1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,040 Hey everybody, this is Pastor John Ewart from Inglewood 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:05,920 Baptist Church in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Thank you so much for tuning in to our podcast. 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,400 You're going to hear from God today as we share. 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,360 From his word. About important. 6 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,680 Issues facing your life. That can guide you according to 7 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:21,440 the Bible. Well, happy Father's Day 8 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:27,120 Inglewood, take your Bibles and turn to Acts chapter 6 if you 9 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,960 will, and I will catch up to you in just a moment. 10 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,680 So thankful for fathers today. It's a it's a good thing to 11 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,000 honor our fathers. I know for some this day can be 12 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,440 different. Just like Mother's Day. 13 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,920 Some of our fathers have passed away and perhaps some of our 14 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,560 fathers didn't know Jesus and, and so there may have even been 15 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,520 struggles with some of our fathers, but we're still 16 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:52,400 thankful. The Bible says we should honor 17 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,240 our fathers. And so we're we want to do that. 18 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,120 And I pray that you're a godly father. 19 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,640 This message is going to be partially for you as well today. 20 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,239 And I pray that we'll all be challenged by that. 21 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,840 Thankful for Oaxaca. Oaxaca is one of my favorite as 22 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:09,760 my definitely my favorite place in Mexico. 23 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,080 I have worked in my previous life with the Mexican Baptist 24 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,640 seminary that's in Oaxaca, trained most of their faculty. 25 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,760 I've spent many many many days in Oaxaca City and the the 26 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,960 Oaxaca is surrounded by the largest concentration of 27 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:28,920 unreached people groups in the America's affinity, which would 28 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,960 be everything South of the Rio Grande all the way down to the 29 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:35,360 tip of South America. Outside of the Amazon, it has 30 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,920 the largest concentration. These people live in mountainous 31 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,640 regions who were never conquered by the Spanish. 32 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:43,480 In fact, their heart language is not Spanish. 33 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,760 They speak Spanish, but their heart language would be Indian 34 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,880 tribal dialects. These are pre Aztec missile tech 35 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,800 people and they come to the city to do marketing. 36 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,200 So these church plants are reaching out to these unreached 37 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,160 groups and will also help plant churches amongst them. 38 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,320 So it'll be a very worthwhile place to to see work done. 39 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,600 So looking forward to that. In the meantime, we have a, we 40 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,120 have a local missions project coming up in just a couple of 41 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,320 weeks. It's called Vacation Bible 42 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:12,880 School. Yeah. 43 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,720 And so we still need a little help, I've been told. 44 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,240 So if you could help with the decorations, I've seen the 45 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,280 drawings of what this stage is going to become in just a few 46 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,640 weeks, and they still need a little help, I've been told. 47 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,640 No skill required, but if you could show up to do a little 48 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:31,720 painting or cutting or some things like that, they'll show 49 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,280 you exactly what to do. They're going to be working the 50 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,240 next two Thursdays from 9:00 until 9:00. 51 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:39,800 You heard me right. From 9:00 until 9:00 the next 52 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,920 two Thursdays and the next two Saturdays from 9:00 until two. 53 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:44,800 You do not have to stay that long. 54 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,120 So just come and spend an hour or two with them and help them 55 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,560 out and they'd love that and appreciate you doing that. 56 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,680 So I hope that we'll have tons of people show up for that. 57 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:55,880 Then you can also register your, your children and also to be a 58 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,200 volunteer if you're a member or in the process of membership out 59 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,080 in the lobby and look forward to seeing what God does. 60 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,080 I love Vacation Bible School, so I'm looking forward to that. 61 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:07,640 Also. I, I heard that we had a good 62 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:09,760 women's event last Thursday night for those ladies. 63 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:11,880 Appreciate that and those who did that. 64 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,520 Yeah, a good group I heard and I know that you've been watching 65 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,800 the news and I've been actually talking to people who have 66 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,520 inside information about some of the things, the news between 67 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:23,920 Iran and Israel. And they're actually working on 68 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:26,960 some peace talks already now. But but that we certainly want 69 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,120 to continue to remember our friends in prayer. 70 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,560 So thank you for that. You know, a few years ago I was 71 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,360 in Nashville, TN, the Mecca of Southern Baptist. 72 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,560 Perhaps if you knew anything about Southern Baptist, the 73 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,440 headquarters is there. So I was in there for a Baptist 74 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,200 conference and that there was a little St. between where we were 75 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,760 and where we had to get and, and a whole bunch of people were 76 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,520 crossing back and forth. And there was a, a, a woman in a 77 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,560 green SUV and she stopped to let people cross very kindly of her. 78 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,520 So I assumed that meant I had permission to cross. 