Happy Sabbath,
glad you could join us.
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I tell you, this is going to
be an exciting, exciting lesson.
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When we study the Book
of Acts, I just get excited
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because there are things
in there that we can really
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learn as a church,
so we're going to be on
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Lesson #4, and again,
we're glad you joined with us.
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This is 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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I know many of you,
I've heard when I travel
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people really enjoy the
panel, so bless your hearts,
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and we thank each one of you
today for being here with us.
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We'll introduce you later.
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I'm Kenny Shelton and I'm glad
today that we're going to be
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on #4 of the lesson as
it is very interesting.
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We're talking about
the first church leaders,
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and to me, it was very
interesting because when we
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looked at this, this
is where it kind of began.
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This is where it was set
up, and any time you begin
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something and begin to
set it up, the Holy Spirit
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is working, the enemy
is going to be working,
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and there is going to be issues.
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So today, I think
we're all going to be looking
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at different issues and we're
going to attack those issues,
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and we're going to see how
God worked it out through the
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power of the Holy Spirit.
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Again, when you study the
Book of Acts, it's electrifying.
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If you don't mind, I can
use that word, "electrifying."
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There's things that we
study that's good for the church
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today. Amen! We
need it for today.
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The fact that we study the
Book of Acts, the first church
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that was set up is
supposed to be that example
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for us throughout until Jesus,
comes, so we can learn from
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these things and it's
full of information and so on.
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It's a story of, you
know, God choosing individuals
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to set this church up and
to get it going and moving
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forward, but naturally
you're going to be dealing with
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issues - we're going to
be dealing with problems,
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and I think - How do
we deal with these issues?
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How do we deal with these
problems that would arise?
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Well I hope by now, most
of you have your study guides
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and I realize that a lot of
people... we have new viewers,
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I'm convinced that there
are new viewers all the time
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so we have to repeat
some of these things, right?
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People need these lesson study
guides and I'll tell you how
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to get them...
Simply download these.
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Just go and
download these lessons on...
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ABSG.Adventist.org
and if you do that,
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you will get these lessons,
the "Adult Bible Study Guides,"
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and it's always good - some
of you are getting a little bit
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lazy because you're not getting
these guides and you need to,
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bless your hearts, you
need to get these guides
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and follow along -
you'll find that you
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will learn a whole lot
more if it's set before you
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and you study, you're
underlining and you're
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jotting down passages
of Scripture that each one
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might say, just quickly
say, "We don't have time to
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go over it," but look
this up for your own study.
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If you happen to
be gone, I always say,
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set your DVR and then record it.
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You'll be able to come back
and look at the main station
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here and you can
look at YouTube, you know,
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anything that you
have, device of your choice,
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just make sure you're watching
it and we're glad that you are,
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and we're glad you've joined us.
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And we should
introduce our panel for today...
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On my left, Sister Shelley
Quinn, always good to have you.
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It's always good, I
kinda thought working together,
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is that what we
do here? Amen! Amen!
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You know, one thing I have
to say... The people love this.
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We know that our
audience loves this program,
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but it's my favorite program
because I get to sit with my
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friends and hear and get
the benefit of your study
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as well as mine.
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Yes, isn't that wonderful
to be able to work together?
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And who do you
have on your left?
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I have Pastor CA
Murray, my dear brother.
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Good to be here, it's
very, very good to be here.
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I find I study harder for this
10 minutes than I did when I
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was teaching my class when I
was pastoring at pastor's class.
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I put more time in on this than
I did in the pastor's class.
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This, you tend to put a
lot in and there's so much
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to learn from each
other, and to my left is
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Ms. Jill Morikone.
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It's a privilege to be
here and open up God's word
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and study together and I learn
and grow from each one of you,
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and what you share of the
word of God and to my left is
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my dear friend and
mentor and mom, Mollie Steenson.
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And I've got to say that doing
these Sabbath School Panels
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has been for me... I
have grown - the depth of my
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understanding of God's
word has grown and you're right,
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that just to do 10
minutes, we put hours of study
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in a piece.
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I've heard it said several
times, "Well, that must be
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and easy thing, you
know, just for 10 minutes,
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and then pass it
on to somebody else."
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I said, "Well you're supposed
to at least pay attention
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to what the other
folks are doing too,
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so there's still
more to it than that."
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We learn - it's good,
but there is a lot of study,
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and may times, we're
talking about hours of studying
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and going
through - so it's always
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a blessing isn't it? Yes it is!
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Sister Mollie, since
you were speaking last,
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would you have
prayer for us please?
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I would be delighted.
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Holy Father, We
come before You in the
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name of Jesus and Lord, we
are so grateful that You've
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given us this
blessing, this opportunity
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to break the bread of
life with Your people.
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And Father, we just all
bring our hearts before You
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and ask, Lord, that You would
purify and perfect our hearts
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that we would
stand before Your people
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with clean hands
and a pure heart,
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and Father we yield to You
that the words that are spoken
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here today will
be anointed of You,
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and they will go into every
listener and every viewer's
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ear, they will take
root in the heart and grow
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and prosper and
bring us all into closer
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relationship with You.
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In Christ's name... Amen
Amen! Amen, praise the Lord!
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We're prayed up
and ready to study
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the lesson, let's do
our Sabbath, alright?
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Get into the Sabbath,
we're just going to get
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a quick overview of it,
and time is ticking down
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really quickly - we'll
just cover what we can.
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And we go right
to our memory text...
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Now, in the memory
text, I know it's the
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New Revised Standard Version,
and I have a habit of reading
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out of the King James
Version, some people like it,
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and some don't,
but I appreciate it.
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And it says just
about the same thing.
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We can read it together if we
like here panel, are we ready?
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"The word of God continued to
spread; the number of disciples
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increased greatly in Jerusalem,
and a great many of the priests
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became obedient to
the faith." Acts 6:7
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I thought, "Here's a
real problem and I like it."
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Here's the key...
noticed what happened...
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It says, "And the
word of God did what?
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The word of God increased
and any time the word of God
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increases, then also the
prospect, the potential of
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members and the church growing,
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as the what?
...the word increases
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and goes out first.
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Growth is very, very important
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is what I looked at
in this lesson. Amen!
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If it's not
growing, then it's dying.
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So the church
needs to be active.
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It needs to be growing,
but along with the new church
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and growth, a lot of
times it grows faster than
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we're able to put
the things together
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to take care of the church.
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I don't know if you ever
had that experience or not,
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but you have to be
able to have things in place
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to take care of the new
members, the different thoughts,
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and the different minds
that come into the church.
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And so there's
growing pains, in our lesson
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there are some growing pains
that I like to think about,
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and I'll name a couple of those.
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We have some converts,
the new converts that are
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coming in from
Pentecost that were Hellenites,
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you remember
those? Who were they?
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They were Jews, weren't they.
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Jews from the Grecian
or the Greeks and then also
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from the Roman world.
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Well what does that do?
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All of a sudden, we've
got a language problem.
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It's hard to understand,
we're speaking a different
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language - the main language
was what? Aramaic, wasn't it...
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so to speak there in Judea.
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So they had problem
language and plus, they had
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cultural differences;
they had religious difference;
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they even thought
differently, and sometimes when
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you're in a
different country, you think
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just a little bit differently.
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So they had all these things
kind of working against them
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while they were
trying to work together.
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And so, a lot of these
new converts came in...
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think about it... they
weren't really attached to the
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temple services and ceremonies.
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They really weren't
all convinced about the
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Mosaic law and so on,
so there was other issues
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that were springing up here.
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Nevertheless, God used
many of them, didn't He?
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Many of them to
witness to the world.
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Sunday's lesson -
let's go quickly...
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I remember studying
this as a young person
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about the seven deacons.
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I thought, "Boy, this is
wonderful," but you know,
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as I studied this lesson, I
found out, very interesting,
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that the deacons back
then, they would just talk about
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the seven - New Testament just
referred to them as "the seven."
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But we call them "the seven,"
they did a whole lot more
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than the deacons do today.
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So I'm not sure if
we don't have the men
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to do it anymore or
not, if something is wrong,
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but they had a
lot of responsibility
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as deacons back then.
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And so, if we look at it
from the church standpoint,
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again, I think maybe
we ought to look at it.
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There was a complaint,
what was the complaint?
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Do you remember that
complaint in Acts 6:1,
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it just simply says,
"There was neglect going on."
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It said, "In those days
when the number of disciples had
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multiplied... I like
this, Acts 6:1, there arose
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a murmuring among the Grecians,"
They were against the Hebrews
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because their widows were
neglected in daily ministration,
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more in
distribution or bringing relief.
00:09:02.87\00:09:07.54
So because the language barrier,
cultures, so on and so forth,
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some were getting taken care of
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and others weren't
getting taken care of.
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It's a legitimate, I think,
complaint - let's say it nicely.
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It's legitimate
to have a complaint
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if it's something
against the gospel
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that we need to
have taken care of.
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Some people complain because
they just LOVE to complain...
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But if we look at it
realistically, that's one of the
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aspects of selfishness -
is really complaining. Yes
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That's really probably
the highest phase of that is
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selfishness when you look at it.
00:09:36.44\00:09:38.17
But when there's
legitimate source,
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naturally, we
need to bring that out.
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I call it "an alleged" neglect,
but it proved to be truth,
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and it wasn't because the
church was growing too fast,
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there wasn't enough
people to take care of all those
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who needed to be taken care
of, changes need to be made.
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And as soon as that complaint
was made, what happened?
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Church, you know it, as
soon as somebody complains
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in the church - and
again, this is legitimate,
00:09:58.99\00:10:00.70
something needed to be
done, the enemy comes in.
00:10:00.73\00:10:02.76
That's the wedge for the
enemy to come in and try to
00:10:02.80\00:10:05.60
destroy the
church, divide, separate
00:10:05.63\00:10:07.50
and to conquer
through complaints.
00:10:07.54\00:10:09.80
SUSPICION, arousing suspicion...
00:10:09.84\00:10:12.07
"Well, I think maybe
they left us out because
00:10:12.11\00:10:14.61
I'm different or they
left us out because of..."
00:10:14.68\00:10:18.01
So suspicion came in,
what should a church do?
