"LOST and FOUND!" Acts 9:1-9

LOST AND FOUND

Acts 9:1-9

Introduction: There are some defining moments in history and in the lives of humans that change the direction of their “stories.”  Historians suggest that the “D-Day” invasion in World War 2 is an example of a day, a battle, that changed the direction and assured the eventual outcome of the war.  Of course the foundation of our faith is God himself and His revelation in history, until finally, the God who spoke at different times and in different ways in times past through the prophets, spoke in these last days in the Son (Heb 1:1,2).  The death and resurrection of Jesus is the foundation, and then Jesus begins to build His church in Acts. Saul’s conversion is a defining moment for the church in the book of Acts, as God lays hold of a key persecutor and transforms him into a proclaimer of the Gospel. The conversion of Saul (also called Paul, cf. Acts 13:9) is so important that it is related three times in detail in Acts alone (9,22,26), plus alluded to several times in the letters of Paul.  By the way, forgive me if I am not consistent in my use of the Hebrew (Saul) and Greek (Paul) names of the apostle. In reading Acts Luke is very consistent in the early part of the book to exclusively use the name “Saul.” It seems to me that this is part of his dramatic telling of the story of Acts and adds to the impact when later he let’s us know who this young and zealous rabbi is. He is there at Stephen’s death, he is persecuting the church, and then he has a life changing encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus. As the reader follows this character in Acts the transformation is astounding, the persecutor becomes the persecuted, preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And then finally, on the first missionary journey we read in Acts 13:9, “Then Saul, who also is called Paul…” I think Theophilus and the other first readers of Acts knew well of Paul and his ministry. As Luke wrote the Book of Acts Paul was in prison in Rome, ready to appear before Caesar. It’s as though Luke says, “By the way, this Saul, this zealous young rabbi transformed by God’s grace, is none other than the Apostle Paul!” Wham! What a powerful revelation of God’s sovereign grace! We need to remember that the same God who was working then and there, is present here and now. He is still sovereign. And He is building His church.

The Big Idea: Because of the depth of human depravity salvation can only be by the sovereign grace of God, so be bold in your witness!

I. Our Only Hope: Human Depravity means salvation can only be by grace (1-2). After the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8, Luke, the writer of Acts, brings us back to a character he had introduced earlier, the young rabbi Saul of Tarsus who was present and approving of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 and who was ravaging the church from house to house in chapter 8. One commentator suggested by the way, that the three conversion stories in this section of Acts, the Ethiopian (8), Saul (9), and the gentile Cornelius (10),  correspond to the three sons of Noah: Ham, Shem, and Japheth. The idea would be that God is interested in the entire human race, that in Christ a remnant would be saved from every race and nation. Whether or not we see a connection with Noah’s sons, God certainly is interested in the world-wide spread of the gospel.

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  ² and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

            “Breathing out threats and murder…” This is very graphic language showing the attitude and driving force of Saul’s life.  Remember the praise chorus, “You are the air I breathe…”?  For the believer the presence of the Spirit of God is our “air,” our life. It defines us. Saul “breathed” hatred and murder toward God and His people. It dominated his thinking and plan and purpose in living.  Have you heard it said “It doesn’t really matter what you believe, as long as you really believe it”? That’s a lie from the pit of hell! Saul was sincere, he was zealous, he “really believed”, he was very religious, but he was dead wrong and fighting against God!

                     In Saul’s case he went beyond an attitude of hatred and malice toward Christians, to putting that into action. The persecution after Stephen’s death was focused in Jerusalem and scattered the church (Acts 8:1,4). Now Saul asked permission to pursue those heretics to Damascus, 150 miles away, that he might bring them back bound. It seems he is an initiator of this expanded persecution. This wasn’t a three hour car drive down to Boston, it had to be a good week long trip. He was determined to cut off the Christ followers while there was still time. Notice, by the way, the believers are called followers of “the Way.” This is the most common descriptor of the church in Acts, not “believers” or “the Church” or “disciples,” but “the Way.” It implies movement, direction, a path, a walk. We don’t just “belong” to the church like we would a club, we are the church, actively living out the implications of our faith and our mission in the world. We are the body of Christ. Are we acting like it?

            Saul was a zealous unbeliever, but his life, B.C., “before Christ,” illustrates an important theological truth. Unsaved humans are not neutral, open-minded seekers of enlightenment and truth. Paul expressed the truth about human depravity so clearly in his letters perhaps because he could look back and see the truth of his own story. We read for example in Ephesian 2:1-5,

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,  ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…”

He says this way in his letter to the Romans 3:9-18,

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.  ¹⁰ As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;  ¹¹ There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.  ¹² They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."  ¹³ "Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips";  ¹⁴ "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."  ¹⁵ "Their feet are swift to shed blood;  ¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways;  ¹⁷ And the way of peace they have not known."  ¹⁸ "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

That was the truth about Paul, BC, and it is the truth about every human who has not yet come to faith in Jesus. They are deaf, blind, and dead spiritually, at enmity with God. But don’t let that discourage you. Because of the depth of human depravity salvation can only be by the sovereign grace of God, and Jesus is still building His church, so be bold in your witness! Our only hope is God’s grace, and He alone is God!

II. The Only God: He is real, and He graciously intervenes in history and reveals himself to humans (3-5a). This is where we have to notice what is unique about Saul’s experience, and what his experience has in common with every conversion story. A light from heaven, a vision of Christ, knocked to the ground and blinded, a voice like thunder, all that was pretty dramatic and somewhat unique! Even within Acts it is not repeated in the same way. But at it’s heart it is the same: a personal encounter with the living God, being confronted by our sin and our desperate spiritual need through His Word, that is something we can relate to!

       God in His sovereignty must take the initiative in salvation (3-4a).

       God meets us where we are (3a): “As he journeyed he came near Damascus…” Saul was going about his business, religious, zealous, sincere, and absolutely wrong about Jesus.  Not only had he not believed in Jesus, he was intent on pursuing and stomping out the Christ-followers.