79 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,040 But she, but, but I guess I didn't. 80 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:04,800 And when I began to cross, she hit me. 81 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,200 So I, I, I was hit by a car in Nashville, but I was not in a 82 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,920 car. And so she must have known I was 83 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,520 a Baptist preacher. But but then I remember, I 84 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,959 remember as my, my hands came slamming down on her hood that 85 00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:21,920 my wedding rings scratched. And so I'm sure my semi 86 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,920 conscious state, I was probably, you know, writing John 316 of 87 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:26,120 the great commissioner or something on there. 88 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,360 And of course, my only thought was I wonder if she knows Jesus. 89 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,840 That was my only thought if she hit me with her car. 90 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,760 But either way, actually, the the reality of the situation is, 91 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,880 is she hit me and I didn't even budget and I think I dented her 92 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,600 Fender. So I got to lay off the tacos 93 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,800 and I got to watch my next steps very carefully. 94 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:47,840 And Inglewood, we're in a similar boat. 95 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:49,000 You don't have to watch your tacos. 96 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,680 Today is Father's Day. Eat all the tacos you want, Dad. 97 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:56,240 But we need to choose our next steps very carefully. 98 00:04:56,840 --> 00:05:00,880 We must come join the King's mission. 99 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,560 We've been in our study of Acts now for a few weeks and we're, 100 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,040 we're getting halfway done and we're looking forward to 101 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,000 marching to about chapter 13. But as we pursue God's mission 102 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,640 and vision for us, this, this is a very common time for the enemy 103 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,800 to attack. It's a, it's a time for the 104 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:18,560 enemy to distract. You're going to see him doing 105 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,280 the same thing in the book of Acts. 106 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,120 So we must be devoted to prayer, we must be defined by God's 107 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,720 Word, and we must be totally dependent upon the Holy Spirit 108 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,440 if we're going to move forward or failure or derailment are 109 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,280 guaranteed. If we try to achieve true 110 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:38,720 discipleship by our own strength, doing it our way, we 111 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,080 must submit our will to His will. 112 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,880 And that's what this message is about because God has a perfect, 113 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,720 He has a predetermined plan for his church. 114 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,560 You all would probably know this verse out of the prophet 115 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:57,000 Jeremiah book and Jeremiah 2911 for I know the plans I have for 116 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:01,520 you declares the Lord plans for welfare and not for evil to give 117 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,560 you a future and a hope. And So what a privilege. 118 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,560 And I mean this, what a privilege to be here. 119 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,880 You've heard that during our prayer time, even today. 120 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:16,120 What a privilege we have to be here for him at this incredible 121 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:21,480 moment, for his timing. But if we have no biblical 122 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:26,520 targets at which to shoot, no understood, valued, Spirit LED 123 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:30,440 definitions, directions and destinations, then we're not 124 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,720 going to know if we achieve His will or not. 125 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:34,760 So we need to understand these things. 126 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,040 So understanding our true biblical identity is going to 127 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:42,160 help guide us. So we must move forward in God's 128 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,880 will, His way, and those are important words because our 129 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:52,280 option is forcing or perhaps remaining comfortable in our own 130 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:57,760 will, in our own way. So what an extremely crucial 131 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,480 historic moment we find ourselves in. 132 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,960 And often times I find myself fighting God's will. 133 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,040 In the past, I've done that. I was, I was born a fighter. 134 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:09,760 I've been a fighter my whole life. 135 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,320 If you know anything about my testimony, you see glimpses of 136 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,600 part of that problem that I've had in my life. 137 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,120 In fact, Andrew Jackson has a famous quote that I often quote. 138 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:20,800 It says I was, I was born for a storm. 139 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:25,640 The calm does not suit me. But even I at some point have 140 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:32,040 had to learn I must give up my fight to get my way and to trust 141 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:36,520 in God and His way. So life doesn't always go the 142 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:40,040 way we thought it should. And sometimes and sometimes we 143 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,520 wanted it to. And maybe you're here this 144 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,120 morning and that's been happening to you. 145 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:48,360 Maybe you're hurt. Maybe you're broken, maybe you 146 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,120 you're trying to recover. Maybe you're hoping to just kind 147 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,680 of stand up again. Maybe you've been carrying a 148 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,760 heavy load right now in your life. 149 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,480 So holding on to that hurt, holding on to that anger, 150 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:02,680 holding on to that brokenness, all that that and unforgiveness, 151 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,960 frankly, can bring a level of toxicity to your life that's 152 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,200 simply too heavy for you to carry by yourself. 