Taking the Religious Elite to Task (Part 1)

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Acts 7:1-16

 

Matthew 28:19-20

Go ^[a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

(NKJV)

 

One who becomes a believer in Jesus Christ as their savior is doing more than becoming part of some religion, but is entering into a personal relationship with God through Christ. This belief in the grace of God providing salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) is at odds with some religious leaders who believe salvation is a result of one’s good works, adherence to some moral code, or observation of religious traditions. As the time of the return of Christ nears, those having a relationship with Christ through His grace may, like Stephen, be at odds with the religious elites of our time. I pray we will be as bold as Stephen and become sparks of revival in our time.

 

Stephen is standing before the council of the high priest, and he is asked if the accusations brought against him are true (Acts 7:1). Instead of directly answering their question, he begins to tell them about how God asked Abraham to leave his home country (Acts 7:2-3). He continues by telling them how Abraham was obedient and left his homeland with his father and lived in Haran until the death of his father, then moved on to Canaan (Acts 7:4-5). Abraham and Sarah remained childless, leaving Abraham with no heir to pass his inheritance on to, but was promised an heir by God. Stephen then told them how God told Abraham his heirs would live in a foreign land, Egypt, for four hundred years under bondage and oppression (Acts 7:6-7). God then established the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, setting them apart from the rest of the people in Canaan (Acts 7:8).

 

Stephen then tells them how they became envious of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt, but God was with Joseph, delivering him from his troubles and making him governor of Egypt (Acts 7:9-10). A famine broke out in the land, and Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, sending his sons to purchase grain where they confronted Joseph (Acts 7:11-12). During their second trip to Egypt, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers and sent for Jacob and all his family to come to Egypt (Acts 7:13-14). Jacob died in Egypt, but they buried him in Shechem with his father and grandfather (Acts 7:15-16).

 

Instead of directly defending himself from the accusations brought against him, Stephen proceeds to give them a Jewish history lesson. I picture the Pharisees yawning as Stephen spoke of things they already knew. However, as we will later see, Stephen is doing this to show the religious elite, the Pharisees, that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Instead of realizing the truth and surrendering to Jesus, the Pharisees remain blind to the truth. This is not surprising because Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 15:8-9, and is something foretold by Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13). This blindness to truth will lead to the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:57-60), leading to the belief that Stephen failed in his attempt to present the truth. However, Saul, who would later become known as Paul, was present at the stoning and would become the greatest proponent of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Stephen’s presentation of the truth was not a failure because it paved the path for Saul’s conversion and the spreading of the Gospel throughout the region.

 

When falsely accused as believers, it is important to remember what happened that paved the way to our salvation. While our declaration of faith may not save the world, it could lead to the salvation of someone who will have great influence and lead to the Gospel going to many others. A Sunday School teacher prayed with a young Billy Graham to receive Jesus as his savior. While this may have seemed like a small thing at the time, it would lead to thousands around the world coming to accept Jesus as their savior. It only takes a small spark to start a wildfire. My prayer is that we who believe in Jesus as our savior would be that spark. We are the salt and light in a dark world (Matthew 5:13-16) and called to serve as ambassadors for Christ in a dark world (2 Corinthians 5:20). We also have a calling to take the message of the Gospel around the world (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20), so I encourage all believers reading this to become the spark of the Gospel that could ignite revival.

 

If you are reading this and have never prayed to receive forgiveness of your sins and make Jesus the Lord of your life, I encourage you to do so now by praying with me.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9). I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

This prayer is not some magical prayer, but must be a genuine expression of your heart. If that is why you prayed, rest assured, your sins are completely forgiven, and you have eternal life. I now encourage you to let someone know of your decision. I also urge you to find a church of truth, teaching from the Bible that is empowered by the Holy Spirit, so you can grow in your faith. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post. 

Repentance

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 51

 

Psalm 51:1

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.

(NKJV)

 

Since none of us who are reading this is perfect, we have done things in our lives that are sinful and displeasing to a righteous God. When we become aware of these shortcomings, we have a choice. We can choose to ignore the warning and go on living in our sin, or do as David did in this psalm, repent and turn back to God. At the end of this post, you will have an opportunity to make that choice.