00:10:18.05\00:10:21.38
We have it today, something
comes in, there's conflict
00:10:21.42\00:10:26.49
in the church, what
should the church do?
00:10:26.52\00:10:28.16
Should we just ignore
it or should we really
00:10:28.19\00:10:30.73
look at that situation
quickly and try to handle it
00:10:30.79\00:10:33.40
before it festers up.
00:10:33.46\00:10:34.76
We need to look at it
quickly and try to handle it.
00:10:34.83\00:10:37.97
Act fast, settle the difference
or there will be division.
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I've been around long
enough, that's the way it works
00:10:41.74\00:10:43.64
every time, isn't that
right pastor? You know that.
00:10:43.67\00:10:45.57
Each of you knows
that it's work with it.
00:10:45.61\00:10:47.11
Here's a solution... We
talked about there's issues
00:10:47.14\00:10:49.31
and so some weren't
getting taken care of...
00:10:49.34\00:10:51.31
remember there was a poor fund,
00:10:51.35\00:10:53.45
and many people
were giving to the fund,
00:10:53.48\00:10:56.28
when there was an issue
involved then we look at what?
00:10:56.32\00:10:59.45
Many, many people were
called in to be a voice in this
00:10:59.49\00:11:03.93
because there were many that
were giving - it makes sense.
00:11:03.96\00:11:07.10
And if we look at it
like this, that arose the
00:11:07.13\00:11:09.96
representative form
of the church government
00:11:10.03\00:11:13.07
came out of this situation,
that we were representatives.
00:11:13.10\00:11:16.60
And we have people because
a lot of people are involved.
00:11:16.67\00:11:18.81
Here's a solution...
Acts 6:2, I'm moving quickly,
00:11:18.84\00:11:22.51
I just have 3 minutes or
so left and so it says...
00:11:22.54\00:11:24.71
"Then the twelve called
the multitude of disciples...
00:11:24.75\00:11:27.82
So I see two
different groups, don't you?
00:11:27.85\00:11:29.78
The twelve is one group, right?
00:11:29.82\00:11:31.92
And then they called
the multitude in, notice,
00:11:31.95\00:11:34.22
of disciples and they said
to them, "It is not reason that
00:11:34.26\00:11:37.96
we should leave the word
of God and serve tables."
00:11:37.99\00:11:40.70
I kinda like this in here
because I feel like, sometimes
00:11:40.76\00:11:43.30
I've done some things that
I need to put on the side over
00:11:43.33\00:11:45.83
here and get to the word of
God and stay in the word of God
00:11:45.87\00:11:48.34
like we should do here.
00:11:48.37\00:11:49.70
Moffatt translation -
this is one that says here:
00:11:49.74\00:11:51.77
"We don't need to be attending
to passing out the meals."
00:11:51.81\00:11:55.34
It's kind of interesting
and Godspeed says this...
00:11:55.38\00:11:58.35
"We don't have time
to be keeping account."
00:11:58.38\00:12:00.95
I thought that was interesting.
00:12:00.98\00:12:02.32
The Bible of Basic
English says this...
00:12:02.35\00:12:04.45
"To make distributions of food."
00:12:04.49\00:12:06.62
Already the Jewish Church
had three men set up and they
00:12:06.65\00:12:10.53
were taking care of the needy
and those who had special needs.
00:12:10.63\00:12:13.50
The church was too big, three
couldn't handle it anymore,
00:12:13.53\00:12:16.56
and so what happened...
The apostles said - You know
00:12:16.63\00:12:19.47
what we need to do,
everybody is involved...
00:12:19.50\00:12:20.84
Let's just call a big meeting
here and let's settle this issue
00:12:20.90\00:12:23.17
because if we
don't, there's going
00:12:23.20\00:12:24.54
to be more
issues that will come.
00:12:24.57\00:12:25.91
So they said...
What we're going to do is
00:12:25.94\00:12:27.44
occupy ourselves in doctrinal
issues - isn't that right?
00:12:27.48\00:12:30.98
In other words, the
pastors and teachers and all,
00:12:31.01\00:12:33.18
we need to occupy ourselves
on those things that God
00:12:33.21\00:12:35.78
has asked us to do and
not get sidetracked on other
00:12:35.82\00:12:38.02
things, even though they
are good within themselves.
00:12:38.05\00:12:40.96
There's a lot of
people to help do that.
00:12:40.99\00:12:42.76
The deacons or the seven,
oh, they did the communal meal,
00:12:42.79\00:12:46.96
they did the Lord's
supper, the prayer time...
00:12:47.03\00:12:50.40
I like it here because the early
church I mentioned did more.
00:12:50.43\00:12:53.67
I mean, they did a lot
more here, but these deacons had
00:12:53.70\00:12:56.97
to be what? Quickly qualified.
00:12:57.04\00:12:58.87
They had to be men of God.
00:12:58.91\00:13:00.48
Their morals had to be right,
their spiritual condition,
00:13:00.58\00:13:04.15
they had to be filled
with the Holy Spirit - it talks
00:13:04.18\00:13:06.41
about here; the gifts of the
Spirit, the gifts of God here.
00:13:06.45\00:13:09.52
And if they were
chosen, hands were laid on them.
00:13:09.55\00:13:12.79
Isn't that beautiful?
Hands laid on, prayed for,
00:13:12.82\00:13:15.09
they were set aside to do
the work needed to be done.
00:13:15.12\00:13:18.46
So I thought it was
very, very interesting here,
00:13:18.49\00:13:20.30
so the deacons then did
what? They did a whole lot more,
00:13:20.33\00:13:24.17
in fact, they were recognized
as men who actually were
00:13:24.23\00:13:28.14
leading out in the church
to begin with... that's kind of
00:13:28.17\00:13:31.87
interesting, that's a
pretty heavy responsibility,
00:13:31.91\00:13:33.74
but it's a good responsibility.
00:13:33.78\00:13:35.11
And I think maybe, this is
my own little personal view
00:13:35.14\00:13:37.35
if you don't mind what I
say, you know, I think maybe
00:13:37.41\00:13:39.25
they need a little more
responsibility today, you know,
00:13:39.28\00:13:42.32
meted out to them because
I think with responsibility
00:13:42.35\00:13:45.52
when the Lord is calling
to do it, it helps us to grow.
00:13:45.55\00:13:48.42
So, you know, what
is the thought on here,
00:13:48.46\00:13:50.49
we're talking about
here, I thought it was very
00:13:50.53\00:13:52.06
interesting, I jotted down
the "Acts of the Apostles."
00:13:52.09\00:13:53.90
I'll just read that
to you quickly here,
00:13:53.96\00:13:55.26
in the last few seconds, 88.
00:13:55.30\00:13:56.63
Here's our issue,
here's what we did it at first,
00:13:56.70\00:13:58.37
just to get it
all set up here...
00:13:58.40\00:14:00.04
Satan had succeeded
in arousing suspicion;
00:14:00.07\00:14:03.71
prompt measures must
now be taken to remove all
00:14:03.74\00:14:07.58
occasion for dissatisfaction,
lest the enemy would
00:14:07.61\00:14:11.78
triumph in the effort
to bring about a division
00:14:11.81\00:14:14.82
among the believers.
00:14:14.85\00:14:16.18
So really, in the church,
if there's issues that come,
00:14:16.22\00:14:19.22
you need to call the
right group together,
00:14:19.25\00:14:21.02
need to talk about
it, and pray about it,
00:14:21.06\00:14:22.82
get it worked out as fast as
you can in the love of Jesus,
00:14:22.86\00:14:25.26
because if you don't, it
will only fester up, get worse,
00:14:25.29\00:14:27.96
and praise God, this
church knew exactly what to do.
00:14:28.00\00:14:31.60
And so this leads right
into Monday's lesson, right?
00:14:31.63\00:14:36.04
We'll be talking about
something very special,
00:14:36.07\00:14:38.11
"Stephen's Ministry" Yes
00:14:38.14\00:14:39.84
So what they did, the
church, they bring in men
00:14:39.87\00:14:43.85
who are full of the
Holy Spirit, full of power,
00:14:43.91\00:14:47.32
and they choose seven
and Stephen was among the
00:14:47.38\00:14:51.59
seven of the first deacons.
00:14:51.62\00:14:53.56
So what we see here is
that the gospel is continuing to
00:14:53.62\00:14:58.86
spread, believers are being
added every day to the church,
00:14:58.89\00:15:04.40
and you will recall that
they were selling everything,
00:15:04.43\00:15:07.04
they were sharing
everything in common.
00:15:07.07\00:15:09.24
And as you said, when
you have rapid growth,
00:15:09.27\00:15:13.01
it's going to bring opposition.
00:15:13.04\00:15:16.01
It's just interesting that
when you look at the history
00:15:16.04\00:15:19.88
of the church, everything
that could prevent the church
00:15:19.91\00:15:23.69
from being
established or overthrow it once
00:15:23.72\00:15:27.26
it was established,
everything was brought to bear,
00:15:27.29\00:15:30.63
but God turned the
attacks against the people.
00:15:30.73\00:15:35.73
He turned their
weapons against themselves.
00:15:35.76\00:15:38.00
So we will begin with Acts
6:8, it says... "Stephen full of
00:15:38.03\00:15:44.21
faith and power did
great wonders and signs
00:15:44.27\00:15:49.31
among the people."
00:15:49.34\00:15:50.71
So he's a man of noble
character, he's full of the
00:15:50.75\00:15:53.92
Holy Spirit, he's
full of God's grace.
00:15:53.98\00:15:56.42
He is full of the power of the
Holy Spirit and, as you said,
00:15:56.45\00:16:00.89
he was doing more than just
distributing the food to the
00:16:00.92\00:16:04.63
widows - he was doing
GREAT miracles, GREAT signs
00:16:04.66\00:16:09.70
and wonders and Stephen was
the first of the New Testament
00:16:09.73\00:16:14.04
disciples other than
Jesus and the Apostles.
00:16:14.07\00:16:17.67
He was the first
to do these miracles.
00:16:17.71\00:16:20.28
So verse 9, Acts 6:9...
"Then there arose some from
00:16:20.31\00:16:24.88
what is called the Synagogue
of the Freedmen, (Cyrenians,
00:16:24.95\00:16:28.88
Alexandrians, and
those from Cilicia and Asia,
00:16:28.92\00:16:32.49
disputing with
Stephen... And they were not
00:16:32.52\00:16:36.46
able to resist the wisdom and
the Spirit by which he spoke.