153 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,320 And so we must find freedom in the King's mission. 154 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,680 So maybe, just maybe, this morning might be an extremely 155 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,320 crucial historic moment for you personally as well. 156 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:25,560 In Acts Chapter 6, we're ending a series, a series of three 157 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,080 trials the early church had to go through with the Sanhedrin, 158 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,600 the Jewish Supreme Court. The first ends in a warning, the 159 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,600 second ends in a flogging, but the third is going to go much 160 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,240 further. And So what we see is that the 161 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,600 enemy never stops, the enemy never sleeps, the enemy never 162 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,120 relents, the enemy never gives up. 163 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,680 And he attacks from the outside, he attacks from the inside. 164 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,400 And once again, we're going to see an outside attack in our 165 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,400 passage this morning. But this is also a major turning 166 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,200 point for the First Church. It's a major turning point for 167 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,600 Great Commission fulfilment. It's a turning point. 168 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:07,840 So this is an extremely crucial historic moment as we see the 169 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,960 culmination of the witness in Jerusalem to fulfill Acts 1/8. 170 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,320 As we're going to see after this passage, the church is being 171 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:18,000 forced out into Judea and Samaria, eventually to somebody 172 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,840 named Saul and eventually to the other most parts of the world. 173 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:23,920 But what prompts this new movement? 174 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,000 That's what we've got to find outlook at Acts chapter 6. 175 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,520 We're going to begin in verse 8. Pick up the story right here. 176 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:34,840 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders 177 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,760 and signs among the people. Then some of those who belong to 178 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,480 the synagogue of the freedmen, as it was called, and of the 179 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,760 Sarinians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from 180 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,680 Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 181 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,160 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which 182 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,520 he was speaking. I'm just going to share 4 simple 183 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,080 things with you this morning from this this chapter. 184 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:02,400 I want us to just first of all say that the world will fight 185 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,880 God's will all the time, always. It always has. 186 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,560 It always will all the way to the end of the story. 187 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:13,080 We're reminded of Stephens qualifications and they were 188 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,120 told to us earlier when you remember Stephen was chosen as 189 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:19,080 one of those who would take care of the widow's food service that 190 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,840 we talked about before. He's full of grace and power. 191 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,720 Other translations would say faith as well. 192 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,160 And, and what an example, fathers, what an example, 193 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,280 grandfathers, what an example on Father's Day for us to see a man 194 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:39,040 full of grace, power, and faith. May we be that kind of person. 195 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:42,160 May we be described by others in that way, Right. 196 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:45,800 And so we're reminded again, though, of the power of the Holy 197 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:51,080 Spirit and that this whole book, this whole thing is his story, 198 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,560 not necessarily the man's story. Now, one of the unique, 199 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:59,280 interesting things about this passage is Stephen is the first 200 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:03,800 one that it's recorded where he performs wonders and signs, and 201 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:05,920 he's not one of the original apostles. 202 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,840 So it's interesting how how God is spreading. 203 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,520 He's revealing himself more and more, using more and more 204 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:16,000 people, providing evidence that he's real, that the Holy Spirit 205 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,160 really has come, that Jesus really is who he said he is, and 206 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:20,960 that everything about this is truth. 207 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,400 But not everybody's going to accept that truth. 208 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,320 And that's the way it always is. They fought against God. 209 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,720 They fight against the gospel. There will always be those who 210 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:36,400 fight against God, those who want their way instead of God's 211 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,280 way. So the synagogue of the freedmen 212 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:43,040 were probably freed slaves from Asia and Africa. 213 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,600 And the wisdom and the truth of the spirit by which Steven was 214 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,400 speaking was just too much for them. 215 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:52,600 They'd never heard this before. It was too much. 216 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:56,400 And I pray that that such a thing would be true of us, that 217 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,160 we would live in such a way that we would believe in such a way 218 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:04,480 that we are so spirit filled with wisdom and power that even 219 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,480 though they may not agree with us, even though you may be here, 220 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,640 that today and you don't agree with this, it can't be ignored. 