History Repeats

• 1^st – Abraham…
  • STEPHEN stood before the Sanhedrin – with two FALSE accusations against him…
  • That Jesus would CHANGE the customs of Moses – Matthew 5:17
  • And that he taught Jesus would DESTROY the Temple – John 2:21
  • For his defense – Stephen gave them a HISTORY lesson [FOUR parts]
  • Showing them they had ALWAYS been a REBELLIOUS people…
  • FIRST – Abraham [first Jew] had only PARTIALLY obeyed the command of God – Genesis 12:1
  • As a result Israel did NOT inherit the LAND until the SECOND time!
• 2^nd – Joseph…
  • SECOND – Joseph [one of the twelve] was REJECTED by his brothers – sold to gentiles…
  • They ASSUMED he was DEAD – but instead he began to RULE [second in Egypt]
  • ONLY to have his brothers come and KNEEL before him [famine]
  • And they received him as their SAVIOR the SECOND time – Zechariah 12:10
• 3^rd – Moses…
  • THIRD – Moses was raised for FORTY years as the PRINCE of Egypt…
  • But when he tried to help his people they REJECTED him – who made you a RULER and JUDGE…
  • After FORTY years in Midian – God met him in the burning bush – and sent him back…
  • The SECOND time Israel received him as their deliverer [from bondage]
  • But they ultimately REJECTED the WORD of God at Mount Sinai [golden calf]
  • In answering the FIRST accusation against Steven – changing the Laws of Moses…
  • Steven points out the Jews had NEVER even tried to keep the Law!

• 4^th – The Temple… vs. 44-50
  • 1^st – The Tabernacle… vs. 44-46
    • The Witness… vs. 44
      • Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness as He appointed!
      • Steven moves on to answer the SECOND accusation against him – the TEMPLE…
      • Long before the TEMPLE was built – they had the TABERNACLE [σκηνή]
      • It was called the Tabernacle of the TESTIMONY – Exodus 38:21
      • TESTIMONY [עֵדוּת] – from the Hebrew word [עֵד] meaning WITNESS!
      • It was a TENT where the ARK of the covenant [10 commandments] was – Exodus 26:33
      • Located in the center of the CAMP of Israel during their WILDERNESS years…
      • It was the PROOF [witness] that God was with Israel!
    • The Pattern… vs. 44
      • Instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen!
      • Moses was COMMANDED [imperative] to build it according to the PATTERN – Exodus 25:40
      • PATTERN [תַּבְנִית] we would say the BLUEPRINT…
      • God was very specific about EXACTLY what the TABERNACLE should look like…
      • Because it was a SHADOW of the Heavenly dwelling place of God…
      • SHADOW – meant to point us to the thing that is making the SHADOW!
      • Hebrews 8:5 – “[The Tabernacle] was a COPY and SHADOW of the heavenly things. Moses was divinely instructed… [to] make all things according to the PATTERN shown [him].” [NLT]
      • FIRST door led into the courtyard – where the priests offered sacrifices for SIN…
      • SECOND door led into the TABERNACLE – where the menorah [light] was…
      • THIRD door led into the HOLIEST – where the Ark and Mercy seat were!
      • The TABERNACLE points us [shadow] to our relationship with God…
      • When we receive Jesus [FIRST door] – the price for our sin is paid…
      • When we live for Jesus [SECOND door] – He lights the way for us to live our life…
      • When we finally go home [THIRD door] – we come into the presence of God!
    • God with us… vs. 45-46
      • Which our fathers – having received it in turn – also brought with Joshua into the land.
      • Possessed by the Gentiles – whom God drove out before the face of our fathers!
      • Therefore – because Israel had received the TABERNACLE…
      • The PROOF [witness] that God was with them…
      • They brought it with them when JOSHUA took them into the Land…
      • JOSHUA [Ἰησοῦς] – the name in the GREEK text is Jesus…
      • Both come from the Hebrew word [יְשׁוּעָה] – the LORD [יְהוָה] saves [יָשַׁע]
      • Because God was with them [Tabernacle] and Jesus was leading them…
      • Even the GIANTS in the land could not stand against them – Numbers 13:33
      • And they were able to dive out the GENTILES [ἔθνος]!
