WEBVTT 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:13.480 One of my favorite hymns we just sang just a 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:17.579 closer walk with me with thee Granted Jesus is 00:00:17.579 --> 00:00:21.519 my plea daily daily walking close to the be let 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:27.239 it be their dear Lord. Let it be It's an amazing 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:33.560 lyric in the sense of My plea when do we plea 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:36.659 in life when we plea for something what comes 00:00:36.659 --> 00:00:38.649 to mind? When we get to the point where we're 00:00:38.649 --> 00:00:42.409 pleading for something, it might be for a newborn 00:00:42.409 --> 00:00:45.670 going to sleep. I know a lot of parents, and 00:00:45.670 --> 00:00:47.469 if you haven't, you're lying, that they just 00:00:47.469 --> 00:00:50.530 are pleading, please just go to sleep. When else 00:00:50.530 --> 00:00:58.570 do we plea? What? For forgiveness. That was a 00:00:58.570 --> 00:01:02.770 really, really good answer. That, I may have 00:01:02.770 --> 00:01:07.719 to, oh man, that's a big one. Others. Desperation. 00:01:08.019 --> 00:01:11.980 Others. Peace. Plea for peace. Oh, absolutely. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:16.239 Man, okay, you guys are in the back. For money. 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:21.359 That took a turn, right? Said from a kid and 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:23.159 immediately looked at his parents. I thought 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:25.819 that was interesting. For money. And then looked 00:01:25.819 --> 00:01:28.659 right at mom. Yeah, we could do that. Anywhere 00:01:28.659 --> 00:01:35.140 else do we plea? For answers. Absolutely. There's 00:01:35.140 --> 00:01:39.359 one I'm looking for. Healing? Sure, getting closer. 00:01:40.859 --> 00:01:47.200 Strength? Backing away. A plea bargain in court? 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:51.420 Wow. Really good. Not what I was looking for, 00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:55.799 Randy, but that was really good. Others? To God? 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:57.939 You thought that would be the easy answer, right? 00:01:58.120 --> 00:01:59.599 Yeah, welcome back from your hunting trip, but 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:03.849 that was wrong. Actually, I'm going to incorporate 00:02:03.849 --> 00:02:06.650 it. Unbeknownst to the elk, right? You were shooting 00:02:06.650 --> 00:02:13.729 elk? What were you shooting? Fine. Mule deer, 00:02:14.030 --> 00:02:20.090 right? In Greek, mule deer means elk. I guarantee 00:02:20.090 --> 00:02:23.310 you that if that mule deer knew what was about 00:02:23.310 --> 00:02:26.930 to happen, that mule deer would what? Plea for 00:02:26.930 --> 00:02:30.629 its life. I know. That just took a really weird 00:02:30.629 --> 00:02:33.479 turn. Knowing that we're talking about Stephen's 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:36.639 martyrdom. We also none of us have probably ever 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.740 been in that situation where we are pleading 00:02:38.740 --> 00:02:42.879 for our life But desperation is really what has 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:46.199 all of that Kind of impacted in it that when 00:02:46.199 --> 00:02:50.039 we are granted Jesus is my plea that my plea 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:53.449 in life this side of eternity because we know 00:02:53.449 --> 00:02:55.610 we're gonna have a closer walk with the with 00:02:55.610 --> 00:02:58.389 Jesus in heaven but think about it if the plea 00:02:58.389 --> 00:03:02.050 in my life is that I would just walk closer with 00:03:02.050 --> 00:03:06.590 Jesus if that was really the plea in our life 00:03:06.590 --> 00:03:08.530 I think our life would look a lot differently 00:03:08.530 --> 00:03:11.810 because we all have different pleas you've mentioned 00:03:11.810 --> 00:03:15.689 them Right? Things that we think we need more 00:03:15.689 --> 00:03:18.530 of or we need to be closer to. Success, money, 00:03:19.110 --> 00:03:22.509 fame, all the things, relationships. But if our 00:03:22.509 --> 00:03:25.969 plea in life could be a closer walk with thee, 00:03:26.030 --> 00:03:30.590 with Jesus, I wonder how our lives would look. 00:03:30.830 --> 00:03:33.030 I wonder how it would be to live in those lives. 