 

After Nathan has made his sin of adultery known to him, David prays for God to blot out his transgressions and cleanse him from his sin (Psalm 51:1-2). He then acknowledges his sin and that it is a sin against God and Him only (Psalm 51:3-4). David then acknowledges he was born in sin and in need of cleansing from sin (Psalm 51:5-7). David’s sin has robbed him of joy and gladness, and now he asks God for the restoration of his bones broken by sin, asking God to no longer hide his face from his sins and to blot out his iniquities (Psalm 51:8-9).

 

David continues by asking God to create a clean heart within him and not to cast him from His presence (Psalm 51:10-11). David then asks God to give him a clean heart and the renewal of a steadfast spirit so he can share his salvation with other sinners, and they are converted (Psalm 51:12-13). David desires deliverance from the guilt of his sin so he can offer praise to God (Psalm 51:14-15). David acknowledges that God does not desire sacrifice, something he could offer, but a broken spirit and a contrite heart (Psalm 51:16-17). David concludes by asking God to do good in His good pleasure to Zion, so God is pleased with their sacrifices of righteousness (Psalm 51:18-19).

 

David has committed the sins of adultery and murder, with his sins revealed to him by Nathan. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of repentance for these sins. In his prayer, David,

• Asks God for mercy and to blot out his transgressions (Psalm 51:1-2) – Mercy in one’s life is not receiving what they deserve. Romans 3:23 reminds us that everyone has sinned and fallen short, missing the mark with God. The first half of Romans 6:23 reminds us that the penalty for sin is death, meaning that justice for our sin is death. Therefore, everyone, including David, needs mercy with God.
• David acknowledges his sins (Psalm 51:3-6) – In 1 John 1:9, the Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins. However, repentance is more than just telling God you have sinned but includes telling God you want to turn from your sin and follow Him. There is no mention in scripture of David committing adultery or murder again, leading to the belief his repentance was genuine.
• David asks God to cleanse his heart (Psalm 51:7-11) – In Matthew 6:21, the Bible tells us that our heart is in what we treasure. We often think of this verse in giving to God, but it also includes what has priority in our hearts. In David’s case, he stopped to look at Bathsheba bathing, and his heart desired her. This escalated to the sin of adultery and murder. Therefore, David asks God to cleanse his heart of this treasure, replacing it with a treasure to draw closer to God.
• David prays for restoration and deliverance (Psalm 51:12-17) – In this portion of the Psalm, David is asking God to deliver him from his sin and restore a right relationship with Him. One can experience this restoration today through Christ, who took the judgment for our sins, so we can become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). While David wrote this before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he is looking forward to the coming of the Messiah and the fulfillment of prophecy.
• David prays for God’s blessings upon Zion (Psalm 51:18-19) – One’s sins have consequences that can affect more than just the one sinner. The sin of adultery not only affects the sinner but also their spouse and family. The sin of murder affects not only the murderer, who may face death or life imprisonment, but also the family and friends of the person murdered. In his conclusion of this psalm, David prays to God out of a desire not to have his sin remove God’s blessings from Zion.

 

Repentance is a 180-degree turn from sin towards God. It represents the first step to receiving salvation from God because sin separates us from God. It is more than saying I am sorry and about receiving forgiveness and salvation from a merciful God. Repentance should also result in a life transformation from a life of sin (Romans 12:1-2). Salvation from sin is through God’s grace and not something we can earn by our good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess a genuine, heartfelt belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for our sins, we will be saved. If you are reading this and have never prayed to accept this gift from God, I encourage you to do so now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you meant what you just prayed, know God has forgiven all your sins and that you now have a right relationship with God and are a child of God (Romans 8:16). Like any relationship, it grows as we get to know each other. While God already knows all about us, we must study the Bible, the word of God, to learn more about Him. If you just prayed, I encourage you to find a Church that teaches the truth of the Bible so you can learn more about the Lord. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post. 

