The Martyrdom Of St. James & St. Stephen Or THANK GOD HE Does Grade Us on a Curve at Judgement Day, Christ The KING Presbyterian Ministries
Paul Wallace
Ordained Pastor, Both Conventional & Social Media Ministries, Fire Department Chaplain, Maintenance Worker 1, Certified Safety Professional, Proven Governmental Leader, True Team Builder, You will love all of this resume
The Martyrdom Of St. James & St. Stephen
Or THANK GOD HE Does Grade Us on a Curve at Judgement Day,
We take an important week off from our Matthew series to again focus on the Sunday in the Calendar Year to reflect on the Martyrdom of St. James, Observed on July 25, and using our rule as in 2022, the 25 falls on Monday, so The Sunday Previous is Observed.
Though Most of our Lesson will focus on St. Stephen, and how His life, reminds us how false the “Health & Wealth” western Teaching is, we will also look at St. James and how his Beheading by Herod helps us clearly see why the hatred by the Religious Leaders of Jesus was so complete, as to have to hand HIM over to Rome for assassination, and NO my Church History Professor, It Was NOT because the Jews could not Execute, but that dripping hatred demands Jesus be accursed, we will read that in a few minutes.
So, a look again at The Martyrdom Of St. Stephen, and the Foundation of Salvation
We will be looking again at the Martyrdom of St. Stephen, as a response to a heresy that is racing through the Church at staggering speed.
You see in the last few months I have witnessed a term being uttered by prominent Baptist, who can be excused as they have a false doctrine of self-improvement and individual acceptance of our LORD Jesus Christ, but what needs to be readdressed is my Fellow Presbyterian Pastors, who for the Record are to Swear to the Understanding of John Calvin’s TULIP principle.
Total Depravity= We are so given to a Sinful Nature we can Never save ourselves, Choose Christ of our own free will as we are Dead (for real) in our sins, and are naturally and rightfully doomed to righteous destruction.
Unconditional Election= We are saved by the Mercy and Grace of the FATHER’S preordained Choosing Alone, and by HIS election ALONE.
Limited Atonement= The Blood of Christ, though very capable of Saving every human ever born, is yet according to the Biblical Narrative applied ONLY to the Elect of the FATHER, and those alone, not by merit, but by Mercy and Grace alone.
So, if your Pastor is teaching you just what Jacob did, and Esau did not do to warrant salvation, walk out on them, as Jacob was saved by Mercy alone, and Esau done Justly too.
Irresistible Call= It is impossible for the Elect of the FATHER to NOT accept our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. Since we were indeed Dead in our Trespass and Sins, we cannot awaken ourselves, and thus cannot ‘Make a decision for Christ” of our own doing, we would need to be truly awaken from the Dead first in order to accept such a call.
If you are a Quick study, it does indeed mean WE CANNOT BACKSLIDE, as We never had a hand in our salvation to start with, and it is the full work of the TRIUNE GOD Alone!!!
Perseverance of the Saints= Since we did not awaken ourselves from the Dead, we also cannot “Lose” our salvation as it was NOT ours to choose in the first place.
This simply means, if our FATHER in Heaven chose us from the beginning of Time, then by the Grace of GOD we can never loose what HE first had to give us.
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Now, to you outside of Presbyterian Ministry you might wonder why this is huge?
Well, it means everything as these Pastors, Stand Before their Presbyteries, and Swear BEFORE GOD, YES BEFORE GOD, that they understand and believe this is the understanding of the Biblical Narrative, and yet we hear each week the third point of their Standard Sermon a self-improvement application, as they are more Arminian than Reformed and this point gives it away.
But really, why are we looking at this?
Well, as I said in the last few months, I have heard Pastors of many Denominations, and sadly “Reformed” Presbyterians too, use a phrase, “At Judgement Day, GOD is Not going to Grade on a Curve”.
This phrase can ONLY come from the Mouth of the Self Righteous, Religious Church leader, no better than the misleaders of the Worlds other self-righteous Religions and NOT from a True Christian Teacher.
You see, On Our KNEES, Face Prostrate to the ground are we in tears praising GOD the FATHER, that HE indeed DOES Grade on the most tremendous Curve, as we HAVE NO RIGHTEOUSNESS to Bring PERIOD!!!!!!
So, Yes Thank YOU FATHER for Choosing us by Mercy alone, SON Jesus Christ For Fully purchasing our Sins and Souls, as well as HOLY SPIRIT for awakening us from the Dead, causing us to truly accept Jesus Christ, and indwelling us for Life.
