The 1st Martyr

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Intro

Show video of modeling
Modeling is much more important than just instructions.
We have so many great models of faith. Thousands of years of faithfulness
I love that the bible is not just a list of rules but stories and narratives of actual history so we have real models of our faith.
Today we will see Stephen model his faith for us as the 1st Christian martyr.
Read
Body
Acts 7:51–60 ESV
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Body

A. Stephen knew scripture
vs.1-50: A summary of the OT.
He’s not a pastor
When he was arrested and questioned, he responded with scripture.
he’s not a pastor.
dont think its ok for me to not know the bible because i’m not a pastor.
Every Christian should know the scriptures
dont be a catholic.
When you talk to non-Christians are you able to respond to their questions with scripture? Or just your opinion. We don’t need your opinions. We need you to be a witness to the Word of God.
Psalm 1:2 ESV
but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1 ESV
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
B.
B. Stephen was full of the HS
Acts 7:51 ESV
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
The evidences that Stephen was full of the HS.
b. He responds exactly like Jesus.
a. Boldness in the face of death.
Luke 12:11–12 ESV
And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
b. Responds exactly like Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
HS makes us more and more like Jesus.
How Stephen responded is very similar to Jesus
Stephen forgives his enemies, just as Jesus forgave His enemies.
He asked Jesus to receive his spirit, just as Jesus gave His spirit to the Father as he died.
How to be full of the HS?
What are the “things of the Spirit”? When Paul said in , “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit,” he was referring to his own Spirit-inspired teachings (2:13) about the thoughts and ways and plans of God (2:8–10). Therefore, “The things of the Spirit” are the teachings of the apostles about God. Jesus also said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (). Therefore, the teachings of Jesus are also the “things of the Spirit.”
So drinking the Spirit means setting our minds on the things of the Spirit. And setting our minds on the things of the Spirit means directing our eager attention to the teachings of the apostles about God and to the words of Jesus. If we do this long enough, we will get drunk with the Spirit. In fact we will get addicted to the Spirit. Instead of chemical dependency we will develop a wonderful Spirit-dependency.

CLOSING

Model Stephen’s life.
Know God’s Word
Be full of the HS
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