       Encounters with Him can be sudden and overwhelming:  “…and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.  ⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice…”  This is pretty much the opposite of what we saw in the Ethiopian in chapter 8. The eunuch's defenses were clearly down, his heart had been prepared, and he was, at the point we meet him in the story, seeking the truth, and God found a way, he sent a preacher to explain the Scriptures.  We don’t know what he might have gone through to get to that point of being open and seeking, we see the ripe fruit being plucked from the vine by Philip.  God took a more dramatic approach with Saul!

       God in His mercy has revealed himself to humans (4b-5a). "…‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’  ⁵ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’" Notice a couple of things here:

     First of all, the manner in which Jesus speaks. “Saul, Saul…” The repetition of a name by Jesus occurs only a few times, but always at a moment of deep emotion, almost with a “sigh” with respect to the slowness of his people to hear and believe. At the house of Mary and Martha, when Martha was distracted serving, “Martha, Martha…” When the disciples disputed about who was greatest, Jesus says, “Simon, Simon…” and tells him he has prayed for him. Approaching the city of Jerusalem at the beginning of the passion week, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem…” I think we see the heart of Jesus, his compassion, his love for his people. Fallen humans are little slow to understand and believe, even believers don’t always immediately “get it” when God speaks. I’ve noticed for a few years, but it has been getting worse lately, that I have a constant “sound” in my ears. I think its called “tinitis”? The first time I noticed it I thought it was the sound of crickets and insects in the night, but then discovered the sound persisted even if my hands were over my ears! It’s getting louder, so that when I am listening to someone their voice has to rise above the background noise. I think spiritually we all have tinitis! Sometimes we are too distracted by the background noise to hear the still, small, voice of God.

   Secondly, notice that Jesus asks, “Why are you persecuting me?” That statement reflects an important theological point. The church can suffer hatred and persecution, but really that hatred is directed at God, humans rebelling against Him. It’s exactly what Psalm 2 describes as it opens: the nations and kings in rebellion against God and his Anointed Son (Ps 2:1-3).

   Some translations include here the phrase “It is difficult for you to kick against the goads…” If you are reading the NIV or ESV it’s not in your translation and maybe your thinking “why not?”  Remember that we have the story of Saul’s conversion three times in Acts, once from Luke (here in chapter 9) and twice as Paul tells the story of his conversion, to the Jewish mob in Jerusalem (Acts 22) and before Felix and Agrippa (in Acts 26).  All three accounts tell the same story, but none includes every detail.  That statement about “kicking against the goads” was probably not included here by Luke, as it is absent from most of the Greek manuscripts, but it was told by Paul in one of the other contexts. So it is historical, just not part of this context. It adds a detail that we learn later as Paul shares his testimony, and implies that Saul was being “goaded” by God, like a shepherd poking a reluctant sheep with a stick, or someone prodding an ox or donkey to move him along. Perhaps Saul had experienced moments of “conviction” such as at the death Stephen, or hearing the testimonies of the miracles Jesus did, or perhaps be seeing the transformation of other Christ followers. Luke doesn’t mention that detail, because he wants to emphasize the effectual call of God in Saul’s life at this point in the story. Paul later testifies to the process God used to prepare him to hear.

    Humans actively resist the gospel all the time, which is one reason I prefer not to use the term “irresistible grace…” It seems to me that can be misleading. “Effectual calling” is a much better term I think for what we see happening here. God will save those who are His. As Jesus said in John’s gospel, “…My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me…” (John 10:26,27).  Amazingly, He’ll use the testimony of humans to do it as we share His Word. He has chosen “…through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe…” (I Cor 1:21).  Because of the depth of human depravity salvation can only be by the sovereign grace of God, so be bold in your witness, some will hear and believe!

III. The Only Way: God in His grace will use the Word to convict us of sin and to point us to Jesus (5b-9).

        God knows those who are His (5b-7). We know how this story is going to unfold, God had chosen Saul, He had a plan for his life. Not only would he be used as a key worker in bringing the gospel to Asia Minor and Europe, his radical conversion would be one more revelation of the presence and power of God. Paul would be hated by the Jewish authorities because they could not explain away his radical, 180 degree change in direction. This was like Lazarus coming from the tomb – they just couldn’t deal with what it reveals about Jesus!

“Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’  ⁶ So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’  ⁷ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.” 

I can’t imagine Saul’s thoughts and feelings at this moment. All he had been doing, everything he thought and believed, was turned on its head. His own teacher, Gamaliel, had told the council to leave the Christ followers alone, if their movement was of men it would pass away, if it was of God, they could be found fighting against God. He had ignored his teacher’s advice and in his zeal and ignorance he was guilty of fighting against God! No wonder he was “trembling and astonished.” Like the Jews in Jerusalem confronted by Peter’s preaching, he asks “What must I do?”

       God in His grace will bring us down, in order to lift us up (8-9). These next verses are interesting, Saul needed to understand his weakness, he needed to see that he could carry out his new mission only in fellowship with the church of Jesus Christ, of which he was now a part. Consider Saul five minutes before this encounter, traveling toward Damascus, zealous, confident, ready to take charge. Intent on destruction. Then look at him immediately after. Blind, being led by the hand, completely humbled.  Waiting for direction from the Lord. What a dramatic picture of human weakness and divine power!

“⁸Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.  ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

Though it doesn’t say so here, “neither eating or drinking” may imply that Saul was praying and fasting as he waited for the Lord to reveal to him more of what came next, what God expected of him.  The last thing he saw for those three days, the “after image” burned into his eyes, was the glory of the resurrected Jesus. Paul would later write, “Every knee will bow… every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10,11).  He is the Christ, the Son of God.

What is God saying to me in this passage? Because of the depth of human depravity salvation can only be by the sovereign grace of God, so be bold in your witness!