00:03:33.129 --> 00:03:35.590 But before I transition us to the heart of the 00:03:35.590 --> 00:03:38.150 sermon, there's a big chunk of Acts we're not 00:03:38.150 --> 00:03:41.500 going to read. Mainly because of time, but I 00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:44.539 can also kind of summarize It's Stephen's speech 00:03:44.539 --> 00:03:46.699 in the beginning of chapter 7 because if you 00:03:46.699 --> 00:03:49.360 notice we kind of went from 6 to the middle of 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:52.439 7 without doing the beginning of 7 because the 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:56.039 heart of the sermon is Stephen's death, but we 00:03:56.039 --> 00:03:58.740 got to see how we got there So before we pick 00:03:58.740 --> 00:04:01.960 up at verse 51 I'm just going to summarize kind 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:05.520 of the first 50 verses of chapter 7 because it's 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:07.599 important to understand what has been happening 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.520 in the verses 1 to 50 which leads us up to where 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:13.819 we're going to start in a couple minutes to 51. 00:04:14.699 --> 00:04:18.100 Stephen has just given the longest recorded sermon 00:04:18.100 --> 00:04:21.600 in the book of Acts and actually the second longest 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:24.899 in the entire scriptures outside of Jesus's sermon 00:04:24.899 --> 00:04:30.779 on the mount. It's a sermon that that costs Stephen 00:04:30.779 --> 00:04:34.060 everything And we may think that it's you know, 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:36.220 he's gonna get a bad name in the town He's maybe 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:38.579 gonna lose money on something. No, it costs him 00:04:38.579 --> 00:04:41.379 his life when Stephen was brought to the council 00:04:41.379 --> 00:04:43.720 We talked to that about that last week. They 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:47.379 accused him of speaking against Moses the temple 00:04:47.379 --> 00:04:51.519 the and the law and In his response Stephen doesn't 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:55.079 defend himself. He defends the gospel. There's 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:57.920 something we can learn in that too He doesn't 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:00.439 defend himself first, he defends the gospel. 00:05:00.819 --> 00:05:04.000 He takes the council on a journey through Israel's 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:08.000 history from Abraham to Solomon showing how God's 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:12.040 presence and purpose were never confined to one 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:17.399 place or to one people. He reminds them that 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:20.579 God called Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, 00:05:20.740 --> 00:05:24.879 that Joseph found favor in Egypt, that Moses 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:27.939 met God not in a temple, but in the wilderness 00:05:27.939 --> 00:05:31.600 with a burning bush, and that even David longed 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:35.480 to build a house for God, yet the Most High does 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:40.939 not dwell in houses made by human hands. So in 00:05:40.939 --> 00:05:43.779 Stephen's words, his sermon, his speech, if you 00:05:43.779 --> 00:05:49.529 will, declares a massive truth and this is where 00:05:49.529 --> 00:05:52.129 we see him getting in trouble quote -unquote 00:05:52.129 --> 00:05:56.850 God has always been on the move his grace can 00:05:56.850 --> 00:06:01.389 never be contained his presence no longer is 00:06:01.389 --> 00:06:06.009 bound to the temple because now through Jesus 00:06:06.009 --> 00:06:11.610 the true temple has come what a declaration for 00:06:11.610 --> 00:06:15.779 us today it doesn't mean much We don't worship 00:06:15.779 --> 00:06:19.500 a temple. We don't have to come here. You don't 00:06:19.500 --> 00:06:23.540 need me to be the mediator between you and Jesus. 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:27.879 That Jesus makes his grace available to all of 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:32.360 us, right? That relationship with a savior, you 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:35.019 don't need to do it through a church. You don't 00:06:35.019 --> 00:06:36.879 need to do it through sacrifices. You don't need 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:40.180 to do it through the priesthood. And this is 00:06:40.180 --> 00:06:44.519 what enrages the council. If Stephen is right, 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:48.220 everything changes. The temple, the priesthood, 00:06:48.300 --> 00:06:51.779 the sacrifice, the very structure of religious 00:06:51.779 --> 00:06:56.180 power. We see that throughout our history, right? 