00:16:36.49\00:16:41.96
So these are the Hellenistic
Jews of the dispersion.
00:16:42.00\00:16:45.60
We've got people who
have been living in the area
00:16:45.63\00:16:50.11
of where they spoke
Greek... this is why they even
00:16:50.17\00:16:55.88
created the Septuagint
or translated it into Greek.
00:16:55.91\00:17:00.08
And what happened is...
these people had come in
00:17:00.15\00:17:04.62
and, as you said, they had
not been around the temples
00:17:04.65\00:17:06.89
for a while... I mean they came
in for major feasts and things,
00:17:06.92\00:17:10.56
but they had just a little
bit of a different attitude.
00:17:10.59\00:17:13.43
So Stephen was a Hellenistic
Jew and he was preaching
00:17:14.00\00:17:18.57
at the synagogues of the
Hellenists probably here at
00:17:18.60\00:17:22.34
6:9 is referring to two of them;
one of the southern immigrants
00:17:22.37\00:17:27.98
the Jews of
Cyrene and Alexandria,
00:17:28.01\00:17:30.05
and one of the northern
immigrants for Cilicia and Asia.
00:17:30.08\00:17:34.32
So he got first class debater,
00:17:34.35\00:17:36.48
He is arguing with the Spirit's
power and they were being
00:17:36.52\00:17:42.49
out-argued, if you could
say... they just philosophically
00:17:42.52\00:17:48.93
they could not argue
against the truth of God's word.
00:17:48.96\00:17:53.13
But here's something
that is interesting to me...
00:17:53.17\00:17:56.27
As you read through, you see
that many of the Judean Jews,
00:17:56.30\00:18:00.41
those who have always
lived in their homeland,
00:18:00.44\00:18:02.81
those who had always
been near the temple...
00:18:02.84\00:18:06.75
they were much slower
to recognize that the old
00:18:06.78\00:18:11.55
covenant had passed,
that Jesus has fulfilled
00:18:11.59\00:18:14.29
all of the temple services,
all of the signs, all of that.
00:18:14.32\00:18:19.06
They just didn't
recognize it as quickly.
00:18:19.09\00:18:22.36
The Hellenistic Jews, perhaps
because they were distanced
00:18:22.40\00:18:25.90
did recognize
it a little sooner.
00:18:25.93\00:18:29.60
So here is Stephen preaching
Christ of the New Covenant
00:18:29.64\00:18:34.58
who fulfilled the Mosaic
Law, he is preaching that
00:18:34.61\00:18:40.52
the sacrificial system had
come to an end and he meets
00:18:40.55\00:18:43.99
opposition and I mean,
the Jews feel like he is
00:18:44.02\00:18:48.19
disparaging the
importance of the temple.
00:18:48.22\00:18:50.83
But what happened is that
when they couldn't, you know,
00:18:50.86\00:18:56.50
what can I say... when
they couldn't argue against
00:18:58.60\00:19:03.20
the truth, what did they do?
00:19:03.24\00:19:05.01
They upped the
ante, didn't they?
00:19:05.04\00:19:07.71
And now they are
accusing him unjustly,
00:19:07.74\00:19:12.28
they're slandering him.
00:19:12.31\00:19:13.65
Verse 11, "Then they
secretly induced men to say,
00:19:13.68\00:19:17.25
"We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against
00:19:17.32\00:19:21.02
Moses and God."
00:19:21.06\00:19:22.39
They introduced false witnesses.
00:19:22.42\00:19:24.79
This was a common
practice among the Jews.
00:19:24.83\00:19:27.03
They would actually bribe
people to come forward and
00:19:27.13\00:19:32.13
give false
testimony, so they got somebody
00:19:32.17\00:19:35.20
that's coming forward saying
that they are accusing him
00:19:35.24\00:19:40.58
of attacking the
temple, attacking Moses...
00:19:40.61\00:19:43.45
This is heresy and
sedition, but then they really
00:19:43.48\00:19:46.05
get down to it where they're
attacking him and falsely
00:19:46.08\00:19:49.78
accusing him of blaspheming
not only Moses, but God.
00:19:49.82\00:19:53.86
So verse 12 says... and by
the way, what was the punishment
00:19:53.89\00:19:58.79
for blasphemy?
Death by stoning! Right.
00:19:58.83\00:20:03.57
So, verse 12 says...
"They stirred up the people,
00:20:03.63\00:20:06.63
the elders and the
scribes; and they came upon him,
00:20:06.70\00:20:10.31
the seized him, and they
brought him to the council.
00:20:10.37\00:20:12.64
Do you realize they are
inciting the very people among
00:20:12.67\00:20:18.38
whom Stephen had performed
all these signs and wonders.
00:20:18.41\00:20:21.58
Who does that remind you of?
00:20:21.62\00:20:24.25
You know with Jesus, when
He performed the signs and
00:20:24.29\00:20:27.22
wonders, they didn't
accept it as being from God.
00:20:27.26\00:20:29.66
So you've got the elders
who are the Sadducees for the
00:20:29.69\00:20:33.40
most part and the
Scribes, teachers of the law
00:20:33.46\00:20:36.33
who are the
Pharisees, they needed little
00:20:36.36\00:20:39.20
encouragement - they
really already were incensed
00:20:39.23\00:20:43.37
against the apostles and
they showed great animosity
00:20:43.44\00:20:46.81
towards the Christians,
so the persecution of Stephen
00:20:46.84\00:20:49.68
begins and they drag
him before the trial.
00:20:49.71\00:20:51.91
This is the third
trial of Christians because
00:20:51.95\00:20:55.48
when Stephen went before
the Sanhedrin, Peter and John
00:20:55.52\00:20:59.05
had already been there.
00:20:59.09\00:21:00.56
Acts 6:13..."They also
set up false witnesses who
00:21:00.66\00:21:03.73
who said, "This man does
not cease to speak blasphemous
00:21:03.76\00:21:08.06
words against this
holy place and the law;
00:21:08.10\00:21:10.37
"for we have heard him
say that Jesus of Nazareth
00:21:10.43\00:21:14.70
will destroy this place
and change the customs which
00:21:14.74\00:21:18.87
Moses delivered to us."
00:21:18.91\00:21:20.48
So, undoubtedly, Stephen
had quoted what Jesus had said
00:21:20.54\00:21:25.28
about "Destroy
this temple and I'll
00:21:25.31\00:21:26.98
raise it up
again in three days."
00:21:27.02\00:21:28.55
But what does the Scripture say?
00:21:28.58\00:21:30.29
Jesus wasn't referring
to the temple of stones,
00:21:30.35\00:21:34.22
He was referring to His body.
00:21:34.26\00:21:37.03
And he did give a parable...
remember in the wedding feast.
00:21:37.09\00:21:39.76
He gave the parable, a
prophecy about the destruction
00:21:39.79\00:21:42.93
of the temple, but He
was promising He wouldn't
00:21:42.96\00:21:45.70
destroy it, it was that
God was going to send in the
00:21:45.73\00:21:48.70
Roman armies to destroy it.
00:21:48.74\00:21:50.84
Now if you want to look
that up, that's Matthew 22:7
00:21:50.87\00:21:55.31
Acts 6:15... This is the
part I really want to get to.
00:21:55.34\00:21:59.78
All who sat in the council
looking steadfastly at him,
00:21:59.85\00:22:05.85
saw that his face shown
as the face of an angel."
00:22:05.89\00:22:11.49
So they're looking intently,
they're making eye contact.
00:22:11.53\00:22:15.33
These are the high
priests and the council members,
00:22:15.36\00:22:18.23
and what do they see?
00:22:18.27\00:22:19.60
He is quiet, he is composed,
he has confidence and courage,
00:22:19.63\00:22:24.07
he is not filled with fear
and anger, but more than that...
00:22:24.11\00:22:29.24
the face of an angel
probably startled the council.
00:22:29.28\00:22:35.28
This was the same thing
that happened when Moses
00:22:35.32\00:22:38.92
came down off the mountain
and his face was shining.
00:22:38.95\00:22:43.32
The face of an angel -
Stephen's face was illuminated
00:22:43.39\00:22:49.20
with the glory of God.
00:22:49.23\00:22:51.67
And you know, it's interesting
because we're going to see
00:22:51.70\00:22:54.84
Stephen's ministry was a
link between the establishment
00:22:54.87\00:22:58.01
of the church in
Jerusalem and the
00:22:58.04\00:23:00.68
conversion of the
apostle Paul, who at that time
00:23:00.71\00:23:04.15
was Saul of Tarsus...
00:23:04.18\00:23:05.61
He was probably sitting in
this council or was sitting
00:23:05.65\00:23:08.88
in this council before
whom Stephen was drug and
00:23:08.92\00:23:12.69
he's most likely the one
who reported all this to Luke,
00:23:12.72\00:23:15.86
and then Luke, as the
historian, wrote it down.
00:23:15.89\00:23:18.83
The extraordinary phenomenon
of Stephen having the face of
00:23:18.86\00:23:24.17
an angel never left Paul's mind.
00:23:24.23\00:23:27.94
He never forgot it because
his face was aglow with the
00:23:27.97\00:23:31.61
love of Jesus Christ
toward his persecutors,
00:23:31.64\00:23:36.51
just like Christ was.
00:23:36.54\00:23:37.95
Stephen's speech
that follows, we're going
00:23:37.98\00:23:40.32
to get into that
now... proves that he was not
00:23:40.38\00:23:42.82
guilty of blasphemy, but
he was declaring that God
00:23:42.85\00:23:46.45
is bigger than the
temple and that all the articles
00:23:46.49\00:23:51.29
in the temple pointed to Jesus.
00:23:51.33\00:23:53.46
But as with Jesus, Stephen
is getting the Jesus treatment,
00:23:53.50\00:23:57.50
is he not? Um hm.
00:23:57.53\00:23:58.87
And as with Jesus, the council
hearing precedes a violent end
00:23:58.90\00:24:06.11
before the ultimate victory.
00:24:06.14\00:24:08.48
Well done, well done. Amen.
