Acts Chapter Nine

 Act 9:1  But still breathing threats and murder toward the disciples of the Lord, coming to the high priest, 

Act 9:2  Saul asked from him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any being of the Way, both men and women, having bound them he might bring them to Jerusalem. 

Act 9:3  But in the going it happened! He drew near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the heaven shone around him. 

Act 9:4  And falling on the earth he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute Me? 

Act 9:5  And he said, Sir, who are You? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute; it is hard for you to kick against the goads. 

Act 9:6  Both trembling and being astonished he said, Lord, what do You desire me to do? And the Lord said to him, Rise up and go into the city, and it will be told you what you must do. 

Act 9:7  But the men traveling with him had been standing speechless, indeed hearing the voice, but seeing no one. 

Act 9:8  And Saul was lifted up from the earth, but his eyes being opened he saw no one. And leading him by the hand they brought him to Damascus. 

Act 9:9  And he was three days not seeing, and did not eat or drink. 

Act 9:10  And there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, Lord, I am here. 

Act 9:11  And the Lord said to him, Rising up pass along on the street being called Straight and seek a Tarsian, Saul by name, in the house of Judas. For, behold, he is praying. 

Act 9:12  And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting a hand on him, so that he may see again. 

Act 9:13  And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many bad things he did to Your saints in Jerusalem. 

Act 9:14  And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all the ones calling on Your name. 

Act 9:15  And the Lord said to him, Go, for this one is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel. 

Act 9:16  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name. 

Act 9:17  And Ananias went away and entered into the house. And putting hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me, Jesus, the One who appeared to you in the highway on which you came, that you may see and be filled of the Holy Spirit. 

Act 9:18  And instantly it was as if scales fell away from his eyes. And rising up at the thing happening, he was baptized. 

Act 9:19  And taking food he was strengthened. And Saul was with the disciples in Damascus some days. 

Act 9:20  And at once in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that this One is the Son of God. 

Act 9:21  And all those hearing were amazed and said, Is this not the one destroying those who have called on this Name in Jerusalem, and he had come here for this, that binding them he might lead them before the chief priests? 

Act 9:22  But Saul was more filled with power, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ. 

Act 9:23  And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews plotted together to do away with him. 

Act 9:24  But their plot was known to Saul. And they carefully watched the gates both by day and by night so as to do away with him. 

Act 9:25  But taking him by night, the disciples let him down through the wall, lowering in a basket. 

Act 9:26  And Saul arriving in Jerusalem, he tried to be joined to the disciples. And all feared him, not believing that he is a disciple. 

Act 9:27  But taking hold of him, Barnabas led him to the apostles and told them how he saw the Lord in the highway, and that He spoke to him, and how in Damascus he spoke boldly in the name of Jesus. 

Act 9:28  And he was with them, going in and going out in Jerusalem, and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

Act 9:29  And he spoke and disputed with the Hellenists, and they took him in hand to do away with him. 

Act 9:30  But knowing, the brothers led him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus. 

Act 9:31  Then, indeed, the assemblies throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace, having been built up and having gone on in the fear of the Lord. And they were increased in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. 

Act 9:32  And it happened, passing through all, Peter also came down to the saints dwelling in Lydda. 

Act 9:33  And he found there a certain man named Aeneas who had been lying on a mattress eight years, who was paralyzed. 

Act 9:34  And Peter said to him, Aeneas! Jesus the Christ heals you; rise up and spread for yourself. And instantly he rose up. 

Act 9:35  And all those dwelling in Lydda and the Sharon Plain saw him, who then turned to the Lord. 

Act 9:36  And in Joppa was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which translated is called Dorcas Gazelle. She was full of good works and of alms which she did. 

Act 9:37  And it happened in those days, becoming ill, she died. And bathing her, they put her in an upper room. 

Act 9:38  And Lydda being near to Joppa, the disciples hearing that Peter is in it, they sent two men to him, begging him not to delay to come to them. 

