Sermon Notes

March 24th 2024

Thoughts on the Sunday School Lesson for March 24th

Living in Faith / Acts 6:7-15 (MSG)

6 7 The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith. 8-10 Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.11 So in secret they bribed men to lie: “We heard him cursing Moses and God.” 12-14 That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion scholars. They grabbed Stephen and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: “This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God’s Law. We even heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us.” 15 As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn’t take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!

INTRODUCTION TO THE LESSON

This week’s lesson focuses on the arrest of Stephen, one of those chosen to serve the needs of the Church. As Acts 6 indicates, Stephen grows into a persuasive and bold spokesman for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result, in the latter portion of Acts 6, adversaries arise against Stephen which facilitate his arrest, trial, and execution. The sermon that Stephen gives in response to false allegations is recorded in Acts 7:2-53, and his stoning—the immediate and impassioned response of a bloodthirsty audience to hearing truth to power—immediately follows in Acts 7:54—8:1a. These unjust events bring about scattering of the Church. However, there is a blessing that blooms out of this tragedy: the Early Church begins to spread all over the Greco-Roman Empire. Further, through telling Stephen’s story, the Lukan writer teaches Christians that our commitment should mirror that of Stephen’s; our lives should reflect a commitment to Living in Faith.

BACKGROUND OF THE LESSON

Acts of the Apostles is the second part of a two-volume work, Luke-Acts, that was separated early in the history of the Church, although its common authorship was acknowledged. While traditional Church history asserts Luke-Acts was written by Luke, this idea was challenged beginning in the late 19th century with the advent of modern biblical scholarship. The earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles did not originally include an author’s superscription. Luke-Acts was likely written around 80-90 of the1st Century CE.
Acts tells the story of how the gospel (euangelion in Greek) of Jesus was first received by Jews, later embraced by Gentiles, and physically expressed by the noteworthy deeds and words of the first Christians. These early Christians wrestled with internal theological struggles, faced external challenges from Jewish religious authorities, and lived under a constant threat of annihilation from the Roman Empire which viewed “The Way of Jesus” as a present threat to their imperial rule. Because Luke writes to Gentiles, he is fixed on portraying Jesus as the savior for all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, class or socio-economic status.
Acts 2-15 is often called a “Narrative of Conversion” because it tells the story of how the earliest Christians witnessed about Jesus of Nazareth and countless people were converted because of their testimony. In Acts 6:1-6, the Lukan writer narrates the expansion of the early Church with attention to how issues of ethnic/racial difference (The Hellenists versus the Hebrews) affect nascent Christianity. The issue of disparity between Greek and Jewish widows causes strife within the Jerusalem fellowship and the faith community commissions seven members to attend to the needs of the poor in order to heal the fractious divide. Because of their efforts—they demonstrate the radical love of Jesus through social justice ministry regardless of color, culture, or language—the early Church shines as a beacon of light to the greater Greco-Roman society for their just and egalitarian model of human relationship. This is where the lesson text picks up.