221 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:14,560 You might be here today and you're just visiting because 222 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:17,600 you're here with daddy or granddaddy and you promised to 223 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:19,760 come to church because Grandmama promised you food. 224 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,120 I get it. Thanks for being here. 225 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,320 I'm really glad you're here. And you, you might be careful 226 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,080 because God may just speak to you today, but you may be here. 227 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:33,280 And you say I don't believe this either, but but that we might 228 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:37,360 speak and live with such spirit filled wisdom and power that 229 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,600 even though you don't believe us, you can't ignore us. 230 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:46,840 Because I've seen apathy, I've seen complacency in churches 231 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:48,680 that are dying all around the world. 232 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,840 And we must be different. Let us learn from the example of 233 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:56,440 Stephen this morning. They could not stop the Spirit 234 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:58,640 in him. And oh, what a prayer for 235 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,520 fathers, what a prayer for grandfathers. 236 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:07,400 How strong is the Spirit in you? So because they couldn't stop 237 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:12,160 him, they resort to blatant sin. They they, they lie, they 238 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:14,160 manipulate the truth to fight God. 239 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,960 Look at verse 11. Then they secretly instigated. 240 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:20,040 Just look at that language. Then they secretly instigated 241 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:24,200 men who said, we have heard him speak blasphemous words against 242 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,960 Moses and God. And they stirred up the people 243 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,000 and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and 244 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,680 seized him and brought him before the council. 245 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,520 And they set up false witnesses who said this man never ceases 246 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,040 to speak words against this holy talking about the temple and the 247 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,240 law. For we have heard him say that 248 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,760 this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will 249 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,960 change the customs that Moses delivered to us. 250 00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:52,800 They just lie. They lie and manipulate. 251 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,560 That's exactly what our lost world does. 252 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:58,640 That may be what you're doing to yourself this morning. 253 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:04,200 We just create our own truth. We randomly create truth that we 254 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,240 like that we want to do because it agrees with our way. 255 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,960 We justify ourselves. Anytime you must secretly 256 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,680 instigate, you need to question your motive. 257 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,880 And that's what they were doing. In fact, you can even in the 258 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,800 Greek word for this hypo ballo, which means to to I'm giving you 259 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,160 the words. I'm actually placing the words 260 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,440 in you. You're scripting somebody. 261 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:31,240 They actually created the script for these guys to lie about 262 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,520 Stephen. That's how desperate they were. 263 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,120 They scripted them to spin the truth. 264 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:38,480 You ever, you ever heard of anybody? 265 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,040 Ever heard of that? There's somebody spinning the 266 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:46,920 truth in our world today. So, so afraid of losing control, 267 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:50,440 so afraid of not getting their way, so afraid of losing what 268 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,800 they wanted. They create false truth to 269 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,360 maintain it. Now that's what our enemy, 270 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:57,680 what's he called the father of what? 271 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,840 Yes, that's what he does. That's His expertise, and if 272 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,560 we're to be God's people, we must deal in His truth. 273 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,680 We can't spin it. We can't falsely script it to 274 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:10,800 our advantage. We don't get to twist it. 275 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:15,280 We don't get to ignore it in order to move forward His way. 276 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,160 But something unique's happening here, it says. 277 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,560 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, 278 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:22,400 and they came upon him and seized Him. 279 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,040 You got to recognize that the news of this conflict has 280 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:26,680 spread. And there's a historic 281 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,480 difference here. For the first time, for the 282 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,120 first time, the crowd turned against the church. 283 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,640 It wasn't just the religious leaders this time. 284 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,160 The people with whom they had had favour now turned against 285 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,840 the church. The lies they heard made them 286 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:44,160 believe. That's what'll happen. 287 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,520 You feed people enough lies, eventually they'll begin to 288 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,920 believe it is truth. And for the first time, the 289 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:54,080 crowd turns and that it was too much to supposedly attack the 290 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,640 temple. To supposedly attack the law was 291 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,120 to attack God, and that was just too much for them. 292 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,520 So they thought they were doing a good thing. 293 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,160 They thought they were defending God, when instead they were 294 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:14,120 denying His true power, God's will, His way or my way. 295 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:20,160 Look at verse 15 and gazing at him all who said in the counsel 296 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:24,640 saw that his face was like the face of an Angel. 