Session #2

Acts 6-8:3

“Making The Wrong Decision First” • 9.23.08 • Session #2, The Power Of One: One Man, One Life, One Mission

Intro.

- The early church numbers were pretty overwhelming. In two official counts, in Acts 2:41 and Acts 4:4 respectively, the church numbered 8,000.
- Add in the number of people that were being saved daily and it could have been considerably more. With this amount of people, there is bound to be management issues.
- Early on in it’s existence, the church decided to embrace a communal living arrangement. I will suggest that this was not the best idea, especially as it seems that they were called to go out, not come in. But be that as it may, that is what they decided. The problems were immediate.
- In Acts chapter 5, hypocrisy, imitation of a genuine act, began to hamper the church.
- In Acts chapter 6, a perceived favoritism began to infest the church.
• Acts 6:1 : “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.”
- The implications of this verse indicate that the church was already becoming a more diverse group of people.
- The Hellenists were Jewish people, but they lived in foreign lands and adopted the Greek way of living and thinking.
- This commune had set up a daily distribution of food rations. The complaint of favoritism rose, the Hellenist widows were neglected, literally receiving less than the Hebrews by comparison.
- Now, the disciples rightly delegated this common task, wisely assigning the distribution of food to 7 Hellenist members of the commune. One of those men stood out from the others.
• Acts 6:8 : "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people."
- Stephen was acting more like an apostle than an orderly. His gifting made him a target of "The Synagogue of the Freedmen," a group of Jewish men who argued with Stephen. They quickly forged a plan to dismiss Stephen.
• Acts 6:11,12 : "Then they secretly induced men to say, 'We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.' And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council."
- Not intimidated, Stephen gives a well reasoned defense for His belief that must be read in Acts chapter 7. Listen to his outro. If you think I'm rough...
• Acts 7:51-53 : "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."
- This did not endear Stephen to his audience.
• Acts 7:54 : "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth."
- Their hatred brought them to stone Stephen. This brings us to chapter 8.
• Acts 8:1-3 : "Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison."
- In our passage today, I am reminded that a “Saul” journey often has a few significant course deviations. Saul has seen the witness of the Apostles, heard the wisdom of Gamaliel and has now heard the recounting of the history of the Jewish nation.
- All this light, but it did not add up to the conclusion that we would want to see.
- Sometimes Sauls can be like that. Today, I want to press three points with you about dealing with Sauls.

I. Don’t Stop Speaking The Word (7:54)
II. Don’t Expect Overnight Success (8:1a)
III. Don’t Limit God’s Grace (8:1b-3)

Text

I. Don’t Stop Speaking The Word (7:54)

• Acts 7:54 : "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth." When Stephen was brought to the council, you will note that he spoke to the Jewish heart through their scriptures.
- I am prayerful that you will read the entirety of Stephen's speech, but today, I will highlight some of the main characteristics.
- First, Stephen reviewed their own history, beginning with Abraham, moving to Jacob, Joseph and then finally Moses. He establishes the context with them.
- The scriptures were known more from oral tradition than written copy.
- Second, you will notice that Stephen reveals that the people that he faced were no different from the ones in the history of their people.
- The council was following in the footsteps of their own history, but in a bad way.
- When he mentions Joseph, the thrust of his argument is not in his success but in his trouble.
• Acts 7:10,11 : "And the patriarchs (Joseph's brothers), becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house."
- In the same way, there is a theme of Moses' initial rejection by the Israelite people.
- Finally, Stephen rattles their nerves by showing them that the scriptures were applicable to them! They were the ones who were continuing their Father's tradition of rejecting God's sent ones.
• Acts 7:51-53 : "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.'"
- I want you to notice something that we need to understand. Stephen did not spend time defending himself. He was not the one on trial. The council was the one being judged!
- He spoke the Word of God to them and applied it to them. But it was the Word of God specifically that causes their reaction, thus the words "when they heard these things."
- The response was immediate and it was deep. They were "cut to the heart." The Greek word behind that phrase means that they were mentally sawn in half, rent with vexation.
- They were convicted. They knew what Stephen was saying was truth and that it applied to them. Saul was one of these men who heard these words.
- He knew in His heart that they applied to him. However, you will notice that his and the council's reaction is one of complete anger and offense.
- They "gnashed at him with their teeth." This is a visual. They growled and spoke through gritted teeth at Stephen.
- Stephen, representative of any witness for God, if he was going to have a spiritual affect, must employ God's Word. We must devote ourselves to the same thing.
- If the Sauls in our lives have a chance of coming to Christ, they must see that God's Word applies to them. Thankfully, we have the New Testament, which gives us didactic instruction.
- The Word of God is going to cause a response, one way or another.

