Scripture Passage – Acts 7:54-60
Description – The Final Sermon in the post-Easter series “Now what, Jesus?”
I begin with this morning’s text from Acts 7:54-60:
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
As we conclude our post-Easter series “Now what Jesus?” we come to a passage of scripture that I think is often hard to read and study because it makes us uncomfortable. And it is uncomfortable because we like to think that we could avoid being murdered for our faith.
But I think what God would say to us through this passage today, in light of our theme of living in the days after Easter, is “Stand Fast!” “Stand fast in the faith and truth of what you have heard and been taught and believe and stand fast in Me!”
Now, as with several passages we have recently read, this passage requires some explanation of what has already been said before our main text. With this text what has just been said is important to understand because it sets up the action mentioned in what we have just read. But in this case we have to go back to Acts 6:8 to get the full story.
And this story starts with these words: “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.”
Notice that Stephen, who is as we read further back in Acts 6, one of those chosen to take care of the food distribution, is being challenged by followers of Judaism from other parts of the world – Egypt and what is now known as Turkey, including where a man named Saul came from. But Stephen is a spiritually deep man and great wonders and signs that came from him caused an uproar with the established leaders. No one could stand up to the wisdom and insight that Stephen had because of the power of the Holy Spirit operating through him.
The result is that he is dragged before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court and has the opportunity to refute the charges. As I read through the rest of chapter 6 I was reminded of Jesus’ who also stood before the Sanhedrin.
The beginning of chapter 7 has Stephen answering the charges, stated toward the end of chapter 6, “…we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” Stephen’s response is, in many ways, a succinct summary of the Old Testament and it is a familiar story to his audience, one that they could identify with because they knew it well and for some they knew it from childhood.
I have a sense that as Stephen shared the Sanhedrin perhaps wondered what the fuss was about. I think they could have been saying to themselves, “There is nothing new here. This is familiar and we believe this is true.”
But then he makes a statement which angers them “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
The result is a rage induced frenzy in which Stephen is killed.
He calls them out, like Jesus did, on their stubborn hearts and a lack of faith in Jesus Christ. And he pays with his life.
But notice what happens as Stephen is being stoned to death:
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
If this were to happen to me, I am not sure I would have the presence of mind to say “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” I probably would roll up into a ball to protect myself.
What would you do?
Stephen does not run. He stands his ground.
He tells the story – God’s story – honestly but ultimately with love. Otherwise, why would he have asked God not hold them accountable for his murder?
Good and evil are truly at war here. And the war is in the desires and priorities of the Sanhedrin. They feel threatened by Stephen’s words because it challenges their power and authority. The issue of faith to them is about power and politics not human transformation and redemption. Their mission was to hang on to what they had at any cost and let no one else, including Jesus, get in their way.
Jesus told the disciples, and surely Stephen heard them say this to him and others, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”
(This is out of John 15)
We are so concerned these days about the church’s lack of influence in society and that we also lament we no longer seem to be a “Christian” nation. Have we stopped to consider that perhaps in pursuing some other agendas we have forgotten the true agenda of our faith? I think that Stephen serves as a painful reminder that in standing fast for the faith, we are going to make enemies because the agenda of the Christian faith is nothing short than a deep and profound forgiveness resulting in transformation of the human heart and character.
And these men, and their character, were called out, if you will, by Stephen because the true nature of our faith and our agenda is to call out people from their selfishness and self-centeredness in short, their sinful attitudes and actions, and invite them to repent from them and turn to God. And there are some people who do not want to hear that – ever.
I think that we have forgotten this in the age of social media where we want to be ‘liked’ and followed and friend-ed and re-tweeted. We have forgotten that we are sinners in need of a power greater than ourselves because we are insane – spiritually insane and so we keep trying the latest techniques, programs, and follow the latest thinkers – but to no avail.
What we need is an old fashion repentin’! And this repentin’ can begin when we are sick and tired of the way we are living that is not working even when we say that it is ‘Christian.’ When our own stiff-necked-ness is causing us to live spiritually schizophrenic lives!
What say you this morning church?
Would you be free from the burden of sin? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood! Would you ov’r evil a victory win? There’s wonderful power in the blood!
Not in slick campaigns nor trendy seminars and ideas. Neither in 100 sure fire ways to grow your church nor in, dare I say it, building fund campaigns.
But only in the life changing power of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness He has made possible for us to accept and be changed by.
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Are you weary of the weariness in your hearts?
Come home. Get up out of the mud and crud and come home.
God is waiting for us. Jesus is waiting for us and the Holy Spirit is the one who is telling us to get up out of the mud and come home!
What say you this morning church?
Who will we listen to now, at this moment?
Amen.
