The Stephen Effect
Posted by: revmark <revmark@...>
Kung Fu Movie – Lips move/funny voices/fights sped up
-bad guys taken over kingdom
-using for own glory and personal gain
-Jet Li came back to rescue his mother
10 swords
Blindfold
50 attackers
Acts 7
Most of chapter devoted to indictment of priests
-History Lesson
-AbrahamèSolomon/temple
Stephen -daring witness for Jesus
-had several weapons to challenge priests
1. Message 6:8-14
-Filled with Spirit
-spread the TRUTH
-Others couldn't argue w/Truth
2. Face 6:15 "of an angel"
-we think of softness, gentleness, purity
-Angels in the Bible are FIERCE
Adam/Eve
David/Prophets
-glory, power, strength, DIVINE LIGHT
-RIVETED attention – AWE of Sanhedrin
With those attributes, Stephen gave a strong rebuke with
3. Passion
-strong words
-conviction
-from the heart
4. Vision
-Looked to heaven
*Other places mention Jesus seated at R
*Here is standing
-strengthen/support/reassure
-when needed most
5. Victory
-In 2 senses:
a. 1st martyr – unlike Palestinian suicides
-HE was attacked/stoned
-faced death with assurance of JN 14:2
b. effects on people/society around him
1. Effect on the world - saw commitment
-showed commitment of early church
-world saw a Jesus Freak
-book aboutpersecution around world today
-so committed, prepared to die
This had a profound effect on:
2. The church
-stirred up their courage
-earlier 4:31 "spoke boldly"
-now persecution began
-Chinese church today
-Scarecrow
-at first, scares away
-later, signals food
-All except the apostles were:
-scattered
-preached 8:4
3. Apostles
- stayed in Jerusalem
- Sanhedrin could not defeat
- Profound effect on people/church
Among those affected:
4. Devout Jews 8:2
-not Christians
-liked/empathized
-gave honor of burial
-open stand of support
5. Effect on Saul
-tremendous impact
haunted later on road to Damascus
-infuriated him
-persecuted Christians
-similar to many people today
-refuse to accept the TRUTH
-infuriates them
-carry a fear
-laughter/derision of peers
-being wrong
-God's acceptance of who they are
-Christ's sacrifice for their sins
-Many fear the IDEA
-have a purpose
-part of divine plan
-something greater than they
-that they are not in control of their lives
FEAR led to :
Nietsche – "belief in God is the crutch of a weak mind"
Saul didn't have weak mind
-educated, faithful Jew
-rising star in the Sanhedrin
YET—Stephen's death struck a chord in him
-impact of TRUTH
-God used Stephen as a seed from which Paul would sprout
-wrote most of NT
-changed lives
-built church
Ask you to Identify this morning with one of 2 people
-claim to be in control
-emotions
-mind
-circumstances
-BUT that's not entirely true, is it?
-Here this a.m. for a purpose
-Seen the faith of Stephen
-starting to doubt the lie of Humanism
-Take that step of faith this morning
-Be transformed from
-Doubting Thomas to Believing Thomas
-Saul the Killer to Paul the Christian
-Allow God into your life
Maybe you can see yourself as STEPHEN:
-Christian
-Full of Faith
Challenge this morning:
-Take up the weapons you have
-Same weapons Stephen had
-challenge the authority of this world
-Tell of God's Grace in your life
-Have NO FEAR
-Christ is STANDING
-at R hand of God
-to strengthen you
-to equip you
-to guide you