00:24:08.51\00:24:10.25
I think oft times and we
are moving to Tuesday now,
00:24:11.85\00:24:16.35
what goes on in your head
determines what your eyes see.
00:24:16.38\00:24:23.02
Amen! Amen! Boy, that's true.
00:24:23.06\00:24:25.16
Since many of these
Jewish leaders were not ready to
00:24:26.56\00:24:30.73
accept Christ, the
default setting on blindness
00:24:30.77\00:24:35.47
was accusing anyone who
lifts up Christ of blasphemy.
00:24:35.50\00:24:39.07
There's no way to
get away from that.
00:24:39.11\00:24:41.74
We're talking about the
nascent church in the first
00:24:41.78\00:24:47.12
several decades
of it's existence.
00:24:47.18\00:24:51.52
The City of Jerusalem
and the temple were destroyed
00:24:51.55\00:24:54.29
in 70 AD, and so we
are well into the time when
00:24:54.32\00:24:57.99
the temple is still there
and the city is still intact.
00:24:58.03\00:25:01.36
And I think that this touches
on what you said, Shelley,
00:25:01.40\00:25:03.77
that the fact that they
were so slow to recognize
00:25:03.80\00:25:07.04
because they had the
building still there. Yes.
00:25:07.07\00:25:09.20
The building was there
and so in their mindset,
00:25:09.24\00:25:12.51
really as long as
we've got this building,
00:25:12.54\00:25:14.98
everything is okay... you
know, the building is there.
00:25:15.01\00:25:18.41
And I think one of the
reasons the Lord allowed
00:25:18.45\00:25:21.82
Jerusalem to be destroyed...
was to take away this
00:25:21.85\00:25:25.65
symbol which was really
impeding the progress of
00:25:25.69\00:25:29.42
the early church... PLUS,
the disciples and I use this
00:25:29.46\00:25:32.83
just sort of common
terminology, we're spending a
00:25:32.86\00:25:34.93
little too much time
hanging around Jerusalem
00:25:34.93\00:25:37.67
when they should
have been moving out
00:25:37.70\00:25:40.34
doing the work of the Lord.
00:25:40.40\00:25:42.14
Now Paul realized he was
an apostle to the Gentiles,
00:25:42.17\00:25:45.94
but there was still a
lot of focus on Jerusalem,
00:25:45.97\00:25:49.34
and what was happening in
Jerusalem and it was time now
00:25:49.38\00:25:53.31
for the church to begin to
move out into the wider world.
00:25:53.38\00:25:58.25
That's one of the reasons
why you're getting some of this
00:25:58.29\00:26:00.89
friction between the Hellenistic
Jews and the indigenous
00:26:00.92\00:26:05.06
because other people
are beginning to come in,
00:26:05.09\00:26:07.96
and their practice of religion
is not precisely the same
00:26:07.96\00:26:12.63
as it is in
Jerusalem, but those needs
00:26:12.67\00:26:15.24
need to be accommodated also.
00:26:15.27\00:26:17.21
So it's not friction as much
as it is the growth pains of
00:26:17.24\00:26:21.08
any new organization that
needs to get itself established.
00:26:21.11\00:26:24.55
So that's what
we are looking at.
00:26:24.58\00:26:28.52
Stephen was
accused, arrested and called
00:26:28.55\00:26:32.92
before the Sanhedrin and as
well been said for blasphemy.
00:26:32.99\00:26:38.49
The notion, the idea that
the Mosaic ceremonies and the
00:26:38.53\00:26:43.97
law and the efficacy of
what is being done in the temple
00:26:44.03\00:26:48.40
could be nullified - was
heresy of the highest order
00:26:48.44\00:26:53.04
to the Jewish
leaders, that's anathema
00:26:53.07\00:26:56.44
that just COULD NOT BE!
00:26:56.48\00:26:59.28
Again, because we got
this building, we got this
00:26:59.31\00:27:01.32
building - this building
is here, so all must be right.
00:27:01.35\00:27:04.35
The idea that you have
to do works of goodness
00:27:04.39\00:27:08.16
is deeply routed in Judaism.
00:27:08.19\00:27:10.86
I've got a lot of good
Jewish friends even in New York
00:27:10.89\00:27:13.93
to this day... my eye
doctor, my general practitioner
00:27:13.96\00:27:17.70
was Jewish, my eye
surgeon was Jewish, you know,
00:27:17.73\00:27:21.37
Dr. Michael Lieberman, my
good friend - his father was a
00:27:21.40\00:27:25.87
rabbi - he was a
leader in New York and we
00:27:25.91\00:27:29.34
did have some great discussions
while he was dilating my eyes,
00:27:29.38\00:27:33.42
you know, but I can't
see, so we just talked!
00:27:33.52\00:27:36.55
Back in the late 70s
and 80s, there was a rabbi
00:27:36.58\00:27:39.49
a Grand Rebbe
called Menachem Schneerson
00:27:39.52\00:27:42.99
in New York, who some thought
actually was the Messiah.
00:27:43.02\00:27:46.80
But, he would get on the radio
and tell the Jewish community,
00:27:46.83\00:27:53.10
"You need to attend the
synagogue, you need to study
00:27:53.13\00:27:55.97
the law and you need to
DO WORKS of righteousness."
00:27:56.00\00:27:58.84
So that's ingrained in Judaism.
00:27:58.87\00:28:02.48
So the idea that we just
have to rely on a carpenter?
00:28:02.51\00:28:07.55
You know, who we all
knew, we knew his family.
00:28:07.58\00:28:11.52
They didn't come from any
great lineage, He got into the
00:28:11.55\00:28:14.92
line of carpenters,
and we're used to kind of
00:28:14.96\00:28:17.36
working our
stuff out by ourselves.
00:28:17.39\00:28:19.33
As far as mindset is
concerned, it was totally alien
00:28:20.23\00:28:23.37
to what they're doing.
00:28:23.40\00:28:25.37
And then to be
accused of displeasing God
00:28:25.40\00:28:29.20
because we got rid
of this carpenter...
00:28:29.24\00:28:32.37
you know, it just
makes no sense to us.
00:28:32.41\00:28:34.28
And so Stephen now,
full of the Holy Spirit...
00:28:34.31\00:28:37.25
and this is what
is so exciting...
00:28:37.28\00:28:38.61
these, can I say
"these guys" were full
00:28:38.65\00:28:42.05
of the power of the Lord. Amen!
00:28:42.08\00:28:43.59
We see it again in Stephen,
they are not to be denied,
00:28:43.62\00:28:47.66
you know, you
put them in prison,
00:28:47.69\00:28:49.09
you get them out of
prison, where are they?
00:28:49.12\00:28:50.63
Right back in the temple
preaching again, you know.
00:28:50.66\00:28:52.73
Didn't we tell you not
to preach in this name?
00:28:52.76\00:28:55.63
"Well it's better to obey
God rather than man." Acts 5:29
00:28:55.66\00:28:59.40
So we have Stephen
now, full of the Spirit
00:28:59.43\00:29:02.60
as you well said,
Shelley, and we're at the end...
00:29:02.64\00:29:05.77
I need to just
tuck this in here.
00:29:05.81\00:29:07.14
We're at the end of
the 490-year prophecy.
00:29:07.21\00:29:10.41
We're beyond the 7
weeks and the 60 and 2 weeks,
00:29:10.48\00:29:13.75
we're in that last week.
00:29:13.78\00:29:15.35
In the midst of the week, of
course, the Messiah was cut off,
00:29:15.38\00:29:17.99
not for Himself,
according to Daniel 9:27.
00:29:18.02\00:29:22.89
And now we're at
the end of the week,
00:29:22.92\00:29:24.93
and Israel is just about
to close its fate as far as
00:29:25.79\00:29:31.83
that 490 years is concerned.
00:29:31.87\00:29:36.91
So now Stephen comes along and
he gives this lengthy response
00:29:36.94\00:29:44.85
which takes up
most of chapter 7,
00:29:44.88\00:29:47.92
and we come to this word
that I haven't heard since
00:29:47.95\00:29:50.19
the seminary and
that's "covenant lawsuit."
00:29:50.22\00:29:52.55
I remember Dr. Daniel
Allsburg telling us about the
00:29:52.59\00:29:55.16
"covenant lawsuit."
00:29:55.19\00:29:56.52
It's a wonderful
device that was employed by
00:29:56.56\00:30:00.00
Old Testament
prophets when they were...
00:30:00.03\00:30:01.96
... Can I say this Mollie?
"Taking the people out to the
00:30:02.00\00:30:04.70
woodshed." Laughter
00:30:04.73\00:30:06.37
That's not a New York kind
of a thing, but when it was
00:30:06.40\00:30:09.90
time to get down to business
and tell the people their
00:30:09.97\00:30:12.31
sins, they used
this methodology,
00:30:12.34\00:30:14.61
this "covenant lawsuit."
00:30:14.64\00:30:15.98
What they did was...
they established the mighty
00:30:16.01\00:30:19.15
acts of God, they went back
and rehearsed - this is what God
00:30:19.18\00:30:21.85
has done for you and
the Lord did this too...
00:30:21.88\00:30:23.49
"I'm the Lord
God, before He gave
00:30:23.55\00:30:24.89
the Ten Commandments
who brought thee out of
00:30:24.92\00:30:26.32
the House of Egypt, out
of the house of bondage.
00:30:26.35\00:30:27.82
You know, I've done all
this for you, now it's your turn
00:30:27.89\00:30:30.73
to respond appropriately
to what I've done for you.
00:30:30.79\00:30:35.66
So the second part of
the covenant lawsuit is the
00:30:35.70\00:30:39.13
idea that given what
God has done, this is your
00:30:39.17\00:30:43.57
reasonable service,
if I can say that... Yes
00:30:43.64\00:30:45.97
This is your logical response
to the goodness of the Lord.
00:30:46.01\00:30:50.18
Then that is followed by
what you should have done
00:30:51.91\00:30:55.58
but did not do and
then comes the sanctions.
00:30:55.62\00:31:02.06
Now comes the
spanking, you know.
00:31:02.09\00:31:04.43
And so Stephen had to
go through all of that.
