Here are the answers to last Saturday's quiz:
1. Which set of Old Testament figures were mentioned in Stephen's sermon before the Sanhedrin?
a. Joseph, Moses, Gideon
b. Joshua, David, Solomon (Acts 7:45-47)
c. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob
2. What did the Sanhedrin do before stoning Stephen to death?
a. pronounced judgement against him
b. ordered that Stephen be put outside the room while they discussed his case
c. dragged him outside of the city (Acts 7:58)
3. During last Sunday's sermon, what was one of the "Stephen Principles" mentioned?
a. full of animosity and wisdom
b. forcefully and fearlessly spoke the truth (Acts 6:8-10, Acts 7)
c. facilitator of grace towards the widows
Showing posts with label Acts 6 and 7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Acts 6 and 7. Show all posts
Monday, January 12, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Pop Quiz
1. Which set of Old Testament figures were mentioned in Stephen's sermon before the Sanhedrin?
a. Joseph, Moses, Gideon
b. Joshua, David, Solomon
c. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob
2. What did the Sanhedrin do before stoning Stephen to death?
a. pronounced judgement against him
b. ordered that Stephen be put outside the room while they discussed his case
c. dragged him outside of the city
3. During last Sunday's sermon, what was one of the "Stephen Principles" mentioned?
a. full of animosity and wisdom
b. forcefully and fearlessly spoke the truth
c. facilitator of grace towards the widows
Answers on Monday! Have a blessed weekend my friends.
a. Joseph, Moses, Gideon
b. Joshua, David, Solomon
c. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob
2. What did the Sanhedrin do before stoning Stephen to death?
a. pronounced judgement against him
b. ordered that Stephen be put outside the room while they discussed his case
c. dragged him outside of the city
3. During last Sunday's sermon, what was one of the "Stephen Principles" mentioned?
a. full of animosity and wisdom
b. forcefully and fearlessly spoke the truth
c. facilitator of grace towards the widows
Answers on Monday! Have a blessed weekend my friends.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Secret Persuasions
"Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, 'We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God'" (Acts 6:11).
We serve God! God, who brings the hidden things into the light (Ephesians 5:13-14, First Corinthians 4:5); God, who sees what is done in secret and rewards us openly (Matthew 6:1-18).
It's a dangerous thing to make plans that are contrary to the mandate of God. Remember, this is God who speaks to His ministers and prophets. The King of Aram learned this when he asked his servants whether any was betraying him: "'None of us, my lord the king,' said one of his officers, 'but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom'" (Second Kings 6:12).
Nothing is clandestine. God sees and knows everything.
Jews from the Synagogue of Freedmen planned a secret campaign against the ministry of Stephen, and God in turn empowered Stephen to preach His truth before the Sanhedrin. Instead of silencing the word of God, Stephen's martyrdom only served to expand the wave of new converts to Christianity.
Judas Iscariot planned a secret campaign, agreeing to betray Jesus. Jesus was condemned to the cross and Judas experienced the guilt of that betrayal, so much so that he took his own life.
In both these instances, the end result seemed to not be a success for Stephen or Jesus- after all, they both died unjustly. Is that success? YES.
In their deaths, they spoke a word of forgiveness to their persecutors.
In their deaths, they opened the door for the spreading of the gospel throughout the world.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24).
There are only two options: the secrecy of betrayal, or the openness of identification with Christ. And yes, that open identification might ultimately result in your death. But guess what? Before you die, God will tell you some things. He will give you His wisdom and insight and knowledge, and you will be positioned to do miracles and wonders in His name. Before your candle is extinguished, you will have a chance to burn so brightly that the world will see Jesus in you.
Holy Spirit, I pray you will give Your people boldness. Give us the capacity to raise Lazarus and to work wonders. Give us a fearlessness in living for You, Jesus, especially when no one is watching. Help those of us who serve You to embrace the sermon we heard, so that we will be able to speak truth in the face of power. Cause us to triumph- not the world's definition, but Your definition of success. O God, how we love You! Help us to live out that love without fear, in Jesus' name. Amen.
We serve God! God, who brings the hidden things into the light (Ephesians 5:13-14, First Corinthians 4:5); God, who sees what is done in secret and rewards us openly (Matthew 6:1-18).