Act 9:39  And rising up Peter went with them, and having arrived they led him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him, weeping and showing tunics and garments such as Dorcas made while being with them. 

Act 9:40  And putting all out, placing the knees Peter prayed. And turning to the body he said, Tabitha, Arise! And she opened her eyes. And seeing Peter she sat up. 

Act 9:41  And giving her a hand he raised her up. And calling the saints and the widows he presented her living. 

Act 9:42  And it became known through all Joppa. And many believed on the Lord. 

Act 9:43  And it was considerable days that he remained in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner. 

FROM PERSECUTOR TO ADVOCATE

Verses 1-2: Saul becomes a physical threat to the church.

1. What was Saul doing? He was threatening execution to anyone supporting Christianity. He was proactive in getting letters of authorization to round up Christians to be brought back to Jerusalem for judgment.

Verses 3-9: Jesus confronts Saul on the road to Damascus. He asks him why he is persecuting Him. Saul asks what shall I do. Jesus tells him to go to the city and he will be told what to do. Paul has to be escorted since he is made blind. Those with him hear Jesus, but they do not see him.

2. Describe Saul’s apparent reactive attitude to this incident. (4) The light was bright enough to put him on the ground.

Verses 10-18: Jesus commissions a reluctant Ananias to visit Saul and help him. He goes and puts his hands on him and Saul regains his sight.

3. What implications are there in the fact that Jesus is speaking to these people? These first few years were so important to get the church off the ground. So Jesus is there helping. On a more abstract level, Jesus is still here helping us. These events are historical evidences that help our faith. The word is every bit as potent now as it was then (as it was being played out).

4. How does Ananias feel about meeting with Saul? He says "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many bad things he did to Your saints in Jerusalem.  And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all the ones calling on Your name." Ananias does not have a good feeling about this. Saul is an enemy to Jesus and to the church. Saul has authority to hurt you if you are Christian. 

   a. How does this work in favor of the overall spread of the gospel? The conversion of Saul is a master stroke by God. Here is a man fully rejecting Jesus to the point of willing to have His followers executed if needed and now...he works for Jesus? He is the last person you would expect to be converted to this way. It forces the question "what could be so compelling to persuade this level of change of heart?" 
Saul has "more to lose" than most. Why would he convert?

5. What did Saul still need to do and accomplish in verse 18? He was baptized. 

Verses 19-22: Saul immediately starts to preach that Jesus is the messiah. He does it so well, no one can refute him. Everyone is marveling at the fact that this Saul has repented of his former mission to destroy Christianity.

6. List the things Saul immediately did. Baptized. Gains strength. Spends time with the church.  Goes to the place of worship teaching that Jesus is the Messiah. Overcomes rebuttals to non-believers. 
All things are in order for spiritual success. He first takes care of his spiritual condition before God through baptism. He then attaches himself to the local congregation and likely gets the lay of the land. It would be fascinating to know the discussions that went on between Saul and his new brothers.
After a number of days, Saul takes his case to the synagogues. It is the same Saul with zeal for God, only better.

7. Discuss the importance of Saul’s conversion. As we will see later, Saul is all things to all people. He is a Jew, fervent for his people but he is also a Roman citizen. He was of the order of the Pharisees, instructed by Gamaliel. These qualifications gave him the ability for speaking publicly. He was good at persuasion and he was destined to sit before many elite leaders because of his skill stack.

a.      Does Saul display fear? When I read this, I think not. We will see however that there are times when he needs encouragement to move forward even though he may be experiencing fear.

Additional: How can this conversion teach of the urgency of baptism? We must look to the order of what Paul did. He gained his sight then he was baptized. It was meaningful. So meaningful that he did not delay. In every instance the need of baptism is urgent and should not be delayed. We are forced to ask why. There can be only one answer, salvation is not complete until baptism happens.

What is there about Jesus’ words with Saul that should comfort every persecuted Christian? Jesus did not meet Saul to destroy him. He just wanted him to change direction. Saul's response is perfect "what do you desire me to do?" 
That is the way with God. He doesn't want to pound us into the ground. He just wants us to try and be better. 