00:31:04.46\00:31:07.60
His arguments were
irrefutable and when you have
00:31:07.60\00:31:13.23
logic buttressed by the
power of the Spirit of God,
00:31:13.30\00:31:17.57
you can't gainsay that,
there's nothing you can do
00:31:17.61\00:31:21.54
but say, "halleluiah, amen."
00:31:21.58\00:31:23.01
You know, but they weren't the
mindset for halleluiah, amen.
00:31:23.04\00:31:26.21
They didn't want to
hear halleluiah, amen,
00:31:26.25\00:31:28.18
and they didn't want to
be accused of taking the life
00:31:28.22\00:31:30.79
of this carpenter
who they didn't accept as
00:31:30.85\00:31:33.09
the new way, truth
and the life anyway.
00:31:33.12\00:31:35.46
So now, Stephen has got
to be dealt with and I'm
00:31:35.49\00:31:42.53
kind of leaving "rib"
for you a little bit Jill.
00:31:42.56\00:31:44.67
Oh no, take it,
you're getting it.
00:31:44.70\00:31:46.37
laughter...
because "Rib" is a word
00:31:46.40\00:31:50.04
for covenant lawsuit,
it's "rib," but the "i"
00:31:50.07\00:31:53.71
has a little hat on the
top of it - that changes
00:31:53.74\00:31:55.91
the "i" to an "e," so
it's pronounced "reb,"
00:31:55.94\00:31:58.75
but it is a methodology
used over and over again
00:31:58.78\00:32:02.25
by the prophets
in the Old Testament,
00:32:02.28\00:32:03.99
and it's interesting that
Stephen choose to use this
00:32:04.02\00:32:07.92
methodology - it's
long, it takes a lot of time,
00:32:07.96\00:32:10.13
but it's necessary when you're
in court to let the people know,
00:32:10.16\00:32:13.29
this is what God
has done for you.
00:32:13.40\00:32:14.73
And you know, Ellen
White says this to preachers...
00:32:14.73\00:32:18.27
She says, "Every now and again,
Shelley, you gotta take them
00:32:18.30\00:32:20.74
and hold them over
the flames," talking about
00:32:20.80\00:32:22.47
the members - you
don't do it every Sabbath.
00:32:22.50\00:32:24.21
You know, it's
not some kind of rite,
00:32:24.27\00:32:25.77
sometimes you gotta kind
of hold them over the flames,
00:32:25.81\00:32:27.38
and let them feel the heat and
that's what Stephen was doing.
00:32:27.44\00:32:30.55
He was kind of holding them
over the flames and letting them
00:32:30.61\00:32:33.05
feel the heat, so they
have to understand that
00:32:33.08\00:32:36.38
God has done this for
you, this should have been
00:32:37.82\00:32:39.89
your response - you
didn't give that response,
00:32:39.95\00:32:41.92
and now some things
are going to have to happen
00:32:41.96\00:32:44.03
because God has got to
make some course corrections.
00:32:44.09\00:32:47.86
And they were not
ready to hear that;
00:32:48.70\00:32:51.87
they were not
ready to accept that;
00:32:51.90\00:32:53.67
they did not want
that for their lives,
00:32:53.70\00:32:55.70
and, of course, so now
decisions are being made.
00:32:55.74\00:32:58.07
Isn't it interesting,
whenever the devil comes in,
00:32:58.11\00:33:00.58
he's a liar and a murderer...
00:33:00.61\00:33:02.54
When Christ raises
Lazarus from the dead,
00:33:02.58\00:33:07.12
you cannot gainsay
because he was dead,
00:33:07.15\00:33:10.09
and now he's up walking around,
so now we gotta kill Christ.
00:33:10.12\00:33:12.89
You know, that's the mindset,
so now we're being accused
00:33:12.92\00:33:17.33
of destroying Christ -
we've got to silence this guy.
00:33:17.43\00:33:20.96
You know, that's demonic,
that's coming from the enemy.
00:33:21.00\00:33:24.47
This is the idea that if I can't
00:33:24.50\00:33:26.20
control you, I
gotta just kill you.
00:33:26.23\00:33:27.94
So we know that they are
motivated by a demonic spirit
00:33:27.97\00:33:31.51
that was not of the
Lord, and yet, we know that
00:33:31.54\00:33:34.61
God was with Stephen in
an unusually powerful way,
00:33:34.64\00:33:38.21
right up until the time
that he passed, he was steadfast
00:33:38.25\00:33:43.55
for the Lord and in
that, he is an example to
00:33:43.59\00:33:47.02
all of us - that we need
to be steadfast for the Lord!
00:33:47.06\00:33:52.66
AMEN! Amen! Thank
you so much Pastor CA.
00:33:52.69\00:33:56.06
I just love to sit
under the teaching of each one
00:33:56.10\00:33:58.67
of the people here,
but especially Pastor CA.
00:33:58.70\00:34:01.14
I always think, "I want to
go to school and have him be
00:34:01.17\00:34:03.41
my professor," what a blessing!
What a clear explanation
00:34:03.44\00:34:08.88
of Stephen's - we sometimes
call it "Stephen's defense,"
00:34:08.91\00:34:12.58
but really it was a prosecution.
He was on the offense.
00:34:12.61\00:34:14.32
He was on the offence
against the Jewish leadership
00:34:14.98\00:34:18.72
because as each
one of you mentioned,
00:34:18.75\00:34:20.36
he was called here before the
"great council" they call it,
00:34:20.39\00:34:23.53
which would be the great
Sanhedrin there at Jerusalem.
00:34:23.63\00:34:27.10
Those 71 members - this
would be the leadership...
00:34:27.20\00:34:31.53
I know Mollie, in a previous
lesson, you talked about
00:34:31.57\00:34:34.67
it being like the Supreme Court.
00:34:34.70\00:34:36.81
So Stephen is
there, you would think
00:34:36.87\00:34:39.87
defending the Christian faith,
but really he is on the offense,
00:34:39.91\00:34:43.71
and he's giving that
rib, that covenant lawsuit...
00:34:43.75\00:34:48.22
what the people have
done, what God has done,
00:34:48.25\00:34:50.89
and what the people have
not done in response to that.
00:34:50.95\00:34:54.59
There's an abrupt shift
and then my passage begins
00:34:54.62\00:34:57.13
in Acts 7:52, but
there's an abrupt shift.
00:34:57.19\00:35:00.33
I just want to point this
out in how Stephen is presenting
00:35:00.36\00:35:03.57
the whole ways through
- he says, "Our Father,"
00:35:03.67\00:35:06.37
and he identifies himself
with with the Israelites,
00:35:06.40\00:35:10.11
with the Israel people
and the whole way through
00:35:10.14\00:35:13.21
he says that and then
there's an abrupt shift that
00:35:13.24\00:35:16.14
takes place at
verse 51 then Mollie.
00:35:16.18\00:35:18.95
I want to read one quote here
from "Acts of the Apostles,"
00:35:20.82\00:35:23.59
p. 100, it says, "When
Stephen reached this point...
00:35:23.62\00:35:27.26
this is just before
verse 51... "There was a tumult
00:35:27.29\00:35:32.03
among the people.
When he connected Christ
00:35:32.06\00:35:34.30
with the prophecies and
spoke as he did at the temple,
00:35:34.36\00:35:37.43
the priest pretending to be
horror-stricken, rent his robe.
00:35:37.47\00:35:41.60
To Stephen, this act
was a signal that his voice
00:35:41.64\00:35:44.34
would soon be silenced forever.
00:35:44.37\00:35:46.37
He saw the resistance that
met his words and knew that
00:35:46.41\00:35:49.88
he was giving
his last testimony.
00:35:49.94\00:35:53.52
Although in the midst
of the sermon, he abruptly
00:35:53.58\00:35:55.45
concluded it...
And you see that as you
00:35:55.48\00:35:57.49
see as he goes through,
he really takes his time
00:35:57.55\00:36:00.12
and sets this whole
thing up and then ABRUPTLY
00:36:00.19\00:36:02.56
in verse 51, he shifts
from "Our Father" to YOU
00:36:02.59\00:36:07.03
stiff-necked and
uncircumcised in heart and ears!
00:36:07.03\00:36:10.47
You always resist the
Holy Spirit as your fathers do,
00:36:10.50\00:36:13.44
so do you.
00:36:13.54\00:36:14.87
Which of the prophets did
your fathers not persecute?
00:36:14.90\00:36:17.51
And then kill those
who foretold the coming of
00:36:17.54\00:36:20.28
the Just One... that's
the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
00:36:20.38\00:36:23.04
... of whom you now have become
the betrayers and murderers."
00:36:23.08\00:36:25.85
So at this point, the group
is incensed and we see that
00:36:26.92\00:36:31.69
in verse 54... When
they heard these things...
00:36:31.72\00:36:34.76
now this is the supreme
court, these would be like
00:36:34.79\00:36:37.03
we would think - the
judges, the rulers of the land.
00:36:37.13\00:36:40.80
And yet, they were
cut to the heart and they
00:36:40.90\00:36:44.30
gnashed at him with their teeth.
00:36:44.33\00:36:46.84
Now "cut to the heart" in
the Greek literally means...
00:36:46.90\00:36:50.11
"To saw straight
through, to saw asunder."
00:36:50.17\00:36:54.84
It's used only twice
in the New Testament,
00:36:54.88\00:36:56.95
and the other time,
it's used in Acts 5:29 when
00:36:57.01\00:37:00.05
Peter is on trial and he
says, "Remember you ought to
00:37:00.08\00:37:02.98
obey God rather
than men," and it says...
00:37:03.02\00:37:05.79
"There they were furious."
00:37:05.82\00:37:07.19
So whether they're
furious or cut to the heart,
00:37:07.22\00:37:09.89
either way the
same effect, takes life.
00:37:09.92\00:37:13.06
One staggering blow
did not do the work,
00:37:13.09\00:37:16.20
the truth laden with
rebuke, the entire sermon
00:37:16.23\00:37:20.74
that Stephen gave
was gradually making its
00:37:20.84\00:37:24.11
way into their hearts.
00:37:24.14\00:37:25.47
The personal application
when he turned and said,
00:37:25.51\00:37:28.21
"YOU," that completed the work.
00:37:28.24\00:37:30.75
So they gnashed at him with
their teeth, in other words,
00:37:30.78\00:37:33.52
they were extremely mad.