297 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:27,560 That word gazing. That means that means they're 298 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,080 staring. I mean there it's a it's a he's 299 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,960 not looking down, he's not looking around, he's not looking 300 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,440 this way or that. He's staring them in the eyes. 301 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:41,440 Imagine Steven standing before the highest court of his people, 302 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:47,240 their eyes locked and what they saw shocked them. 303 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:54,520 No Fear, no anger, no hatred, no bitterness, none of that. 304 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:58,280 Instead, there was quiet confidence, There was peace, 305 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:03,720 there was truth, there was security, there was faith, there 306 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:09,160 was courage. We we we see a martyr inspired 307 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:13,119 by the truth, power and grace of the presence of the Holy Spirit 308 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:17,520 within him, and he looks like an Angel. 309 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:21,800 Now the high priest, appropriately, according to 310 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,319 tradition and law, asked him to respond to the charges in verse 311 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,680 on Chapter 7, verse one. And the high priest said, are 312 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:33,080 these things so? And with his life hanging in the 313 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,080 balance with the very people who could take his life from him. 314 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,080 Stephen standing there shares the longest sermon in the book 315 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,120 of Acts. I often will read that when I 316 00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:44,400 walk through this passage because I love it for you to 317 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,880 hear it as he shared it. But here's what he's doing in 318 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,400 this sermon. Imagine this courtroom type 319 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:53,960 setting the audience and this lone witness testifying about 320 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,720 God's will and God's word about the truth. 321 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,560 He shares the gospel within the context of Judaism. 322 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,040 He connects the Old Testament to Jesus. 323 00:18:04,120 --> 00:18:07,360 He talks about how God dealt with his people from Abraham to 324 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:11,600 David, God's calling, God's mission, God's deliverance, even 325 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,160 God's judgment. He shares images and prototypes 326 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:19,840 of Christ paralleling Old Testament heroes and Jesus 327 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:21,960 together connecting those pieces. 328 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:24,560 He shares extensively about Moses. 329 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:27,080 It's an interesting part of the sermon because if you read the 330 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,240 Exodus story, you don't get this same information that you do 331 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,480 from Stephen. So it's helpful to see the Bible 332 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:36,680 as a commentary about itself. And so we see him sharing 333 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,600 extensively about Moses, who thought he was doing good God's 334 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,920 will when he kills the Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. 335 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,240 But all it ends up resulting in is a dead Egyptian buried in the 336 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:51,560 sand. Only when he submits to God's 337 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:56,400 way would Moses become the empowered deliverer who frees an 338 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,800 entire nation and brings him to God. 339 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:00,960 He. Stephen shared about the 340 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,960 building of the temple and what the purpose of the temple was 341 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,280 supposed to be. Then here is powerful 342 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,360 conclusion. Go all the way to verse 48. 343 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:17,200 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands. 344 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,560 As the prophet says, Heaven is my throne and the earth is my 345 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,840 footstool. What kind of house will you 346 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,360 build for me, Says the Lord? Or what is the place of my rest? 347 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,000 Did not my hand make all these things? 348 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:31,960 And then Stephen gets real subtle. 349 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:39,720 You think I'm pointed? Sometimes you stiff necked 350 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,400 people, uncircumcised in heart and ears. 351 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,320 You always resist the Holy Spirit. 352 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:51,040 As your Father's did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your 353 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,960 Father's not persecute? And they killed those who 354 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,520 announced beforehand the coming of the righteous one, whom you 355 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,760 have now betrayed and murdered. You who keep You who received 356 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,480 the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it. 357 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,240 So Stephen doesn't hold back. He doesn't hold back the truth, 358 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:10,920 and neither must we. No spin, no twisting. 359 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,560 Just the truth. Because we got to remember the 360 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:17,920 world will fight God's will. But here's the irony. 361 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:23,320 The irony point #2 is that God's will alone can free this world. 362 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,480 The only way this world will ever find freedom is through the 363 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:31,120 very will that they reject. They should have listened. 364 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:37,360 They should have learned lessons from God's will, from history. 365 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:40,520 They should have listened. They should have joyfully 366 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:45,400 received and recognized and accepted Jesus as their Messiah 367 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,560 and been set free by Him and salvation by grace through 368 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,120 faith. He was the truth and He could 369 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:54,240 have set them free. But they learned nothing 370 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,760 throughout their history. They killed the ones who spoke 371 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,160 the truth of God in the past, just like they killed Jesus. 372 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,040 And like one of the Old Testament prophets, they 373 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:07,520 murdered Stephen now condemned them and their sin and unbelief 374 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:11,680 that sin rests right on those religiously robed shoulders. 