Verses 23-25: Saul's teaching is so successful that the Jews decide to kill him! They watch for him, but Saul knew about it and the disciples helped him escape. 

8. How could these events happen? Damascus is not much different from Jerusalem. There are some in power under the old ways of thinking about God. They are part of the roman governmental chain and they are having none of the teachings of Christianity.

Verses 26-31: Saul escapes to Jerusalem. He joins himself to Christian disciples. They are leery of him. Barnabas takes him to the apostles. Paul relates his story of seeing Jesus on the road to Damascus. Saul begins preaching to the Hellenists. Apparently he does so well THEY want to kill him too. The brothers help him escape again. Saul heads back to Tarsus. The churches have relative "peace" now in the region.

9. Why would Saul go to Jerusalem? It is the center of his people. It is where authoritative teaching is disseminated. He has a new teaching and needs to get it to his brothers.

10. What sort of arguments would Saul have with the Hellenists? Hellenists were Jews who had adopted Greek language and culture. This bled over into the Roman era as well. They were not as highly regarded as the Sadducees or Pharisees, but the argument would have been much the same.
Most Jews were looking for a physical kingdom to rise out of the Messiah. Jesus represented something much different than that.  

11. Verse 29 marks the second plot to murder Saul. Describe the thinking that must go on in a person’s mind that leads him to the conclusion that killing someone is an acceptable answer to a problematic person., consider their culture, laws, and execution of justice. As we have noticed in most of these instances, power plays a part of the decision making. It's important to also remember that many of these leaders believed in the system they were "defending." The power of tradition and guarding it can blind us to the reality in the moment. If someone came into our church and said he was the next messiah based on scripture, our first inclination would be to throw him out. That is how powerful traditional teaching/believing is.
Again, this is a theocracy. The religious leaders hold double duty.  

   a. Consider our laws and justice system; compare it to the idea of killing off a problematic person. Does this legally happen today here or in other countries? We know political prisoners exist in the world. Some political opponents are even executed for their views and critical word. Our constitution is supposed to guard against this sort of behavior.

Verses 32-43: While Peter was north of Jerusalem territory he performed miracles. He healed Aeneas who was paralyzed. He also raised Tabitha from death.

12. What was the result of the miracles performed through Peter? These signs were too compelling to ignore. They could not be disputed. There were just too many witnesses. With that, these miracles convinced people of Peter's teachings. Jesus is the Christ. Many were converted.

a.      What tools do we have today to aid in our teaching of the gospel? We have what they had. The word of God (Old Testament). We also have the New Testament that documents all of these events. That is sufficient for teaching the gospel. One of the strongest teaching tools we have to those around us is simply living a Christian life. Christians are (should be) less jilted by world events and calamities. This world is not our home. We don't act or speak as people looking for personal gain or material wealth. 

Additional: Describe your first impressions of Saul and his ability(s). Skilled. He is transformed right away. This could only happen to someone honestly looking to please God. He is brave. Equipped with the truth, he goes straight to the synagogues to teach this gospel. He's so good at it, no one can rebut him. For the hard-headed, they become frustrated.

Describe the character of Tabitha. How did she affect those around her? She was obviously tender hearted and charitable. She gave to the poor, enough that it was part of her personal description. 

 

 

Acts Chapter Eight

 Act 8:1  And Saul was consenting to the doing away of him. And in that day a great persecution took place on the assembly which was in Jerusalem; and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 

Act 8:2  And devout men together carried Stephen and made a great lamentation over him. 

Act 8:3  But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering house by house, dragging both men and women, he delivered them to prison. 

Act 8:4  Then, indeed, the ones who being scattered passed through, preaching the gospel, the Word. 

Act 8:5  And going down to a city of Samaria, Philip proclaimed Christ to them. 

Act 8:6  And with one passion the crowds heeded that being said by Philip when they heard and saw the many miraculous signs which he did. 

