The Life of Stephen
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Most of what we have studies so far in the life of the saints have been around Peter, John, and mention of the other Apostles. Today we get a member who became a deacon of the church.
Last we week we spoke clearly that Deacons are servants of the church under the leadership of the elders. The providence of God did not want us to see or know much about Stephens life, such as family background, his work as a Deacon, the inner life that know about Peter we do not have about Stephen.
Yet what do have about Stephen are the principles that a Christian should carry. Remember Stephen is not a Pastor, yet he gave a great witness of redemptive history, he knew the word of God, he was zelaos to share it, and would die because of it.
Stephen points us to the desire Christ has for his church, rather your elder, deacon, or member this principles or life actions is what pleases the Lord.
Stephens death was a witness of the gospel for Saul, who more than likely was there at minimum knew the event well. If Stephen had not died, would Saul even consider what he saw when he was blind? Stephens death to this day brings much needed testimony for the life of a Christian and the local church.
Stephen's ministry should not only drive us Christians to ponder reflection if our faith in the Lord is as strong as his, but rather a deeper reflection of how a true born again believer lives out his life for the glory of the Lord Jesus.
The Character of the Christian and Church *Presence of Christ*
The Character of the Christian and Church *Presence of Christ*
Stephen was called to be a Deacon, because of Christ will for his life. His calling is confirmed by the character he had as we discussed last week in 1 Timothy 3, what a man ought to be to even be considered for the office of Deacon or Elder.
Yet is this character of qualification that is not just the call for the Deacon or Elder, but it is the call, it is the standard of every Christian. Rightly so that chapter is the call of Deacon and Elder but if we examine all of scripture these things are the calling of the Christian. You shall know them by their fruit.
Christ who saved Stephen, the Spirit of God that regenerated his depraved, wicked soul is the same Christ, is the same Spirit of God that can save your wicked depraved soul.
A Christian who is born again looks at the life of Stephen and must ask if he reflects Christ, do I reflect Christ?
Because we are baptist, we affirm that church membership is membership based upon regeneration. Not based upon a confession once made at the age six or their parent’s faith of being baptized as an infant. Are you born again?
Many members of this church past or present, let the warning made even to myself that if I am not born again then I will hear the words of Christ depart from me, I never knew you.
This ought to scare every member of the church to examine their souls and much more so for officers of a church who are not born again.
What made Stephen the man he is, is the very fact he was born again by the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because he was born again.
The members of this particular church were men and women who were born again and because they did not drift from this life of the Spirit they multiplied, their deacons and elders spoke boldly the gospel, the people heard the word, and the church grew. The presence of Christ was with Stephen, and that very presence was evident in the Church of Antioch.
When the church is filled with born again Christians who don’t loose sight of Christ and His great commission, the church thrives, the Christian stands with boldness in the face of death proclaiming Christ.
When the church looses her sight of Christ and the calling of the great commission they permit unregenerate church membership, they don’t question things, they loose members, there is no increase, but heaven forbid someone changes the structure of what use to be done.
Stephen yes was called by God, affirmed by the church to be a Deacon, but his life was that of Christ. That life is the life that permeated the church. that expanded the gospel of Jesus into all the nations.
Stephen and Knowing the Word
Stephen and Knowing the Word
Stephen would give his sermon, a witness of the gospel to a Jewish people who by this point hated Christ and His disciples.
Today we have many claiming the name of Christ, but have rejected the truth of the gospel or traded it in for another gospel.
Light of the World church is one of those false churches, I met with Pastor David Menodoza and one his members. I grew great concern of who the church is that purchased a once Christian church.
There are many things that concern me with not only their presence here in this building, but their presence in our city of Winston-Salem.
In doctrine they have refused to confess Christ as God, the refuse to submit to an essential doctrine of the Trinity. Their view of salvation is works based, much like the doctrine of Rome.
Friend’s this is one example, but like many Christians today who are being fooled into the another gospel, it is because the lack of men like Stephen in the church who proclaim Christ and know the word!
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Friend’s how many of you here today would look a man in the face and call him a heretic and know the reasons why? As your Pastor I did that now twice within a week’s time two different men.