It's a dangerous thing to make plans that are contrary to the mandate of God. Remember, this is God who speaks to His ministers and prophets. The King of Aram learned this when he asked his servants whether any was betraying him: "'None of us, my lord the king,' said one of his officers, 'but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom'" (Second Kings 6:12).
Nothing is clandestine. God sees and knows everything.
Jews from the Synagogue of Freedmen planned a secret campaign against the ministry of Stephen, and God in turn empowered Stephen to preach His truth before the Sanhedrin. Instead of silencing the word of God, Stephen's martyrdom only served to expand the wave of new converts to Christianity.
Judas Iscariot planned a secret campaign, agreeing to betray Jesus. Jesus was condemned to the cross and Judas experienced the guilt of that betrayal, so much so that he took his own life.
In both these instances, the end result seemed to not be a success for Stephen or Jesus- after all, they both died unjustly. Is that success? YES.
In their deaths, they spoke a word of forgiveness to their persecutors.
In their deaths, they opened the door for the spreading of the gospel throughout the world.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24).
There are only two options: the secrecy of betrayal, or the openness of identification with Christ. And yes, that open identification might ultimately result in your death. But guess what? Before you die, God will tell you some things. He will give you His wisdom and insight and knowledge, and you will be positioned to do miracles and wonders in His name. Before your candle is extinguished, you will have a chance to burn so brightly that the world will see Jesus in you.
Holy Spirit, I pray you will give Your people boldness. Give us the capacity to raise Lazarus and to work wonders. Give us a fearlessness in living for You, Jesus, especially when no one is watching. Help those of us who serve You to embrace the sermon we heard, so that we will be able to speak truth in the face of power. Cause us to triumph- not the world's definition, but Your definition of success. O God, how we love You! Help us to live out that love without fear, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Shut Up And Serve? I Don't Think So.
Perhaps Stephen would not have been killed if he had chosen to keep his mouth shut while he was waiting tables. But he was a man full of God, and the truth of God is of no effect if it is not shared. We are a community that touches each other: preaching, baptisms, faith, laying on of hands... there must be a sharing of God in the community that calls God her LORD.
So Stephen, the one full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith, full of God's grace, and full of power (see Acts 6:5 and 6:8), spoke the truth about Israel's history of rejecting God: rejecting His Spirit, rejecting His prophets, rejecting Jesus the Christ. And Stephen infuriated his listeners further by sharing his vision: "'Look', he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God'" (Acts 7:56).
Today, there are pastors in certain parts of the world that are being persecuted and even killed for their simple but adamant affirmation: Yes, I see Jesus. Even here in the Northeast Bronx, perhaps even here in Bronx Bethany, there are pastors being stoned to death. Not with literal stones, but with stony words from the stony hearts of "congregants" who refuse to embrace the rhema word of God and who do not share the vision.
Stephen has told us something that is critically important: every now and then, heaven opens. And in those moments believers receive the revelation of God in His majesty and power. Even in the face of being killed, these believers see the beautiful face of Jesus and they respond as His beloved children: "Lord, don't hold this against them" (see Acts 7:60). And that, too, is what Jesus did: while we were still sinners, alienated from Him, He chose to die for us (see Romans 5:8).
Are you ready for the experience of an open heaven? It is coming soon. The words of Elijah's servant (see First Kings 18) echo in the background: I see a little cloud, the size of a man's hand, rising from the sea...
So Stephen, the one full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith, full of God's grace, and full of power (see Acts 6:5 and 6:8), spoke the truth about Israel's history of rejecting God: rejecting His Spirit, rejecting His prophets, rejecting Jesus the Christ. And Stephen infuriated his listeners further by sharing his vision: "'Look', he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God'" (Acts 7:56).
Today, there are pastors in certain parts of the world that are being persecuted and even killed for their simple but adamant affirmation: Yes, I see Jesus. Even here in the Northeast Bronx, perhaps even here in Bronx Bethany, there are pastors being stoned to death. Not with literal stones, but with stony words from the stony hearts of "congregants" who refuse to embrace the rhema word of God and who do not share the vision.
Stephen has told us something that is critically important: every now and then, heaven opens. And in those moments believers receive the revelation of God in His majesty and power. Even in the face of being killed, these believers see the beautiful face of Jesus and they respond as His beloved children: "Lord, don't hold this against them" (see Acts 7:60). And that, too, is what Jesus did: while we were still sinners, alienated from Him, He chose to die for us (see Romans 5:8).
