1. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... What are you FULL of?

2. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, _________.

3. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... My baloney has a first name, it’s ___________.

4. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Sermon Stickiness Lecture (15%) Reading (22%) Demonstration (32%) Discussion (45%) Practice (79%) Doing (90%) (Source: Society of Human Resource Management)

5. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Sermon Subject... THE STORY OF THE STONING OF STEPHEN

6. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Today’s Theme... If you’re full of the Spirit, you’re free, faithful, fearless, fruitful, and, frankly, fantastic. If you’re full of anything else, you’re fried.

7. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Outline START FINISH

8. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... START

9. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... SETTING

10. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. (All scripture quotations from the New International Version®)

11. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Squabble

12. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 2 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.

13. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 3 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 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

14. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 5 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...

15. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly...

16. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Seven Servants

17. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Stephen

18. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Stephen Stephanos = “crown” One of 72? 120? 3,000? Full of the Spirit, wisdom and faith

19. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... SEIZURE

20. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

21. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Signs

22. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 9 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.

23. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... These men began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

24. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Synagogue

25. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Synagogue Sunagoges = “gathering” Synagogue of the Freedmen – former slaves Stephen’s superior Spirit-filled wisdom stumped ‘em all

26. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.“ 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law.

27. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Slander

28. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Slander Secretly spoke against Stephen Stirred ‘em up Said spoke against Temple and Law

29. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.

30. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."

31. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Sanhedrin

32. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Sanhedrin Supreme Court of seventy Same old scene Subornation Full of SELVES

33. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

34. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Shining

35. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Shining Just like Moses and Jesus Reflecting God’s glory Let your light SHINE!

36. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... SERMON

37. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Summary

38. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Summary Survey: Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Joseph to Moses to Prophets to Jesus Seeking: Story of God reaching out but people repeatedly resisting Stupidity: Turned Temple and Law into “gods” Salvation: Saved from stupidity

39. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Specifics

40. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 48 [T]he Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: 49 ”'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool... 50 Has not my hand made all these things?’

41. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Specifics God in a box God in us God in the world

42. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute?

43. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him...

44. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Stiff-necked Spirit Suckers

45. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Stiff-necked Spirit Suckers Stiff-necked? Uncircumcised hearts and ears? Like father, like son: “You always resist the Holy Spirit!” From accused to accuser: You murdered God!

46. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.

47. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Steamed Savages

48. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

49. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... SON OF MAN

50. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Son of Man Stephen: “full of the Holy Spirit” Son of Man? Stand!

51. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... [M]y dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13) Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. (James 5:8)

52. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... STONING

53. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.

54. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Stoning 101 Shunned: dragged outside city Shoved: into 11-foot hole Stoned: witnesses go first, then all Israel

55. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

56. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Sacrifice

57. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Sacrifice Stephen: the Church’s first martyr Martus = “witness” We are ALL witnesses “Crown of life”

58. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Seeds “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” (Tertullian) “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 14:24)

59. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... SCATTERING

60. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... 1b On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria... 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

61. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... SAUL

62. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... [T]he witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. (7:58b) And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. (8:1)

63. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. (8:3)

64. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... STRIKING SIMILARITIES

65. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Striking Similarities Signs Shining Sanhedrin Solo Son of Man Selfless sacrifice Shunned Submission

66. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Follow the example of CHRIST (1 Corinthians 11:1)

67. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... FINISH

68. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Full?

69. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Full of... Spirit: where it all starts Power: plug in Wisdom: know the Word Grace: spread it Faith: trust God 1,827%

70. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Free?

71. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Fearless?

72. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Forgiving?

73. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Fruitful?

74. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Fruit of the Sinful Nature immoralityimpuritydebaucheryidolatry hatreddiscorddrunkennessjealousy fits of ragefactionsdissensionsenvy selfish ambition... “Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:21)

75. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... Fruit of the Spirit love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

76. How should we live? What are you FULL of? Opening Question... How will YOU finish?