00:06:56.519 --> 00:07:00.060 Those that speak out against power usually get 00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:04.160 silenced. His sermon ends not with an attack, 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:09.439 but with an invitation to see Jesus as the fulfillment 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:15.720 of all God's promises. What if what if the temple? 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.540 Received that what if they said you're right 00:07:18.540 --> 00:07:20.579 We got to change all of the ways that we have 00:07:20.579 --> 00:07:23.360 perverted this religious system the temple the 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:28.279 sacrifices the money all the things what if Unfortunately 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:30.980 don't get that I would have loved to see that 00:07:30.980 --> 00:07:34.759 would be a lot easier sermon to preach But we 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:38.060 don't Rather than repent what do the people do 00:07:38.060 --> 00:07:43.290 they resist? the truth that should have set them 00:07:43.290 --> 00:07:47.389 free only hardened their hearts and that's where 00:07:47.389 --> 00:07:49.430 we step in today we're going to start with verse 00:07:49.430 --> 00:07:53.209 51 of chapter 7 at the moment where truth meets 00:07:53.209 --> 00:07:57.430 fury where faith meets fire and where Stephen 00:07:57.430 --> 00:08:01.490 walking closely with Jesus becomes the first 00:08:01.490 --> 00:08:06.529 to follow him all the way to his end so we're 00:08:06.529 --> 00:08:10.819 going to jump in into chapter 51 The words we 00:08:10.819 --> 00:08:13.600 sang just a closer walk with thee should bring 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:17.180 comfort and commitment To walk closely with Jesus 00:08:17.180 --> 00:08:20.420 is to walk the same path He walked a path of 00:08:20.420 --> 00:08:24.139 obedience a path of courage a path of love and 00:08:24.139 --> 00:08:29.120 sometimes suffering Stevens final moments show 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:32.980 that when we walk closely with Jesus we can even 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:38.679 face death with peace forgiveness and unshakable 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:45.179 hope yet for a lot of us. This is hard to say 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:47.799 because I have to look at myself first. When 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:52.080 life and death is on the line, I wonder how many 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:57.080 of us, myself included, will compromise. I wonder 00:08:57.080 --> 00:09:00.279 how many of us will be able to stand courageous 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:05.419 even with that stone being tossed to our head. 00:09:06.659 --> 00:09:10.090 So let's jump in. Let's jump into Stephen's prophetic 00:09:10.090 --> 00:09:12.269 kind of confrontation, as I'm calling it. We're 00:09:12.269 --> 00:09:16.789 going to be in verses 51 to 53 first. So Stephen 00:09:16.789 --> 00:09:19.529 is going to preach. Well, it's more of a speech, 00:09:19.610 --> 00:09:21.830 because he wasn't a pastor. He wasn't seen as 00:09:21.830 --> 00:09:24.009 that. He wasn't seen as one of those that would 00:09:24.009 --> 00:09:27.110 preach. But Stephen's speech cuts to the heart. 00:09:27.750 --> 00:09:31.460 He says, you stiff -necked people. uncircumcised 00:09:31.460 --> 00:09:34.519 in heart and ears you always resist the Holy 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:37.940 Spirit as your fathers did so do you which of 00:09:37.940 --> 00:09:41.220 the prophets did your fathers not persecute and 00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:44.960 they killed those who announced beforehand the 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:47.799 coming of the righteous one whom you have now 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:51.440 betrayed and murdered you who received the law 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:56.809 as delivered by angels and did not keep it He's 00:09:56.809 --> 00:09:59.450 not mixing his words. He's cutting straight to 00:09:59.450 --> 00:10:04.789 the heart you stiff necked people Who does that 00:10:04.789 --> 00:10:13.669 sound like? Hmm Israelites and who said it? No, 