INTO THE LESSON

7 The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith.
The first verse of the lesson text explains how the diligent efforts of Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus—those servants selected to attend to the ministry of the poor—contributed to the maturation of the early Church in three ways. First, Luke tells us the word of God prospered. As the first Christians testified about Jesus of Nazareth, their words about him—testimony—contributed to the Word (literally, the embodying Divine logos in Greek) increased.
Second, the number of Christians multiplied. Luke tells us that the Church continued to grow. The proximity of this “progress report” to the matter of the feeding of the widows (Acts 6:1-6) suggests that growth continued because the problem was properly handled. If the threats of the Sanhedrin could not deter the apostles from preaching the Gospel, neither could the problems in the Church. The apostles persisted in preaching, and the Holy Spirit persisted in converting men and women and adding them to the Church.
Third, many Jewish priests—who had previously opposed the Way of Jesus—surrendered to faith in Jesus Christ. Luke gives us a very interesting detail concerning the added growth of the Church: “a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.” Luke is demonstrating that one era is drawing to a close. Initially the Pharisees adamantly opposed the Lord, but they have been silenced, to some degree, by His resurrection. The Sanhedrin, too, had aggressively opposed Christ and His apostles, but they backed off, taking the advice of Gamaliel (Acts 5:34-40). Finally, many of the priests came to faith in Christ as their Messiah. The religious system of Israel has changed its stance considerably.
8 Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them.
The mention of Stephen’s ability to perform “signs and wonders” is very significant. Up to this point, only the apostles were said to have worked signs and wonders. Since the twelve apostles would remain in Jerusalem after the Church is scattered (8:1), it appears that Stephen and Philip (Acts 8) will serve as the first examples of the work of the Church expanding to a more diverse group.
The text does not tell Stephen receives the power to perform signs and wonders. Every indication is that Stephen, the apostles, and the people were surprised by his ability to do such wonderful things. Further, the text does not say it is because Stephen enacted the “right formula” that he was empowered by the Spirit. The text also does not say that it was due to the apostles training, discipleship, or ordination that Stephen was able to perform signs and wonders. The simplest explanation for the mighty power and “energy” that Stephen possesses is that God decided to use him in a special way for a specific purpose. Stephen’s assignment dictated his God-given gifts.
9-10 But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.
Luke notes that Greek-speaking Jewish groups founded synagogues in Jerusalem. The term “synagogue” refers to a religious movement within the Jewish Diaspora living across the Roman Empire, especially in Asia and Africa. Luke notes five specific synagogues. One was the synagogue of the Freedman which was established by Jews who had been slaves in the Roman empire and had later been set free. There were also two groups from Africa—the synagogues of those from Cyrene and Alexandria. Then, there were two synagogues from what we presently call Asia Minor/Turkey (Cilicia) and Asia—two of the Roman provinces of that day.
The mention of the synagogue from Cilicia is key. The capital of Cilicia was Tarsus, and undoubtedly in this synagogue was a young man named Saul of Tarsus who was among those who disputed with Stephen when he came preaching Jesus Christ. With this narrative detail about Cilicia, Luke is providing a significant clue to the future growth of the Church because Saul—who would later become known as Paul—will mature into a noted evangelist, missionary and Church organizer. Clearly, Stephen’s ministry and later martyrdom had a lasting impact on Paul’s life and ministy (Acts 8:1; 22:20).
11 So in secret they bribed men to lie: “We heard him cursing Moses and God.”
When these men could not out-argue Stephen in theological debate, they resorted to the tactic of trying to out-shout him. When that did not work, these men set about to charge him officially within the courts, finding witnesses to falsely testify that Stephen had blasphemed Moses and God. They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes who then seize Stephen and bring him before the council. What the actions of these unscrupulous individuals demonstrate is that when their words prove ineffective, and their arguments fail, desperate people turn to desperate diabolical measures.
12-14 That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion scholars. They grabbed Stephen and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: “This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God’s Law. We even heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us.”
These opponents bribed some who claimed that they heard Stephen, “speaking evil thing against Moses and God.” This is a carefully orchestrated conspiracy, very similar to the one that was used against Jesus by the Chief Priests (Matthew 26:57-67). The reason these false accusations would be employed with such frequency and success is because they played on the worst fears of Judaism—speaking against the Torah and speaking against the Temple system. It was a kind of misinformation and manipulation designed to generate a volatile response.
The people believed the false accusations and they were enraged, as were the elders and the scribes. Stephen is arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin for trial. At the trial, the false accusations solidly into false testimony and Stephen is formally charged with incessantly speaking against the Temple and the Torah. These enemies of the gospel (euangelion) twisted Stephen’s words the same way they twisted Jesus’ words. Jesus spoke about the destruction of his body as a destruction of “this temple (John 2:17-19),” but that was not a reference to the actual Temple in Jerusalem, but rather a reference to His death and resurrection. Jesus spoke about the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-24), but he did not suggest that he who was personally going to do this in the way his adversaries indicated. In misusing Jesus words this way, Stephen’s opponents portray him as a domestic terrorist—like they portrayed Jesus.
The false witnesses also accuse Stephen of teaching that Jesus would set aside the customs handed down to them by Moses. But, in reality, many of those things that would be set aside were not actually the teachings of Moses, but rather the traditions of the Jews (Matthew 15:1-6). This is something Jesus took up in His Sermon on the Mount. He frequently said, “You have heard that it was said...but I say to you... (Matthew 5:21-48).” By this, Jesus was making a distinction between the teachers’ application of the law of Moses and Moses really meant. In reciting Jesus words, Stephen was making the same distinction. Unfortunately, he was also a victim of the same violent misunderstanding.
Simply stated, Stephen is accused of threatening the religious establishment and therefore seeking to change the status quo by preaching Jesus of Nazareth. Authentic Christianity is always threat to the status quo because it forces us to rethink everything, from spirituality and salvation to social justice and equality. This serves as a warning to the 21st Century Church: If we are not agitating society, moving society in a direction that is markedly different than its own selfish ends, then the Church is failing to live the Gospel.
15 As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn’t take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!
As these witnesses levy false charges against Stephen, he knows he is unjustly accused like Jesus and the prophets. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Stephen maintains his composure and his countenance is transformed. Recall that Luke says Stephen was “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Undoubtedly, the Holy Spirit has called Stephen to continue the work that Jesus started. In his faith community, Stephen is considered to be a prophet like Jesus who will proclaim a radical new vision of God’s grace and consequently suffer for that proclamation.
The fact that Stephen’s face is illuminated like an angel indicates that he speaks with wisdom and Divine authority (Ex. 34:29; 1 Samuel 29:9), and that he is enacting God’s Divine plan. Luke’s inclusion of Stephen’s “angelic” face is not a narrative afterthought. He wanted the Christian community to be reminded that their lives should reflect a divine encounter, like that of Moses on Mt. Sinai. Luke admonishes the Luke-Acts community, and the 21st Christian Community, that people should be able to look at us—our countenance, our conversation, our commitment, etc.—and know that we have been in the presence of God. Living in Faith requires we are acting under the authority of the Holy Spirit at all times.

FOOTNOTES

i) See Demetrius K. Williams, “Acts as a History of the Early Church,” in Gale A. Yee’s Fortress Commentary on the Bible, (Fortress Press: Kindle Edition).
ii) See Robert W. Wall, “The Acts of the Apostles: Introduction, Commentary and Reflections,” in The New Interpreters Bible, (Abingdon Press, 1994).

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