for it. 00:28:26.397 --> 00:28:29.945 I can look back on the times. 00:28:29.945 --> 00:28:31.147 I've suffered deeply. 00:28:31.147 --> 00:28:33.279 I'm not the same person. 00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:34.644 I am not. 00:28:34.644 --> 00:28:39.021 I'm a broken man. 00:28:39.021 --> 00:28:43.203 I got nothing to prove. 00:28:43.203 --> 00:28:53.726 So when we suffer, like Stephen, we need to look to Jesus, who suffered for us. 00:28:54.075 --> 00:28:58.086 The book of Hebrews talks about this in Hebrews 12, 1-3. 00:28:58.086 --> 00:29:14.946 And the writer of Hebrews is talking to suffering people and he says Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, every sin that entangles us. 00:29:14.946 --> 00:29:19.086 Let's run, with endurance or perseverance, the race that's set before us. 00:29:19.086 --> 00:29:34.949 How do we do that book of Hebrews writer, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, perfecter of faith, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 00:29:34.949 --> 00:29:44.625 For consider him, who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 00:29:44.625 --> 00:29:51.949 And when we suffer, I encourage you that should lead us right into prayer. 00:29:51.949 --> 00:29:55.842 Allow the Holy Spirit. 00:29:55.842 --> 00:30:09.640 Pray that the Holy Spirit would act upon our heart and make the truths of God's reality real to us, as he promised Ephesians 1, 18 and 19,. 00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:29.344 Paul's prayer for them is I pray the eyes of your heart may be enlightened or open, so that you will know what the hope of your calling is, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the state and what the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe. 00:30:29.344 --> 00:30:31.346 Open our eyes. 00:30:31.346 --> 00:30:33.430 Let's see him. 00:30:34.974 --> 00:30:51.345 You know, in the book of Genesis, after Joseph suffered at the hands of his brothers and God had exalted him over all Egypt, he had an opportunity to meet with his brothers, who were scared to death of what he was going to do to them. 00:30:51.345 --> 00:30:57.722 But as he meets with his brothers he realized I don't know when he realized it, but he realized. 00:30:57.722 --> 00:30:59.760 You know what. 00:30:59.760 --> 00:31:06.448 God has turned my suffering into something very meaningful. 00:31:06.448 --> 00:31:22.184 You realize all the people that are going to be saved, all the good that's been done through what I went through Genesis 50, 20,. 00:31:22.184 --> 00:31:36.605 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, by the way he always does, in order to bring about this present result to preserve many people alive. 00:31:36.605 --> 00:31:37.277 Do you know? 00:31:37.277 --> 00:31:41.179 God promises the same to us Romans 8, 28,. 00:31:41.179 --> 00:31:48.663 We know, we know God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. 00:31:52.316 --> 00:31:59.980 Jesus is the righteous one who lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died, but God sent Jesus to save us. 00:32:00.141 --> 00:32:14.809 And when we believe in him, god sees us in him, he in us, and before his eyes we are his beloved, the righteous ones, under no condemnation. 00:32:14.809 --> 00:32:19.583 Boy, I invite you, urge you, to receive Jesus as your Savior. 00:32:19.583 --> 00:32:22.848 Open your heart, don't close it. 00:32:22.848 --> 00:32:25.916 You're not good enough. 00:32:25.916 --> 00:32:28.420 Jesus is. 00:32:28.420 --> 00:32:33.625 Open your heart to him, believe and you will be saved. 00:32:33.625 --> 00:32:51.126 Let's pray, father, thank you for Jesus, the righteous one who suffered and died for us, showing that, in your hands, our suffering can have meaning and purpose far beyond our own life or our own death. 00:32:51.126 --> 00:32:54.767 Thank you that Stephen has shown us that as well. 00:32:54.767 --> 00:33:08.959 Thank you that when we believe in Jesus, his righteousness becomes our righteousness and your verdict on our life in Jesus far outweighs any verdict we receive from any person or human on this earth. 00:33:08.959 --> 00:33:16.663 Open our eyes, lord, open the eyes of our heart, and show us the reality of your love for us in Jesus. 00:33:16.663 --> 00:33:18.942 I pray In his name, amen.