Acts 6, 7. Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.

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1 Acts 6, 7 (v.1) There was a conflict between the Hebrew Jews, who spoke Aramaic and resided in Jerusalem, and the Grecian (Greek-speaking) Jews. Although many of them were bilingual, tensions existed between the Grecian Jews and the Aramaic-speaking Jews, similar to the strain between Samaritan Jews who were a mixed race. This tension had to do more with the geographical location of the two groups, Greece and Jerusalem. Tragically, these strains (tensions) were brought into the church. It s always tragic when the attitude of the world is allowed to exist in the church. It is the carnal nature of man to divide over differences; but it ought not to be so, in Christ! (Ephesians 2:14) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. At the same time, however, it is not unusual to have conflict where you find growth within the church. The Greek word for complaint means: grumbling, grudging, or murmuring. This can be detrimental to any fellowship of believers, as well as our relationship with the Lord. No matter how spiritual you think you are, we must all guard against it! (ttt) 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. They all experienced God s grace, and yet with most God was not pleased, because of their complaining. Saturday Night Live Mr. and Mrs. Whiner. Whining only produced another lap around Mt. Sinai for the Israelites in the wilderness, for 40 years! Whining will only keep you in a rut. What is the solution to whining, complaining within the church, especially when offense comes? God s will has to take priority over my way! (ttt) Philippians 2: When we are in the flesh, murmuring and complaining, in the church, we are in league with, rather than a light to this crooked and perverse generation!

2 (v.2-4) Pastors are not called to be a cruise ship activity director, but far too often many have abandoned the word and prayer, in order to appease the people! It was not beneath the twelve apostles to wait on tables, but waiting on tables would not serve the greater good! Being in the word and prayer, as a leader, is far more beneficial to the church than being at every activity or addressing every complaint. People like to create pastors in their own image; the pastor is to be omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (there every time you call), and omniscient (all knowing). Those pastors who foolishly try to fulfill this roll, a roll only the Holy Spirit can fulfill, end up burning out, or fall into secret sin. One credible website reported 1700 pastors left the ministry each month last year. Many pastors fail to do what the twelve apostles did here delegate! (v.3). Many do so because they want all the glory to themselves; they have a Messiah complex and need to be needed in ministry. I tell my leaders, if you are not duplicating yourself you are killing the ministry. If the ministry cannot operate without you, you have failed to do your job! Always have a Timothy (an apprentice) alongside you, so if God moves you on the ministry can continue, to the glory of God, without you! Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us, God calls pastors to equip the body (church) to do the work of the ministry, for the building up and edification of the body of Christ! Leaders of the church are not called to do it all, nor can they! Note: they were not looking for warm bodies to fill the positions, but qualified individuals (v.3): men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. (v.5-6) These were not lose canons, but were set before the apostles, men under, submitted to, authority, with accountability! They laid hands on them; they were not just window dressing, but were given authority to fulfill their task. Authority is always handed down, not up!

3 (v.7-9) Many believe the Synagogue of the Freedmen was perhaps made up of those who had been set free from being prisoners of war or from slavery. Precisely who they were is not known for sure. The members of this synagogue were from three different areas - North Africa (Cyrene and Alexandria were two of its leading cities), Asia (the western portion of modern-day Turkey), and Southern region of Asia Minor (Cilicia southern region of modern-day Turkey). Tarsus, where the apostle Paul came from, was located in the province of Cilicia. (Bible Knowledge Commentary). They were disputing with Stephen disputing in a bad sense, plotting against his life! (v.10-15) Intimidation is the tactic of those who have no real argument. We see it today in politics; there isn t any dialogue, people have resorted to name calling or shouting at one another. (v.14) People will fervently fight for their religion, far more than they will fight for a right relationship with God! But when one is full of faith (grace) and power, as Stephen was (v.8), one cannot be intimidated, but in love must speak the truth! (v.15b). Stephen knew the burden of proof did not rest with him, but them! So it is in any dispute regarding faith in Christ. "To sustain the belief that there is no God, atheism has to demonstrate infinite knowledge, which is tantamount to saying, I have infinite knowledge that there is no being in existence with infinite knowledge. " - Ravi Zacharias Without infinite knowledge we are left with presumption, speculation, and theories, which cannot be proven. Only God, who has infinite knowledge, can speak with absolute clarity and accuracy regarding both the past and the future, knowing the end from the beginning! Thus, we can rest in Him; indeed the burden of proof lies with man! CHAPTER 7 (7:1-53) We have Stephen s speech to this antagonistic crowd, headed up by these so-called Freedmen, along with the religious council, in Jerusalem.

4 Stephen skillfully begins his speech at a point of agreement, the history of Abraham. (v.1-7). (v.8-16) He speaks about the covenant of circumcision between God and Abraham, and Abraham s descendants. He reminds them of Joseph and Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, and their entrance into Egypt. (v.17-19) In Egypt the people of Israel multiplied, and suffered under cruel Egyptian rule after the death of Joseph. (v.20-23) Stephen mentions the birth and raising up of Moses. (v.24-29) He then reminds them of the incident in which the people of Israel rejected Moses. Stephen probably mentions this to expose the injustice he, himself, in trying to help his people, was now facing. (v.30-34) He recalls the appearance of the Angel (theophany) to Moses, in the form of a burning bush, and his call by God to go and deliver His people. (v.35-37) Here he makes a connection between Moses and the promised Messiah. (read: v.38-43) Stephen reminds them of their forefathers disobedience. Even in the wilderness, they clung to their idols, revealing the hardness of their hearts! (v.44-47) Here he mentions the tabernacle of witness (witness to the presence of God with His people) how the land of promise was given to the children of Israel and the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon. (v.48-50) He recalls the fact that God cannot be contained, however, in a building built by man. (v.51-53) Now Stephen s speech take a dramatic turn as he charges his listeners with having the same insolent spirit, as did their forefathers, toward God! He firmly lays the murder of Christ at their feet (v.52b), while declaring they are hopeless sinners, having violated the law of God (v.53)! In (v.54) we see the raw, unfiltered response of the world to the truth. (v.55-60) But being filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen could only see Jesus standing at the right-hand of the Throne of God! When the world puts us down, Jesus stands up for His church! (v.57) It would seem they would have been

5 impressed by Stephen s vision; but they only grew even more vicious toward God s servant. The world will not be won over by appeasement and supernatural manifestations, but only by the working of the Holy Spirit. (John 16:8-11) And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (v.59, 60) While the world is stoning us, continue to call upon the name of the Lord. This is a great reminder when facing any storm or trial; keep calling on His name, in His name is our deliverance! (v.60) With heaven in view, all else, every offense, the tediousness attainments, and temporal pleasures of this world, are blotted out. The things which once weighed us down have lifted, when His glory is in view! Only that which is important remains: love and forgiveness! SONG: Turn your eyes upon Jesus - Look full in His wonderful face - And the things of earth will grow strangely dim - In the light of His glory and grace