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? At the deepest level the passage we looked at today is not first of all a story about Paul, but rather a story about God, who has revealed himself through the Son. We are reminded of God’s power, of His glory, of His amazing grace. One response to this passage it thanksgiving and praise to God, to worship the God who is, as our vision statement says, “…to treasure God as supremely valuable…” 

       Reflect for a moment on God’s intervention in your life. Have you had a defining moment in your life, when you recognized your need and turned to Him in faith? Whether it was a process like the Ethiopian in chapter 8, or a life changing instant when the lights came on, it was a work of God’s sovereign grace. GOD did that. Then give him the glory, as Paul says in Romans 12:1, “Present your body as a living sacrifice, which is your reasonable service of worship.”

       One clear thing that God expects of those that He has saved, is that we engage the world around us, by proclaiming the riches of His grace to those who need to hear. We can’t save anyone, but God has chosen to work through our witness as we share his Word to save those who believe.   So look around, be bold, and let’s see what God will do!                     Amen.

Life in the Desert: A Call to faithful Witness Acts 8:26-40

Life in the Desert: A Call to faithful Witness

Acts 8:26-40

Introduction: I checked the News this morning, and the short cease fire between Israel and Hamas had ended.  The News from Gaza in these days is heart-breaking - it is marked by violence and death. Its heart wrenching to see the aftermath of rocket attacks and bombings, realizing that there are bystanders and women and children that are caught in the cross fire, “collateral damage,” almost every day.  In that same region, in the desert between Jerusalem and Egypt, there was a day nearly 2000 years ago when that dry place saw a miracle of life in the desert.

       There are some things that are different in this situation from what we normally experience today. We don’t normally have an angel of the Lord speak to us, or the Spirit of God audibly telling us what to do. Usually the Spirit doesn’t miraculously transport someone from one place to another as we see at the end of this account.  All of these things happened to Philip in this context. God still does speak to us, however, and He still does move us.  Having lived in NJ for the first 40 years of our lives, then moving to Brazil, and from there to mid-coast Maine, the path God has brought us on is not one I would have envisioned, yet God has clearly led us at each point to be where He wanted us. Do you believe that it is true for you as well, that is, that God has placed you where you are?  He has a plan for each of us! Are we listening?

The Big Idea: God will arrange “divine appointments” for each of us, and He will use us as He brings life through His Word.  

I. A Divine Appointment : God will bring us to those He has prepared (26-29).  The ministry of Philip is a beautiful illustration of God’s sovereign direction in carrying out His plan. We are reminded that God really is “Lord of the harvest.”

       Earlier in chapter 8, Philip had had a fruitful ministry in Samaria. To set the context, in the aftermath of the persecution that arose after Stephen’s death, Philip made his way to Samaria and preached Christ.  There was a tremendous response, but God maintained the unity of the church by delaying the pouring out of the Spirit on the Samaritans. The apostles came to Samaria and confirmed the ministry of Philip by laying hands on those who had been converted. This was no small thing. The apostles were Jews and like all Jews in that day they routinely avoided contact with the Samaritans. But they were obedient to God and they went, there would not be a Samaritan Church and a Jewish Church, but one Church of God under the authority of the apostles. This was a major step in the outworking of the plan Jesus had revealed in Acts 1:8, the witness bearing activity of the church would include “all of Judea and Samaria” and eventually go out to the ends of the earth.  The initial response was tremendous, the apostles returned to Jerusalem, and from our human perspective we could imagine Philip settling in for an extensive period of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting right there. But God had another plan for Philip at this time.

          God had other sheep that needed to hear the truth, and it would begin with a lone traveler on a desert road. The word of the angel to Philip is specific in terms of what he was to do, but short on details as to why: 

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is a desert place” (8:26).

Like Abraham in Genesis 12, Philip heard God’s call and he was obedient. Leave a fruitful ministry and head for the desert? It might not have made sense from a human perspective, but God said it, and that settled it. As far as we know Philip had no clue as to what he would encounter on the desert road.  God said “arise and go,” and Philip “arose and went.” There he found someone, possibly traveling with a caravan as was common in those days, or at least with a couple of other people to drive the chariot and watch out for danger…

…And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship  ²⁸ and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah…

         An official from Ethiopia returning home from worship in Jerusalem. We get several bits of information about this traveler. He was Ethiopian. Somewhere from the northeast of Africa this man had come to believe in the God of Israel. It may be that he was the son of proselytes, Ethiopian parents who had been converted by diaspora Jews who had reached his homeland. It may even be that his mother was a diaspora Jew and his father an Ethiopian, we are just not told.  In any case, he had obviously been on a pilgrim journey to Jerusalem to worship the one true God, and was now returning home. Later in Acts we will see that much attention is given to the conversion of Cornelius, an uncircumcised gentile “God-fearer”, in Acts 10 and 11. In view of that, it seems probable that this man had been more closely identified with Judaism than Cornelius was. He is also described as a eunuch and court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. In the ancient world, in many cultures, it was common for servants and officials, especially those who served the queen, to be eunuchs, and they were valued and respected men of authority in these societies.  In Israel his physical condition would have limited his full participation in the Temple Worship, but the Scriptures anticipated a day in which there would be no such barriers:

³ Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me from his people"; and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."  ⁴ For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant,  ⁵ I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off” (Isa 56:3-5).

Could it be that God arranged this meeting to show that this Scripture was in the initial phases of being fulfilled? This trusted official of the Ethiopian queen was returning home in a chariot, reading from the prophet Isaiah. We are not told, but it is probable that He was traveling with others. More noteworthy is that he was reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. This is remarkable in that 1) not everyone could read, so this was clearly an educated man, 2) he had a personal copy of at least the prophet Isaiah. Most of us have a copy of the entire Bible – some of us have multiple copies. Such was not the case in ancient times. Books were copied by hand and would have been quite expensive. It could have been a scroll of vellum or parchment, or even a codex, a kind of book, of papyrus sheets (I’m pretty sure he wasn’t reading from his I-phone or tablet!).

