Stephen's Gospel

Acts 6: 11: Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12: And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13: And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

A look at the charges against Stephen will show what Stephen preached and what infuriated these men so.

1. They said that he speaks blasphemy against Moses. Some say this is the same as their charge that he preached against the law but seeing as how Stephen later begins with Abraham and describes the faithfulness of several of the fathers, this may have to do with their garnishing the sepulchers of the dead prophets. It is unheard of in scripture to blaspheme a man, only God can be blasphemed. But the gospel set forth in all Moses writings necessarily means that Moses actually believed and served the Lord (and in some cases was a type of the Lord) who they hated. They claimed to love Moses but all their devotion to a dead prophet proved they hated the Lord which Moses loved. They would have stoned Moses just as they did Stephen.

2. They said that he speaks blasphemy against God. Stephen proclaimed that Jesus is the Son of God, one with God, is God (v55-57.) But because they hated the Lord Jesus Christ, they hated God. It takes the eternal God to purchase eternal redemption. Yet, to die, and to die in the place of sinners, he must be Man. Jesus Christ our Lord is both God and Man. Those who reject Christ, reject God.

3. They said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place. Sinners love their places of worship, buildings of brick and wood, and their cities, more than the Lord of glory. Still do! Sinners will enter a church building once, maybe twice, a week and think they are more righteous for doing so. That is exactly why the Lord promised to destroy the temple and Jerusalem for it was all worthless, yet they would not bow to Christ the Lord and believe on him. Still won't! That is why he promises to destroy this world and everything in it when he calls the last of his redeemed children home.

4. They said that he preaches, Against the law. They hated that Stephen declared that the law of commandments was given for the purpose of showing sinners their dire need of a Savior and for restraining the unrighteous. They hated that Stephen proclaimed that the law had served the purpose of foreshadowing Christ our High Priest and our Lamb. They hated that Stephen declared that whole law was to shut sinners up to Christ Jesus the Lord. They could not understand how a believer follows Christ, led of the Spirit, not the flesh; how believers serve in newness of Spirit, not in the oldness of the letter. They loved their customs, their ceremonies, their days, their works, yea, themselves, and hated Stephen for proclaiming that Christ Jesus the Lord is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe. They hated the message that Christ is all powerful enough to dwell in a believer's heart constraining us by love and not by law.

So their response to Stephen's gospel was utter hatred. Believer, settle it in your mind that the gospel of Christ is offensive to the natural man. Men do not reject the truth set forth in God's word because they love God and believe on Christ. Those who reject the truth hate God, hate Christ, hate his word, and hate any who preach him. The gospel offends man's pride because it proves his ideas of God and how God saves to be nothing but vanity. The Word strips man of his imaginary righteousness by declaring sinners are altogether a stench in God's nostrils. God chooses whom he will and passes by whom he will and sinners hate God's sovereign right to do as he pleases. Christ alone pleased God; no man ever pleased God but Christ. Sinners hate for someone else to receive the glory they covet. They hate to be called sin. The Holy Spirit must regenerate, give life, draw a sinner to Christ, and sinner's hate to be told they can not do anything to save themselves or to keep themselves from bowing to God. Man has no part in salvation but to receive it as God's free gift but pride, self-righteousness, self-love, says, "No, I can earn it."

http://www.sovereign-grace.us/

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey

LOCATION & TELEPHONE
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553
Pastor's Telephone: 615-513-4464

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
11 AM Morning Worship
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service
(The first Sunday of each month, morning worship begins at 10am followed by observing the Lord's Table. Afterwards we have lunch together.)