The Rewards and Costs of Serving Christ

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Acts 6

 

Acts 6:7

Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

(NKJV)

 

As a church, like any other organization, grows, it will grow to be more than one man, or a small group of men or women, can manage. This is what the early church experienced in Acts 6, with them handling the situation through appointing additional men to the ministry. However, this did not mean the church did not experience added persecution, as illustrated by accusations of Stephen, one of the men appointed, of blasphemy. There are rewards and costs to serving Christ.

 

The number of disciples in the church is growing and with it, the needs of ministry with the widows of the Hellenists neglected in the daily distribution (Acts 6:1). The twelve apostles summoned the multitude of disciples, telling them it was not desirable that they leave the word of God to serve tables (Acts 6:2). The apostles instruct the disciples to select seven men of good reputation, who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to appoint over the business of the daily distribution so the apostles can continue in prayer and ministry of the word (Acts 6:3-4). This pleased the multitude, and they chose seven men, including Stephen, bringing them to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them (Acts 6:5-6). After this, the word of God spread, with the number of disciples multiplying greatly, including many of the priests who were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).

 

Stephen, one of the seven chosen who was full of faith and power, did great signs and wonders among the people (Acts 6:8). A group from the Synagogue of the Freedmen arose and began disputing with Stephen, but they were unable to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which Stephen spoke (Acts 6:9-10). They then secretly induced men to say they had heard Stephen say blasphemous words against Moses and God (Acts 6:11). This stirred up the people, elders, and scribes, and they seized Stephen, bringing him to the council (Acts 6:12). In the council, they set up false witnesses, claiming they heard Stephen say blasphemous words against the Temple and the law (Acts 6:13). They claimed to have heard Stephen say that Jesus would destroy the temple building and change the customs given to them by Moses (Acts 6:14). However, when those in the council looked at Stephen, they saw his face as the face of an angel (Acts 6:15).

 

Massive church growth is resulting in the need to appoint others to serve in the ministry so the apostles can devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. Stephen, one of the seven appointed to serve in the daily distribution, does great signs and wonders, drawing the attention of persecutors. This passage illustrates two things that are part of a growing church. First, a growing church needs more people to ensure the needs of those the church ministers to are met. The growth of the early Church and its commitment to addressing the needs of those in the church (Acts 4:32-35) have led to some being neglected in the daily distribution. The Church had two choices: the apostles could take time away from prayer and teaching the word to meet these needs, or they could appoint men to cover these aspects of ministry. Fortunately, they chose the latter, and the Church continued to grow.

 

However, a growing Church that spreads the Gospel represents a threat to those who reject Jesus Christ or who see Him as a threat to their religious stranglehold on those in their religion. Jesus represented a threat to the religious power of the religious leaders of the Jews over the people, and he had to be silenced (Luke 22:1-6; Mark 14:1-2; Matthew 26:1-5). It is possible that the continued church growth through the ministry of men like Stephen was a continued threat to those same religious leaders, so they must silence him as well.

 

Those called to serve in some form of ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ will suffer persecution because they represent a threat to the world system (John 16:33). In our present time, the Church represents a threat to the spread of a woke culture and must be silenced. Unfortunately, some churches react to this persecution by softening their message or even adopting wokeness in their teachings, claiming a loving God would not be against one having love and pleasure in their lives. While John 3:16 does tell us that God loves the world, to receive eternal life, one must believe in Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated belief in this text indicates one having more than a belief in the existence of someone, but a complete trust in someone. This would include obedience to that person's teachings. Jesus said that He and the Father are one (John 10:30), telling us that Jesus is God and was present at creation when God created both male and female people (Genesis 1:27). God also formed each of us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13), meaning we were alive before our birth, with ending a pregnancy murder. Yes, God is a loving God, but to genuinely believe in Him and receive eternal life, one must place one's complete trust in Him and His Word.

 

If you have never prayed for the forgiveness of your sins and to confess your belief in Jesus as your savior, I invite you to do so now by praying with me.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

This prayer is not some magical prayer but must be a genuine expression of your heart. If that is why you prayed, rest assured your sins are completely forgiven, and you have eternal life. I now encourage you to let someone know of your decision. I also urge you to find a church of truth, teaching from the Bible that is empowered by the Holy Spirit, so you can grow in your faith. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.