00:10:13.769 --> 00:10:16.129 God said it not someone in the back. God called 00:10:16.129 --> 00:10:19.429 the Israelites you stiff -necked people You're 00:10:19.429 --> 00:10:22.309 nothing people but through you I will get the 00:10:22.309 --> 00:10:25.990 world to know that I am Yahweh through you if 00:10:25.990 --> 00:10:29.629 you kind of want to continue it to 2025 November 00:10:29.629 --> 00:10:34.470 16th through us We're still stiff -necked. We 00:10:34.470 --> 00:10:39.529 still lose our way But he calls them uncircumcised 00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:44.700 heart you always resist the Holy Spirit like 00:10:44.700 --> 00:10:47.720 the prophets before him Stephen speaks truth 00:10:47.720 --> 00:10:52.340 even when it costs him everything even when it 00:10:52.340 --> 00:10:55.279 costs him everything he charges the council with 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:59.500 rejecting God's messengers and God's Messiah 00:10:59.500 --> 00:11:02.759 and we know all the messengers right all the 00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:04.700 prophets we're gonna get into the minor prophets 00:11:04.700 --> 00:11:07.360 in the beginning of January are gonna point to 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:11.759 the Messiah to Jesus His words fulfill what Jesus 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:16.659 warned in John 15 if they persecuted me they 00:11:16.659 --> 00:11:22.379 will persecute You also they will persecute us 00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:26.259 if we're standing for Jesus and Again, what if 00:11:26.259 --> 00:11:29.580 they received it? But unfortunately didn't they 00:11:29.580 --> 00:11:32.539 raged against it the rage of the crowd comes 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:37.059 in verse 54 Now when they heard these things 00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:40.389 they were enraged and they ground their teeth 00:11:40.389 --> 00:11:46.110 at him. It's kind of a weird way to say that 00:11:46.110 --> 00:11:48.149 they were enraged. I don't know how many people 00:11:48.149 --> 00:11:52.370 grind their teeth when they're mad. That's a 00:11:52.370 --> 00:11:54.289 lie. I bet I'll have more than you do. But thank 00:11:54.289 --> 00:11:56.330 you, Joel, for being honest. I'm sure I do, right? 00:11:56.450 --> 00:11:58.809 Cleance draw, right? You grind your teeth when 00:11:58.809 --> 00:12:00.409 you get mad. You want to say something, you want 00:12:00.409 --> 00:12:03.820 to do something, but you don't. When they heard 00:12:03.820 --> 00:12:06.159 these things they were enraged another translation 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:09.480 says they gnashed their teeth at him the gnashing 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:13.220 of teeth right the again I don't fully know what 00:12:13.220 --> 00:12:15.799 that means if you got if you go into the Greek 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:18.379 they bear their teeth and when they bear their 00:12:18.379 --> 00:12:20.320 teeth It's because they're angry and mad which 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:22.639 makes us sound more like a pack of wolves and 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:25.360 human beings But they gnashed they grind their 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:28.639 teeth. It was it meant they were mad at something 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:33.149 specific Right? The Greek word here, deprario, 00:12:33.230 --> 00:12:36.769 means to be sawn through, their hearts were cut. 00:12:39.250 --> 00:12:42.690 And usually in life when you're cut to the heart, 00:12:43.409 --> 00:12:46.149 you get remorseful, you get respondent, you maybe 00:12:46.149 --> 00:12:49.789 go to repentance, but they respond with fury. 00:12:51.049 --> 00:12:52.750 Because we have to remember, the same gospel 00:12:52.750 --> 00:12:58.389 that melts some hearts also hardens others. But 00:12:58.389 --> 00:13:00.860 then he gives the vision. I love this in verse 00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:03.360 55, this vision from heaven, this heavenly vision 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:06.620 he gives in verse 55, but he full of the Holy 00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:09.639 Spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of 00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:13.360 God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.799 and he said behold I see the heavens open and 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:20.940 the Son of Man standing at the right hand of 