So, YES, and Thank GOD, HE does grade on the most amazing curve as HE Sees us as JESUS and the Train Load of Sins we bring are completely place on Jesus, as HE fully buys us completely.
You might think that was the Lesson, and yes it will be a huge part of our next, but as we look at Stephen, focus on how the LORD Used His short Earthly Life to HIS Honor and Glory, through Christ our LORD
Let’s pray by the mercy, the HOLY SPIRIT to open our eyes to the fact that the LORD has a plan and right to use our lives to HIS honor and Glory, and that for both St. Stephen, and St. James their Martyrdom was in fact the end ONLY to their Earthly Tour of Duty, and the beginning to their Eternal Orders to Go Home and the Heavenly Reward.
Let’s run to worship,
Call To Worship
Psalm ?18:2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Processional
Holy GOD We Praise Thy Name
1. Holy God, we praise thy name;
Lord of all, we bow before thee;
all on earth thy scepter claim;
all in heaven above adore thee.
Infinite thy vast domain;
everlasting is thy reign.
2. Hark the glad celestial hymn
angel choirs above are raising;
cherubim and seraphim,
in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heavens with sweet accord:
Holy, holy, holy Lord.
4. Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit: three we name thee,
though in essence only one;
undivided God we claim thee,
and adoring bend the knee
while we own the mystery
A Classic from the Past Coral Ridge Presbyterian, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Samuel Metzger Organist
54 seconds in My Classmate at Knox, and Co-Intern at Seacrest Charlie Boatright,
Passing Of The Peace Of Christ
May the Peace of Christ Be With You
ALL: And Also With You!!
Please take a minute to pass the peace of Christ
Hymn
Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go
Indelible Grace
First Reading
2nd Chronicles 35
1 ? Then Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover animals on the fourteenth day of the first month.
?2 He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.
?3 He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
?4 "Prepare yourselves by your fathers' households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon.
?5 "Moreover, stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers' households of your brethren the lay people, and according to the Levites, by division of a father's household.
?6 "Now slaughter the Passover animals, sanctify yourselves and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the LORD by Moses."
?7 Josiah contributed to the lay people, to all who were present, flocks of lambs and young goats, all for the Passover offerings, numbering 30,000 plus 3,000 bulls; these were from the king's possessions.
?8 His officers also contributed a freewill offering to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings 2,600 from the flocks and 300 bulls.
?9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites for the Passover offerings 5,000 from the flocks and 500 bulls.
?10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood at their stations and the Levites by their divisions according to the king's command.
?11 They slaughtered the Passover animals, and while the priests sprinkled the blood received from their hand, the Levites skinned them.
?12 Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the sections of the fathers' households of the lay people to present to the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this also with the bulls.
?13 So they roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the ordinance, and they boiled the holy things in pots, in kettles, in pans, and carried them speedily to all the lay people.
?14 Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.
?15 The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the gatekeepers at each gate did not have to depart from their service, because the Levites their brethren prepared for them.
?16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD according to the command of King Josiah.
?17 Thus the sons of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days.
?18 There had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
?19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign this Passover was celebrated.
?20 ? After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt came up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to engage him.
?21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, "What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you."
?22 However, Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to make war with him; nor did he listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to make war on the plain of Megiddo.
?23 The archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, "Take me away, for I am badly wounded."
?24 So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in the second chariot which he had, and brought him to Jerusalem where he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
?25 Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations.
?26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion as written in the law of the LORD,
?27 and his acts, first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
(NAS95)
This Is The WORD Of The LORD
Response By All: Thanks Be To GOD
Hymn
Come Let Us Sing Unto The LORD
Our Friends at Faith Presbyterian, Tacoma, Washington Mr. Ron Bechtel Organist
The LORD’S Prayer & Apostles Creed Read By All
Matthew 6:9 ? And Jesus said "In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
?10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
?11 Give us this day our daily bread.
?12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
?13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Christian What Do You Believe?
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholic Church;
The Communion of Saints;
The Forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body,
And the Life everlasting.
Amen.
The Doxology
Praise GOD From Whom All Blessings Flow: Tune All Creatures of Our God and King
Second Reading And Lesson: The Martyrdom Of St Stephen
Setting the Foundation of our Salvation and GOD’S Grading THANK HIM ALONE on a Curve
Second Reading?The Martyrdom Of St. Stephen
Our reading is very long and every word important to the context reading so the Lesson will be more of a homily
Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
?4 "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
?5 The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.