      • Moses [Law] could ONLY take Israel so far – he could NOT take them in…
      • Because the LAW cannot SAVE us – it can only show our need to be SAVED – Galatians 3:24
      • It has to be Jesus [God saves] that leads us into the Promised LAND!
      • But when God is with us [Tabernacle] – and Jesus is LEADING us…
      • We can have the confidence that NOTHING can defeat us…
      • Because we know that God is greater than ANY enemy – ANY challenge we might face!
      • Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us who can be against us?”
  • 2^nd – House for God… vs. 46-50
    • Grace of God… vs. 46
      • Until David who found favor before God – and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob!
      • The TABERNACLE was set up at a place called SHILOH – Joshua 18:1
      • SHILOH [שִׁילֹה] – a place of REST – because God was dwelling with Israel…
      • And for FOUR hundred years that is where the TABERNACLE stayed…
      • Until King David found GRACE [χάρις] from God…
      • When God agreed to allow him to build Him a PERMANENT home – the TEMPLE…
      • GRACE because although David had the right heart – it was the wrong message…
      • God NEVER asked – and did NOT want Israel to build Him a TEMPLE – II Samuel 7:7
      • None of us live in TENTS – because they are NOT permanent…
      • A TENT is something we might spend a few nights in while camping…
      • God wanted Israel to see a TENT – to remind them this was NOT home!
      • Far too often we get too attached this life and forget…
      • We are not home yet – our home is a place we have yet to see – heaven…
      • We need to remember to keep a light touch on things here – we are just living in tents!
      • II Corinthians 5:1 – “We know that if our earthly house – this tent is destroyed – we have a building from God – a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.”
    • Expensive… vs. 47
      • But Solomon built Him a house.
      • BUT [δέ] David was NOT allowed to build the TEMPLE – the task fell to his son SOLOMON…
      • The reason is because David was a man of WAR – I Chronicles 28:3
      • When Solomon built the TEMPLE it took him SEVEN years – I Kings 6:38
      • And because of the incredible GIFTS David had given to him…
      • What Solomon created was one of the WONDERS of the world!
      • David gave – 100 thousand talents of GOLD – a Million talents of SILVER – I Chronicles 22:14
      • TALENT – is equal to around 33 kilos [there are 1000 grams in a kilo]
      • 100 thousand TALENTS gold = 3.3 BILLION grams of GOLD…
      • At over SIX thousand pesos per gram = 20 TRILLION pesos in GOLD…
      • Not to mention an additional TWO trillion pesos in SILVER!
    • Throne of Heaven… vs. 48-50
      • However – the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands.
      • As the prophet says: Heaven is My throne – and earth is My footstool.
      • What house will you build for Me? says the LORD – or what is the place of My rest? 
      • Has My hand not made all these things?
      • BUT [ἀλλά] the MOST high [אֵל עֶלְיוֹן] – does NOT live in TEMPLES made by men…
      • As the Prophet Isaiah also said – Isaiah 66:1-2
      • Since the THRONE of God is in [the third] HEAVEN – and the earth where He puts His feet…
      • What kind of HOUSE on earth could anyone possible build for Him…
      • Also – it was His HAND that made EVERYTHING [πᾶς]!
    • Misplaced Faith…
      • In answering the SECOND accusation – destroying the TEMPLE…
      • Stephen pointed out the TEMPLE was just STONE – it was NOT where God lived…
      • Israel thought because the TEMPLE stood in Jerusalem – God was with them…
      • But their FAITH was in the Temple – it was in the WRONG place!
      • When Hophni and Phineas took the ARK into the battle against the Philistines – I Samuel 4:4
      • Israel was defeated – because they TRUSTED the ARK rather than God of the ARK!