Act 8:7  For many of the ones having unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, they came out. And many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 

Act 8:8  And great joy was in that city. 

Act 8:9  But a certain man named Simon had long been conjuring in the city and amazing the nation of Samaria, claiming himself to be some great one. 

Act 8:10  All were paying attention to him, from small to great, saying, This one is the power of God, which is great. 

Act 8:11  And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his conjuring. 

Act 8:12  But when they believed Philip preaching the gospel, the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 

Act 8:13  And Simon himself also believed, and being baptized was continuing steadfastly with Philip. And seeing miraculous signs and mighty works happening, he was amazed. 

Act 8:14  And the apostles in Jerusalem hearing that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 

Act 8:15  who going down prayed concerning them so that they may receive the Holy Spirit. 

Act 8:16  For He had not yet fallen on any one of them, but they were only being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

Act 8:17  Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 

Act 8:18  But Simon having seen that the Holy Spirit is given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, 

Act 8:19  saying, Give to me also this authority that to whomever I may lay on the hands he may receive the Holy Spirit. 

Act 8:20  But Peter said to him, May your silver be with you into perdition, because you thought to get the gift of God through money. 

Act 8:21  There is neither part nor lot to you in this matter, for your heart is not upright before the face of God. 

Act 8:22  Repent, then, from this wickedness of yours, and petition God if perhaps you will be forgiven the thought of your heart. 

Act 8:23  For I see you being in the gall of bitterness and a bundle of unrighteousness. 

Act 8:24  And answering Simon said, You petition to the Lord for me, so that nothing of which you have spoken may come on me. 

Act 8:25  Then indeed having earnestly testified and having spoken the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, even having preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. 

Act 8:26  But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go along south on the highway going down to Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a deserted place. 

Act 8:27  And rising up he went. And, behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a potentate with Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship! 

Act 8:28  And he was returning. And sitting on his chariot he read the prophet Isaiah. 

Act 8:29  And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and join yourself to this chariot. 

Act 8:30  And running near Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Indeed, do you know what you are reading? 

Act 8:31  But he said, How should I be able except someone shall guide me? And he called Philip near, to come up to sit with him. 

Act 8:32  And the content of the Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb voiceless before the one shearing it, so He does not open His mouth. 

Act 8:33  In His humiliation His judgment was taken away. And who will recount His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth." Isa. 53:7, 8 

Act 8:34  And answering the eunuch said to Philip, I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself, or about some other one? 

Act 8:35  And opening his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, Philip announced the gospel to him, Jesus. 

Act 8:36  And as they were going along the highway they came on some water. And the eunuch said, Behold, water! What prevents me to be baptized? 

Act 8:37  And Philip said, If you believe from all the heart, it is lawful. And answering he said, I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. 

Act 8:38  And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 

Act 8:39  But when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip. And the eunuch did not see him any more; for he went his way rejoicing. 

Act 8:40  And Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. 

PERSECUTION

Verses 1-3: The persecution of the church begins under Saul. Christianity is now a jailable offense (to the masses)

Verses 4-8: Those who are persecuted scatter and teach the gospel in more places. Philip preaches in Samaria successfully. Many are converted. They are convinced by both word and deed (miracles).

3. What good came from the persecution of the church?  The spread of the gospel. As is typically the case with resisting God, be careful what you ask for. Jerusalem may have become a dangerous place for Christians, so now we see its power move outward into the world.

   a. Describe the mood in Samaria. 6-And with one passion the crowds heeded that being said by Philip when they heard and saw the many miraculous signs which he did. 7 - many of the ones having unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, they came out. And many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8- great joy was in that city.

Joy- G5479  χαρά charakhar-ah' From G5463; cheerfulness, that is, calm delight: - gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy (-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous).

There is a feeling of well being and cheer among the people!

Verses 9-13: A respected conjurer (sorcery) is baptised after many others in the city were converted. He had been amazing people in the city for some time with his work. 

