“Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground’” (Acts 7:33)

Threats to the Kingdom  Persecution from without (4: 1-31, 5:17-42)  Prayer (4:24-30)  Rejoicing! (5:41)  Continued speaking the word (4:31, 5:42)  Corruption from within (5:1-11)  Recognition and confrontation (5:3-4, 9)  Fear! (5:5, 11)  Distraction (6: 1-6)  Complaints from Grecian Jews (see Ex. 16, Num. 17)  What could be the underlying issues?  Response? Choose 7 men to handle this ministry  Result? The number of disciples increased rapidly

The arrest of Stephen  Opposition arises from the synagogue(s)  Grecian Jews who were unable to debate successfully  Agitated the crowd (and the officials) to arrest him  Charges lodged against Stephen  Speaking against Moses (or against the law, saying that Jesus would change the customs delivered by Moses)  Speaking against God (specifically against the temple, God’s dwelling place, saying that Jesus will destroy “this place”)  The question: “Are these charges true?”

Stephen’s Response  Begins with the story of Abraham  The God of glory appeared to him in Mesopotamia  “Leave your country and your people and go to a land I will show you.”  Abraham was given no permanent place; circumcision becomes the sign of God’s covenant

Stephen’s Response, part 2  Continues with the story of Joseph  Rejected by his brothers, sold as a slave into Egypt  Yet God was with him! (see Genesis 39: 20-21)  After bringing his family to safety in Egypt, he died and was later buried at Shechem (Joshua 24:32)

Stephen’s Response, part 3  The story of Moses is paradigmatic  As special child, saved from death as an infant  Acted to rescue his people, but they did not recognize him  After fleeing Egypt, encountered God in the flames of a burning bush  Moses returned to Egypt to deliver God’s people, but  They rejected him and his words of life  They chose to worship what their hands had made  God “gave them over” (see Ex. 23, Num. 31, Rom. 1)  Not only to wander in the wilderness, but later in the exile  Yet God gave them the tabernacle of Testimony

Stephen’s Response, part 4  The building of the temple  David, who enjoyed God’s favor, wished to build it  But Solomon (the idolater?) finally constructed it  Yet the temple could never “surround” God  Stephen quotes Isaiah 66: 1-2  Solomon had said the same thing (1 Kings 8:27)  The summation  You are just like your ancestors!  Resisting God’s Spirit  Persecuting God’s servants  You received the law, but never obeyed it  i.e., you know the story, but you have never put yourself in it!

The Stoning of Stephen  The crowd is furious!  Stephen has a vision of the glory of God  The heavens opened  Jesus standing at God’s right hand—and then says it!  The crowd drags him out and begins to stone him  Stephen’s final words  “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (see Lk. 23: 46)  “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Lk. 23:34)  Now the persecution begins in earnest  The church scatters  Saul begins to destroy the church, pursuing the disciples from house to house (and village to village)  But the word scatters as well! (8:4; see 1:8)