00:13:20.940 --> 00:13:23.779 God. So this goes all this harkens back to the 00:13:23.779 --> 00:13:26.860 book of Daniel when he sees a vision like a son 00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:30.019 of man this goes to Luke chapter 3 and 4 when 00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:34.019 when Jesus Talks in first person that he is the 00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:38.720 son of man. He is the son of God Normally scripture 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.440 speaks of Jesus sitting at the right hand. We 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:45.840 see this also in Hebrews 3 1 3 but here he stands 00:13:46.849 --> 00:13:52.970 As if to welcome his faithful witness home. I 00:13:52.970 --> 00:13:56.289 think about this when my loved ones have gone 00:13:56.289 --> 00:13:58.929 to glory, what that would be like. A lot of this 00:13:58.929 --> 00:14:00.990 comes, and I've said this before when we lost 00:14:00.990 --> 00:14:03.909 my sister in 2019, right? That what it looked 00:14:03.909 --> 00:14:06.649 like for her to get up there, right? I don't 00:14:06.649 --> 00:14:08.870 think Jesus is just sitting. I think he's there 00:14:08.870 --> 00:14:12.460 to walk with her and hug her and hold her. We 00:14:12.460 --> 00:14:16.080 see Jesus standing. This is the climax of Stephen's 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:19.519 closer walk. We're being brought into court side 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:23.379 seats. Even as the world rejected him, heaven 00:14:23.379 --> 00:14:26.659 is about to receive him. The Belgian Confession, 00:14:26.659 --> 00:14:32.659 Article 37, affirms that Christ will come bodily 00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:35.759 and visibly to judge the living and the dead 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:38.460 before the believer. That sight is not fear, 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:42.759 it's joy. Stephen sees us not as his judge, but 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:46.419 as his Savior. This is an intimate moment and 00:14:46.419 --> 00:14:49.600 we're being brought into it. And then the judgment 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:54.080 comes, the earthly judgment comes. The stoning, 00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:56.799 and again we know this, stoning was even you 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.399 being thrown to rocks, or rocks being thrown 00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:01.980 at you, but it doesn't really matter. The stoning 00:15:01.980 --> 00:15:07.360 comes in verse 57 and 58. But they cried out 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:10.620 with a loud voice and stopped their ears and 00:15:10.620 --> 00:15:14.019 rushed together at him then they cast him out 00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:17.519 of the city and stoned him and The witness laid 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:19.960 down their guardments at the feet of the young 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:25.659 man named Saul the mob Dragged Stephen outside 00:15:25.659 --> 00:15:29.559 the city echoing how Jesus was crucified outside 00:15:29.559 --> 00:15:35.350 the camp Saul later Paul okay that was too easy 00:15:35.350 --> 00:15:38.509 for lunch Saul later Paul appears for the first 00:15:38.509 --> 00:15:44.830 time watching and approving Showing how God can 00:15:44.830 --> 00:15:48.669 later redeem even those complicit in evil another 00:15:48.669 --> 00:15:53.549 rhyme for another time But here we see we see 00:15:53.549 --> 00:15:58.009 the murder we see the death it's tragic isn't 00:15:58.009 --> 00:16:01.480 it that they had an opportunity to receive but 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:05.360 instead they reject they reject so strongly that 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:07.340 they're like you know what the world would be 00:16:07.340 --> 00:16:10.919 better without whatever this guy is selling whatever 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:14.279 this guy is believing the world would be better 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:18.460 with him not in it I'm here whether I'm your 00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:20.720 pastor or you're seeing me for the first time 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:23.200 if you are sitting here or watching online I 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:25.879 want you to know one truth that I have about 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:28.200 