4. What does Simon do? Conjure: G3096 μαγεύω mageuō mag-yoo'-o From G3097; to practice magic: - use sorcery.
Simon is a magician. 

   a. Does he take selfish advantage of his ability? His magic had amazed many and he was credited with having the power of God. He claimed himself to be great. Whether or not he made money from these endeavors is unknown. The fact remains that he was not of God, nor did he have that kind of power.

5. Why is it important that Simon believed in the preaching and miracles of Philip? He was important and popular to the culture. Here is a man that amazed so many with his tricks and he is being amazed by what he sees and hears. His conversion held weight.

Verses 14-25: The apostles hear that Samaria has received the gospel. They send Peter and John so they may pray with them to receive the Holy Spirit. They go and do that and some receive the Holy Spirit. Simon sees this and wants the Holy Spirit too. He offers money to be able to give the Holy Spirit to others. Peter rebukes Simon and tells him he has no part of this because his heart is not right.
Act 8:23  For I see you being in the gall of bitterness and a bundle of unrighteousness.  -
He tells Simon to repent and petition God for forgiveness. Simon asks Peter to petition God on his behalf.

6. How did Peter and John “transfer” the Holy Spirit to others? Act 8:17  Then they laid hands on them... This is an important notation for today. It is apparent that this action was unique and makes sense for the time. These first Christians did not have full knowledge until the Holy Spirit revealed it to them. That does not mean that the Holy Spirit's movements  Act 8:17  Then they laid hands on them... This is an important n were constrained by the apostles. After all, nobody laid hands on them when they received Him. 

The purpose of laying on of hands is simply to reveal authority of the speaker. 

7. Why was Peter upset with Simon? Peter recognized Simon's motivation. Simon was popular for his magic tricks and he was regarded as one from God, or one who possessed the power of God. Now, before all the people are individuals that clearly possess (or have access to) the power of God and he wants it. 
Remember, Simon is in a saved position before God. He has heard the gospel and has been baptized. This was his first test. It may seem that he failed but his answer seems fitting for someone who believes. Once he learned that his heart put him outside God's sphere, he asks Peter to petition God for him He sees his sin and inadequacy of heart. 
It's important to see the bigger picture in that for Simon, he may never receive the Holy Spirit as some of these did because of his past.
The fact that only some of the people received the Spirit in this way also reveals that this was a special circumstance need. How could the gospel be taught without knowledge? Some had to have this gift, not all. 

8. What do you think of Simon’s reaction in verse 24? It is appropriate and promising. After being chided by Peter he feels inadequate to even pray on his own behalf. He is truly fearful in this text. Whether or not he grows from this is unknown.      

9. Are there people who try to use the gospel for personal gain living today? Of course. There are too many doctrines that promise physical wealth or physical healing today. The gospel does not promise any of that. The greed of false gospels are typically manifest by offering a "blessing" with every donation. These religions address physical wants almost to the exclusion of issues of the heart (faith). 

a.      How can we tell? When the message focuses on material/physical wealth/wellbeing. When these promises can be had for a monetary "gift."

Additional:

How can we know the Holy Spirit was working from verse 4? Evil, in the form of persecution, backfires. Instead of hindering the gospel, it just spreads it further.

How does the Holy Spirit manifest itself today? In every instance, the Holy Spirit's mission is simply to reveal God through an understanding of the gospel (Jesus). The instance of a miracle was not to bring glory to the one performing the miracle. It was simply an indication that the teacher was speaking God's word. The question of "do miracles happen today" is answered by the understanding of why they were needed before.
Before, authentication of authority of God's word was through miracles.
Today, if we want to know if someone is speaking God's word, we look it up for ourselves. 

THE ETHIOPIAN

Verses 26-31: An angel tells Philip to go to a place. He does. He sees an Ethiopian on a chariot. He is an official of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was in Jerusalem to worship God. The angel tells Philip to join the chariot. Philip runs to catch up to the chariot. He hears the Ethiopian reading from Isaiah. Philip asks "do you know what you are reading?" The Ethiopian indicates that he needs help to understand and invites Philip to join him.