      • We all have FAITH – but too often we put our FAITH in the wrong place…
      • It does NOT matter if a CHURCH is a nipa hut – or an elaborate building…
      • Because God is NOT in the BUILDING – God is in us – I Corinthians 6:19
      • Therefore – we do NOT put our faith in a CHURCH – we trust in the God of the church…
      • It does NOT matter if we have a little Bible – or a HUGE study Bible…
      • Because God is NOT in the BOOK – God speaks through the BOOK – II Timothy 3:16
      • Therefore – we do NOT put our faith in the BIBLE – we trust in the God of the Bible…
      • The point is POWERFUL – make sure to put our FAITH in the RIGHT place!

• 5^th – Death of Stephen… vs. 51-70
  • 1^st – Conclusion… vs. 51-54
    • Stiff necked… vs. 51
      • You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. 
      • Having made his FOUR points – Stephen comes to the CONCLUSION…
      • FIRST – these LEADERS [Sanhedrin] were stiff-necked [only here NT] – unwilling to REPENT…
      • OUTWARDLY they were circumcised – and claimed to be ISRAEL [governed by God]
      • But INWARDLY they were NOT – their EARS and HEARTS were FAR from God!
      • Romans 2:29 – “He is a Jew who is one inwardly… circumcision is that of the heart.”
    • Resistant…
      • You always resist the Holy Spirit!
      • SECOND – they ALWAYS [ἀεί] were OPPOSED [ἀντιπίπτω] to the Holy Spirit…
      • They SPIRIT was speaking to them – but they NEVER listened…
      • These were men who were HARDENED – and CALLOUSED against His conviction!
      • I Timothy 4:2 – “Having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”
      • SEARED [καυστηριάζω] – only here NT – we would say cauterized…
      • They NO longer feel the conviction of sin – they become hardened to God!
      • When we first commit a SIN – we bleed with CONVICTION from the Holy Spirit…
      • But if we continue to SIN – we can create a CALLOUS on our hearts [feel nothing]
      • SIN is devastating – if we refuse to repent – it will harden our hearts – Hebrews 3:13
      • SEARED with a hot iron – we end up rejecting God – because we prefer our SIN!
    • Like your fathers… vs. 51-53
      • 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!
      • THIRD – they were just like their FATHERS…
      • Their FATHERS who had PERSECUTED the prophets sent from God…
      • Men who came to a REBELLIOUS nation to call them to REPENT [but they would NOT listen]
      • And the prophets who spoke [προκαταγγέλλω] about Jesus [just one] – they KILLED…
      • Like their FATHERS – they PERSECUTED those who called them to REPENT [Stephen]
      • And like their FATHERS – they had betrayed and MURDERED [passive] Christ…
      • BECAUSE they had been given the WORD [νόμος] of God – but IGNORED it!
      • People do NOT change – they are still the same TODAY…
      • God has given us His WORD – He sends people to WARN us…
      • But the world does NOT want to hear it – they REJECT the truth…
      • Not because they CANNOT believe it – but because they do NOT want it!
  • 2^nd – Cut to the heart… vs. 54, 57-58
    • Rage… vs. 54
      • When they heard these things they were cut to the heart.
      • And they gnashed at him with their teeth!
      • When the SANHEDRIN was CUT to the heart [διαπρίω] – their hearts were torn in two…
      • Used only here and in BOLD response of the Apostles – Acts 5:33
      • The continuously [imperfect] GNASHED their TEETH to show their RAGE at STEPHEN!
    • Closed ears… vs. 57
      • Then they cried out with a loud voice – stopped their ears – and ran at him with one accord.
      • They cast him out of the city and stoned him!
      • They then began to SCREAM [φωνῇ μεγάλῃ] to drown out the voice of Stephen…
      • Even COVERING their ears – so that they could NOT hear his WORDS…
      • They RAN towards him – in ONE accord [ὁμοθυμαδόν]
      • The same word used to describe the UNITY of the church through the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:46
      • Is here used to describe the UNITY of unbelievers through their SIN…
      • And they threw him out of the city – and [imperfect] STONED him to death – to silence him! 
