Wisdom from a Questionable Story Acts 7:54-8:1a Dr. Christopher C. F. Chapman First Baptist Church, Raleigh May 18, 2014 In all of our families there are stories we tell quite often even though it may seem questionable at best that we do. For example, one popular story in my family is the story about how I injured my hip taking down a tree in Winston-Salem. If you want the long version of this story, you will need to ask Ian. There is no story about his father that he enjoys telling more. I will give you the short version. I decided to take down a corkscrew willow tree that was in our yard rather than pay someone to take it down. I could save $200 or so I thought. So, I got Ian, who was about 14, to hold the ladder while I climbed up into the magnolia tree next to the corkscrew willow. The two trees were too close, one was not going to make it, and the willow was already in trouble. So, up I climbed about 25 feet with my electric chainsaw, with Ian holding the ladder and watching my extension cord. I know it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. But I had no difficulty topping off the tree and bringing it down by sections. A single cut would have been unwise. Anyway, I brought the tree down and made 2 cuts on the trunk, one from each direction. I thought I had cut all the way through. So, I gave the trunk a mighty kick to knock it over! Unfortunately I had not cut all the way through... so, the trunk kicked back. Ouch! I said, or something like that and made another cut... Ian and I cleaned up the limbs and trunk and I declared the project a success, that is, until the pain in my hip refused to go away. The medical part of this story is pretty boring, but suffice it to say that after a few months of physical therapy, a steroid shot and a brief consideration of surgery, time and glucosamine healed the hip; 12 months of time and glucosamine and $1,000 worth of medical care. But according to Y- Chromosome accounting, I did not spend $1,000 taking down that tree. I saved $200! As a footnote, I would add that I took down a slightly smaller tree here last weekend and experienced no difficulty at all. 1
Anyway, it s a good story, humorous, mostly harmless, but why do we tell it so often? Why would I tell it at all?! Perhaps to get ahead of the story, to get my version out before Ian can tell his, but any way it is told, a story like this reveals things about me I don t want revealed. It is a questionable story at best. But all families have stories like this. In fact, we have read a biblical story like this today, the story from Acts 7, the story about the death of Stephen. It is not a humorous story, but it is questionable. Why would Luke tell this story? He is writing this larger narrative about the early church, The Acts of the Apostles it is called, for the same reason he writes his version of the gospel, to recruit followers of Jesus. How will this story help? Stephen is a man of great faith who stands by his convictions even when he is challenged by religious authorities. And his reward is that he is put to death in a brutal way, by stoning. Is this going to convince outsiders to join the fold? Is this a Jonestown kind of group? Death is the goal, suicide by religious mob, come and join us?! Why would Luke tell this story? It makes no sense! And yet, there must be some reason. Perhaps Luke tells the story because it is true. This is how Stephen dies. Perhaps he wants to get ahead of the matter as it plays out in the public arena. Would-be followers will learn what is happening to the faithful. Luke might as well give it his spin. Or perhaps there is something here that Luke wants all followers of Jesus to know, something that is critical to the journey. Perhaps there is wisdom in this particular questionable story that can help faithful disciples to this day. So, let s back up and take a closer look at this story, so as to identify any wisdom that is here. Stephen is one of the seven chosen in Acts 6 to become what we consider to be the first deacons. So, this is not a pastor stirring up trouble. It is a deacon! Stephen s name is Greek; so, scholars believe he is probably one of the Hellenists whose widows are neglected by the Hebrews. Some argue that he is a Samaritan and there is evidence to support this theory. So, Stephen has all the makings for a troublemaker. He is a deacon and a Samaritan! Anyway, Luke says he is full of grace and power, and that he performs great wonders and signs among the people. This probably stirs 2
up some jealousy among the religious leaders. But it is when he teaches in a synagogue of the Freedmen that some of the Jews come to dislike him. They claim that he speaks blasphemous words against Moses and God, probably because of what he says about Jesus being the Messiah. But before we become critical of these leaders, we might consider how we would respond to a claim like this. Churches split today over simple changes in worship form, different views on ethical issues and who gets to make which decisions. These poor people in a first-century synagogue, freed Jewish slaves at that, are told that a man in their time is not only the fulfillment of prophecy, but God in human form! It shouldn t surprise us that they struggle to embrace this message. But some of them do more than struggle. They stir up the leaders and scribes. They