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MESSAGE SERIES: “CHURCH ON THE MOVE”
Acts 6:8-7:38

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called Church on the Move, and we are studying how the church moved out from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and eventually to the ends of the earth. One of the ways God got the church moving was through persecution. We have already seen opposition to the gospel from the religious leaders in Jerusalem, but when we come to Stephen’s story here in Acts 6-7, we see the religious leaders make the jump from simple opposition to outright persecution. (Read Acts 6:12-15 and pray.)

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Today we come to the story of Stephen. We met him earlier in Acts 6 as one of the seven original deacons. Now we come to the circumstances surrounding his death.

Stephen was the first martyr in the church, although he certainly wasn’t the last. In our study of Acts, we are fast approaching the great persecution that broke out against the early church, and as we shall see, the death of Stephen served as the catalyst for this greater persecution.

Jesus told his disciples they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. But right now, at this point in the book of Acts, the church wasn’t going anywhere. They were growing, but they were still stuck in Jerusalem. Now through Stephen and the resulting persecution, God is going to start pushing the church and the gospel out of Jerusalem.

Stephen’s story covers two chapters, so we are going to take two weeks to cover it together. Today we will look at Stephen before the Sanhedrin, and next week we will look at Stephen’s martyrdom. We will actually look at four stories today: the story of Stephen, the story of Abraham, the story of Joseph and the story of Moses.

I. The story of Stephen (6:8-15)

We begin with the story of Stephen.

   A. Stephen’s gospel witness (8-10)

And Stephen’s story begins with his gospel witness:

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous 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. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. (Acts 6:8-10)

Our passage begins with Stephen presenting a powerful gospel witness among the people of Jerusalem. Luke tells us that Stephen was a man full of God’s grace and power. Earlier Stephen was described as a man who was full of the Spirit, wisdom and faith. So put that all together and what do you get? Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit, and he is full of wisdom, faith, grace and power. He is what G. Campbell Morgan called an unusual combination of “sweetness and strength.”

Stephen also worked great wonders and miraculous signs. Luke has emphasized that it is mainly the apostles who were given the ability to perform miracles, but not exclusively. Here Stephen does too. God authenticates Stephen’s message along with that of the apostles.

The initial opposition came from a group known as the Synagogue of the Freedmen. These were former slaves who now were free. At first, they argued with Stephen, but they “could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” This is in accordance with Jesus’ promise that he would give his followers both the Holy Spirit and the wisdom to answer those who come against them (Luke 12:12, 21:15).

   B. Opposition and false witness (11-15)

But argument and debate quickly devolved into opposition and false witness. Look at verses 11-15:

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Acts 6:11-15)

First, they argued. Next, they slandered, saying Stephen spoke words of blasphemy against Moses and God. Then, they seized. They brought him before the Sanhedrin, and they produced false witnesses. The false witnesses brought two charges against Stephen, saying he had spoken against the temple and the law. These were serious charges, similar to the false charges brought against Jesus—who was accused of breaking the Sabbath (that is, breaking the law), and making threats against the temple (Mark 14:58).

These were false witnesses, so what was Stephen actually teaching? Stephen was most likely teaching that Jesus had fulfilled the temple and the law. In the gospel of John Jesus spoke of the temple in terms of his body (John 2:21), and in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus spoke about how he came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17).

Luke tells us that everyone was looking intently at Stephen. Imagine if you were being dragged before a tribunal. Some of us may be looking down or cowering in fear, but Stephen is just full of confidence and grace and joy in the Spirit. His face was like the face of an angel, which brings to mind the face of Moses that shined in the Old Testament (Ex. 34:29-35). It may also be a precursor or foreshadowing of Stephen’s death which is coming when he will be translated in glory to be with Jesus.

II. The story of Abraham (7:1-8)

The high priest asked Stephen if these charges were true, and Stephen launched into a lengthy defense recounting the history of Israel. This type of summary or review is common in the Old Testament (see Psalms 78, 105, 106). Remember, we said the book of Acts is full of speeches, and sometimes we read those speeches, and we wonder what the person is talking about. Why do they say the things they do, and how does it all connect?

Stephen’s speech incorporates two major themes: 1) Israel has a pattern of rejecting Gods’ deliverers; and 2) Israel has a pattern of tying God first to the tabernacle and then to the temple. This was something the Old Testament prophets warned Israel about continually before the exile.

In the initial part of his speech, Stephen focuses on the stories of Abraham, Joseph and Moses. In each case, he highlights those things which bolster his defense. So, let’s turn now from the story of Stephen to the story of Abraham.

   A. The promise of descendants and the land (1-5)

First, he talks about God’s promise to Abraham of descendants and the land. We are in Acts 7 now, verses 1-5:

Then the high priest asked him, “Are these charges true?” To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.” (Acts 7:1-5)

God called Abraham to leave Mesopotamia and go to an unknown location, which eventually was revealed to be Canaan, the land where the Israelites now resided. God promised Abraham that he and his descendants would possess the land, even though Abraham had no inheritance in the land himself, and no children to inherit the land from him.

   B. The promise of future deliverance (6-8)

Next Stephen talks about God’s promise of future deliverance. Look at verses 6-8:

“God spoke to him in this way: ‘Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’ Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.” (Acts 7:6-8)

God told Abraham in advance that his descendants would be slaves in a foreign country for four hundred years before God would deliver them and bring them to the promised land. God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. Abraham became the father of Isaac who became the father of Jacob who became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

So, what do we learn from Abraham? God called Abraham while he was still in a foreign land. This was prior to both the temple and the law—the two items Stephen is charged with speaking against. God gave Abraham the promise of descendants and the land, and he promised to deliver his people. Hold on to that. We will see how this progresses.