you even some of you I don't know the world is 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:31.860 better with you in it But the world is so in 00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:35.440 this is so raging against the gospel that changes 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:40.500 everything They'd much rather see him dead Now 00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:44.610 I kind of fell into my flesh a little bit That 00:16:44.610 --> 00:16:47.909 that maybe if I'm Stephen and I see those rocks 00:16:47.909 --> 00:16:51.769 coming It might be the last second chance to 00:16:51.769 --> 00:16:55.009 maybe do something in my flesh Right maybe to 00:16:55.009 --> 00:16:58.370 say something or to give some kind of gesture 00:16:58.370 --> 00:17:01.830 or something Right in my flesh because I know 00:17:01.830 --> 00:17:03.929 the end is coming but for the believer That's 00:17:03.929 --> 00:17:06.430 not how it's supposed to go and I have to fight 00:17:06.430 --> 00:17:10.210 against that and so do you daily? The prayer 00:17:10.210 --> 00:17:13.170 a prayer comes There's a part of me that thinks 00:17:13.170 --> 00:17:16.150 I would curse those that are about to do this, 00:17:16.170 --> 00:17:21.470 but that's not our job. Our job is to forgive, 00:17:21.670 --> 00:17:24.250 even in the midst of the rocks coming to our 00:17:24.250 --> 00:17:27.950 heads, the prayer of forgiveness in verse 60. 00:17:28.930 --> 00:17:31.109 And falling to his knees, he cried out with a 00:17:31.109 --> 00:17:35.450 loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against 00:17:35.450 --> 00:17:40.470 him. I'm sure 80 % of us, for a stat I just made 00:17:40.470 --> 00:17:43.599 up, When we see those words Lord do not hold 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:47.039 this sin against them go to where think of what? 00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:51.000 Jesus on the cross where he says what father 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:57.200 for they know not Father forgive us for we know 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:59.980 they know not we know not what we do sometimes 00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:03.960 in life We know that Jesus is Lord. We believe 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:06.500 it. We walked in it. We've maybe even made profession 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:10.269 of faith before We have maybe been an elder or 00:18:10.269 --> 00:18:12.750 a deacon committee member Sunday school teacher 00:18:12.750 --> 00:18:15.690 rocked a baby in nursery We know who Jesus is 00:18:15.690 --> 00:18:19.210 we live for Jesus yet still sometimes we go to 00:18:19.210 --> 00:18:25.309 curse than we do to forgive Saw or sorry Stephen 00:18:25.309 --> 00:18:29.130 is taking this all the way to the end just like 00:18:29.130 --> 00:18:34.210 Jesus did Stephen is not Jesus But Jesus is in 00:18:34.210 --> 00:18:37.450 Stephen as all this is happening Lord, do not 00:18:37.450 --> 00:18:41.549 hold this sin against him. This is the power 00:18:41.549 --> 00:18:45.089 of walking closely with Jesus, friends. Even 00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:47.490 when it's uncomfortable, even when it's hard 00:18:47.490 --> 00:18:50.809 to forgive the unforgivable because you've been 00:18:50.809 --> 00:18:56.190 forgiven beyond measure. How many of you have 00:18:56.190 --> 00:18:59.089 been forgiven in your life? Every hand better 00:18:59.089 --> 00:19:03.170 go up. Chandler, you're dozing off, it's alright. 00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:07.660 You all have been forgiven if you've never been 00:19:07.660 --> 00:19:10.240 forgiven if you're living a perfect life. I love 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:14.019 you. You're dismissed You don't have to be here 00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:16.519 what we all have in common here at Munster Church 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:19.220 Whether you're a member a guest a visitor online 00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:22.279 is you are a sinner in need of a Savior One that 00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:25.299 is going to walk with you in life. Even if that 00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:31.099 means someone else takes your life That is the 00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:34.450 power of walking closely with Jesus to forgive 00:19:34.450 --> 00:19:37.730 the unforgivable because we've been forgiven 00:19:37.730 --> 00:19:41.569 beyond measure. So not only do we see a prayer 00:19:41.569 --> 00:19:45.529 of forgiveness, even in the midst of his death, 00:19:45.529 --> 00:19:51.049 we see a peace, a peace of surrender, peace of 00:19:51.049 --> 00:19:55.650 surrender. And when he had said this, he fell 00:19:55.650 --> 00:20:00.170 asleep. There's a paradox here. You know what's 00:20:00.170 --> 00:20:02.920 about to happen? you know why it's happening, 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:07.759 that in the next couple moments, it's gonna hurt. 