WEBVTT 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:15.679 Welcome to Sermons from the Way Church KC, a community of listeners and saints in Kansas City, following the way of Jesus and pushing back darkness together. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:22.559 Okay, good morning, everybody. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:23.600 How are we doing? 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:25.519 Hope we're doing good. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:39.759 Um, my name is Madeline, and I am going to be reading Acts 7, I think it's 54 through 8 verse 3. 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:42.640 Um, I wasn't 100% briefed. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:43.600 I kind of forgot. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:45.359 So I'm pretty sure those are the right verses. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:47.439 54 through 83, right? 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:48.240 Okay, great. 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:48.799 I got it right. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:53.439 Yay! So if everybody wants to stand with me for the reading of the word, I'm gonna go ahead and read it really quick. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:01:00.799 Um So now when they heard these things, they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:07.840 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:13.760 And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:18.959 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed together at him. 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:26.799 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:32.159 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:38.560 And falling to his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:44.159 And when he had said this, he fell asleep, and Saul approved of his execution. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:54.079 And then there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:58.079 Devout men burned Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:02.079 But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house. 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.280 He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:06.560 This is the word of the Lord. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:07.680 You may be seated. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:11.360 Amen, amen. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:15.199 Well, thank you for reading the scripture, Madeline. 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:17.919 Uh welcome everyone to the Way Church KC. 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:21.439 Uh, if we haven't gotten the chance to meet yet, my name is Zach. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:24.560 Um uh the lead pastor here at the Way Church. 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:28.879 And we exist to follow the way of Jesus and push back darkness together. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:34.800 That's the mission that God has been hand uh leading our young church plant on for the past year and a half. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:40.319 So we are a new church in this city in the neighborhood of Rosedale, and just uh grateful for the journey. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.439 Um if if this is your first time here, welcome. 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:44.639 We're glad you're here. 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:58.159 Um what I truly believe is that the reason people come to this church isn't for the worship, although Ashton is an anointed worship leader and Zach is an amazing singer as well. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:08.639 Um I don't believe that people are coming to this church for um the the sermons necessarily, although we're going to faithfully preach the word of God. 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:28.719 What I what I truly believe in my heart of hearts is like the reason people uh choose to be a part of this church family is because of that, because of the family that God's building here, um, because of the men and women who um are walking together through life's trials, through the tough times of life, um, celebrating together through through those mountaintop moments and and just walking together through all the in-betweens. 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:34.479 Like, that's really what I've found and um what my hope is for this church. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:45.439 And with with that, I just like this this past week just have been incredibly burdened um by the just difficult life stuff that people are walking through. 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:49.360 Um unbearing, uh unbelievable loss. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:58.000 Um you know, that's uh sickness, um, family members um being sick, addiction, things like that. 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:06.479 And that's I think all the more why we need this church family, um, and all the more why we need uh the living God in our lives. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:10.240 Um that's my complete sidebar. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:11.759 Um with that, we'll dig in. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:14.960 We um as a church have been walking through the book of Acts. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:21.680 Our sermon series is entitled Living by the Spirit and Following the Way, as we walk verse by verse through the book of Acts. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:29.920 And um, just as a kind of refresher, the entirety of the first seven chapters of Acts have been centered on Jerusalem. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:33.360 They've been centered on the birth of the early church in Jerusalem. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:50.240 And if you remember last week, uh we looked at Stephen's sermon in front of the Sanhedrin, in front of the religious leaders, and it's in that text where he he is pointing to so many narratives from the Old Testament and how they all point to Jesus Christ. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:55.920 Um, so that's kind of what we're on the heels of as we look at Acts 7, 54 through 8.3. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:00.000 So we're seeing what kind of happens to Stephen right after that. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:07.680 Have you ever wondered what your faith would look like in the face of real danger? 