ACTS 6:8 - ACTS 7
"Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose........"
I hope and pray that as we read and teach through the book of Acts, you are seeing the patterns of reality alongside the promises of provisions. God is real, God is good, and the enemy hates what is faithful. This has been the patterns of reality since the beginning of time. We see that the more faithful man is, the more hateful the world gets. The more hateful the world gets, the more provisions and grace is provided to those who are faithful.
This is a reality that once again shows itself in this week's text. The sermon preached by one of the first ever deacons (Stephen) will go down as one of the greatest messages ever given. Now guess how the world responded.
Stephen began his message in Genesis and ended in where the people were in that very day. He spoke to the people about the promises of Abraham, the seas splitting for Moses, and the salvation brought by Jesus. He closed with hard words of how the people of the world have opposed the ways of God each and every step of the way. Now guess how the world responded.
At this point in the story, the lost world could not hold back its punches anymore. They had had enough! They tried threats, they tried jail, and now it was time to put an end to all this "Jesus talk." Now guess how God responded.
God's Word in Genesis 50 says, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save people alive." Once again, we see the patterns of reality!
In this text we see the very first martyr, a person killed for their beliefs in Jesus. Stephen will be stoned to death and dragged through the city for speaking the name of Christ.
In the very same text, we see God use this death to better spread His church! His provisions will always outweigh the world's attempts. Even when the world does evil against the people of God, God's plan reigns supreme. God will use even the ones who give orders to kill to one day preach sermons of life. This lost world can not hinder the plans of God, no matter how hard it tries.
Stay faithful church.
This is a reality that once again shows itself in this week's text. The sermon preached by one of the first ever deacons (Stephen) will go down as one of the greatest messages ever given. Now guess how the world responded.
Stephen began his message in Genesis and ended in where the people were in that very day. He spoke to the people about the promises of Abraham, the seas splitting for Moses, and the salvation brought by Jesus. He closed with hard words of how the people of the world have opposed the ways of God each and every step of the way. Now guess how the world responded.
At this point in the story, the lost world could not hold back its punches anymore. They had had enough! They tried threats, they tried jail, and now it was time to put an end to all this "Jesus talk." Now guess how God responded.
God's Word in Genesis 50 says, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save people alive." Once again, we see the patterns of reality!
In this text we see the very first martyr, a person killed for their beliefs in Jesus. Stephen will be stoned to death and dragged through the city for speaking the name of Christ.
In the very same text, we see God use this death to better spread His church! His provisions will always outweigh the world's attempts. Even when the world does evil against the people of God, God's plan reigns supreme. God will use even the ones who give orders to kill to one day preach sermons of life. This lost world can not hinder the plans of God, no matter how hard it tries.
Stay faithful church.
Scripture to go along with the message
Read Genesis 50 as we see this truth fully expanded on.
Posted in Year One