375 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:16,840 Boys, yourself, righteousness will not protect you. 376 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:20,480 Yourself, righteousness will not set you free. 377 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,520 No matter how convinced you are of your own truth, it will not 378 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,600 save you. Spinning the truth, spinning 379 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,800 reality to create a version that best suits you, no matter how 380 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,480 much you want to believe it, no matter how many other people 381 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:38,560 think will believe it with you, will not save you and set you 382 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:43,080 free. Even basically says you're in 383 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,080 greater bondage than you were back in Egypt. 384 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:50,360 The religion would not prevent God's judgement, so would they 385 00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:52,240 believe and repent as others had? 386 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:53,480 Is that what's going to happen next? 387 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:57,000 Would would, would a revival break out in the Sanhedrin? 388 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,840 Is that the next part of the story? 389 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:03,120 Would they be set free or would they fight? 390 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:07,560 Would they reject? Basically, you're faced with the 391 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:11,280 same question this morning. How are you going to respond to 392 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:16,680 the truth of God, His way, His will, or yours? 393 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,200 So what we see is the world will fight God's will. 394 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:22,480 But ironically, God's will alone is the only one that can free 395 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,320 this world. It can set you free from from 396 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:29,120 lies, from false truth, from the bondage of sin, from addiction, 397 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:31,840 from brokenness, from hurt, from lostness. 398 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,200 Only in that freedom can you know purpose and peace. 399 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:41,480 Only then can you know Shalom. So we got to honestly ask #3 400 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:49,760 God's will, His way or highway. Before Stephen could say another 401 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,000 word, they responded, look at verse 54. 402 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,000 Now when they heard these things, they were enraged, and 403 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:59,080 they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, 404 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:03,200 gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing 405 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,720 at the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see the 406 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,680 heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand 407 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,120 of God. But they cried out with a loud 408 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:14,640 voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 409 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,280 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. 410 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:20,400 And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a 411 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:27,120 young man named Saul. There was no calming voice of 412 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:30,280 the wise gamelial this time, not like last time. 413 00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:35,760 No one to stop what was about to happen in their understanding of 414 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:40,360 their false self created truth. This was heresy and deserve 415 00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:42,080 death. They were literally enraged. 416 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:43,680 The word means to be cut to the heart. 417 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:46,880 Their hearts were cut open. They ground their teeth. 418 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,400 They hissed at him. You ever had anybody hiss at 419 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,680 you? You're so mad. 420 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,960 You got to see the contrast between Steven and those judging 421 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:57,880 him. The High Court becomes a rabid 422 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,280 lynch mob. They couldn't wait to get him. 423 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:05,560 No repentance today. No revival, no salvation, no 424 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,880 freedom. Just fight and instead of 425 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:14,720 defending himself, Stephen saw a vision, he saw Jesus. 426 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:20,000 This always gets to me. The only time Jesus is referred 427 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,040 to as the Son of man other than by himself is in this passage. 428 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,480 And he's standing, not sitting at the right hand. 429 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,280 You've got to understand that's interestingly different and and 430 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,520 it it makes his cause and wonder why. 431 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,520 Why is he standing and not sitting at the right hand of the 432 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:38,960 Father? And there's a, there's a two or 433 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,960 three theories or ideas about that. 434 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,920 It could be the image of him defending a witness in court, or 435 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,360 it could be him as the judge himself ready to rule. 436 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,760 I think it's both of those things and more because who's 437 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:58,000 being judged here? Others say, and I have a hard 438 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:03,200 time even thinking of this. Others say it was Jesus standing 439 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:10,440 in honor of the martyr, encouraging him, ready to 440 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,200 welcome home as a good and faithful servant. 441 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:20,560 I've had real people in my life who have been martyred around 442 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:24,360 the world. Oh, to make Jesus stand, to 443 00:25:24,360 --> 00:25:30,440 welcome his home. And then Stephen even affirms 444 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:35,200 the deity of Jesus, do do not miss what he told the Sanhedrin 445 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,000 about him. And behold, I see the heavens 446 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:43,120 open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God and 447 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:44,400 this just sends him over the edge. 448 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,240 It just adds to the horror and the rage. 449 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,880 The world can't stand that. There's no way that could be 450 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:53,800 Jesus. We can, we can stand Jesus on a 451 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,120 Christmas card in a Manger and and and talking animals and 452 00:25:57,120 --> 00:26:00,440 drummer boys, but heaven forbid He can't be more than that. 453 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,040 Surely he didn't really down across from me. 454 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:04,720 Surely he didn't really rise again. 