Пълният препис на Acts 7 Explained: Stephen’s Bold Faith, Martyrdom, and the Power of Truth

WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.080 Welcome to the Bible Made Real podcast. 00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:03.279 I'm Kathy Abraham. 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:06.160 We are continuing our Bible study in the book of Acts. 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:12.960 Acts chapter seven is one of the most important speeches in all of the New Testament, is the speech of Stephen. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:21.440 Stephen, we just talked about, was um appointed as the deacon to serve the community, but he's also gifted. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.399 He's an evangelist and he is gifted to speak and preach. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:25.519 So they arrest him. 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:36.560 He is in front of the council and he gives an entire, delivers this amazing speech, proving why they're wrong, proving why uh the plan of God throughout the entire scripture. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:38.000 He talks about Abraham. 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:40.320 He talks about Moses, he talks about Joseph. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:46.960 Um, and he's basically saying, he's trying to prove to them uh God's work through history and salvation. 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:49.600 So he talks about how Abraham was called by God. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:59.840 He talks about Joseph being rejected by his brothers and later uh becoming the deliverer, and how Moses was initially rejected, but then being sent by God. 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:04.640 And he wants to show them this pattern of God's redemption and God's plan. 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:06.640 And then he confronts them, right? 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:07.760 And he addresses them. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.400 He calls them, you stiff-necked people. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:12.319 You always resist the Holy Spirit. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:22.239 Stephen is being super bold in his declaration about God and his defense about uh about God's um plan for humanity. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:24.159 So he's exposing them, right? 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:26.400 And he is trying to teach them something. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:33.359 And then after all this, he explains the history of Egypt and the tabernacle and the temple. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:34.959 He has a vision. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:39.599 He sees heaven opening in verse 56. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:45.200 He says, Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:49.200 Then it says, They cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:50.640 You know, they said we had enough. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:52.239 We cannot listen to this anymore. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:56.879 They ran out with him after him with one accord, cast him out of the city, and they stoned him. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.840 And the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:05.200 Okay, this is Saul who later becomes Paul. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:10.240 He is witnessing this entire stoning of Stephen, and it really changes him and transforms him. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:15.120 And then they stoned Stephen, and he started to call on God and listen to what he says. 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:17.759 This is the very last breath that Stephen takes. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:20.960 He said, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:23.280 And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:25.199 Sounds exactly like Jesus, right? 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:29.120 At the cross, when he was saying, Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.120 Stephen is saying the same thing here. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:37.680 So the core message of the book of Acts is number one, God is not confined to a temple or a location or a system. 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:49.280 Stephen is trying to make this super clear to them because the Jews are very, very set on the temple and worship in the temple, but God is always moving as he is moving with Abraham in Mesopotonia and Joseph in Egypt, right? 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:51.039 And in the wilderness with Moses. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:54.719 Number two, people consistently resist God. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:56.000 He is telling them that. 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:58.479 And this is the uncomfortable truth, okay? 00:02:58.800 --> 00:02:59.919 Joseph was rejected. 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:04.080 Moses was rejected, the prophets were rejected, and Jesus is rejected. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:08.159 The issue is not lack of evidence, but it's their hardness of their heart. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:12.240 And then we see that the religious activity does not equal obedience. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:24.639 This, these people, uh, the Sadducees and the Pharisees and the religious counsel, they were, they knew the scripture, they held to their traditions, they preached and spoke in the temple, yet they resisted God. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:29.680 So we can be full of knowledge of God, yet our hearts can be far from the Lord. 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:33.280 And this is what he's continually being calling, calling them out on. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:38.639 And then the last one is that the truth really um stands firm under pressure. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:39.120 Okay. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:40.560 Stephen doesn't compromise. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:43.439 He has the Holy Spirit like speaking through him. 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:52.719 He is bold and he is teaching so clearly, and he's able to ask for forgiveness for those who are stoning him to death in his last hour. 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:56.479 Truly, truly, truly, this is the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:00.800 And this is kind of the pattern we see with all the martyrs throughout history, right? 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:14.000 They get this supernatural, abundant ability to forgive and this grace at the end of their life to finish their race well at the end, the last breath uh leading to their martyrdom. 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:22.000 So, Stephen, we often call him the first proto-martyr, proto-martyr, and the proto-deacon, the first deacon and the first martyr is uh St. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:22.720 Stephen. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:46.879 So I hope this quick overview on chapter seven, the book of Acts, really helps you understand the power of what's happening with Stephen's speech to encourage you and I to speak boldly and firmly and to not lose the eternal vision of what's really going on in this world, not to live in the comfort of today, but to speak for eternity like Stephen was, and to realize that your life also is affecting those around you. 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:48.160 There's a ripple effect. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:55.120 Saul was close by watching this, and he was really affected by the stoning of Stephen because he saw the faith of Stephen. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:05:00.720 Something in him was changing and being stirred and being planted for what God was about to do in Saul. 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:04.639 So know that your life also has an effect on those around you. 00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:17.439 When you step up boldly, when you are living a life of faith and your testimony and your witness is sure, and you're staying close to God and the gospel is being lived out in your life, other people around you are being changed. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:24.240 So I hope this encouraged you and I will see you next week as we continue our Bible study on the book of Acts. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:25.360 Have a great week. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:28.959 Thanks for joining me on the Bible Made Real Podcast. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:35.680 If today's episode encouraged you, make sure to hit follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:38.240 Your feedback helps us to reach more listeners. 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:46.800 You can visit KathyAbraham.com to access free Bible study tools and sign up to receive my free weekly devotionals straight into your inbox. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:54.399 You can also follow me on Instagram and TikTok at Kathy Abiding Light for daily encouragement and behind the scenes content and updates. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:56.720 And I'll see you in the next episode.