Acts 8:4-13

We were talking in our Men’s Group recently about healing. I asked/wondered why we saw all these miraculous healings in the 1^st century church, but we see fewer miraculous healings today. There followed a lengthy discussion, the most of which I recall as the “miracle of modern medicine”, which did not satisfy me as to my earlier questioning. Today’s reading possibly enlightened me a bit: For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. (v. 7) I began to wonder if these 1^st century infirmities were the result of unclean spirits inhabiting peoples’ bodies, and that the miraculous healings were the results of the casting out of these unclean spirits. The text mentions the paralyzed and the lame, but I also wonder if the blind and deaf would be included in those (or later) healings, again all the result of the casting out of unclean spirits. We pray and ask God for healing today. But do we need to engage in more spiritual warfare? To me, that’s a really scary thought.

We’ll read more about Simon the Sorcerer tomorrow, but for today let’s embrace the fact that Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip (v. 13). So let’s list him as a believer today and talk more about him tomorrow.

Slava Bohu!

Acts 8:1-3

Only three verses today, but an information-packed three verses, with Saul as a major player. …they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (v. 1b) My Study Bible made two points here. First, this verse is the fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction/charge from Acts 1:8, “…you will be My witnesses…, and second, that the apostles remained behind in Jerusalem so as to offer comfort and encouragement to those in prison. They also provided the necessary leadership for other believers in Jerusalem.

I’m trying to understand the “great persecution” that arose following Stephen’s death. Was it the “smell of blood” that turned normal men into savages? (Please forgive the overstatement.) Or was it the fear of the new Christian “sect” upsetting the Jewish status with the Roman authorities? And how could they simply imprison men and women? On what charge? And whose prison? And were the Romans compliant in all this? All in all, sad events – but the beginning of worldwide evangelism…!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:54-60

I have often commented on Stephen’s seeing Jesus …standing at the right hand of God. (vv. 55b, 56b), noting that Jesus’ normal position is to be seated at the Father’s right hand, as He Himself said (Luke 22:69, Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62). But Stephen sees Jesus STANDING at God’s right hand. I’ve pictured Jesus as Stephen’s defense attorney standing before the Father, the judge if you will, pleading for Stephen’s life, his entry into heaven upon his death. But what I had not noticed before is that Luke writes these exact words TWICE, in verses 55 and 56. I sense that Luke wanted to make that point crystal clear, that Jesus stands before the Father in defense of any who come before the Father and have committed their life to Him. That’s powerful!

Stephen also …saw the glory of God… (v. 55), something that I don’t recall reading anywhere else except in John’s Revelation.

The Jews stoned Stephen outside the city (v. 58). They had cast him out (driven him out, dragged him out, according to different translations), so it was imperative to them that they commit this deed outside the city. Did they consider the city itself, not just the temple, such a holy place? Strange.

Stephen has two of the same quotes as Jesus on the cross: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. and Lord, do not hold this sin against them. (vv. 59b, 60b) It’s easy to ask whether Stephen really said these things, since these quotes from Jesus are from Luke, chapter 23 (vv. 34, 46), and are not in the other Gospels. I accept all words of Scripture as “God-breathed” (II Timothy 3:16), so I do not dispute that Stephen said these words. But it’s one of the ways in which non-believers attack Scripture as a product of men, not inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Just that…

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:44-53

I’ve always loved Stephen’s change of tone at verse 51 (and following): You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit… Before that he had been basically a story-teller, recounting Jewish history, although he was clearly leading up to temple worship and Jesus’ death. We have a hint of a change in tone in verse 48: Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says… I can sense the Jewish leaders taking offense at that statement, but they let him go on, not wanting to challenge his Isaiah quote. But then verses 51 to 53…!! Powerful!