10. What official status did the Ethiopian hold? He is the treasurer for Candace the queen of Ethiopia.

   a. How might this intimidate Philip? The reading does not indicate any apprehension. However, it does indicate that his willingness to approach the chariot required a specific mindset. Philip understands that whoever is in the chariot has a soul and needs the gospel. "God is no respecter of persons." 
Having the truth, and a genuine concern for others is (or should be) standard for the Christian.

11. How was Philip guided in this incident? An angel of the Lord told him where to go and the spirit directed him to approach the chariot.

   a. How do angels and the spirit “speak” to us today? The word. There are many who believe that the Spirit leads them, or God is leading them, or has led them without them knowing. That is something that cannot be empirically proven. However, neither can it be wholly discounted. 
The issues become manifest when rogue members (preachers, teachers, anyone else) start noting being led when in reality they are simply doing God's bidding from knowledge. The word. 
If what we do is good, it is of God. We know this from the scriptures. James 1:17 ... every act of good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights...
In that sense, we can attribute anything good we do to God. We have made His will our own.
That is not what happened with Philip.

Verses 32-35: The Ethiopian reads and Philip asks the Ethiopian "is the text about the writer or someone else?"

12. What scripture was the Ethiopian reading? Is 53:7,8

13. How could Philip teach about Jesus from the Old Testament? This is a messianic prophecy. Jesus is the Messiah. The initial belief was the messiah would restore Israel as a great nation. Israel had been restored as a nation. They were not happy being a vassal state but that did not preclude God's promise. Jesus' mission was too big for any one nation. He addressed all souls of every nation.

Verses 36-38: As they travel, they come upon some water. The Ethiopian declares the wants to be baptized. Philip says if you believe with all your heart, ok. So, he baptizes the Ethiopian.

14. Describe the mood of the Ethiopian. Excited. He sees the water and is not willing to wait any longer. He feels the need for this immediately. It is a moment of urgency that cannot (or should not) be ignored. 

 NOTE: The requirement "if you believe with all your heart" parallels the "greatest law" that Jesus notes. (Love God with all your heart mind and soul).  

15. What needed to happen before Philip would baptize the Ethiopian? The Ethiopian asked, then professed his belief that Jesus is the son of God. This is a petition to God. 

Verses 39-40: Coming out of the water, Philip is whisked away by the spirit. The Ethiopian goes his away rejoicing.

16. What happened to Philip? He simply disappeared.

17. Why did the Ethiopian rejoice? He was now in a "saved" condition before God.

Additional: How can we use this to teach the urgency of baptism? In literally every instance so far (and all after), when we see baptisms, it is matter of urgency and need. There is no waiting for anything. The Ethiopian did not ask to be baptized out of ignorance. Apparently, Philip included it in his teaching and the need for it was strong enough that the Ethiopian demanded it for his life. Why would anyone think it a trite thing that can be put off?

Check secular references for Christian Ethiopian churches. What do we find?
Oral tradition cites this incident as the foundation for the beginning of the Christian church in Ethiopia. In more traditional writings, the Ethiopian Christian church is noted as the second oldest worldwide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acts Chapter Seven

 Act 7:1  And the high priest said, Tell me then if you thus hold these things? 

Act 7:2  And he said, Men, brothers, and fathers, listen! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran, 

Act 7:3  and said to him, "Go out from your land and from your kindred," "and come into a land which I will show to you." Gen. 12:1 

Act 7:4  Then going out from the land of the Chaldeans, he lived in Haran. And after his father died, God moved him from there into this land in which you now live. 

Act 7:5  And He did not give to him an inheritance in it, not even a foot breadth. And He promised to give it to him for a possession and to his seed after him, there being no child to him. Gen. 17:8 

Act 7:6  And God spoke thus, that his seed would be an alien in another land, and they would enslave it and oppress it four hundred years. See Gen. 15:13 

Act 7:7  And God said, I will judge the nation to which you will be in bondage." And, After these things they will come out and will serve Me in this place. Gen. 15:14; Ex. 3:12 

Act 7:8  And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision; and so he fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. 