00:37:33.62\00:37:35.28
Now sometimes we get mad when
someone cuts us off in traffic,
00:37:35.32\00:37:38.85
that's a minor irritation
or when someone maybe says
00:37:38.89\00:37:42.12
something against you,
Shelley, that's a minor issue,
00:37:42.16\00:37:44.86
maybe a moral issue or
when you see someone being hurt,
00:37:44.89\00:37:48.36
maybe more
indignation rises up within us.
00:37:48.40\00:37:52.67
If we talk about race or
politics - you can get a little
00:37:52.70\00:37:56.47
more upset, but in this
case, the fury, the gnashing
00:37:56.50\00:38:00.71
of the teeth, the shower
of stones that is to come upon
00:38:00.74\00:38:04.08
Stephen - are only met with...
when that which is to be put
00:38:04.11\00:38:08.28
down is the pure truth of God.
00:38:08.32\00:38:10.85
The carnal mind is
enmity against God and that's
00:38:10.92\00:38:14.89
what we see taking place here.
00:38:14.92\00:38:16.49
So let's look at his response.
00:38:16.52\00:38:20.26
They're mad and
they're gnashing their teeth,
00:38:20.33\00:38:22.23
and then verse 55...
"He, Stephen, being full of
00:38:22.26\00:38:25.40
the Holy Spirit, gazed
into heaven... several, each one
00:38:25.43\00:38:28.97
of you mentioned about him
being full of the Holy Spirit,
00:38:29.00\00:38:32.07
the word in Greek for full
is "pleres" meaning completely
00:38:32.11\00:38:35.68
occupied with,
completely filled up with.
00:38:35.71\00:38:39.45
Shelley, you talk
about his face shining
00:38:39.48\00:38:41.72
as the face of an angel.
00:38:41.75\00:38:43.08
He was completely
full of the Holy Spirit.
00:38:43.12\00:38:46.22
"He gazed into heaven
and saw the glory of God,
00:38:46.25\00:38:49.16
and Jesus standing at
the right hand of God.
00:38:49.19\00:38:52.66
And he said, "Look I see
the heavens opened and the
00:38:52.69\00:38:56.13
Son of Man standing at
the right hand of God."
00:38:56.16\00:38:59.10
Now this is pivotal
to me in two points...
00:38:59.13\00:39:02.64
#1... To me it's beautiful
the encouragement that the
00:39:02.67\00:39:06.24
Lord Jesus gave to
him right at that moment.
00:39:06.27\00:39:08.74
He looked up and he saw Jesus.
00:39:08.78\00:39:11.85
We all don't see the
heavenly vision, but we all
00:39:11.88\00:39:15.42
can see that by faith.
00:39:15.45\00:39:17.12
It reminds me of
the vision in Isaiah 6,
00:39:17.15\00:39:19.55
when Isaiah was called and
he saw the vision of the temple.
00:39:19.59\00:39:23.02
We know John the Revelator saw
the vision of the temple, and in
00:39:23.06\00:39:25.66
Revelation 4 and 5, he was given
that vision into the temple.
00:39:25.69\00:39:30.17
So in a sense, just
before Stephen's death,
00:39:30.20\00:39:32.77
he was given this
vision into the temple,
00:39:32.80\00:39:34.90
and that's an encouragement,
but at the same time,
00:39:34.94\00:39:38.47
by Stephen saying, "Jesus
is not seated at the right hand
00:39:38.51\00:39:42.88
of the Father, what did he say?
00:39:42.91\00:39:44.41
He said, "standing up."
00:39:44.45\00:39:46.82
I believe that the Israelites,
the children of Israel,
00:39:46.85\00:39:50.89
that they were
students of the Old Testament,
00:39:50.92\00:39:52.65
students of the prophecies
and they knew what that meant,
00:39:52.69\00:39:56.73
that the judgment of God
was about ready to take place.
00:39:56.76\00:40:01.20
God Himself would
judge the false teachers
00:40:01.23\00:40:03.97
and leaders in Israel.
00:40:04.07\00:40:05.70
You notice the call
to repentance is missing
00:40:05.73\00:40:08.47
from Stephen's
sermon, as it were.
00:40:08.50\00:40:11.07
Peter did it in Acts 2:38,
he said, "Repent and let every
00:40:11.11\00:40:15.28
one of you be baptized."
00:40:15.31\00:40:18.01
Acts 3:19, Peter is
talking again, "Repent therefore
00:40:18.05\00:40:21.35
and be converted, that
your sins be blotted out."
00:40:21.38\00:40:24.55
Acts 5:31, Peter
and the disciples again.
00:40:24.59\00:40:27.79
"Him God has exalted to
His right hand to be Prince
00:40:27.82\00:40:30.73
and Savior to give
repentance to Israel
00:40:30.79\00:40:32.79
and forgiveness of sins."
00:40:32.83\00:40:34.30
But that repentance, as it
were, is missing here because
00:40:34.30\00:40:37.93
the people of Israel,
the nation as a whole has,
00:40:37.97\00:40:43.34
as it were, filled up their cup.
00:40:43.37\00:40:45.27
It reminds me of Daniel
12:1, when Michael stands up
00:40:45.31\00:40:48.81
at the end, what's happening?
00:40:48.84\00:40:50.18
The judgment of the
world is taking place.
00:40:50.21\00:40:52.68
Psalm 68, we won't read
it now, but Psalm 68 talks
00:40:52.71\00:40:56.08
about "Arise Lord, in judgment."
00:40:56.12\00:40:59.49
This does not mean - I
want to be clear on this...
00:40:59.52\00:41:01.89
This does not mean
that people who are Jews,
00:41:01.92\00:41:05.39
people belonging to that
religion, cannot be saved.
00:41:05.43\00:41:07.96
Of course it does not mean that.
00:41:07.96\00:41:09.63
We're talking about the
nation, the system as a whole.
00:41:09.66\00:41:12.13
We know, AD 34... you
talked about this Pastor CA,
00:41:12.17\00:41:15.37
the end of the 490 weeks
and when that took place.
00:41:15.40\00:41:19.31
The Jewish leadership,
immediately they got upset,
00:41:19.34\00:41:21.54
and "they cried out with a
loud voice - I'm in verse 57,
00:41:21.58\00:41:24.81
they stopped their ears and they
ran at him with one accord."
00:41:24.85\00:41:28.05
They did not want to hear
anymore and they ran at him.
00:41:28.08\00:41:30.49
"And they cast him out
of the city and stoned him.
00:41:30.55\00:41:33.25
And the witnesses laid down
their clothes at the feet of
00:41:33.32\00:41:35.62
a young man named Saul."
00:41:35.66\00:41:37.13
And we will see a great
deal more of Saul, turned Paul,
00:41:37.19\00:41:40.10
in the Book of Acts.
00:41:40.16\00:41:41.66
The Jewish leadership
participated in stoning him.
00:41:41.70\00:41:45.17
And then what is
Stephen's response?
00:41:45.20\00:41:47.74
"And they stoned
Stephen as he was calling on God
00:41:47.77\00:41:52.24
and saying, "Lord
Jesus receive my spirit."
00:41:52.27\00:41:56.18
Then he knelt down and
cried with a loud voice,
00:41:56.21\00:41:59.68
"Lord, do not
charge them with this sin,"
00:41:59.71\00:42:03.99
and when he said
this, he fell asleep."
00:42:04.02\00:42:07.06
Stephen's forgiveness
just blows my mind away.
00:42:07.16\00:42:10.83
At the very moment when
the people who were mad at him,
00:42:10.93\00:42:14.46
the people he was
trying to bring Jesus to,
00:42:14.50\00:42:17.37
they were stoning him
and he is saying, "Lord,
00:42:17.43\00:42:20.14
Jesus, do not lay
this sin to their charge."
00:42:20.20\00:42:23.91
I have six take-aways very
quick in my remaining time...
00:42:23.97\00:42:26.98
#1... Being filled with
the Holy Spirit does not always
00:42:27.04\00:42:30.21
change your outcome,
but it always changes
00:42:30.25\00:42:33.05
the outcome of those around you.
00:42:33.08\00:42:36.08
Saul was converted as a
result partially of Stephen's
00:42:36.12\00:42:40.26
testimony here and what he
witnessed in Stephen's life.
00:42:40.32\00:42:43.99
Stephen still died, but
the gospel was spread to the
00:42:44.03\00:42:47.40
entire world in the persecution
that arose after this.
00:42:47.46\00:42:50.93
#2... Exercise faith
even when you can't see.
00:42:50.97\00:42:54.37
Stephen was given the
privilege to actually see the
00:42:54.40\00:42:56.54
the heavenly
sanctuary and Jesus.
00:42:56.57\00:42:58.47
We all don't see that
heavenly vision, but we can
00:42:58.51\00:43:01.08
see it by faith. Hebrews
11:27, Moses endured seeing Him
00:43:01.11\00:43:06.25
who is invisible."
00:43:06.28\00:43:07.88
#3... Jealousy, anger,
unforgiveness blind you
00:43:07.92\00:43:12.42
from seeing or
hearing truth. Amen
00:43:12.45\00:43:15.56
The Jewish leaders stuck their
hands in their ears and they
00:43:15.59\00:43:18.59
would not even listen
because of their jealousy
00:43:18.63\00:43:21.50
and anger, and unforgiveness.
00:43:21.53\00:43:23.16
#4...
Self-deception is very real.
00:43:23.20\00:43:27.77
I can walk forward believing
it's the right way, picking up a
00:43:27.80\00:43:30.87
stone as they were doing
while hurting someone else
00:43:30.91\00:43:34.18
and being directly in
contrary to the word of God.
00:43:34.24\00:43:37.15
So plead and ask
God, search me, oh God
00:43:37.21\00:43:39.65
and know my heart. Try
me and know my thoughts.
00:43:39.68\00:43:42.45
#5... Choose to extend
forgiveness to other people
00:43:42.48\00:43:46.12
whether it's asked for or not.
00:43:46.15\00:43:48.52
#6... And finally,
trust God with the outcome
00:43:48.56\00:43:52.33
no matter what
happens. That's right. Amen!