Are you ready for the experience of an open heaven? It is coming soon. The words of Elijah's servant (see First Kings 18) echo in the background: I see a little cloud, the size of a man's hand, rising from the sea...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Don't Touch Him When He's In That Mode.
Most of my friends are ministers. This has been the case with me since I was a young adult in the Salvation Army, and it is still the case today.
Over these 25 or so years of having pastors as friends, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. When my friends are preaching, there is something that "kicks in" during the sermon and their words become irrefutable. I recognize that it is not an activity they engage in on their own: the Holy Spirit moves through them, and in that move of the Spirit the congregation splits into two camps: those who are receiving the word of God, and those who are rejecting the word of God.
There are times when the opposition to God's word is so strong you can feel it physically. But the Scripture warns us not to oppose the person who speaks as an oracle of God. We know that Miriam, in her opposition to Moses, won a week of leprosy for her efforts (see Numbers 12). And, while we do not have record of any illness striking the men who opposed Stephen, we do have the record of their not being able to withstand him:
"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 6:9-10).
We serve a mighty God, the one true God, whose truth always triumphs. And we stand in the midst of a wicked world, where men will resort to lies in their attempts to silence the word of God (see Acts 6:11-14). In the face of opposition, Stephen continued to speak the uncompromised word of God... this humble waiter, expounding the word of life to all who would hear.
A waiter? Yes, Stephen, you establish order and justice so everyone can have something to eat. And yes, Stephen, My anointing has been imparted to you: do signs and wonders and speak life to the hard-hearted.
Stephen came to his assignment full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. After the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he carried out his work "full of God's grace and power" (Acts 6:8) with accompanying signs and miracles. He was so full of God that he was described as having the face of an angel (Acts 6:15).
When you are carrying out your God-given assignment, do others see signs of the kingdom of God in you?
Over these 25 or so years of having pastors as friends, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. When my friends are preaching, there is something that "kicks in" during the sermon and their words become irrefutable. I recognize that it is not an activity they engage in on their own: the Holy Spirit moves through them, and in that move of the Spirit the congregation splits into two camps: those who are receiving the word of God, and those who are rejecting the word of God.
There are times when the opposition to God's word is so strong you can feel it physically. But the Scripture warns us not to oppose the person who speaks as an oracle of God. We know that Miriam, in her opposition to Moses, won a week of leprosy for her efforts (see Numbers 12). And, while we do not have record of any illness striking the men who opposed Stephen, we do have the record of their not being able to withstand him:
"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 6:9-10).
We serve a mighty God, the one true God, whose truth always triumphs. And we stand in the midst of a wicked world, where men will resort to lies in their attempts to silence the word of God (see Acts 6:11-14). In the face of opposition, Stephen continued to speak the uncompromised word of God... this humble waiter, expounding the word of life to all who would hear.
A waiter? Yes, Stephen, you establish order and justice so everyone can have something to eat. And yes, Stephen, My anointing has been imparted to you: do signs and wonders and speak life to the hard-hearted.
Stephen came to his assignment full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. After the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he carried out his work "full of God's grace and power" (Acts 6:8) with accompanying signs and miracles. He was so full of God that he was described as having the face of an angel (Acts 6:15).
When you are carrying out your God-given assignment, do others see signs of the kingdom of God in you?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
It's Back... The Laying On Of Hands.
Dear Friends,
Have you gotten a chance to read Acts 6 and 7 yet? I'd encourage you to do so: these chapters are an amazing glimpse into the life of the early church. As Pastor Sam mentioned in Sunday's sermon, we see in this text a picture of the opposition that arises when God moves.
For today, though, let's just look at a few verses from chapter 6 of Acts.
"So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.' This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:2-6).
Delegation. The apostles knew that they could not effectively minister if they took on the additional responsibility of running the church's food distribution program. So, they did what I call a 'double delegation': they decided that seven other men would oversee the food program, and they also delegated the selection process ("Brothers, choose seven men from among you...").
Identification. The community chose Stephen, and the Scripture tells us he was known to be "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit". What a combination! And what a commendation! If the pastoral staff of Bronx Bethany asked the congregation to choose some people for a delegated task, who would you tag as being full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit? Or, to be more blunt, would you be tagged as being one of those who is filled with the Holy Spirit?