455 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:06,480 Surely he's not the only way I can be safe. 456 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:13,320 Surely that's not true. Because I believe our enemy 457 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:16,720 never sleeps. He never gives up. 458 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:22,080 He never relents either. Stephen was having a true vision 459 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:27,040 and they stood condemned because of who Jesus really is. 460 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,520 Or Stephen was a lying blasphemer and in their 461 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:35,640 falsehood, in their false beliefs, they could only believe 462 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,920 the latter, so they couldn't handle the real truth. 463 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:42,040 This is not my way, so it must be wrong. 464 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,960 This is not what I want, so it must be bad. 465 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:50,480 This is not my will, so it must be condemned. 466 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:53,760 It was so much they literally plug up their ears. 467 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:55,720 They couldn't even stand to hear him talk anymore. 468 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:02,240 La La La La la. This couldn't take it anymore. 469 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,000 They couldn't be taught they were spiritually deaf. 470 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,360 Some of you are back here right now waiting on Grand Mama's food 471 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:11,040 going La La la so you're ever going to shut up. 472 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:15,800 And then their blindness and rejection. 473 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:18,640 They only wanted to hear their own voice. 474 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,840 They only wanted to hear their own voice, their own definitions 475 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,080 of truth. And here's what's really ironic. 476 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:26,960 These are supposed to be the legal experts. 477 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,880 They're actually condemning Stephen for attacking the law, 478 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:32,680 and yet they reject and forget their own law because it 479 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:35,600 commanded them that they had to wait and get Roman approval 480 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,080 before they could put somebody to death. 481 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,240 So they violate the very law that they think they're 482 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,880 defending because they're so enraged. 483 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:46,160 They drag him out and stoned him. 484 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,800 The false witnesses would have had the privilege, the honor of 485 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,240 casting the first stones. And as they were filled with 486 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:58,440 such anger and rage, see the contrast with Stephen, so full 487 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:03,800 of faith and power. He was full of the same spirit 488 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,440 that can fill you, the same spirit that can fill this 489 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:09,720 church. Hear him as he echoes the words 490 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,360 of Christ as he's dying. Look at verse 59. 491 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:16,200 And as they were stoning, as in the middle of stoning him, 492 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:21,080 Stephen, he called out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 493 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:25,720 And falling to his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 494 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:29,600 Lord, do not hold this sin against them. 495 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:32,880 And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 496 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:40,160 So, so let's finish with this. Let's finish with God's will his 497 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:44,640 way, right? Stephen submitted to God's will 498 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,320 much like Jesus did. He committed a spirit to him 499 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:52,400 much like Jesus did to. And amid hurt, amid crisis, amid 500 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:56,360 life, I'm encouraging you to commit your spirit to him. 501 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:01,160 If Jesus is not your true Lord and Savior, none of this, none 502 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,320 of the rest of this will matter, Stephen, even for prays to 503 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:09,680 forgive the very ones putting him to death, just like Jesus. 504 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,800 Who must you forgive this morning before you can move 505 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:19,480 forward in His will, His way? What does this church need to do 506 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,360 in order to move forward in His will, in His way? 507 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:24,240 Who must you seek forgiveness from? 508 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,200 Do you need to forgive yourself this morning for something? 509 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,720 Let's take steps into a new future with Him. 510 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:37,680 Stephen died for his faith and I can only imagine the welcome he 511 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:41,440 received in glory. A verse that you might know. 512 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,880 It's often read funerals of Psalm 116, verse 15. 513 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,080 It says precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his 514 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:51,120 Saints. He died with assurance, with a 515 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:57,400 clear vision, a clear vision of exactly who Jesus truly was, 516 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,520 Fresh in his heart, fresh in his mind. 517 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:05,600 But the story's not quite done. Stevens witness and Stevens 518 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:10,080 execution become the catalyst the Holy Spirit will use to 519 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:13,880 force the church out of Jerusalem to begin a global 520 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,520 movement. What man and what Satan intended 521 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:20,480 for evil, God transforms into good. 522 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,920 In fact, Acts 758, the last part of that verse says, and the 523 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:26,160 witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young 524 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:28,880 man named Saul. Chapter 8 verse one, the very 525 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,600 beginning of that verse. And Saul approved of his 526 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,840 execution. God began the preparation of a 527 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:38,480 new missionary through this sacrifice, one he's going to use 528 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,920 to fulfill his will, his way. And we're going to see more of 529 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,480 that story next, next time. So you got to come back to 530 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:48,040 continue this story. Come watch how God used this 531 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:52,600 experience to force his people into Judea, into Samaria, into 532 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:56,480 the uttermost parts. And finally to me and to you, if 533 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,640 this hadn't happened, we wouldn't have heard the gospel. 