?6 And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
Ac 6:8 ? And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
?9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.
?10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.
?11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."
?12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council.
?13 They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law;
?14 for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us."
?15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
Ac 7:1 ? The high priest said, "Are these things so?"
?2 And he said, "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
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?3 and said to him, 'LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME INTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU.'
?4 "Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.
?5 "But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that HE WOULD GIVE IT TO HIM AS A POSSESSION, AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER HIM.
?6 "But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.
?7 "'AND WHATEVER NATION TO WHICH THEY WILL BE IN BONDAGE I MYSELF WILL JUDGE,' said God, 'AND AFTER THAT THEY WILL COME OUT AND SERVE ME IN THIS PLACE.'
?8 "And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
?9 "The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him,
?10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.
?11 "Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food.
?12 "But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time.
?13 "On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family was disclosed to Pharaoh.
?14 "Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all.
?15 "And Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died.
?16 "From there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
?17 ? "But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
?18 until THERE AROSE ANOTHER KING OVER EGYPT WHO KNEW NOTHING ABOUT JOSEPH.
?19 "It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.
?20 "It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father's home.
?21 "And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.
?22 "Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.
?23 "But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.
?24 "And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.
?25 "And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.
?26 "On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?'
?27 "But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, 'WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND JUDGE OVER US?
?28 'YOU DO NOT MEAN TO KILL ME AS YOU KILLED THE EGYPTIAN YESTERDAY, DO YOU?'
?29 "At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN, where he became the father of two sons.
?30 ? "After forty years had passed, AN ANGEL APPEARED TO HIM IN THE WILDERNESS OF MOUNT Sinai, IN THE FLAME OF A BURNING THORN BUSH.
?31 "When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:
?32 'I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.' Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look.
?33 "BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, 'TAKE OFF THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND.
?34 'I HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THE OPPRESSION OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT AND HAVE HEARD THEIR GROANS, AND I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM; COME NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.'
?35 "This Moses whom they disowned, saying, 'WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?' is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.
?36 "This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
?37 "This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.'
?38 "This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.
?39 "Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
?40 SAYING TO AARON, 'MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT--WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.'
?41 "At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
?42 ? "But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL?
?43 'YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD ROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.'
?44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.
?45 "And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the time of David.
?46 "David found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
?47 "But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.
?48 "However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
?49 'HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord, 'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE?
?50 'WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'
?51 ? "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.
?52 "Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;
?53 you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it."
?54 ? Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.
?55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
?56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
?57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.
?58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
?59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"
?60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.
(NAS95)
This Is The WORD Of The LORD
Response By All: Thanks Be To GOD
Lesson: The Martyrdom Of St. Stephen
This Year we will focus on the Martyrdom of St. Stephen, as it sets us up for Our Matthew Chapter 10 Lessons in the Weeks to come, we also remember the Martyrdom of St. James the Greater (Brother of John).
As I promise this will be a brief homily as not to get in the way of the clear Bible text we just read and we will quickly look at
1 Who was Stephen?
2 What was he called to do?
3 How does this address our pain and Suffering in a “do good things, get good things preaching world”?
4 And finally Stephen’s home going
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Now Briefly as I noted in our longer than normal opening, Both the Martyrdom of saint Stephen, and that of St. James, reminds us fully that the Jewish Leaders Had the Power under the Law to execute, and it still puzzles me how my Church History Professor could stumble on this!
It Also tells us bluntly the Level of Hatred the Religious Leaders had for Jesus ?Listen to what St. John recalled, and this from Pilate’s own mouth, Joh 18:29 Therefore Pilate went out to them and *said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"
?30 They answered and said to him, "If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you."
?31 So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death,"
?32 to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.
At first glance one might think what the Religious leaders are saying is true, but when applied to facts, the are clearly asking for Crucifixion, and John knows it!
Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree, and St. James beheading, and St. Stephen’s Stoning tell us they are not telling Pilate the full story, let’s get to the Homily.
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1 Who was Stephen?
As our text tells us Stephen was one of seven men chosen?Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
This choosing of the first Deacons flies in the face of the way the majority of Presbyterian Denominations select Deacons today as?1st Timothy 3:8 ? Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,
?9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
?10 These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
Clearly sets a higher bar then for the overseer who needs to be all to the standards of 1Ti 3 with the two important differences found in verse 1 if any man aspires to the office of overseer, and 6 and not a new convert the Deacon demands they first be tested and that they are chosen and not seeking the office.