At times I wonder about these speeches (and even some of the events). Luke was not one of the twelve apostles; how did he get his information when he wrote his Gospel or when he wrote Acts? He had to have access to some insiders who could relay the details of the events or of the speeches. For this particular event and Stephen’s speech, however, Luke had a trusty eyewitness – Saul, later named Paul, who was present at the event (v. 58b). I can imagine Saul’s rage, along with the others when Stephen changed his tone and charged the Jewish leaders with Jesus’ death. I can also imagine his later contrition at being part of Stephen’s death, although I don’t recall that he ever mentions it in his writings. Stay tuned!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:37-43

…and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. (v. 41b) I may not have made a golden calf, but I have too often “rejoiced at the work of my hands”. Not literally – my hands are better for typing than for most any other skill – but for what “I” have done. It was later in life that I began to realize that any gifts that I had were bestowed to me at birth and through my environment – then again, much, much later that I began to fully realize that it was God working through me, using the gifts that I had been given to His glory. I’ve long believed that I was gifted with numbers and with a teaching ability and those two gifts combined perfectly for me as an economics professor. But now, fully retired, I serve as church treasurer and as the Avanza Bible lesson leader. And while people thank me for my service in each of those areas, to me I am truly using my gifts to God’s glory, serving His people in a couple of small ways to advance His kingdom. So now if I “rejoice in the work of my hands”, I thank God for using me as His messenger.

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:30-36

…this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer… (v.35b) and This man led them out, performing wonders and signs… (v. 36a). Stephen is building his case, clearly looking forward to Jesus in these two sentences. His “this man” in both sentences is referring to Moses, but it is also clear to Stephen that another “this Man”, Jesus, was doing the same things – ruling and redeeming and performing wonders and signs. And as Moses was rejected by his own people, so will Jesus also be rejected by the Jewish leaders.

A thought on God sending Moses back to Egypt. Stephen does not go into detail as to the rest of that conversation between God and Moses, but Moses clearly did not want to go back. In the book of Exodus Moses tries three times to turn down the mission. After first asking “Who are you?”, Moses says, “What if they won’t believe me? (Ex. 4:1) Then he claims to be clumsy of speech (Ex. 4:10). Finally he implores the Lord to please send someone else (Ex. 4:13), at which the Lord’s anger “burned against Moses” (Ex. 4:14) and Moses relented. I’m trying to think whether I have ever refused or argued with God about His call on my life. I’ll continue to think about that. And you…??

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:17-29

And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. (v. 22) I had never thought of parallels between Moses and Daniel before, but David’s message from last week resonates with this verse. Both Moses and Daniel were “exiles”, both were instructed in the ways and wisdom of the land in which they were living, both were mighty in their words and deeds, and both saved some or all of their people. Strange connection, similar circumstances, but the same God even though a millennium or more separated them!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:9-16

…but God was with him and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. (vv. 9-10) I couldn’t help but notice increasing levels of grace given by God to Joseph: (1) with him; (2) rescued him; (3) gave him favor and wisdom; and (4) made him ruler. And I noticed the same level of grace in my life: (1) born again at age 26; (2) “fired” from Texas A&M at age 42; (3) hired as department chair at EKU at age 49; (4) named a Fulbright Scholar at age 55. What strikes me here are the gaps in time in my life – not unlike Joseph – especially the last three items. Our God is not a “god of the immediate”, He is a God of the faithful – in my life and in yours!! GLORY!!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:1-8

We’ve got almost a week of Stephen’s speech, broken down into smaller chunks. He is telling Israel’s history.

There is confusion in verse 2, where Stephen says that Abraham was called out from …Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. When you first read the account in Genesis 11:26-12:1 you see that Abraham was called by God from Haran, where his father Terah had settled, so it looks like Stephen had it wrong. [NOTE: Terah had earlier moved to Haran from “Ur of the Chaldeans” (Mesopotamia).] So it appears that Abraham was called from Haran and not from Mesopotamia, as Stephen says in verse 2. However, in Genesis 15:7 God tells Abraham, I am the Lord Who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess. So even though it was Abraham’s father, Terah, who moved the family from Mesopotamia to Haran, in effect God called Abraham out of Mesopotamia, as Stephen claims. Stephen would have to have known Scripture quite well to be able to make that statement.

Slava Bohu!