      • People do NOT like it when we point out their SIN – they tend to get UPSET…
      • Because when we give them the TRUTH – it CONVICTS them…
      • So they react [sometimes violently] to try and silence that CONVICTION…
      • We cannot make people REPENT – but we can warn them…
      • We might think it is kinder NOT to confront their SIN…
      • But the truth is leaving someone in their SIN – is condemning them to HELL!
    • Man called Saul… vs. 58
      • The witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul!
      • Those who were WITNESSES – the ones throwing the stones – Deuteronomy 17:7
      • Took off their coats to be able to throw harder…
      • And gave the coats to a young man named SAUL to watch over!
      • This is the FIRST mention of SAUL [Paul] in the Bible…
      • But it would seem the death of STEPHEN left a mark [he did not forget it] – Acts 22:20
      • Years later he would look back at the IMPACT his life had one him…
      • Rather than being JUDGED by God – he was given GRACE!
      • I Timothy 1:13-14 – “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man. [But] the grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly.” [NIV]
      • If God can save a man like SAUL – who stood approvingly at the death of Stephen…
      • Then there is NO question the GRACE of God can reach ANYONE…
      • Which should give us HOPE – even if someone is HARD hearted today…
      • Even if they get UPSET at us – want to SILENCE us – God can still SAVE them!
      • I Timothy 1:16 – “God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.” [NLT]
  • 3^rd – Standing up… vs. 55-56, 59-60
    • Jesus stands… vs. 55
      • [Stephen] being full of the Holy Spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God.
      • And Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said:
      • Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!
      • Being FULL [present] of the Holy Spirit – Stephen chose to look up [ἀτενίζω]
      • And he SAW the GLORY of God – and Jesus STANDING at the right hand of the Father…
      • Jesus does NOT stand [perfect] at the right hand – He SITS – Colossian 3:1 – Hebrews 8:1
      • ONLY here do we see Jesus STANDING in Heaven [οὐρανός]!
      • If we have a child who does exceptionally well at an event…
      • Maybe they score the winning point – or have a perfect recital…
      • Our natural reaction is NOT to sit – we jump to our feet to show we are PROUD…
      • Jesus stood because He was PROUD of His son – He was cheering him as he came home!
      • I CANNOT imagine a more incredible homecoming – than Jesus STANDING…
      • To hear Him say the words – well done good and faithful servant – Matthew 25:21
      • Not because of anything we have done for the Lord – but because of what He did for us…
      • Then every hardship – and sorrow in this life will have been worth it – we are home!
    • Forgiven… vs. 59-60
      • They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying: Lord Jesus receive my spirit.
      • Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice:
      • Lord do not charge them with this sin. And when he had said this – he fell asleep!
      • As the men STONED [imperfect] Stephen – he called [present] out to God…
      • Pleading [imperfect] with his Lord [κύριος] to receive his spirit [τὸ πνεῦμά μου]
      • He KNEW he was about to DIE – yet he did NOT pray for God to save HIS life…
      • Instead – as the rocks forced him to his KNEES – he SHOUTED [φωνῇ μεγάλῃ]
      • Lord [κύριος] – please [subjuntive] do NOT charge this SIN to them…
      • And when he had said that – he fell ASLEEP [euphemism for death] – I Thessalonians 4:13
      • The prophet Zechariah was STONED to death by the wicked king Joash…
      • As he died – he told them the LORD will look on it and JUDGE [κρίνω] – II Chronicles 24:22
      • If we are HONEST we probably relate more to Zechariah than Stephen…
      • But Stephen understood – that death is TEMPORARY [sleep] – Hell is ETERNAL…
      • And that allowed him to have GRACE and FORGIVENESS!
      • No matter what anyone has done to us – how they have hurt us…
      • Our hearts should NOT be to see them JUDGED – we want them FORGIVEN…
      • Because [like Stephen] we know what matters MOST is that they get to HEAVEN!