III. The story of Joseph (9-19)

Next, Stephen recounts the story of Joseph. Notice how he jumps over everyone in between. That’s a big jump! Remember he is highlighting certain things that the people of Israel need to hear in his defense.

   A. Joseph in Egypt (9-16)

He begins with Joseph’s time in Egypt. Look at verses 9-16:

“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace. Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died. Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.” (Acts 7:9-16)

Joseph was sold into slavery to Egypt, but God used him in Egypt to deliver his family from the famine that came over all the land. Jacob and his whole family moved to Egypt, although their bodies were brought back to the promised land for burial.

Joseph’s brothers rejected Joseph, but God was with him. God watched over Joseph’s family and preserved them through the time of famine. Notice their bodies were buried in Shechem. Shechem was part of Samaria. This is significant because the gospel witness has already begun in Jerusalem but will soon go forth to Judea and Samaria next.

   B. Oppression in Egypt (17-19)

Stephen goes on to talk about the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt. Look at verses 17-19:

“As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.” (Acts 7:17-19)

After Joseph died, a new king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. He enslaved the Israelites just as God had told Abraham centuries before. God had kept the first part of his promise to Abraham of many descendents. Now the time was drawing near for God fulfill the second part of his promise to bring them to the promised land.

So, what do we learn from Joseph? God was at work even in Egypt! There is no temple in Egypt, no law of Moses in Egypt. The patriarchs, representing the whole people of Israel, rejected their deliverer by selling him as a slave to Egypt, but God exalted him and used him to deliver his people from famine.

IV. The story of Moses (20-38)

Next, Stephen recounts the story of Moses. This is the longest section of Stephen’s speech, which makes sense because, remember, one of the accusations against Stephen was that he had spoken against Moses and the law. Here he is going to show that he has nothing against Moses as he relates Moses’ story in four stages.

   A. The birth of Moses (20-22)

First, he recounts the birth of Moses. Look at verses 20-22:

“At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father’s house. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” (Acts 7:20-22)

Stephen emphasizes how Moses was no ordinary child, how he was rescued from death as a child, how he was educated and trained in Pharaoh’s palace, and how he was powerful in speech and action.

   B. The rejection of Moses (23-29)

Next, he recounts the rejection of Moses as a young man. Look at verses 23-29:

“When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.” (Acts 7:23-29)

Moses tried to help his own people, but he was rejected by them and fled to Midian.

   C. The commission of Moses (30-34)

Next, Stephen recounts the commission of Moses in the wilderness. Look at verses 30-34:

“After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’” (Acts 7:30-34)

Hmmm, this all makes me think of someone else who was no ordinary child, who was rescued from death as a child, who grew up to be powerful in speech and action, who was rejected as a deliverer by his own people and was commissioned by God for ministry after spending forty days in the desert. Stop me if you’ve heard this story before! (We’re talking about Jesus, of course!)

   D. The prophet like Moses (35-38)

Stephen certainly saw the resemblance because he goes on to remind the Sanhedrin how Moses told the Israelites, “God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.” Look at verses 35-38:

“This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert. This is that Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.’ He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us.” (Acts 7:35-38)

So far, the Sanhedrin has been tracking along with Stephen just fine throughout the whole speech. They are probably wondering why he was even brought before him. Everything he has said is just straight from the Scripture. They believe everything Stephen said about Abraham. They believe everything Stephen said about Jospeh. They believe everything Stephen said about Moses.

So, what’s the problem? By focusing on the parallels between Moses and Jesus, Stephen is getting ready to make the point that Jesus was indeed the prophet like Moses who was to come. And that is going to be a big problem.

CONCLUSION: We will pause here in Stephen’s speech and pick up the rest of it next week when we look at Stephen’s martyrdom. But let’s review what we have just learned and see what Stephen has accomplished in his speech so far. What is this wisdom that God has given Stephen?

Remember, Stephen’s speech has two major themes. First, Israel has a pattern of rejecting God’s deliverers. Stephen is going to apply that to Jesus next, and they are not going to like that. And then secondly, Israel has a pattern of tying God first to the tabernacle and then to the temple. You cannot put God in a box, and you cannot even put him in the temple. God is so much bigger than that. Stephen is going to talk about how God extends beyond the tabernacle and the temple.

Stephen has spoken about Abraham who was commended for his faith long before there was any tabernacle or temple and long before God gave Moses the law. He has spoken about Joseph and how the patriarchs rejected Joseph and sold him into slavery, but God exalted him and used him to deliver his people. He has spoken about Moses and how the people rejected Moses as their deliverer as well. And he has highlighted the important parallels between Moses and Jesus and how God promised to send another prophet like Moses to deliver his people.

Where is Stephen going with all this? He is now prepared to draw the conclusion that Jesus came in fulfillment of all these Old Testament stories and prophecies. And if Jesus came in fulfillment of all the Old Testament stories and prophecies, then we need to listen to him, we need to trust him, and we need to follow him.

All the Old Testament points forward to Jesus. Jesus is the promised seed of Abraham. Jesus is the one like Joseph, rejected by his own, yet who comes to deliver his people. Jesus is the prophet like Moses, also rejected by his people, but sent to deliver us from sin and death and hell.

Jesus is the promised Messiah and Deliverer. Don’t be like the religious leaders who rejected Jesus when he came. Come, put your faith in him who came to deliver you.

© Ray Fowler

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