It is this same spirit of God that could look a Jewish people and proclaim the word of God against them. This would lead to Stephens death.
Stephen knew the word of God, so when the opportunity came for him to preach the word, he did so with authority in his voice, and truth in his preaching.
It is not because Stephen grew up around the influence of the Torah, but it is because Stephen knew the Lord with a desire of His word.
Do you Christian meditate on the word of God? Psalm 1 or are you simply like the religious who walk in the shadows of the church but don’t follow Christ.
Henry Blackaby was in church revitalization for a church much like ours, one step into the grave with just enough hope to not call the undertaker to close the tomb.
He teaches that a church who is alive must evangelize the lost and bless their community.
The enemy will do the same thing, feed the food pantry, tell others of their “church” and there could even be growth. It’s marketing without truth, but the presence of God would be absent and souls damned for hell.
Yet the Church who knows the truth should not be silent of the hope that gives life. It is when she is silent that the church fades into the background into her death and looses any ground in the community she had.
Stephen knew the truth and did not let go of the ground he stood on. He knew the word, he was a disciple, and made disciples.
What gave him the voice to speak the way he did was He knew the presence of Christ was within the word of God.
Do you Christian know the word? Do you know the presence of Christ is in the word? Christian (Church) if you want to be an effective evangelist, you must the know the word, you must know Christ who is the Word!
Christian only by being in the word, having opportunities to study the word together can discipleship happen.
I love Tuesday nights, because I get to spend time disciplining boys as one of the chaplains at Trail Life. I get to bring the word every Tuesday.
Before I got to this point in my life where I teach, share, or preach the gospel multiple times in multiple arenas, I was disciple by men who knew the word and taught me the word.
Christian you must know the word to know Christ, and you must know Christ to know the word. If you don’t have Christ you won’t know the word, and if you don’t the know the word you won’t have Christ.
Stephen knew the word that not only did he have Christ, but he gave Christ. Christian (church) when was the last time you gave Christ to someone?
Stephen is a deacon, not an elder. His duties were to wash the table, yet as a Christian he was a great evangelist. The mark of a church that is healthy knows the word, knows Christ, and evangelizes the lost.
Leaving Christ as your Legacy *Stephens Death*
Leaving Christ as your Legacy *Stephens Death*
Stephen would be put death by being stoned. Many of the apostles would be murdered for Christ, many today give their life for Christ.
During the ISIS season many years ago, many of us recall the scene of Christians who were lined up on the beach to be murdered because of preaching Christ.
The lesson we learn from Stephen is the gospel spreads when a faithful church leaves the legacy of Christ. Saul’s death would bring about the Apostle Paul.
The legacy of Stephen is not his boldness, courage, or his office as Deacon. His legacy is Christ and the message of the gospel that was given.
As each of us here today will die and in less than 10 years accept for maybe a few people our names will be forgotten, our job is posted the day of our death, and our ministry is over.
What will remain is did you give Christ to someone? It is Christ who lives on in this world and it Christ that we will worship for all eternity.
Like men who have a shelf life, so does the local church. The question is will each local church that has moved beyond effective witness and can’t be revitalized for at least one more generation leave a legacy of Christ or stay around too long where Christ is forgotten?
Application
Application
1. Is Christ presence among you Christian? Is Christ’s presence among you Waughtown Baptist Church? How do you know? Examine your soul, examine the fruit. Where lacking repent or where no faith at all repent and come to Christ.
2. Is the word of God present within you Christian? Is the word of God present within your Church? Or is attending Sunday school simply a religious task to do on Sunday, while for six days of the week the word of God is not opened and your prayers are as silent as the winters night.
3. Do you desire to leave Christ as your legacy or are you aiming for your name to be known?
Conclusion
Conclusion
Stephen indeed was a Deacon of the church, but He was a Christian before that. The call to be a Christian is a great calling because it is a life that is declared to be the bride of Christ, to worship Christ, to magnify Christ. Its is what the Westminster Confession states is the chief end of man; to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Christian if this is not your desire, I plead with you examine your soul. Know Christ not because Stepehen did but because this is your purpose, this is your calling to know God and glorify God.
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