       He was reading from the Prophet Isaiah, from one of the most gripping messianic passages in the Bible, Isaiah 53!  In God’s timing, this man was reading from perhaps the most poignant text in the prophets, describing the “Suffering Servant.”  It is clear that he was searching for understanding, he wanted to know the God of the Bible and he wanted to understand better what God expected of him, and God found a way…

            Likewise, each us has been placed by God exactly where he wants us. Nothing is mere chance. There are people around us, walking through the desert, desperately in need of the water of life.  Most won’t admit how needy they are. Many are in denial when it comes to their spiritual need. Some will have had their hearts prepared, they are fertile soil, ready to receive the Word that gives life.  God will arrange “divine appointments” for each of us, and He will use us as He brings life through His Word.

II. A discerning witness: Meeting them where they are (30-35).

        Philip is where God wanted him and that allows God to direct him more precisely to respond to this specific opportunity:    ^“And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot.’  ³⁰ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’" The Spirit does not usually speak to us in an audible voice, but part of the message of Acts is that in this age the Holy Spirit leads the people of God. Paul, for example, will say in Romans 8:14, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” How does He lead? 1) Through Scripture first of all. What does the Bible say about it?  2) Secondly, He leads us through the godly counsel of others that He brings into our path. 3) And he will also work providentially through the circumstances of life. Our God is that big. If we trust Him, He will make our paths straight.

         Notice Philip hears him reading the text aloud (as would have been the norm) and begins by asking questions, “Do you understand…?” He knows God had led him to this encounter, so he is not going to leave the question unasked. “Do you understand what you are reading?”  Questions are a good way of getting a sense of where someone is spiritually. For many years I’ve used two questions I learned in the Evangelism Explosion Equipping ministry nearly 30 years ago that really helped me in trying to discern where someone is, spiritually.

       1) Have you come to a place in your spiritual life where you know for sure that you are going to heaven?  That question gets different responses, some depending on the theology of the person, their understanding of eternal security and the like. Some are surprised to learn that this kind of assurance is even possible, and that it is one of the reasons the Bible was written.  John said in I John 5:13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life…” Notice, he wrote “so that they might know…” There is no need to worry, have doubt or linger in uncertainty about eternity. God wants us to have the assurance that we are saved. So one good diagnostic question to ask is straightforward, “Do you know for certain you are going to heaven?” Do you?

       2) The second question is even more pointed, “If you were to die today and stand before God, and He was to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into my Heaven?’, what would you say?” This really gets to the heart of the matter. What is the basis of your hope of eternal life? If Jesus was correct in that “the way is narrow that leads to life, and few there are that find it,” what is the correct response, the answer that means life instead of eternal separation from God?

        The eunuch was clearly ready to hear the truth about Jesus. He admits he needs someone to show him the way, to guide him in his understanding, and he is ready to receive the truth. Starting at the scripture he was reading, Philip shows him the truth about Jesus.  This was a “divine appointment” to be sure, and Philip was ready with a “discerning witness.” God will arrange “divine appointments” for each of us, and He will use us as He brings life through His Word.

III. A Decisive Moment: A Response of Faith - The Biblical Pattern is to believe and be baptized (36-40).  “Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’"  The implication is that the eunuch has received the words of Philip with faith, and put his trust in Jesus as Lord. He asks, “Why can’t I be baptized?” Really what he was saying is “I want to be baptized right now!”

       Verse 37 is absent from most Greek manuscripts, appearing only in some Latin texts. It is probably something that was added later to clarify what was probably said in response to the question in v.36. Not having it doesn’t change what is implicit in the context. The text has Philip give the requirement for baptism: faith (in Christ). The answer the Eunuch gives shows a right understanding of who Jesus is, that is, the Christ, the Son of God: “Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’"  With or without v.37 the point is clear enough: baptism is a response of faith in Jesus. Now this is not the main point, but I think its clear enough. What kind of baptism was this?

     1) It was believer’s baptism (he believed and then was baptized).

     2) It was baptism by immersion. When they came to some water, clearly a stream or river, he asked about being baptized. They were going through a desert place, it was a long trip, surely they were traveling with water in some kind of skin or jar for drinking. If sprinkling or pouring was in view, there was no need to wait until they came to some “water”!  Also notice that Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. That is the plain sense of the Greek preposition used here. The normal usage of the word is “into,” i.e., they entered the water together which would not have been necessary if this was sprinkling or pouring.  And third of all, the word “baptizo,” “baptize,” means “to immerse or dip.” So we read, 

“So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” (8:38). 

Philip’s job was done, and God moved him onto another place, in this case miraculously. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing… “Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.”  There is reason for rejoicing when we know we are right with God, not based on our feelings but based on the truth of the Word of God.

What is God saying to me in this passage? God will arrange “divine appointments” for each of us, and He will use us as He brings life through His Word.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?  First, let me talk to those who are seekers, who are here and curious and who might want to know more about Jesus, about who He is and what He has done. You are not here by chance. God has planned this exact moment in your life. You have heard the truth: “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him, [on Jesus] the iniquity of us all.” You can receive forgiveness because of Him, if you will believe He is the Son of God and trust that He died for you, for your sins, and rose again.  It may be that someone here has believed and yet you have not been baptized. What hinders you from being baptized? Jesus tells us to do it, to do it after we believe, to do it soon after we believe as it symbolizes our new life through faith in Him, it even shows us that it should be done by going down into the water, by immersion. What hinders you from taking this step and publically professing your faith in Him?  There may be others who are believers and who are baptized, but who are hesitant to accept the truth that God wants you to be His witness.  You are not on the Gaza road. Thankfully these days! But you are in a desert place, surrounded by people who are desperately thirsty, whether they know it or not.  God will arrange the “appointments,” the opportunities. Our part is to be available, our calling is to be His witness.     Think about that.     AMEN.