00:43:52.36\00:43:55.96
This is so encouraging
to see this appointment of
00:43:56.00\00:44:01.24
the seven and Stephen,
look how powerful he was,
00:44:01.27\00:44:05.21
a deacon in the church,
even, you know, Stephen was
00:44:05.24\00:44:08.34
the first one and I
think somebody mentioned
00:44:08.38\00:44:10.75
that the first one in the Bible
to be martyred was Stephen,
00:44:10.85\00:44:14.32
and he was a deacon -
he wasn't even one of the
00:44:14.35\00:44:17.49
big leaders in the
church, that was Stephen.
00:44:17.52\00:44:20.36
Well what was the
original commission, Acts 1:8,
00:44:20.39\00:44:24.93
what was the commission
that these were given,
00:44:24.96\00:44:28.06
that the early church was given?
00:44:28.10\00:44:29.53
"But you shall receive
power, after that the Holy
00:44:29.56\00:44:33.03
Spirit has come upon you and
you shall be witnesses to me."
00:44:33.07\00:44:37.01
You know the reason
you receive the indwelling
00:44:37.07\00:44:39.01
of the Holy Spirit
is to be a witness! Amen
00:44:39.04\00:44:41.44
And Jesus didn't want
them... you know, the great
00:44:41.48\00:44:45.48
commission is to "go ye
therefore into all the world,"
00:44:45.51\00:44:49.02
He didn't want them
just to say in Jerusalem,
00:44:49.05\00:44:51.72
"Be witnesses to me in
Jerusalem and all Judea
00:44:51.75\00:44:54.49
and Samaria and to
the end of the earth."
00:44:54.52\00:44:56.83
Well now, another one of
these seven that were appointed
00:44:56.89\00:45:03.57
was named Phillip and
we're going to find some amazing
00:45:03.67\00:45:07.64
things - the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:45:07.67\00:45:10.11
that is working in Phillip.
00:45:10.14\00:45:11.87
Now, we've talked about
the martyrdom of Stephen
00:45:11.91\00:45:15.41
and how standing
there... you read it...
00:45:15.44\00:45:18.11
holding the coats of those
that were doing the stoning,
00:45:18.15\00:45:21.62
was a gentleman
named... did I use that word
00:45:21.65\00:45:25.02
loosely I think at this
point, and probably the leader
00:45:25.05\00:45:30.63
of the persecution was Saul.
00:45:30.66\00:45:33.40
Let me read this to you
about Saul in Acts 8:3...
00:45:33.43\00:45:37.87
you want to turn to Acts
8, we're going to be in there
00:45:37.90\00:45:40.94
for a few minutes. "As
for Saul, he made what?
00:45:40.97\00:45:45.04
...havoc of the
church, entering every house,
00:45:45.07\00:45:48.31
and dragging off men and women
committing them to prison."
00:45:48.34\00:45:51.78
But after his conversion...
here is something that Paul
00:45:51.81\00:45:55.35
admits - now this
is Acts 26:9-10...
00:45:55.38\00:45:59.32
So I'll read that
to you, Acts 26:9-10...
00:45:59.35\00:46:03.22
"Indeed, I myself thought I
must do many things contrary
00:46:03.26\00:46:07.40
to the name of
Jesus of Nazareth.
00:46:07.46\00:46:10.27
This I also did in
Jerusalem and many of the saints
00:46:10.30\00:46:14.04
I shut up in prison, having
received authority from the
00:46:14.14\00:46:17.51
chief priests; and
when they were put to death,
00:46:17.54\00:46:20.18
I cast my vote against them.
00:46:20.21\00:46:22.21
So we see Paul leading
this thrust of persecution,
00:46:22.24\00:46:28.18
and after the persecution
and the stoning of the martyrdom
00:46:28.22\00:46:34.16
of Stephen, the
persecution of the Christians
00:46:34.19\00:46:39.13
in Jerusalem really got hot.
00:46:39.16\00:46:41.10
I mean, this seemed to be
an impetus that just ignited
00:46:41.13\00:46:45.37
a fire to persecute the
Christians and this is what
00:46:45.40\00:46:48.80
happened to a lot of the
believers - it got so hot
00:46:48.84\00:46:51.64
that they left town -
it was too hot for them.
00:46:51.67\00:46:55.21
Well, you know, there is good to
that because what was it doing?
00:46:55.24\00:47:01.12
I think this is in
another lesson, but we talk of
00:47:01.15\00:47:03.72
the great dispersion,
"diaspora" I think we call it.
00:47:03.75\00:47:07.96
That's at another
time and another place,
00:47:07.99\00:47:10.06
but there are some
elements of it here because
00:47:10.09\00:47:12.73
persecution caused them
to go out into other areas,
00:47:12.76\00:47:17.70
and where were they
supposed to go? Jerusalem,
00:47:17.73\00:47:21.64
Judea, Samaria - the
uttermost parts of the world.
00:47:21.67\00:47:25.87
So Acts 8:1... "At that
time a great persecution arose
00:47:25.91\00:47:32.08
against the church
which was at Jerusalem,
00:47:32.11\00:47:34.52
and they were all scattered
throughout the region of
00:47:34.55\00:47:37.99
Judea and Samaria... except
the apostles, now the apostles
00:47:38.02\00:47:41.29
stayed in Jerusalem to
take care of this early church,
00:47:41.32\00:47:44.76
this baby church in its infancy.
00:47:44.79\00:47:47.73
Acts, let's look at verses
4-8... "Therefore those who were
00:47:47.76\00:47:51.53
scattered went everywhere
doing what? Preaching.
00:47:51.57\00:47:56.27
So these that were
scattered that the persecution
00:47:56.30\00:47:59.01
in Jerusalem got so bad
that they left Jerusalem,
00:47:59.04\00:48:03.38
but they didn't go just
with their tail tucked between
00:48:03.41\00:48:06.51
their legs, they went
preaching the word everywhere.
00:48:06.55\00:48:10.82
Then Phillip went
down to the city of Samaria
00:48:10.85\00:48:14.12
and preached Christ to them.
00:48:14.19\00:48:15.92
And the multitudes with
one accord heeded the things
00:48:15.96\00:48:20.33
of Phillip, hearing and seeing
the miracles which he did."
00:48:20.36\00:48:24.07
So Phillip was full of the
Holy Spirit and he was powerful
00:48:24.10\00:48:27.94
as well and it says that the
multitudes heeded for unclean
00:48:27.97\00:48:33.14
spirits crying with a
loud voice, came out of many
00:48:33.17\00:48:36.14
who were possessed,
and many who were paralyzed
00:48:36.18\00:48:39.51
and lame were healed.
00:48:39.55\00:48:40.92
And there was
great joy in that city."
00:48:40.95\00:48:43.59
Now this is in
Samaria, the Samaritans were
00:48:43.69\00:48:48.56
half Israelites - they
were monotheists - that means
00:48:48.59\00:48:52.76
they believed in what? One God.
00:48:52.79\00:48:55.26
Even from the
religious standpoint,
00:48:55.30\00:48:58.00
they accepted the
first five books of Moses,
00:48:58.03\00:49:01.44
which is the Pentateuch,
they practiced circumcision
00:49:01.47\00:49:04.97
and expected the Messiah,
they were looking for Jesus.
00:49:05.01\00:49:09.64
This city of Samaria, to
the Jews; however, Samaritan
00:49:09.68\00:49:14.78
religion was corrupted
which means the Samaritans
00:49:14.82\00:49:19.15
had no share whatsoever in
the covenant mercies of Israel.
00:49:19.19\00:49:24.73
The conversion of
the Samaritans because
00:49:24.76\00:49:27.40
news with Phillip in Samaria...
00:49:27.46\00:49:30.87
You know that got
back to Jerusalem...
00:49:30.90\00:49:32.67
So the conversion of
the Samaritans astounded
00:49:32.70\00:49:36.20
the church in Jerusalem. Why?
00:49:36.24\00:49:38.14
Because they thought
it was a corrupt religion.
00:49:38.17\00:49:42.41
They had no faith, no
confidence in the Samaritans,
00:49:42.44\00:49:45.61
but there's a great
move of God in Samaria,
00:49:45.65\00:49:49.62
a great conversion,
so the apostles made a
00:49:49.65\00:49:55.69
decision... "We're
going to send out the big guns
00:49:55.72\00:49:57.76
down to Samaria."
00:49:57.79\00:49:59.13
They sent out Peter and
John to Samaria and the reason
00:49:59.16\00:50:02.53
they went there was to check
it out, to assess the situation.
00:50:02.56\00:50:05.90
So here's what they
found and that's Acts 8:14-17,
00:50:05.93\00:50:10.87
let's read that...
"Now when, Peter and John,
00:50:10.91\00:50:14.04
the apostles who were
at Jerusalem heard that
00:50:14.08\00:50:16.38
Samaria had
received the word of God,
00:50:16.41\00:50:18.35
they sent Peter
and John to them.
00:50:18.38\00:50:20.32
Verse 15, who when they
had come down praying for them
00:50:20.38\00:50:24.39
that they might
receive the Holy Spirit.
00:50:24.42\00:50:26.86
For as yet He had
not fallen upon them.
00:50:26.92\00:50:30.03
They had only been baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
00:50:30.09\00:50:34.03
Then they laid hands on
them and something happened...
00:50:34.13\00:50:38.23
The same experience that
the 120 had, Brother Kenny,
00:50:38.27\00:50:44.41
in the upper room,
that same experience was
00:50:44.44\00:50:48.64
loosed where? Right in Samaria.
00:50:48.68\00:50:52.05
And they
received the Holy Spirit."
00:50:52.08\00:50:54.65
Now here is what the
thought is concerning that...
00:50:54.68\00:50:58.12
God waited to send the
Holy Spirit until Peter and John
00:50:58.15\00:51:02.46
got to Samaria so that
that was done to convince
00:51:02.49\00:51:08.30
the apostles that
the Samaritans were to be
00:51:08.33\00:51:12.20
accepted as full members
of the community of faith.
00:51:12.23\00:51:16.97
Amen. Absolutely right.
00:51:17.01\00:51:18.77
You know what that's concluding?
00:51:18.81\00:51:20.58
Now these were half
Israelites this said,
00:51:20.64\00:51:24.45
it's bringing in the Gentiles.
