Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Amy Carmichael was a missionary to India where she opened an orphanage and founded a mission.

For 55 years she faithfully served without ever taking a furlough.

She wrote the following words.

“Hast thou no scar?

No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?

I hear thee sung as mighty in the land, I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star, Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?

Yet I was wounded by the archers, spend, Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned: Hast thou no wound?

No wound, no scar?

Yet, as the Master shall the servant be, And, pierced are the feet that follow Me; But thine are whole: can he have followed far Who has no wounds nor scar?” http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/p/persecution.htm Accessed 11/11/17.

She asks a powerful question.

Can he have followed far, who has no wounds nor scar?

How far will we follow Christ?

How willing are we to suffer for His sake?

Will our boldness for Christ carry past persecution?

No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?

I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,

I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star,

Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?

Yet I was wounded by the archers, spend,

Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent

By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned:

Hast thou no wound?

No wound, no scar?

Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,

And, pierced are the feet that follow Me;

But thine are whole: can he have followed far

Who has no wounds nor scar?

http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/p/persecution.htm

As we continue to look at the growth and advancement of the early church, this is where everything escalates.

This is, in some respects, when it becomes very real.

The cost is high!

This is not some fun new fad!

Being a follower of Jesus Christ of Nazareth comes at a high price!

It is not the easy path.

It is not something you do for kicks!

This is serious business!

And yet persecution is something to be very thankful for.

It separates the wheat and tares the sheep and goats the followers and fakers.

Persecution drives us to Christ, it makes us desirous of heaven, and it causes us to reach out all the more.

Persecution has a purifying effect on those who follow Christ.

That is why our title is “Thank God For Persecution”.

The Persecution That Motivates The Disciples To Preach Chs.

6:8-8:3

This section of Acts deals with The Persecution That Motivates The Disciples To Preach Chs.

6:8-8:3.

With this section we arrive at the end of the first part of the book.

We have been dealing with the Spread of the gospel in Jerusalem.

It is after the persecution and martyrdom of Stephen that the church moves out of Jerusalem.

What we will be dealing with today is how Stephen’s Miracles Inspire The Persecution 6:8-15.

There are two ways this persecution is carried out.

It begins more mild and then increases in severity.

The Persecution That Motivates The Disciples To Preach Chs.

6:8-8:3

With this section we arrive at the end of the first part of the book.

We have been dealing with the Spread of the gospel in Jerusalem.

It is after the persecution and martyrdom of Stephen that the church moves out of Jerusalem.

i. Stephen’s Miracles Inspire The Persecution 6:8-15

Stephen’s Miracles Inspire The Persecution 6:8-15

Two ways the persecution is carried out.

This first one is more mild.

This passage of Scripture corrects two common misconceptions people have about the Christian life.

The first misconception is that when we are walking with the Lord, everything is easy.

The second misconception is that when life is difficult it must mean God is unhappy with us.

What Stephen faces here teaches us two vital lessons.

Faithfulness does not guarantee ease.

Persecution does not indicate God’s disfavor.

In learning these lessons we will be able to respond correctly to times of peace or persecution enabling us to proclaim Christ boldly as Stephen does.

As Stephen’s story unfolds he faces…

1. Persecution Executed Through Disputing vv.

8-10

1. Persecution executed through disputing vv.

8-10

In v. 5 we learned that Stephen is full of faith and the Holy Spirit.

These character qualities take him into a very interesting situation.

We need to understand that Stephen is a man of faith who is faithfully serving the Lord.

Like Job, he is doing what is right and suddenly begins to suffer for it.

As this passage lays out the persecution Stephen will face, we see a progression.

We are first made aware of…

a.

The cause of the dispute v. 8

a.

The cause of the dispute v. 8

Stephen’s name means “crown”.

As the first to wear the martyr’s crown, this is very appropriate.

Some of your translations may read “grace” here instead of faith.

Either way, he is full of power and does miracles.

This word “Full” is the Greek word πλήρης (plērēs) meaning full.

Distinctive.

Characterized by some particular trait or aspect; conceived of as being full of the characteristic.

Some of your translations may read “grace” here instead of faith.

Either way, he is full of power and does miracles.

This word “Full” is the Greek word πλήρης (plērēs) meaning full.

Distinctive.

Characterized by some particular trait or aspect; conceived of as being full of the characteristic.

distinctive ⇔ full adjs.

— characterized by some particular trait or aspect; conceived of as being full of the characteristic.

Full – πλήρης (plērēs)

Full – πλήρης (plērēs) full.

Distinctive ⇔ full adjs.

— characterized by some particular trait or aspect; conceived of as being full of the characteristic.

Attributive adjective, nominative, singular, masculine.

This word is important because it emphasizes what Stephen was known for.