The Persecuted Church: Suffering and the Sovereignty of God Acts 8:1-4

The Persecuted Church: Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

Acts 8:1b-4

Introduction: One of the great mysteries that face philosophers and theologians is the question of the origin of evil. We have the testimony of Scripture concerning the fall and its consequences: “By one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all have sinned” (Rom 5:12). So at one level we know that death and sin and suffering entered this world through the rebellion of our first parents. What remains a mystery, is how and why sinless humans, placed in a perfect setting, could choose willfully to rebel against a good God.  The “why” seems unanswerable but the “what now” is evident all around us. We see it in the suffering, sickness and tragedies that invade our world daily.  We also sense it in the constant temptation and the struggle against sin that is ongoing in our own hearts.  Perhaps most astounding of all is that our God is so awesome, so majestic and powerful, so omniscient and so absolutely sovereign, that He can overrule the sinful actions of humans to accomplish His good purpose. The killing of the five missionaries by the Auca Indians in Ecuador in 1956 was a tragedy that God used to spur a generation of interest in missions. It was a horrendous and tragic act of violence. Elizabeth Eliot, who’s husband was one of the five men killed wrote,

To the world at large this was a sad waste of five young lives. But God has His plan and purpose in all things. There were those whose lives were changed by what happened on Palm Beach. In Brazil, a group of Indians at a mission station deep in the Mato Grosso, upon hearing the news, dropped to their knees and cried out to God for forgiveness for their own lack of concern for fellow Indians who did not know of Jesus Christ. From Rome, an American official wrote to one of the widows, “I knew your husband. He was to me the ideal of what a Christian should be.” An Air Force Major stationed in England, with many hours of jet flying, immediately began making plans to join the Missionary Aviation Fellowship. A missionary in Africa wrote: “Our work will never be the same. We knew two of the men. Their lives have left their mark on ours.”    Off the coast of Italy, an American naval officer was involved in an accident at sea. As he floated alone on a raft, he recalled Jim Elliot’s words (which he had read in a news report): “When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.” He prayed that he might be saved, knowing that he had more to do than die. He was not ready. God answered his prayer, and he was rescued. In Des Moines, Iowa, an eighteen-year-old boy prayed for a week in his room, then announced to his parents: “I’m turning my life over completely to the Lord. I want to try to take the place of one of those five.” (Elisabeth Eliot, Through Gates of Splendor, p. 253)

A human tragedy, but story after story is told of how the death of those men inspired many others to move out and take their place. Eventually the very tribe that killed those missionaries had a great turning to the Lord. 

The Big Idea: God’s sovereignty is such that He will overrule even the sinful acts of humans to accomplish His good purpose.

I. Persecution of the Faithful: Faithfulness does not guarantee “success” from a human perspective (8:1). “And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” From a “this worldly perspective” there is nothing “safe” about choosing to follow Jesus!

            “…And Saul approved of his execution…” The first part of v.1 refers back to chapter 7 and reminds us that Saul was there¸ and in some sense participated in the execution of Stephen. “Approved,” has the sense of “decide together with someone else that something is good.” Saul was with those who put Stephen to death, he agreed with what they were doing. In modern language we might say he was an “accomplice after the fact.”  That underscores the doctrine of grace. Whatever we have done, whatever the sins of our past, if we repent and come to God on His terms, we will be forgiven.

            “…And there arose that day a great persecution…” The execution of Stephen was a “trigger” which seemed to precipitate a wider spread, intense, persecution of the believers in Jerusalem. There had been a definite escalation of the opposition against the Christ-followers. Up until now the persecution was more specifically targeting the apostles. First they were threatened (4), then they were beaten (5), one of them was put to death, and now a wide spread “great persecution” had begun.  This was the first wide spread, generalized, persecution of the church.  Since the death penalty had been used, without apparent reprisals from Rome, the lives of the Christ followers were in jeopardy.

            We don’t see “persecution” in this sense against believers in our country. It may be that the rising tide of negativity against those who believe the Bible and affirm the idea that God’s Word is absolutely true is a harbinger of things to come. In the media it does seem at times that evangelical Christians are the one group, the one minority, that it is politically acceptable to ridicule. The early centuries of the church saw far worse, and the believers in the Islamic countries of Asia and the mid-east have it much worse today. Notice what happens however in Acts 8…

            “…and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria…” The mention of Judea and Samaria together like this might recall the prediction of Jesus in Acts 1:8. He had said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses to me, in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.” The concentrated ministry of the Gospel of Jesus in Jerusalem was bound to expand to all of Judea and Samaria, and eventually outward from there. Could it be that persecution would be the means that God would use to get that plan into motion? 

            “…except the apostles…” One of the things we noted in the story of Stephen is that he was not one of the twelve. Jesus commissioned his apostles in Acts 1:8 and there may have been initially some question in the mind of the reader of Acts as to who the great commission really applied. Was this for the apostles only? Was the church a result of the mission or a part of the mission? But the story of Stephen makes it clear that God filled him with the Holy Spirit, he worked through him, God empowered Stephen’s witness.  And we’ll see as the story unfolds that the entire church is to have a part in reaching the world for Christ. It couldn’t be clearer here, they were all scattered, like seeds, except the apostles, and those who were scattered preached the message of Jesus. How is that for church mobilization?

Persecution is not a “good thing” by any stretch of the imagination. But as a consequence the believers were “scattered,” like seed sown in the field of the world, and so we see that God’s sovereignty is such that He will over-rule even the sinful acts of humans to accomplish His good purpose.

II. Perspective of Faith: Despite the risk, some will have a willingness to fear God, not men (8:2).  ² Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him...” 