round up some false witnesses. This shouldn t surprise us either. People who want to stir up trouble today still resort to false witness or at least amplified rumor. Anyway, these opponents of Stephen get their way and he is brought before the council for a trial. We don t know whether this is a formal legal proceeding or a lynch mob. There seems to be a trial but it is quick. There is Torah to support a stoning but we don t know whether the Romans have given Jews the authority to carry out an execution. All we know that is that Stephen s response to the charges is a speech in which he recites the history of salvation, beginning with the calling of Abraham, moving through the Exodus, and noting the nation s disobedience to God, its history of persecuting prophets and recent action of putting to death the greatest prophet of all, the Righteous One of God, that is, Jesus. Obviously Stephen is not running for office. He is not even trying to win friends and influence people. Every word he speaks further provokes his opponents. They don t need to be told their own history, they certainly don t want to be identified with those who killed the prophets in the past and they do not believe Jesus is the Righteous One. So, when they hear Stephen s speech, Luke the physician says they become enraged and grind their teeth. He always has a way of giving just enough anatomical detail to bring a story to life. They grind their teeth, clench their jaws, in anger. At this point Stephen, filled with the Spirit, gazes into heaven and sees the glory of God and Jesus 3
standing at God s right hand. He tells his accusers what he sees and they cover their ears and with a loud shout rush against him. They drag him out of the city and stone him, not the best way to go, but perhaps not the worst. Tradition allows three other forms of execution burning, strangling and beheading. The Romans like crucifixion. Being tossed in a pit and having boulders crush you is no picnic, but given the options Anyway, as they drag Stephen away, they lay their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul; yes, that Saul, he is at this time a Pharisee and a persecutor of Christians. As Stephen is dying, he says, Lord, Jesus, receive my spirit. Sound familiar? And then, then he kneels down and cries out, Lord, do not hold this sin against them, echoing Jesus words from the cross, and he dies. Luke concludes the story with this word, And Saul approved of their killing him. It is a clever bit of foreshadowing. We don t know anything about Saul at this point, but we will. He is introduced for a reason. For now, however, the main point is that Stephen dies because he tells people about Jesus. So, what wisdom might we find in this questionable story to help us on our journey? One thing this story offers is a reminder that faithfulness does not guarantee a smooth path in this life. Contrary to the teaching of popular religion, it is not all wine and roses for followers of Jesus. Contrary to the gospel of health, wealth and success, those who take discipleship seriously not only experience the same health challenges, hardships and grief others experience; we often encounter added struggles because we are faithful to our calling. This is the way it works for the prophets of old. They are persecuted, imprisoned, and run out of town or put to death. This is Jesus experience. His faithfulness leads to death on a cross. This is the way it works for many of the early disciples, like Stephen and eventually Saul or Paul, according to tradition. And this is the way it works for the faithful in all times, people like William Tyndale, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King, Jr., Oscar Romero, and many ordinary Christians today in places like Sudan and Pakistan who risk death simply by refusing to deny their allegiance to Christ. The faithful are not shielded from all harm but in fact often suffer mightily because of their faith. 4
So, what does this mean for us? Few of us will risk death for some act of faith. We will experience the same challenges of life others experience - sickness, grief and other forms of hardship. But, in addition, there are ways in which we may suffer for what we believe. I heard a story recently about the father of one of our members who had a position of responsibility in transportation many years ago in state government. When an administration change occurred, he was instructed to fire dozens of people for political reasons, so that they could be replaced with other people. He refused, saying that these were good workers in nonpolitical roles. It just wasn t fair. He was told he would be fired if he didn t carry out the order and someone else would be hired to do his job. Still, he refused. So, he was fired. Fortunately he found a similar job in another state, but this is a sobering tale. Doing what we believe to be right does not always get us ahead. The faithful are not protected or guaranteed success when we act upon our convictions. Destructive behavior has consequences, but so does faithfulness. The only governor of our state to be impeached, a member of this church at the time, was ousted because he overstepped his gubernatorial authority for a controversial reason, trying to shut down the Klan. Faithfulness does not guarantee a smooth path. And to be clear, the