00:51:24.48\00:51:27.72
All right, all of you
Gentiles, aren't we so glad,
00:51:27.75\00:51:31.39
oh that God
included us too. Okay.
00:51:31.42\00:51:34.29
And see, it
didn't stop in Samaria.
00:51:34.32\00:51:37.29
One more in this, let me
just tell you this story...
00:51:37.33\00:51:40.60
Phillip was just
minding his own business...
00:51:40.66\00:51:44.80
can I just tell it
like this... Oh yes! Thanks.
00:51:44.83\00:51:47.10
The Spirit of the Lord
overshadowed him and told him,
00:51:47.17\00:51:50.47
"I want you to go down
from Jerusalem to Gaza,
00:51:50.54\00:51:57.28
that's in the desert because
I want you to meet a man there."
00:51:57.31\00:52:02.62
This man is a very
powerful, influential man.
00:52:02.65\00:52:07.36
He is head of the whole treasury
00:52:07.39\00:52:09.16
in Ethiopia for
Candace the queen.
00:52:09.19\00:52:13.23
Now he is a eunuch
with great authority,
00:52:13.26\00:52:17.03
and you know Phillip did
exactly what the Holy Spirit
00:52:17.07\00:52:20.70
told him to do - and
what did he find when he
00:52:20.74\00:52:23.87
came up to the chariot...
he overheard the eunuch,
00:52:23.91\00:52:28.74
the Ethiopian reading
out of what book? Isaiah
00:52:28.78\00:52:31.88
Out of Isaiah and
then Phillip went up to him
00:52:31.91\00:52:36.79
and he heard his reading,
he said, "Do you understand
00:52:36.85\00:52:39.45
what you're reading?
00:52:39.49\00:52:40.86
And the Ethiopian
said, "How can I unless
00:52:40.92\00:52:44.56
someone guides me."
00:52:44.59\00:52:45.93
Now what do you think Phillip
wanted to do in the first place?
00:52:45.96\00:52:47.66
So he started expounding
on, it was the message
00:52:48.56\00:52:52.67
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:52:52.70\00:52:54.10
It says, so Phillip
preached Jesus and the eunuch
00:52:54.17\00:52:57.67
accepted the truth and
asked if he could be baptized.
00:52:57.71\00:53:01.34
Well, they were right
by a body of water and so
00:53:01.38\00:53:04.91
Phillip said, "If you
believe in your heart, you may."
00:53:04.95\00:53:08.12
And the Ethiopian said,
"I believe that Jesus Christ
00:53:08.15\00:53:11.35
is the Son of God."
00:53:11.39\00:53:12.72
Salvation is... Oh, I'm just
gonna stop here and tell you.
00:53:12.75\00:53:16.36
Salvation was never made hard.
00:53:16.39\00:53:19.13
Salvation - if you believe
in your heart and confess it
00:53:19.16\00:53:22.73
with your mouth,
you will be saved. Amen!
00:53:22.76\00:53:24.67
You can ask the Lord,
"What must I do to be saved?"
00:53:24.70\00:53:28.50
And I'd have to say
to you, "You're too late,
00:53:28.54\00:53:31.07
he's already done it all,
you just accept Him." Amen!
00:53:31.11\00:53:35.01
Just like this Ethiopian,
well, the gospel was spreading.
00:53:35.04\00:53:39.05
First it went to
Samaria and the Samaritans were
00:53:39.08\00:53:43.59
having an incredible revival.
00:53:43.65\00:53:45.49
Then it went to the
Ethiopian, you know what
00:53:45.52\00:53:47.72
he did? He took the gospel all
00:53:47.76\00:53:49.99
the way back to
Ethiopia and started
00:53:50.03\00:53:52.19
spreading the gospel.
00:53:52.23\00:53:53.66
This small group of
believers, let me just give you
00:53:53.70\00:53:56.40
something that the
Scripture tells us...
00:53:56.43\00:53:59.13
This small group of
believers did something...
00:53:59.17\00:54:01.90
They turned the
world upside-down for
00:54:01.94\00:54:04.41
the Lord Jesus Christ and
you and I are a product of it.
00:54:04.44\00:54:08.28
Amen! Amen. Praise the Lord,
I'm getting excited, right?
00:54:08.31\00:54:11.55
That's what studying the
Book of Acts does for you.
00:54:11.58\00:54:15.18
I jotted down like 5
things I thought was interesting
00:54:15.22\00:54:17.49
on the lesson -
everybody brought out such
00:54:17.52\00:54:19.12
wonderful points, you
know, maybe you haven't
00:54:19.15\00:54:21.99
quite thought of and it
brought it all together.
00:54:22.02\00:54:24.83
#1... I jotted down that as the
church began, success attended
00:54:24.86\00:54:30.07
their efforts - the Holy
Spirit was being poured out.
00:54:30.13\00:54:32.70
#2... That they had the
tendencies to stay where the
00:54:32.73\00:54:36.37
work was going on good,
you know, it's one thing
00:54:36.40\00:54:39.57
when the work is
going good and they say,
00:54:39.61\00:54:40.94
"Well I'll go somewhere
else and start doing it."
00:54:40.98\00:54:42.31
We want to kind of stay
in the same spot because
00:54:42.34\00:54:44.48
it was going very good.
00:54:44.51\00:54:45.85
Then they
forgot their commission
00:54:45.88\00:54:49.15
was to go into all the world.
00:54:49.18\00:54:50.79
#4... Because of the
problem in Jerusalem,
00:54:50.85\00:54:53.96
they had to spend a
lot of time shielding
00:54:54.02\00:54:57.13
these problems, trying to
take care of these problems,
00:54:57.19\00:54:59.39
and they forgot, again,
the commission - what they were
00:54:59.43\00:55:02.13
supposed to do,
rather than educating other
00:55:02.16\00:55:04.63
people to get the
message out to the world,
00:55:04.67\00:55:07.14
they had become satisfied
with what had been accomplished.
00:55:07.17\00:55:11.77
I think that can
happen, even nowadays.
00:55:11.81\00:55:14.18
Good things happen,
maybe in the church,
00:55:14.21\00:55:16.18
and sometimes we become
satisfied with these things...
00:55:16.21\00:55:19.21
and we don't want to
go any farther than that.
00:55:19.25\00:55:21.42
5... What happened? God allowed
persecution that we've been
00:55:21.45\00:55:26.49
talking about here to come
into the church and then they
00:55:26.52\00:55:30.03
were scattered and then
they went about what God
00:55:30.06\00:55:33.26
had told them to
do to begin with.
00:55:33.29\00:55:35.20
Not huddled all together,
but go into all the world
00:55:35.23\00:55:38.00
and spread the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:55:38.03\00:55:40.44
So you can really see a
story here really unfolding,
00:55:40.50\00:55:43.47
and, you know what, the lessons
just get better and better,
00:55:43.51\00:55:45.77
and better, so you don't
want to miss any of them.
00:55:45.81\00:55:47.38
Good closing thought...
we have almost 2 minutes.
00:55:47.44\00:55:51.35
Just a quick thing is
that what you mentioned about
00:55:51.38\00:55:54.12
the position of
deacons... when they appointed
00:55:54.18\00:55:57.19
deacons in the early
church, there were no elders,
00:55:57.25\00:55:59.59
so really, they kind of
filled the role of both deacon
00:55:59.62\00:56:03.99
and elder, but the
most important thing is that
00:56:04.06\00:56:07.66
they chose men who were
full of the Holy Spirit.
00:56:07.73\00:56:11.43
This is why Stephen
could be like Christ in what
00:56:11.47\00:56:15.24
Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them,
00:56:15.27\00:56:17.01
they don't know what they do."
00:56:17.04\00:56:18.61
He was saying... "Don't lay
this at their charge." Amazing!
00:56:18.64\00:56:23.75
The call was to leave
Jerusalem and spread the gospel.
00:56:23.78\00:56:28.55
That is the pattern for today.
00:56:28.58\00:56:29.92
In Battle Creek, Ellen
White said, "Don't pile up in
00:56:29.95\00:56:31.99
Battle Creek, let's go."
00:56:32.02\00:56:33.66
Sometimes we tend to
pile up in our churches.
00:56:33.69\00:56:36.02
The call is the same..."Come out
and go and spread the gospel."
00:56:36.06\00:56:39.26
That call is to everyone.
00:56:40.30\00:56:41.63
2 Corinthians 13
says... "We do nothing against
00:56:41.66\00:56:44.33
the truth, but for the truth."
00:56:44.37\00:56:45.93
And you know, I think what
took place with the life of
00:56:45.97\00:56:49.00
Stephen, it was actually
for the spreading of the gospel.
00:56:49.04\00:56:51.64
Amen! So I think
we all ought to ask
00:56:51.67\00:56:54.18
the Lord... "Just set me
on fire, Lord and I will be
00:56:54.24\00:56:57.35
Your witness here
in this earth." Amen!
00:56:57.41\00:56:59.68
Beautiful
thoughts! Beautiful thoughts!
00:56:59.71\00:57:02.08
And as we come to the closing,
we're just very grateful
00:57:02.12\00:57:04.42
and thankful again that
you chose to be with us today,
00:57:04.45\00:57:07.12
and we pray that this
has been a real blessing.
00:57:07.19\00:57:09.72
And I think it would
be nice and appropriate,
00:57:09.76\00:57:11.16
we have 20 seconds left,
just to have a little prayer.
00:57:11.19\00:57:13.53
Brother CA, would you just
close it out with prayer please.
00:57:13.56\00:57:15.83
Gracious Father,
We see and understand
00:57:15.86\00:57:17.97
the power that came
in response to Acts 1:8,
00:57:18.00\00:57:22.30
and that power is still
in the church today Father.
00:57:22.34\00:57:24.64
Help us to use that power
to avail ourselves of that
00:57:24.67\00:57:27.38
power to live lives
that are dedicated to Christ,
00:57:27.41\00:57:30.45
to let the light of Christ's
love shine out in our hearts
00:57:30.55\00:57:33.92
that men and women
may come and ask...
00:57:33.95\00:57:35.92
What must I do to be saved?
00:57:35.95\00:57:38.35
We thank you, Father, for
your power and the presence
00:57:38.39\00:57:40.96
of your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus name... Amen
00:57:40.99\00:57:44.43