II. Don’t Expect Overnight Success (8:1a)

• Acts 8:1a : "Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." Saul has watched the Apostles, listened to the advice of Gamaliel and now has heard the witness of Stephen. Still Saul was consenting to his death. He stood by and approved and applauded.
- Wait a minute here Saul. How can you act this way when you have had so much light? How can you be so wrong? Why are you resisting?
- The Sauls in our life, the ones we have witnessed to, spent time with sharing the word or even shown love to with physical provisions, will not necessarily be moved in the right direction. Why?
- Turn to John 3:19. Jesus is talking with Nicodemus, about being born again and salvation.
- He mentions that those who do not believe in Him are already condemned. Why?
• John 3:19,20 : "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."
- Saul loved his darkness, in that he felt righteous before God and needed no other savior.
- Others love the darkness of their drunkeness or perversion. Either way, these men often do not wish to be exposed.
- One thing that this passage really speaks to me is the need to be patient in evangelism.
- Saul, we know will be Paul. However, often times we lack that patience with the Sauls in our life whose destiny is yet future to us.
- Sometimes, we believe that if we just have the right words, or the right resource, that the unbelieving Saul will come to the Lord and we'll have the right response!
- You and I have to understand that the act of regeneration, salvation, is a work that only the Lord can do. Turn with me to Mark 10. Jesus has just encountered the Rich Young Ruler.
- The Rich Young Ruler goes away and refuses salvation because of his great wealth.
- Jesus tells His disciples that it is very difficult for a rich man to be saved.
• Mark 10:24-27 : "And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.'"
- With men this work of salvation is impossible. You cannot convince Sauls with great words or even a great knowledge of the Bible, even if you got it all right!
- You and I have to realize that the work of salvation can only happen when God does that work. Now, let me remind us that this does not relieve us of duty.
- We have read recently in the book of Romans chapter 10 that we are to go out and preach the word so that people might believe and call upon the name of the Lord.
- However, we must be patient. The Sauls in our life will hate the word, and often hate the messenger as well. But we are to be committed to this end, that Jesus will win hearts, if even over a lifetime of struggle and strain.

III. Don’t Limit God’s Grace (8:1b-3)

• Acts 8:1b-3 : "And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison." Persecution, the first in the history of the church, has begun. Stephen was buried and lamented over. As we see in the last verse, the church was scattered from Jerusalem.
- Looking at this, perhaps for the first time or at least with fresh eyes, one might believe that this was a discouraging turn of events.
- Of course, for the men and women of this time period, it was difficult and truly terrifying to believe in Christ.
- From the last verse, Luke tells us that they were scattered from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. Initially we might think that the enemy has won, but truly it's the Lord who is sovereignly acting on behalf of His will.
- For example, it's no coincidence that Luke tells of the commission of Christ in Acts 1.
• Acts 1:8 : "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
- Please note that God is using external pressures, in this case, persecution, to bring about the fulfillment of the mission that He gave to the church in the first place!
- Here, we see Stephen buried, but it is Saul that lives. He is not truly living though, as God is trying to get a hold of his life.
- Saul is fighting hard. He can't fight God, as Gamaliel had suggested, but he could fight against the Church. He made "havoc" for the church.
- The word is interesting. 1) to affix a stigma to, to dishonour, spot, defile 2) to treat shamefully or with injury, to ravage, devastate, ruin. Saul's mission at this time was to destroy this sect.
- He went from the home to the prison, committed to every point.
- This was a man of commitment and zeal, though it was severely misdirected.
- Someone might have imagined that this man could have been such a warrior for God if only he was right with Christ!
- To the people who saw Saul and lived in that same terrible time, who had the proverbial misfortune of being a Christian, they saw a man who hated Christianity, especially those who were Hellenistic Jews and powerless to resist. Saul was a virtual terrorist.
- None of these people would have imagined that Saul would one day be the Paul that wrote more than half of the New Testament, but he was!
- Is there a Saul in your life that you believe is beyond the grace of God? Let me remind you that Saul is that man in the portrait! Turn with me to Hebrews 7:25. The writer of Hebrews speaks about the greatness of Christ's priesthood.
• Hebrews 7:25 : "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."
- It's God's grace that can reach down to the lowliest, most dirty sinners and makes them fit for His service. Don't think that you can put a limit on that precious work.

Conclusion

- Saul was a man with a lot of light around him. But it did not reap the right result.
- Today, I urge you to re-enter that Saul relationship with a few things in mind.
- First, never stop bringing God's Word into the situation. Where applicable, use it! When explaining concepts, don't give your opinion! Give the Word of God!
- Second, don't base your efforts on changes or circumstances. Take the long view. Be encouraged in any little step forward.
- Finally, never believe that anyone on this side of death, is outside the reach of our gracious God. Saul was likely a murderer or at the least, an accomplice to murder.
- Yet, it's this man who becomes the instrument through which God most clearly defines Christianity through. Maybe the Saul in your life will be just as effective one day!