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.