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:13.920 Have you ever wondered what your faith would look like in the face of real persecution? 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:23.680 When your back is against the wall and the stones are in their hands, what do you see? 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:34.480 Well, Stephen, the first Christian martyr, he gives us a window into what that looks like for him, into the kind of faith that does not flinch. 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:41.519 A faith that is so fixed on Jesus Christ that even death becomes a doorway for him. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:53.199 I don't know about you guys, but from my perspective, where I'm standing, I think that we live in a world increasingly hostile to the gospel. 00:05:53.600 --> 00:06:09.279 Um you hear about the murders of Christians in Nigeria, the persecution in China, you know, and I think across the world there's really tough stuff happening to Christians. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:25.680 I think here in America, here in Kansas City, while we may not face stoning, we can face rejection, we can face ridicule, we can't face loss of relationships, there's cultural pressure to not stand firm in our faith. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:30.639 So the question for us this morning is what will keep us standing? 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:35.839 I think that we can look to Stephen through this. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:42.399 Like we can look to Stephen as a model for how we're to stand in the face of persecution. 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:51.040 What I think we see is like Stephen's death, it's not marked by God being distant from him, but it's marked by divine presence. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:53.120 That's what we'll see in today's text. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:55.680 There's so much Trinitarian language. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:58.240 You see, the Spirit fills Stephen in this text. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:05.040 You see, the Son of Man stands for him, and the Father's glory is revealed to him. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:09.120 The triune God surrounds Stephen. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:17.040 What I hope that we see today is that for those who are in Christ Jesus, the triune God stands for you too. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:26.800 We're kind of at a turning point in the book of Acts. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:32.399 Stephen's vision, it closes this Jerusalem-centered narrative. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:35.519 His death is the hinge on which Acts turns. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:40.959 From temple to mission, from local worship to global witness. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:45.839 Here's our big idea this morning. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:55.120 It's this faith in Christ gives us the courage to stand firm and to forgive, even in the worst circumstances possible. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:03.199 Faith in Christ gives us the courage to stand firm and to forgive, even in the worst circumstances possible. 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:07.680 With that, there's there's three truths that we're gonna pull from today's text. 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:10.160 First, seeing Christ in chaos. 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:16.959 Secondly, forgiving in faith, and then thirdly, we'll see how faith transforms trials. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:18.720 I'll pray and then let's dig in. 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:21.759 Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us here today. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:31.920 Lord, I pray through for all of those in our church who are walking through tough times, Lord, through loss, through pain, through suffering. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:49.120 And God, I pray that through those times that we can be a people who fix our eyes on you, who look to the heavenly throne room, who see the Christ seated at Christ's right hand. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:50.720 At God's right hand, Lord. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:52.639 I pray that your Holy Spirit would come. 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.879 Would you guide, guard, and direct us, Lord? 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:57.440 Would your word be made clear today, Lord? 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:00.080 Move me out of the way and let your word be made clear. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:01.600 God, we love you. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:05.200 Jesus, thank you for the sacrifice on the cross. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:07.120 It's in the mighty name of Jesus, I pray. 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:08.000 Amen. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:12.320 So, Acts 74 and through 56. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:15.840 Acts 7, 54 through 56. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:17.679 My words are like fumbling today, man. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:18.960 That was crazy. 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:20.159 It's been a week. 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:21.519 It's been a week. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:24.480 Acts 7, 54 through 56. 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:29.840 Now, when they heard these things, they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:38.159 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:44.960 And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:53.279 So this is Stephen that we're looking at, and the Sanhedrin, the council, they are furious. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:10:02.720 They are enraged at the sermon he just preached, at the speech he gave that pointed to all these Old Testament stories pointing to Jesus Christ. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:07.679 And it says that they're so mad that they are gnashing their teeth. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:11.360 And this gnashing of teeth, this echoes the Psalms. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:21.200 Psalm 35, Psalm 37, Psalm 112 all allude to this gnashing of teeth, where the wicked gnash their teeth at the righteous. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:29.360 What this does is it frames Stephen as the righteous sufferer in continuity with the Old Testament saints. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:35.200 So let me ask you, have you ever been so mad that you gnashed your teeth at somebody? 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:37.039 Maybe some of us have. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:39.600 Maybe some of us haven't. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:42.720 Or have you ever had someone so mad at you? 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:48.000 Or have you ever had someone so indignant at you that they gnashed their teeth at you? 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:50.399 Like that, that's mad, mad, right? 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:51.679 That's really mad. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:11:02.639 And I don't know about you, but like I can't think of a specific instance, but I think that if someone were to gnash their teeth at me, like I'd probably be like looking back at them, right? 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:04.480 Like, hey, what's going on? 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:11.200 But but what's so interesting is Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, he doesn't look at his enemies here in the text. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.559 No, what the text shows us is he's looking to heaven. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:17.360 And this is so significant. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:18.720 Like, don't miss this, guys. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:28.639 Stephen, in this text, he's standing in the temple, but what what we see is that he sees the true temple in heaven. 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:33.919 The visible temple is below Stephen's feet, but heaven opens above. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:39.360 What we're seeing is that the presence of God is moving beyond Jerusalem. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:43.840 This is foreshadowing God's mission to Judea and Samaria. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:50.000 You remember that Acts 1.8 verse that we kind of began this sermon series with. 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:56.000 And what the text says is that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:58.720 Like, that's an important detail that we cannot miss. 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:00.480 He was full of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:05.360 In the face of opposition, we must be full of the Holy Spirit too. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:09.039 In the midst of chaos, we must be full of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.200 And so, Stephen, he gazes into heaven. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:14.879 And what does he see? 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:17.440 Well, he sees the glory of God. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:19.600 He sees the glory of God. 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:22.879 This is incredible, right? 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:28.159 Stephen's vision, it echoes so many Old Testament theophanies. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:32.080 Uh, and reflects God's heavenly throne above the temple. 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:38.799 And what's so crazy, God is now appearing to Stephen just like he did to Abraham. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:47.840 If you look back at Acts chapter 7, verse 2, the beginning of Stephen's speech in front of the Sanhedrin, uh, Acts 7, 2 says this. 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:50.080 And Stephen said, Brothers and fathers, hear me. 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:56.399 The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he lived in Herod. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:01.120 Do you see the narrative arc that we're looking at in Acts 7? 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:08.320 He points to Abraham, Father Abraham, seeing the glory of God, and now Stephen is seeing the very same glory of God. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:12.000 We also see this phrase, son of man. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:17.519 Now, son of man, this phrase son of man outside of the gospels is rare. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:23.440 Here in this text, it connects directly to Daniel chapter 7, verses 13 and 14. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:42.720 Those verses read, I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man, and he came to the ancient of days, and was presented before him, and to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:51.679 His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:56.720 So these these verses in Daniel, they're they're messianic in nature. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:04.639 They're prophetically pointing to them to the Messiah Jesus, where the divine Son of Man receives dominion from the ancient of days. 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:10.240 And what's happening here in Acts 7 is Stephen is seeing the fulfillment of this in real time. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:15.919 What this shows us is Christ is not just the Savior, Christ is Lord. 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:23.120 And what's so interesting, maybe you guys will find this interesting, maybe you don't. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:25.120 I can kind of geek out on this sort of stuff. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:35.039 But like scholars disagree on this because so often when when Jesus in heaven is discussed, is seen in the text, he's seated at the right hand of God. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:39.919 But what's so interesting is Stephen sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:45.279 So scholars have like wrestled with, okay, why is what's what's the reason for this difference? 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:48.879 Um I think that it's significant. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:51.759 I think that there's a point in why we see that. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.639 I think it's a critical point, in fact. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:59.360 I think that what this shows us is that Jesus Christ stands for his witness. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:04.159 Jesus is a witness to the courtroom imagery that we're seeing here. 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:06.080 This is courtroom imagery in this text. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:09.600 Jesus is standing to advocate for Stephen. 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:14.000 Jesus is affirming his testimony and welcoming him home. 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:21.759 In Jewish courtrooms, that the judge or advocate would stand to render a verdict. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:33.279 And so Jesus, he's standing as Stephen's heavenly advocate, declaring him righteous, though content, though he is condemned by man, though he is condemned by the Sanhedrin. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:44.320 If you look back to Luke chapter 12, verse 8, the text says, And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:46.720 That's what's going on here. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.519 And I think that this also signals action. 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:56.720 Jesus is saying that judgment and vindication are underway. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:04.559 Jesus is both the judge and the advocate in this scenario and all others. 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:08.399 Not the council, not the Sanhedrin, not the religious leaders. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:11.840 No, Jesus Christ is both judge and advocate. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.360 So, family, for us, what is the application? 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:26.879 Well, I think we can look at it and see that when chaos surrounds us, like it may in the past, like it may be in the present, like it may in the future, when chaos surrounds us, we must look up. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:30.639 We must fix our eyes on Jesus, Jevin. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:35.120 The gospel is never bound to a place. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:38.559 No, it's driven by the presence of God. 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:46.320 The Spirit empowers believers not just to endure, but to worship in suffering. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:51.360 So the question for us this morning is what do you look at when chaos comes? 00:16:53.440 --> 00:17:01.519 When you're dealing with health issues, when you gotta have a back surgery, what do you look at when chaos comes? 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:08.799 When you're trying to make ends meet and your car breaks down, when chaos comes, what do you look at? 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:19.680 When your grandpa passes away, when your grandmother passes away, what do you look at? 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:21.680 When the chaos comes. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:27.039 My hope for us as a church is that we fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.000 That's what Stephen did. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:32.000 He fixed his eyes on Jesus. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:34.400 He saw into the heavenly throne room. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:38.400 And seeing Christ steadied Stephen. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.200 But see, but but but there's more. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:45.279 Seeing Christ doesn't just steady Stephen, it transforms him. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:50.319 Because what happens next, it's not just miraculous. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:54.000 No, it's like cross-shaped living, the Stephen's modeling. 00:17:54.319 --> 00:18:00.400 As the stones start to fly, what flows out of Stephen isn't rage, it's grace. 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:04.799 Stephen, he doesn't retaliate, he forgives. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.799 So let's see what faith does when suffering gets personal. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:11.920 Point number two this morning is forgiving in faith. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:13.839 Forgiving in faith. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:18.319 Acts chapter 7, verses 57 through 60. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:27.440 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:30.319 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:34.880 And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:42.079 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:49.440 And falling to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:54.160 And when he said when and when he had said this, he fell asleep. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:10.160 So Stephen, he sees the heavens opened up, the glory of God appears to him, he shares that with those around him, and the council, they're still mad. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.680 They're mad, mad. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.039 Like really mad. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:18.720 And like upon first read, verse 57, it's almost like a little bit comical. 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:23.519 Like they scream, they stop their ears, and then they rush at Stephen. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:27.119 They cast him out and stone him. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:31.279 They wrongly claim that they are the judge of this man Stephen's life. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:35.279 They, and not the Christ, are the judge of this man's life. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:47.440 That's like what my wife and I would do when we're in a big fight. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:49.440 Like, no, I'm just kidding. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:53.920 Roman's like, no, you're not kidding. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:58.319 But seriously, like that's what a little kid does, right? 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:00.240 But that's what's going on here. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:02.240 They're indignant. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:05.119 They can't see past their anger. 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:13.519 They can't see not only their anger at Stephen, but it's anger at the proclamation of Christ. 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:19.519 We then meet a young man named Saul. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:21.519 Maybe you've heard of him. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:28.079 The witnesses, they lay down their garments at his feet. 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:30.160 Now go with me here. 