534 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:03,000 So we must be thankful because it continues now through us. 535 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:08,600 So rather than be silent, Stephen chose to die for his 536 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:12,000 Lord. Would you die rather than be 537 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,000 silent? Or does the thought of you 538 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,240 taking a stand for what you believe and sharing about your 539 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:20,000 Lord actually that thought kill you? 540 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,640 Stephen's testimony. Stephen's death begins this new 541 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:25,240 movement. What? 542 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:27,840 What will your life? What will your salvation? 543 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:31,600 What will your death to self? What will your testimony begin? 544 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:37,040 Fathers may be in your family, church, perfectly in this 545 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:40,880 community. It reminds us of the sacrifice 546 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:43,600 of Jesus, falsely accused, wrongly persecuted, put to 547 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:48,320 death, yet all part of a very intentional mission of the 548 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:53,360 Father of the King, my King, Jesus died for us. 549 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,880 Does that define you? Does that define your will? 550 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:03,560 Does that define your truth? Does that define your opinions? 551 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:06,960 Does that define the way you actually live? 552 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,000 Will you allow Him to define you? 553 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,960 Will you allow Him to set you free right now? 554 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:27,600 God's will my way or his way? Father, thank you that you don't 555 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:31,320 keep your will. A mystery from us that Father, 556 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:38,280 you share with us in Your Word why we are here and who you want 557 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:42,400 us to be. And Father, that means Father, 558 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,160 that we must submit to the truth. 559 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:50,560 And Father, I know there are those here this morning who 560 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,560 probably came because it's a Family Day. 561 00:32:55,440 --> 00:33:02,120 Maybe there are guests here who never expected something to move 562 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:03,840 in their hearts or minds this morning. 563 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:08,920 But Father, I just pray that you'll work now in a powerful 564 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:15,680 way in the minds and hearts of new people who are here in the 565 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,160 minds and hearts. The oldest church member who's 566 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:23,400 here, that Father, we would truly be able to say that I'm 567 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:29,760 pursuing with all that I am the help of the Holy Spirit. 568 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:33,800 I'm pursuing all that I have and all that I am to live according 569 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:37,560 to your way. Now, Father, there may be some 570 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,360 here who know that there are steps they need to take and that 571 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:42,160 Father, you're dealing with them right now. 572 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,400 Father, I just pray that for those who need to be saved this 573 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,520 morning, who need to take that step of salvation, that they 574 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:51,480 would come and take a pastor by the hand and say, I just need to 575 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:54,440 know more about what it means to trust in Jesus Christ. 576 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,280 Maybe those who have been visiting, they say, I know I 577 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:02,080 need to come and join the church to be a member, to be an 578 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,920 official part of the family so I can serve and grow and learn. 579 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,600 Maybe somebody needs to be baptized, Father, maybe you're 580 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:13,040 calling someone to missions or ministry and they need to come 581 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:16,320 and share that with one of us. Maybe, Father, people just need 582 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:20,159 to come and kneel at these steps in prayer as an altar, lifting 583 00:34:20,159 --> 00:34:22,880 up their life, lifting up their families, lifting up this 584 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:25,760 church, lifting up their community, whatever it is, 585 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:29,199 Father. Maybe Father, there's somebody 586 00:34:29,199 --> 00:34:31,320 who just needs to bring their pain to you. 587 00:34:34,159 --> 00:34:37,040 Lord. I pray that it, as we sing, as 588 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:40,120 we honor you, Lord, that we would respond in an act of 589 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,199 worship as well. And the Father people would step 590 00:34:43,199 --> 00:34:47,320 out into aisles and just come and share those decisions, those 591 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:51,639 prayer requests, those needs that we we might rejoice with 592 00:34:51,639 --> 00:34:53,320 them, that we might support them together. 593 00:34:54,719 --> 00:35:00,320 So Father, guide us right now as we sing and as we respond in 594 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:04,000 Christ's name, Amen. Well, I ask you to stand. 595 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:06,040 Our worship team is going to lead us. 596 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,960 Pastors are going to be here. You can just come and kneel and 597 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:12,080 pray too, if you'd like. Whatever you need to do as the 598 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:13,640 Lord leads you, you come right now. 599 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,360 Thank you so much for listening today, and I also hope that 600 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:23,880 you'll go to ourwebsite@englewoodbaptist.com 601 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:26,920 as well as our app and find many other resources that will bless 602 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:29,120 you and your families. Thank you once again.