Act 7:9  And being jealous of Joseph, the patriarchs sold him into Egypt. But God was with him, 

Act 7:10  and plucked him out from all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh appointed him to be ruling over Egypt and all his household. 

Act 7:11  But a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. And our fathers did not find food. 

Act 7:12  But hearing grain was in Egypt, Jacob sent our fathers out first. 

Act 7:13  And at the second time, Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's race became known to Pharaoh. 

Act 7:14  And sending, Joseph called his father Jacob and all his kindred, "seventy five" "souls" "in all ". Gen. 46:27 

Act 7:15  And Jacob went down into Egypt and expired, he and our fathers. 

Act 7:16  And they were moved into Shechem, and were put in the tomb which Abraham bought for a price of silver from the sons of Hamor of Shechem. 

Act 7:17  But as the time of the promise drew near, which God swore to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 

Act 7:18  until "another king rose up" "who did not know Joseph." Ex. 1:8 

Act 7:19  Dealing slyly with our race, this one oppressed our fathers, causing their infants to be exposed so as not to be kept alive. 

Act 7:20  In which time Moses was born and was beautiful to God; who was reared three months in his father's house. 

Act 7:21  And he being exposed, Pharaoh's daughter took him up and reared him for a son to her. 

Act 7:22  And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of Egyptians and was powerful in words and in works. 

Act 7:23  And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it arose in his heart to look upon his brothers, the sons of Israel. 

Act 7:24  And seeing one being wronged, he defended him, and he avenged the one getting the worse, striking the Egyptian. 

Act 7:25  And he thought his brothers would understand that God would give them deliverance by his hand. But they did not understand. 

Act 7:26  And on the following day he appeared to them while fighting. And he urged them to peace, saying, Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another? 

Act 7:27  But the one wronging the neighbor thrust him away, saying, "Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us? 

Act 7:28  Do you not want to do away with me in the way you did away with the Egyptian yesterday?" Ex. 2:14 

Act 7:29  "And Moses fled" at this word. "And he became an alien in Midian land," where he fathered two sons. Exodus 2:15-22 

Act 7:30  And forty years being fulfilled to him, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. 

Act 7:31  And seeing, Moses marveled at the sight. And he coming up to look, a voice of the Lord came to him: 

Act 7:32  "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Ex. 3:6, 15 But becoming trembly, Moses did not dare to look. 

Act 7:33  And the Lord said to him, "Loosen the sandal from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 

Act 7:34  I surely saw the affliction of My people in Egypt, and I have heard their groan, and I came down to pluck them out. And now, come, I will send you to" Egypt. Ex. 3:5, 7, 8a, 10a 

Act 7:35  This Moses, whom they denied, saying, Who appointed you a ruler and a judge, this one God has sent as ruler and redeemer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the Bush. 

Act 7:36  This one led them out, having worked wonders and miraculous signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea, and forty years in the wilderness. 

Act 7:37  This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, "The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet to you" "from your brothers, One like me." You shall hear Him. Deut. 18:15 

Act 7:38  This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living Words to give to us, 

Act 7:39  to whom our fathers did not desire to be subject, but thrust him away, and turned their hearts back to Egypt, 

Act 7:40  saying to Aaron, "Make for us gods which will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him." Ex. 32:1 

Act 7:41  And they made a calf in those days, and led a sacrifice up to the idol, and made merry in the works of their hands. 

Act 7:42  But God turned and gave them over to serve the host of the heaven, as it has been written in the book of the Prophets: "Did you bring slain beasts and sacrifices to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 

Act 7:43  And you took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the figures which you made" "in order to worship them. And I will remove you beyond" Babylon. Amos 5:25-27 

Act 7:44  The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, as He who spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the pattern which he had seen, 

Act 7:45  which also was brought in, our fathers having received with Joshua, in the taking of possession of the nations, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, until the days of David, 

Act 7:46  who found favor before God and asked to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; 

Act 7:47  but Solomon built Him a house. 