            Burial of someone who had been stoned like this was permitted, it might be viewed as an act of compassion, or even the decent thing to do.  It is somewhat reminiscent of the death of Jesus, when Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went and asked for the body of Jesus and gave him a proper burial. Even this kind of act would carry the possibility of being identified with the Christ followers – guilt by association. They are described as “devout men,” which would seem to imply that they were believers, if not yet converted, they were at least pious Jews who were sympathetic to the message of the Messiah.

            They went further however, and “made great lamentation over him.” This was in violation of Jewish tradition. If someone was stoned, they were considered to be guilty of capital offense, and it was not permitted to mourn publically their death. “Great lamentation” implies the loud and persistent public weeping which characterized funerals in the ANE. It wasn’t hidden, there was no chance that it would go unnoticed.  It seems to indicate genuine affection for Stephen and perhaps agreement, or at least sympathy, with his message and ministry.  Why would they take such risk? It seems they had gained perspective that went beyond this present eil age. It seems they understood that the suffering of this present age is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. It seems that they had learned to fear God, not men, because God's sovereignty is such that He will overrule even the sinful acts of humans to accomplish His good purpose.

III. Persistence of the Resistance:  Resistance to the Truth will continue and at times will be intense (8:3). “But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”

            “But Saul was ravaging the church…” The verbal tense describes an ongoing, repeated action in the past. It didn’t happen just once, it was something that was constant and continual. This is the only time this particular word appears in the New Testament. In secular literature it was used to describe violent mauling by a wild animal.  In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, it appears to describe exactly what will not happen in the millennial Kingdom: “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the LORD (Isa 65:25).  Like a wolf ravaging the sheep, Saul was seeking out the Christ followers, seeking to stamp out the church.

“….and entering house after house…” Notice that it was no longer just an attack on the public ministry of the Gospel, but a pursuit of believers that went private, into homes.

            “…he dragged off men and women….” This meant families would be broken up, children left as orphans. Parents separated from children, husbands from wives.  The church has passed through periods like this in its history. It seems long ago and far away to us Americans. But for Christians in Iraq or Syria or Iran, or parts of Africa, it is reality, it is what they live with. Recently the remaining Christians are being told to leave Syria, if they can find a country who will take them, with only the shirts on their backs.

This looked like a desperate and dangerous situation, and it was. But God is bigger than any circumstance that we will face. God’s sovereignty is such that He will over-rule even the sinful acts of humans to accomplish His good purpose.

IV. Promise of His Plan: God will work even through the hard times to accomplish His good purpose (8:4). ⁴ Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.”

            Persecution and scattering might have initially looked like a defeat. However Jesus is building His church. They were scattered, like seed, and they carried on with the mission. Jesus is Lord, and the Lamb, He defeated death in the resurrection, He ascended to heaven before the eyes of witnesses, He is at the Father’s right hand and sent the Spirit as our comforter. That is too much good news to keep to ourselves!

            Notice who is preaching, those scattered did not include the apostles. The church was mobilized by necessity, and the mission went on and the message went out. We noted last week that the ministry of Stephen left no doubt that the call to witness in the power of the Spirit was not restricted to the apostles.

            The entire church was mobilized, and it was not out of a sense of spontaneous obedience, but rather an evaluation of the circumstances and a response of faith.  I want to make the point that God used a tragic situation and a painful circumstance to accomplish His good purpose. In case we miss the connection, a little later in Acts, 11:19-23, some of those who were scattered made their way to Antioch and planted a church.

¹⁹ Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.  ²⁰ But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.  ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.  ²² The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  ²³ When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose…

Notice that as Luke is telling the story of the early church he makes an unambiguous allusion back to our context (Acts 8:1-4). He wants us to understand that the ripples are still going outward, and in fact Barnabas will go and recruit that young rabbi who was at the heart of the persecution in Acts 7,8, Saul, to have a part in the leadership of the church in Antioch.  This would become a time of transition as the preaching of the Gospel goes from the Jews only, to including the gentiles.  And a church is founded in Antioch.  In Acts 13ff. that becomes the missionary sending church for Paul and Barnabas and later Silas, sending the Word out to Asia and Europe.

What is God saying to me in this passage? God’s sovereignty is such that He will over-rule even the sinful acts of humans to accomplish His good purpose.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Suffering and the sovereignty of God is one of those subjects we would rather avoid (I know I would!). If things are going well we don’t want to consider that our world could be devastated at any moment. If we are in the midst of a trial, many times it is hard to imagine that God could possibly turn this around and use it for something good. If God is good, and He is also powerful, why is there so much suffering in the world?  If God could take the situation in the Jerusalem church after the death of Stephen and turn it around for good, do you think He may be able to work through the crisis you are going through?  The Lord’s Table is a reminder of the most profound example of what God can do. The torture, humiliation, and murder of the sinless Son of God, the greatest evil imaginable, was used to accomplish the salvation of a people for himself. That is how great our God is! And this is how He showed His love among us, He sent His one and only Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Paul said it this way: “God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).   Think about that as we prepare our hearts to share the Lord’s table.     AMEN.

The Persecuted Church: The Voice of the Martyrs Acts 7:54-8:1a

[My apologies of this posting being late, I am having computer problems and can't access the internet from home at the moment, SN].

The Persecuted Church: The Voice of the Martyrs

(or, “The Faithful Witness and the Work of the Spirit”)

Acts 7:54-8:1a

Introduction: This week as we come to the story of the death of Stephen in Acts, we’ve been reminded in our extended church family that the death of the saints, believers in Jesus, is precious to the Lord. Some in the world try to avoid the subject of death with humor…

I don't mind dying as long as I am not there when it happens.                      Woody Allen 

 I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming in terror like his passengers.                                                                                                                  Jim Harkins 

“Famous last words…” Some are funny, some are fearful, some are full of faith. Here are a few I found online…

Oh Lord, forgive the misprints!                       Andrew Bradford, American book-publisher 

Go away... I'm alright.                                                                      Last words of H. G. Wells 

 The rest is silence.                                                                Hamlet, Hamlet by Shakespeare 

 Call the office and tell them I won't be in on Monday.