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:31.920 Really try to picture this. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:37.920 Stephen, he's being stoned, and he has the wherewithal to utter two phrases. 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:43.680 Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and do not hold this sin against them. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:46.000 Receive my spirit. 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:49.279 This shows Stephen's dependence on the Lord. 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:55.519 He is fully and wholly dependent on the Lord Jesus. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:58.079 Then he says, do not hold this sin. 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:03.920 This shows mercy that is so uncommon to us as sinful humans. 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:07.440 But what this does is it echoes Psalm 31:5. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:18.240 And what's so interesting to me is in this psalm that he's alluding to, it's originally addressed to God the Father, but now it is being spoken to the Son. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:20.240 Stephen is praying that to the Son. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:24.240 This is a powerful Christological affirmation. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:27.599 He is affirming Christ's deity right here. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:33.839 And that's like what he's getting killed about, right? 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:38.160 Like in the face of getting stoned, he's still proclaiming Christ. 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:39.200 It's crazy. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:46.079 And significantly, both of these phrases, they directly echo Jesus' words on the cross. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:50.559 Look back at Luke 23, 34, Luke 23, 46. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:55.599 Like it's a it's a straight up echo of Jesus' words on the cross. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.839 Like Jesus, Stephen is falsely accused. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:07.119 Like Jesus, Stephen is forced out of the city. 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:11.279 Like Jesus, Stephen prays for his murderers. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:23.599 What this does, what Stephen's showing us, is his death mirrors Jesus', and his life models what it looks like to live a life following the way of Jesus. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:28.960 It is a life that is wholly devoted to Jesus Christ. 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:39.680 So could others say about you that you live a cross-shaped life? 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:44.319 That you live a life that models the life of Jesus? 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:49.200 Or are you at least seeking to live a life that models Jesus? 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:54.240 Because that's our calling as Christians. 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:56.720 Stephen then dies. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:58.319 The text says he fell asleep. 00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:01.039 That's a friendly way of saying he's dead. 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:05.200 So he dies and he is the first Christian martyr. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:08.079 The first Christian martyr, the first of many. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:14.000 There's many that we read about throughout the rest of Acts and throughout church history. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:16.720 There have been many who have died for their faith. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:20.559 But Stephen is undoubtedly the first. 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:28.640 And so interesting because Stephen, he does not just die for Christ. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:32.400 No, he dies a like he dies like Christ. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:35.440 This is cross-shaped faith. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:42.799 Stephen, he lived out Jesus' own teachings to love one's enemies. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:48.880 This shows the spiritual power of this Jesus movement that's beginning. 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:56.079 The followers of the way, as they're called in the book of Acts, they are called to love their enemies, and Stephen is modeling this in real time. 00:23:58.079 --> 00:24:02.079 Because here's the reality for us, family, is that true, spirit-filled living? 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:05.119 It doesn't just testify boldly and loudly. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:06.799 No, it forgives freely. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:12.240 Gospel-shaped forgiveness is not passive. 00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:15.440 No, it's costly and it's proactive. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:19.119 So right now, just like let's hit pause real quick. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:20.720 Who do you need to forgive? 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:23.519 Who in your life do you need to forgive? 00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:38.880 If Stephen can forgive the very people who are stoning him, then you can forgive that person that looked at you sideways on the road, or that that family member that just irks you, or that coworker that drives you crazy. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:42.720 Like, you can forgive freely. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.839 And even more so than like Stephen modeling it. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:49.359 Like Jesus forgave sinners like us. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:50.400 Right? 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:55.599 And if Jesus can forgive a sinner like us, then who are we to not forgive freely? 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:06.480 The call for us is the same as it is for Stephen, as it is for Christians throughout the years. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:08.400 We're called to follow the way of Jesus. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:13.759 We're called to live a cruciform life, a cross-shaped life. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:18.799 We're called to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit, and we're called to forgive freely. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:22.240 Forgive the one who wronged you. 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:24.880 Pray for those who persecute you. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:28.240 That's what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 5. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:29.359 So here's the thing. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:32.400 I think in our culture we can think of forgiveness as weakness. 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:34.880 But forgiveness is not weakness. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:37.119 Forgiveness is spirit-empowered strength. 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:37.920 Amen. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:53.839 I mean, this text shakes me up because what's so crazy to me is that Stephen's forgiveness was heard by Saul, who would become Paul after his conversion experience. 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:55.920 And this is purely speculation. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:26:10.319 I don't think the text like undeniably tells us this anywhere, but what I would present to you is that Stephen's bold gospel witness and Stephen's radical forgiveness planted a gospel seed within Saul. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:19.759 The seed of grace would one day sprout into Paul's salvation on the road to Damascus. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:28.799 And I think that like sometimes the way in which you die, as it did for Stephen, it preaches louder than the way in which you live. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:32.160 I uh went to a funeral yesterday. 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:38.799 Uh Chelsea's grandmother passed away, um, just natural causes, old age. 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:47.920 And, you know, she was undoubtedly a believer in the Lord Jesus, and um, it was a beautiful celebration of life service. 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:54.640 Um, yeah, like I saw a glimpse of that yesterday. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:58.240 Uh just a month ago, I've shared this with some of you. 00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:08.640 My one of my best friends, um, they lost their baby in delivery, and um I had to go down to Newton, Kansas and do that funeral. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:27.279 And so just the duality of life and death and what what it looks like to live a life of faithful Christian witness, of faithfully walking and following in the way of Jesus for years and years and years to a newborn baby dying when they shouldn't have. 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:29.279 Like, just the duality of it. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:37.759 I believe they're they're both in the presence of God right now, but both times Christ was preached. 00:27:43.039 --> 00:28:03.440 And here's the thing like, I don't know, funerals are so maybe I'm being like super morbid lately just because of all this, like, but but like at a funeral, you get such an interesting glimpse into how diff people grieve differently, how people suffer differently. 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:05.680 And I and I think that's important, right? 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:10.720 Like your grace and suffering, it might be someone else's awakening, right? 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:18.400 How you walk through the most difficult days of your life must be, maybe, may be your greatest witness. 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:23.759 And I think that's what we're seeing through this Stephen story. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:35.519 While the mob, the mob that is stoning him thinks they've silenced a troublemaker, what we see and what we know is that God is just getting started. 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:39.839 The blood on the ground becomes seed and the soil. 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:48.160 Last week I quoted one of the early church fathers who said, the blood of the martyrs is the seed on which the church is built. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:52.240 That's what we're seeing in real time right here. 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:56.559 The story doesn't stop here, though. 00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:57.920 It scatters. 00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:08.160 So let's see how Stephen's death becomes a doorway, becomes a propelling force into the gospel movement in which we're living today. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:12.480 Point three, faith transforms trials. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:14.000 Faith transforms trials. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:16.960 I was glanced over here and saw all the stickers on you. 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:17.839 I love it. 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:25.440 Acts chapter 8, verses 1 through 3. 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:40.960 And Saul approved of his execution, and there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:44.640 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:53.519 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 00:29:57.680 --> 00:30:02.319 Real quick, let's look at just zero in on Saul. 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:04.960 So first Saul approves. 00:30:05.279 --> 00:30:07.839 Saul approves of this execution. 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:15.119 And if we zoom out a little bit, Saul's descent, it's quick. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:18.799 Acts 7.58, Saul is present. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:21.440 Acts 8.1, Saul is approving. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:26.720 And then the end of this section of text, Saul is then ravaging the church. 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.160 Because here's the thing. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:30.400 Sin, it doesn't just like simmer. 00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:33.359 It's it's it can, right? 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:41.279 It can be kind of a crockpot thing, but it can also be a microwave thing where it happens rapidly, and before you know it, you're not the person who you once were. 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:43.279 Sin spreads, right? 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:47.200 But here's the thing, family. 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:49.200 So does God's grace. 