opposition we face is not always secular. Stephen s trouble is not with Rome but the synagogue; religious leaders, not secular ones. Another thing this story offers us is a word of encouragement to remain faithful, even though there are no guarantees in this life. Stephen doesn t back down, even when he is brought before the council. If anything, he ups the level of his rhetoric so that his opponents can have no question about his convictions. And though he dies in the process, his faithfulness, and that of others like him, has encouraged millions over the course of two millennia to hold on to our faith in times of great challenge. Most of the great things the church has accomplished have required the kind of courageous resolve Stephen has. Civil rights leader Fred Shuttlesworth put it this way. [Religion] out to have the same kind of thrust that John the Baptist 5
had when he went to tell Herod he was wrong and when Elijah went to Jezebel or Elijah when he challenged the 450 prophets [of Baal]. It s both/and. It has to do with your prayer life and your living life, and it also has to do with how you live, whether you live under oppression Because it was never God s will, in my estimation, for oppression to be the order of the day anywhere.. I always remember what Dr. [Williams Holmes] Borders said, The book of Acts is an action book. The gospel will get you in trouble; but God will get you out. That s a true statement. And if you aren t running over somebody s feeling, making and overcoming enemies, then it s not the gospel (A Fire You Can t Put Out, Andrew M. Manis, p. 220) Other than the part about God always getting us out of trouble, there is a lot of truth in these words. The gospel does get us into trouble somewhere along the line if we are faithful. This doesn t mean we should go looking for trouble. It means we might as well expect trouble if we want to take part in kingdom work. Very often the presence of resistance is not evidence of having taken a wrong turn but rather a sign that we are doing exactly what we ought to be doing. I have an African-American friend in Richmond who started a church in a housing project in the 1990 s. He met resistance everywhere he turned. White preachers questioned his motives, black preachers called him Uncle Tom because he partnered with predominately white churches, residents didn t think they needed a church, and most people figured it wouldn t last due to a lack of financial support. The residents were all poor and those who managed to get to a better place would move away and never look back. There was a great deal of resistance. But there was also a need and Joe was a man of deep conviction. So, the church is still there today, having ministered to thousands of residents over the course of 20 years... Faithfulness often requires courage and perseverance because gospel work meets resistance. There is one other thing this questionable story offers us a reminder that God is able to begin something good even in the worst 6
circumstances. We only catch a glimpse of this good thing, perhaps not even a glimpse, just a bit of foreshadowing. As Stephen dies, Saul is there, approving of his execution, but as Saul looks back on this experience, he will find cause for grief, shame and encouragement. Witnessing Stephen s death does not convert Saul to Christian faith. His experience on the Damascus Road does that. But once he is converted, his history with persecuting Christians becomes a focal point for reflection. He sees how wrong he was, he sees how courageous believers like Stephen are; and he finds another model, in addition to Jesus, for how he will live. Some scholars have gone so far as to say that this is the critical moment when Christian faith becomes more than just another Jewish sect. When Stephen is put to death by some Jewish leaders and Saul witnesses this death, the Gentile mission is born. God doesn t cause bad things, like the suffering of the faithful. We may wonder why God does not intervene and stop the worst suffering and there is no easy answer other than to assert the value of free will even with the negative possibilities it allows. But one thing we know is that even when the worst happens, God can bring something good out of it. Stephen s suffering inspires millions, starting with one Pharisee named Saul, who just happens to inspire a few people on his own. So, maybe there is something to this questionable story. I m not sure what enduring value my tree-kicking tale has other than to provide an endless source of amusement for my family. But this seemingly tragic tale of suffering for faith recorded in Acts 7 has a great deal to offer us. It shows us a dimension of our faith, a critical dimension. When I met with the pastor who baptized me at 17, after we had talked for a while, his final word was one I will never forget. He said, Don t join the church and be baptized unless there is nothing else you can do, unless you feel like you have to do this. It was not the usual encouraging word but it was an authentic word. There is more to our faith than accepting a free gift of grace; there is a taking up of the cross and following Jesus. He is both Savior and Lord. So, commitment is required. As someone has said, If they come running like hogs after slop, it ain t the gospel. May God help us to remember this! 7