Presentation. The community completed their assignment by presenting seven men to the apostles. In a young, fast-growing church, the twelve apostles were not in a position to have personal relationships with the thousands who were worshiping Jesus in the temple courts and in the private homes of believers. The community served as ears and eyes, and were able to say, Yes, I know someone who is a leader and who will be an asset to the kingdom of God.
Impartation. Here we see, once again, the laying on of hands as a normal part of the life of the believer. In this instance the laying on of hands was not for receiving the Holy Spirit, because the community had identified Stephen and his colleagues as men who were already full of the Spirit and wisdom. I believe that, as we saw last month with the examples of Moses/Joshua and Paul/Timothy, that through the laying on of hands these seven men received a measure of the spiritual authority that was resident in the apostles. And, like Joshua and Timothy, Stephen demonstrated authority and boldness in his ministry.
But, as I mentioned at the start of this blog, apostolic boldness usually carries with it the risk of opposition and persecution. We'll reflect on this aspect of ministry as the week progresses.
Have you gotten a chance to read Acts 6 and 7 yet? I'd encourage you to do so: these chapters are an amazing glimpse into the life of the early church. As Pastor Sam mentioned in Sunday's sermon, we see in this text a picture of the opposition that arises when God moves.
For today, though, let's just look at a few verses from chapter 6 of Acts.
"So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.' This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:2-6).
Delegation. The apostles knew that they could not effectively minister if they took on the additional responsibility of running the church's food distribution program. So, they did what I call a 'double delegation': they decided that seven other men would oversee the food program, and they also delegated the selection process ("Brothers, choose seven men from among you...").
Identification. The community chose Stephen, and the Scripture tells us he was known to be "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit". What a combination! And what a commendation! If the pastoral staff of Bronx Bethany asked the congregation to choose some people for a delegated task, who would you tag as being full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit? Or, to be more blunt, would you be tagged as being one of those who is filled with the Holy Spirit?
Presentation. The community completed their assignment by presenting seven men to the apostles. In a young, fast-growing church, the twelve apostles were not in a position to have personal relationships with the thousands who were worshiping Jesus in the temple courts and in the private homes of believers. The community served as ears and eyes, and were able to say, Yes, I know someone who is a leader and who will be an asset to the kingdom of God.
Impartation. Here we see, once again, the laying on of hands as a normal part of the life of the believer. In this instance the laying on of hands was not for receiving the Holy Spirit, because the community had identified Stephen and his colleagues as men who were already full of the Spirit and wisdom. I believe that, as we saw last month with the examples of Moses/Joshua and Paul/Timothy, that through the laying on of hands these seven men received a measure of the spiritual authority that was resident in the apostles. And, like Joshua and Timothy, Stephen demonstrated authority and boldness in his ministry.
But, as I mentioned at the start of this blog, apostolic boldness usually carries with it the risk of opposition and persecution. We'll reflect on this aspect of ministry as the week progresses.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Check, Please.
During this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam spoke on Acts 6 and 7. In that passage we meet Stephen, a man whose brief appearance in Scripture provides us with ample evidence of the ways in which a believer can bring glory to God. This week, we'll look at various aspects of Stephen's story and reflect on them in light of our personal lives.
In the face of a crisis involving conflict between Hebrew-speaking and Greek-speaking Jews, Stephen was recognized as a man who was full of the Holy Spirit.
In the face of persecution, Stephen consistently said yes to God and was not ashamed nor afraid to preach Christ.
In the face of death, Stephen experienced an open heaven and saw the resurrected Christ standing at the right hand of God, welcoming Stephen into the eternal kingdom.
Quite a track record for a man called to be a waiter.
What about you? Do you bring glory to God as you go about your daily work? Today, let's ask God to fill us anew with His Spirit so that our work colleagues will know Who we serve.
In the face of a crisis involving conflict between Hebrew-speaking and Greek-speaking Jews, Stephen was recognized as a man who was full of the Holy Spirit.
In the face of persecution, Stephen consistently said yes to God and was not ashamed nor afraid to preach Christ.
In the face of death, Stephen experienced an open heaven and saw the resurrected Christ standing at the right hand of God, welcoming Stephen into the eternal kingdom.
Quite a track record for a man called to be a waiter.
What about you? Do you bring glory to God as you go about your daily work? Today, let's ask God to fill us anew with His Spirit so that our work colleagues will know Who we serve.