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:51.039 So does God's grace. 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:58.240 And for those of us who know this book of Acts, we know that Acts 9 is coming. 00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:00.640 Saul will become Paul. 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:02.000 Saul will be made new. 00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:04.880 2 Corinthians 5, 17 happening in his life. 00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:07.599 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.720 The old has passed away. 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:10.160 Behold, the new has come. 00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:15.119 That's what's about to happen to this dude who is ravaging the church. 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:19.200 Grace is on the move. 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:27.599 And as we're just looking at this chronologically, like at this moment in time, I bet they didn't feel like that, right? 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:30.000 I bet they felt pretty hopeless. 00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:36.880 Persecution had reached crazy heights and lengths. 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:40.400 They were scattered across the region. 00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:47.680 They probably thought that this Saul guy was beyond redemption. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:58.640 Is there anybody in your life that you're like, ah, like, you know, like, yeah, that person could experience God's grace, but not that person. 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:00.720 Like, they're too far gone. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:08.000 That's if I can just be real with you, um, before church planting, I worked in the nonprofit world. 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:10.319 I worked for an addiction recovery nonprofit. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:19.839 And um, I would sit knee to knee with these men coming out of um just complete and utter darkness, complete and utter addiction, and like I could see hope for them. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:26.720 But what was going on behind closed doors is my dad was struggling with alcoholism, and I could not see hope for him. 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:34.480 It's like, hey, your loved one, they might be able to experience the real Jesus and their life be radically transformed, but not my pops. 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:39.440 Like, maybe your pops can can find the freedom that you found, but not my dad. 00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:41.599 Like, I'd grown hard-hearted. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:49.359 And the Lord just broke me down, and today my dad's living in freedom, and it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the living God. 00:32:51.039 --> 00:33:07.759 And I think that, like, they, you know, again, this is pure speculation, but my guess is that the believers of the early church in the book of Acts probably had that same sort of feeling to this guy, Saul, who's persecuting them. 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:17.119 But as we'll get to in a few weeks, Jesus radically encounters him and completely transforms Saul's life. 00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:20.079 So what we see, no persecutor is beyond redemption. 00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:21.839 Like, that's a tough truth. 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:30.079 Like, are we cool with someone committing persecution, being redeemed by the living God? 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:32.880 Well, we better be because the Bible calls us to. 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:40.000 So, persecution, it reaches unseen heights in this season of the early church, and the early church, it's scatters. 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:44.160 Again, they probably felt pretty dang hopeless. 00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:48.160 But this scattering, it's strategic. 00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:52.480 It's used for gospel expansion. 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:58.720 Remember all the way back to Acts 1.8 when we first began this sermon series. 00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:09.440 Acts 1.8 says, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:13.360 The first seven chapters of Acts, it's all Jerusalem. 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:19.519 They haven't gone to Judea and Samaria, and they for sure haven't been to the ends of the earth. 00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:25.039 But Stephen's death propels this Acts 1.8 mission forward. 00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:33.920 Stephen's death ends the Jerusalem-centered narrative and it launches the gospel to Judea and Samaria, thus fulfilling Acts 1.8. 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:38.639 God, he uses persecution as gospel fuel. 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:47.679 John Stott says this about this section of Acts, about this verse. 00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:51.119 The devil has overreached himself. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:55.760 His attack led to the opposite effect. 00:34:56.400 --> 00:35:02.480 Instead of smothering the gospel, it succeeds only in spreading it. 00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:06.239 And I think that's a truth for us still today. 00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:12.880 The plots and schemes of the enemy, they will ultimately be futile. 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:17.840 What we say often in this church is that we know how the story ends. 00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:19.519 We fight from victory. 00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:21.360 We don't fight for victory. 00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:25.280 We know that Christ is and will be victorious. 00:35:26.960 --> 00:35:32.400 And throughout the scriptures, what looks like defeat is actually God advancing his mission. 00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:48.320 As we go through the next couple chapters of Acts, we'll see how persecution purifies and multiplies the church. 00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:52.480 But I don't want to miss a couple things from this last little section. 00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:56.320