Betty Allen, who worked until her death at 93

WC Fields reportedly said, “You mean to tell me I have enough money to buy a bicycle for every child in New York?” “Yes” came the reply. His reply, edited, “Fuhgedaboutit!” 

 “Now comes the mystery…”                                                                     Henry Ward Beecher

“Children, when I am gone, sing a song of praise to God…”                      Susanna Wesley

“I shall be with Christ, and that is enough…”                                           Michael Faraday

Whether in history or in literature, last words can be impactful, since they reveal something about what is on the heart and mind of the person who is leaving this life.  The witness of Stephen is empowered by the Spirit, his words reveal a heart that has experienced God’s grace and has peace. The response of his accusers exposes their guilt, they are “convicted” by the light shone on their unbelief. 

The Big Idea: The Spirit will empower God’s people to graciously speak the truth, even when they are attacked. Some who hear will believe, others will have their unbelief exposed.

I. Obstacles: The Darkness of the Flesh and Enmity with God (54). “When they heard these things, they became furious and ground their teeth at him.”   

            “When they heard these things…” What was it that they had heard? Stephen had reviewed some major characters and events from Israel’s history showing God’s gracious action on their behalf, and the nation’s repeated rejection of the deliverers God had sent to them. They could not deny what was written in their own Scriptures but the application became too personal too quickly: “You are just like your fathers!” They rejected the prophets God sent, and you rejected the promised One of whom the prophets spoke!

            “…they became furious…” i.e., “…they were cut to the quick…”  This is a very different reaction than we saw back in Acts 2 and 3 when Peter preached Christ and he called his countrymen to account for rejecting him. Then we saw thousands repent and be converted to the faith. Here, Stephen’s speech brings violent anger and results in his death. Something to think about: How do we measure success in our service for the Lord? Was Peter a success, and Stephen a failure? The words of Charles Colson come to mind, “God doesn’t demand our success, He demands our obedience…” Stephen was a faithful witness, and they were “cut to the quick.”

This phrase occurs only twice in the NT, here and in Acts 5:33 when the apostles response to the Sanhedrin also infuriated them.  It seems to me this is another example of the Spirit working through the preaching of the Word to convict the hearers. The promised Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would “convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment…”  What is conviction?  The root meaning of the word is to expose, to bring to light.  We have examples of “positive conviction,” for example in Acts 2 and 3, where the hearers have their guilt exposed by the preaching of Peter, and they repent and turn in faith to Jesus. These hearers on the other hand, have their guilt exposed, in their own hearts, and also by their actions in refusing to recognize and turn from their sin. Their unbelief is exposed, it is laid bare, and rather than repenting they turn against the Light that shined through Stephen’s testimony.  So “they ground their teeth at them…” The language pictures a mob seething in anger, ready to explode at any moment.

            C. As Luke is writing Acts he has shown the overwhelming, explosive, growth of the church. But it hasn’t been without challenges and trials. The opposition to the church has been intensifying but nothing will impede what God is determined to do. The blindness of the religious leaders reminds us as to why our mission is so important. The World is in rebellion against God. Unbelievers are dead in sin, slaves to Satan, blind and deaf to the truth.  That is a bit of an obstacle to our witness! We can’t intellectually persuade anyone to believe, that is, we can’t do it without the supernatural intervention of the King of the Universe, breathing life into those who need to know Him. My point here is not to discourage you, but rather to encourage you that God is still working through the foolishness of the gospel to save those who believe. That means that some will hear and respond. So be encouraged, and “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

*** The Spirit will empower God’s people to graciously speak the truth, even when they are attacked. Some will believe, others will have their unbelief exposed.

II. Outlook: God’s Word will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent (55-58).

A. In the Light of the Spirit: Seeing the Truth (55,56). ^“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  ⁵⁶ "Look!" he said. "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

Notice first of all that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. This is not a state that is only attainable by the few, by the “super-spiritual.” This is what we are made for, this is normal, healthy, Christianity. The Apostle Paul would later write, “Do not be drunk with wine, where in is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit…” (Eph 5:18). The contrast is between living our life controlled by a substance that might deaden our pain in the moment but which won’t solve anything, or living our life controlled by the supernatural presence of the Creator of the universe, our omniscient and omnipotent King and Savior.  This is the backbone of the theology of Acts: this present age is the age of the Spirit. He is God, present in every believer. We need to recognize and yield to his presence.

Stephen got a preview of heaven, a glimpse into the presence of God. God granted him that revelation, and notice that he shared exactly what he had seen.  Remember that in Stephen’s speech he spoke of Joseph, who was given a vision by God which he shared with his brothers. He only told the truth, and his brothers were jealous, and hated him, and sold him into slavery.  That didn’t go so well!  Stephen knew what was happening, he saw this story unfolding, yet he continued his faithful witness, sharing exactly what God allowed him to see. Notice there is one small change in what Luke says Stephen saw, and what he said.  Instead of saying he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, he says he saw the Son of Man  standing at the right hand of God.  “Son of Man” was a title Jesus used for himself. It was the one messianic title appeared in the Old Testament Scriptures, but was open to interpretation – a little ambiguous. Then finally, when he is under examination by the Council He says, “You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven!”  Then there was no doubt, He was referring to Daniel 7:13,14 and claiming to be Messiah!  This is the only place in the New Testament, here in Acts 7, where someone other than Jesus uses that title to refer to Him.  And since He is at the right hand of the Father there is no doubt that Stephen is calling Him the Messiah – the Son of Man is the Son of God!  He only told the truth, and like Joseph in the Old Testament, he incurs the wrath of his brethren.