Act 7:48  But the Most High does not dwell in temples made by hand, as the prophet says, 

Act 7:49  "Heaven is My throne, and the earth a footstool of My feet; what house will you build Me," "says the Lord," "or what the place of My rest?" 

Act 7:50  "Did not My hands make all these things?" Isa. 66:1, 2 

Act 7:51  Oh stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and in the ears! You always fell against the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, you also did. 

Act 7:52  Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those before proclaiming concerning the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become betrayers and murderers, 

Act 7:53  who received the Law by the disposition of angels and did not keep it. 

Act 7:54  And hearing these things, they were cut to their hearts and gnashed the teeth on him. 

Act 7:55  But being full of the Holy Spirit, looking intently into the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right of God. 

Act 7:56  And he said, Behold, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of man standing at the right of God! 

Act 7:57  And crying out with a loud voice, they held their ears and rushed on him with one passion. 

Act 7:58  And throwing him outside the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses put off their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul. 

Act 7:59  And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 

Act 7:60  And placing the knees, he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not make stand this sin to them. And having said this, he fell asleep. 

THE GOSPEL’S ULTIMATE PRICE

Verses 1-53: Stephen recounts Jewish history and parallels the historical rejection of God to what is currently happening.

1. How do the following people in Stephen’s sermon add weight to his message? 

   a. Abraham ... verses 5, 6: Abraham was given the promises, yet he did not inherit the land himself. Abraham was an integral figure to the religion of the day. They were his ancestors and thus inheritors of the promises. During this period they became a clan.

   b. Joseph ... verse 9: Joseph was the lynchpin to their future survival. He gained royal status which ensured the safety, protection and growth of their race. During this period they became a nation.

   c. Moses ... verses 24-29, 35, 39-40: Moses became the deliverer for the nation, freeing them from oppression. During this period, they rejected God and eventually grew to trust God. They were delivered to the land promised to them through Abraham.

   d. David/Solomon ... verses 46-47: During this period they became an influence on the region. They enjoyed peace, became powerful and eventually rejected God and His prophets.

2. Why does Stephen recount history that these men should know already? As is always the case, all they have to hold on to is their history. The claim of belonging to God is founded in their recorded history. By this time most of them thought they were singularly God's people. These icons were their proof.

 Unfortunately for them, Stephen is pointing to these historical milestones to indicate that at almost every turn, they historically end up rejecting God and they are no different. Stephen points this out with verses 52-53.

Verses 54-60: The crowd is worked up into a killing frenzy. They take Stephen out and stone him to death. Stephen sees the glory of God and Jesus and tells the crowd. As they are killing Stephen he asks God not to hold it against them. Stephen asks Jesus to take his soul. Those people throwing stones leave their outer garments with Saul.

3. What has happened here? My first inclination is murder. But to those who did this, they felt righteous in this. The same rationale they used to kill Jesus is still very much alive. 

   a. What would drive men to do this? In their own minds, there was no redemption from the reality of being a murderer and that of the Christ! It was just too much to hold in their minds. The words were exploding in their heads. So much so that they had to PHYSICALLY cover their ears. They simply could not hear any more. 

NOTE: Stephen's reply in (60) "Lord, do not lay this sin to their charge" is very reminiscent of Jesus in Luke 23 "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." These men were so in tuned to their spirit and understood that the greater good was more important than immediate justice.

Act 8:1  And Saul was consenting to his death. And in that day there was a great persecution on the church at Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 

Act 8:2  And devout men buried Stephen and made a great mourning over him. 

Act 8:3  But Saul ravaged the church, entering into every house. And dragging men and women, he delivered them up to prison. 

Chapter 8 Verses 1-3: The stoning of Stephen and introduction of Saul ramps up the level of persecution the authorities make against the Chruch.