So now that we know the type of person Stephen is let’s look at
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2 What was he called to do?
This is important not to miss as Deacons are also evangelist, as is witnessed in Stephen’s and Phillip’s very first recorded acts, and NO Phillip did not give up his Diaconal as a Pastor tried to suggest at a meeting I was at as Paul called him latter called him Ac 21:8 ? On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.
Stephen is called on to explain the entire Bible to those who have arrested him in the very same manner Jesus explained on the road to Emmaus the whole Old Testament (the New has yet to be penned and these men are living it) points only to Jesus Christ and HIS work of redemption.
Stephen’s explanation of the Whole Bible is save Jesus HIMSELF the Greatest expose of the meaning of the Bible we will find period.
This sets up our next point and maybe tough to hear, especially if you listen to the Do good and the LORD will give you good things types as it begs us to ask the question what about Stephen?
Was he not doing the LORD’S good??
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3 How does this address our pain and Suffering in a “do good things, get good things preaching world”?
This is perhaps the biggest obstacle the Church faces and has crept into places that will surprise you as we have heard the “do good things, get good things” coached in PCA, OPC, and EPC Sermons across this Country.
The Pastor will use the term “this is how we need to live” or “We must read our Bible more and change the way we live”, and the worst “this maybe the reason you are suffering”
Now to some this might seem sound, and yet the blunt truth is that is the garbage council given to Job and sadly has stormed the Reformed Pulpits.
We need to really look at Stephen and ask ourselves, what did Stephen do to cause his martyrdom?
The truth is EVERYTHING GOOD!
What was the outcome?
He was Stoned to Death!
But He was doing good, and obeying GOD, so why didn’t good things happen to him???
This sets up our last point
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4 Stephen’s home going
We in the North American and Western Europe Church have been hypnotized on what exactly is good, and what exactly is not good as possessions, comfort and status have crept into our understand of Good.
It really is why we are stunned when reports tell us of attacks happening worldwide, and yet if all these reports of suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ were in print is would fill the daily newspapers.
We really have been lulled to sleep in believing “if we just obey the 10 Commandments” the LORD will treat us kindly as if we have the strength to obey them at all on our own.
This is the teaching I grew up on and yet it is NOT the WORD of GOD.
What have we learned from Stephen?
He was going about the LORD’S Work and was killed for it, and he will be joined by James John’s brother next who will be killed by the sword (this will be next week’s lesson) Peter was crucified & Paul as a Roman Citizen beheaded both in Rome,?Andrew was Crucified on an X shaped cross and thus the St. Andrew’s Cross, Thomas would die when speared to death, Philip the Apostle and not the Deacon would die at the hand of the Romans, Simon the Zealot is killed in Persia for not sacrificing to the Sun god, Matthias is Burned to death.
All in all according to modern Western Preaching, what did they do to deserve this “punishment” you can include King Josiah who followed the LORD by HIS Grace from our first reading too?
NOTHING!
They were all used by GOD as HE is doing with us for an appointed and preordained purpose that can lead to our Orders to report HOME to Him and all to HIS Honor and Glory.
So the trial you are going through now may end up in your total victory in Jesus Christ through your Orders to report Home (Earthly Death).
They did for Stephen?55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
?56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
?57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.
?58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
?59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"
?60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen upon his death asks the LORD to do what to his Murders?
Yes, the very same prayer Jesus uttered to HIS FATHER on the Cross
Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
Next week we will focus on this Horrible heresy, “Judgement Day Won’t Be Graded On a Curve” Thanking our FATHER In Heaven HE Does Grade on the most Miraculous Curve Period!!
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Hymn
Blessings
Laura Story
The LORD’S Feast
1Corithians 11:23 ? For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
?24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
?25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
?26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
?27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
?28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
?29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly
Let Us Love And Sing And Wonder
Our Friends at Faith Presbyterian, Tacoma, Washington Organist Mr. Ron Bechtel
The LORD’S Benediction
Hebrews 13:20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
?21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Let Us Go Forth As Those Who Love And Proclaim Our Risen LORD And Savior Jesus Christ
Response By All: Thanks Be To GOD, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, AMEN
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Recessional
Ye Watchers And Ye Holy Ones
Our Friends at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, ?New York City, New York