B. The depth of Depravity: Rejection of the Truth (57-58).

Very dramatically, Luke shows us that Stephen’s accusers would not hear (57).  “But they covered their ears, shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent.” They did not want to listen, they did not want to hear another word.  Paul described the natural man’s response to the things of the Spirit in I Cor 2:14, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” They would not listen, they could not understand, dramatically they cover their ears and they rushed him with one intent. No mystery here, they wanted to do away with this annoying voice! This scene reminds me of the Auca tribesmen who attacked the five missionaries in the jungle is Equador, including Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, and began shooting them with arrows – darkness trying to extinguish light. One of the attackers who was later converted described the frenzy when the missionaries pulled out the first few arrows, and did not fire a weapon in return on their attackers.

 

• They sought to blot out the light (58; 8:1a). ^“When they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul…  ^8:1aAnd Saul approved of his execution.” The Jews apparently were not allowed to execute anyone under Roman law, but in their fury they didn’t let that stop them, they began to stone him. This was not simply punishment, it was intended to kill. Ironically the stoners of Stephen are called “witnesses.” Jesus had told the disciples in Acts 1:8, that the Spirit would empower them to be his witnesses, starting in Jerusalem and all of Judea. In case we weren’t clear about it, that wasn’t a mission given only to the twelve, Stephen is filled with the Spirit, and powerfully gives testimony that Jesus Christ is Lord. The word “witness,” martus,  is the word from which the English word “martyr” is derived. The path that it took for the meaning to change from probably is connected to the witnesses of Christ in history who gave their lives rather than denying their Lord.
   
• Fox’s Book of Martyrs traces examples of people through the centuries who stood firm in their profession rather than recant their faith in Christ and paid the ultimate price. Missionaries in the modern era, like Jim Eliot and Nate Saint, risked their lives and ultimately gave their lives in seeking to bring the gospel to those who were in darkness. Today Christians in many of the Islamic republics in North Africa and Asia are at risk if they openly profess faith, and even more so if they seek to share their faith, and any who would convert to Christianity could be putting their lives in danger. After being threatened with hanging, only this week Miriam Yahia Ibrahim was allowed to leave Sudan for Italy with her new born child.  Pastor Saeed Abedini continues to be held in an Iranian prison – he’s only been allowed two visits from his family in the last two years.
   
• And notice that Saul is standing by, approving. Knowing the bigger story, that gives us hope. We can be encouraged that even this determined opponent who sought to destroy Christianity, encountered the resurrected, living Christ and had his life changed completely. No one is too difficult, too hardened, too determined in their unbelief.

*** The Spirit will empower God’s people to graciously speak the truth, even when they are attacked. Some will believe, others will have their unbelief exposed. There will be OBSTACLES, but the OUTLOOK is positive since God’s Word will not return void. His presence gives us OPPORTUNITY to be a faithful witness.

III. Opportunity: The Blessings of an Eternal Perspective (59-60). An eternal perspective will show us how to live, in this case it also shows Stephen how to die. Stephen lived and died by faith, because he knew God’s grace and had peace with God and the peace of God.

Stephen could face this moment in Faith, he knew God and had his trust in Him.  ⁵⁹ “They continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Even as they were stoning him and he faced death, he reflected his faith in his savior, even echoing some of the things Jesus said from the cross. “Receive my Spirit!”  It is interesting that here he prays to Jesus, and he prays like Jesus.  Our prayers go to God and Stephen recognized the deity of Christ. He also understood that to be absent from the body was to me present with the Lord. Even as he was facing death, he did so in faith, believing God, and trusting in Jesus. As Jesus prayed, in faith, for the Father to received His spirit, Stephen prays, trusting in the Lord, for Him to receive His Spirit.

-Next we see an attitude of Grace. ⁶⁰“Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" He doesn’t call for lightening from heaven, he doesn’t ask for an angel with a flaming sword to strike down his attackers. He knew God’s grace, and like Jesus did, he prays for grace and mercy toward his attackers.  Like Jesus had prayed for those who crucified Him, Stephen intercedes for his attackers. Could you? Would you? I remember at our Thanksgiving service, when the Simons came and Jude prayed for the salvation of those who had tortured and killed his father – that kind of gracious response can only come to those who have an eternal perspective and understand what is at stake. Because we know God’s grace, because we are recipients of grace, we should be gracious people toward those around us, even those who would do us harm.

-Finally, we see Stephen had Peace. Luke doesn’t just say he “died,” but rather, in a tender expression reserved for the death of believers, “…and when he had said this, he fell asleep.”  Baxter as he lay dying said, “I have pain, but I have peace…” It is a peace that passes understanding. A peace that comes from knowing God’s forgiveness and being assured of His presence. There is no despair, no overwhelming fear, for the child of God in death. We have peace, a calm assurance that death is by no means the end, that God is with us and to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Rather than terror or fear or horror, we have calmness because God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are His, and so there is nothing left to fear.

What is God saying to me in this passage? The Spirit will empower God’s people to graciously speak the truth, even when they are attacked. The response will be mixed. Some will believe, others will have their unbelief exposed. The results are up to God. He doesn’t demand our “success,” He demands our obedience.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Do you feel your witness for the Lord is a failure because you don’t see people coming to faith in Christ? You can’t save anyone. God doesn’t demand our success in terms of numbers, he does demand our obedience in terms of faithfully speaking the truth, giving a reason for the hope that is in us. Our mission is not an optional part of the Christian life. It is not something for the professionals, it is the mission that Jesus has given the church, it is what we were left in the world to do. The obstacles we face may discourage us, but they needn’t defeat us. The outlook is bright because God’s Word is true and it will accomplish his purpose. We have an opportunity, to walk in the Spirit, to live by faith, to be gracious because we have experienced grace, and to experience peace even in chaotic times. Why did God leave us in the world? He doesn’t desire that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Our calling is to be witnesses to the light in the place that he has put us.   Is there someone in your sphere of influence who needs to know Jesus?  You are God’s missionary where He was placed you. Think about that.    AMEN.