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:10.339 How many of you have ever gotten a rock thrown 00:20:10.339 --> 00:20:13.880 at you? Anyone with, yeah, absolutely, that way 00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:17.359 more I'm sure have. This was not just, this wasn't 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:20.480 just you and your buddies at a park tossing rocks 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:23.059 at each other. The intent, I don't know why that 00:20:23.059 --> 00:20:26.660 was funny, but the intent of this wasn't to hurt 00:20:26.660 --> 00:20:29.680 you. This intent wasn't to just paralyze you. 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:32.700 The intent here was to keep throwing until you 00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:38.319 are dead. Yet he falls asleep. Luke's phrase, 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:42.400 Luke's writer's phrase, isn't accidental. For 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:47.799 believers, death is not the defeat, but rest 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:53.519 is. When we lay a loved one to rest means something. 00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:58.779 His walk with Jesus ends with the same fate as 00:20:58.779 --> 00:21:02.779 it began. Trusting the one who conquered death 00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:07.539 itself. It's a weird account to read. If it makes 00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:10.539 you uncomfortable, I get it. It makes me uncomfortable. 00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:15.099 But what can we learn from this? Well, walking 00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:18.420 close means something. Walking closely with Jesus 00:21:18.420 --> 00:21:23.140 means standing firmly for truth. It means not 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:25.500 wavering. Now, it doesn't mean that you bash 00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:28.799 that truth over the head to others, but you live 00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:31.380 it out. Right? Through your words. You live it 00:21:31.380 --> 00:21:33.380 out through your actions. You live it out through 00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:36.460 your thoughts. That walking closely with Jesus 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:41.660 means standing firmly for truth. Stephen's faith 00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:45.180 didn't waver when the costs rose, when the pressure 00:21:45.180 --> 00:21:48.250 was put on, when things got uncomfortable. The 00:21:48.250 --> 00:21:51.309 closer you walk with Christ, the steadier your 00:21:51.309 --> 00:21:56.089 steps in crisis. Second, the Spirit gives courage 00:21:56.089 --> 00:22:00.650 to speak, not just comfort to feel. Stephen's 00:22:00.650 --> 00:22:03.710 words weren't reckless. They were Spirit -led. 00:22:04.190 --> 00:22:08.990 The Spirit empowers truth not to be timid. To 00:22:08.990 --> 00:22:12.130 stand for truth. Right? Now, that doesn't always 00:22:12.130 --> 00:22:15.750 mean you debate. Sometimes you might. But you 00:22:15.750 --> 00:22:20.079 stand. And he gives you the words. The third 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:22.940 one I want us to kind of hear today, that heaven's 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:25.880 applause matters more than earth's approval. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:31.380 Sit in that for a second with me. Well done, 00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:36.660 good and faithful servant. That should be the 00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:40.160 goal for all of us. But I know for my life that 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:44.240 isn't always that. Success, finances, popularity. 00:22:44.619 --> 00:22:48.920 not being boring on stage, all of those sometimes 00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:53.359 get put ahead of that thought. Well done, good 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:57.559 and faithful servant. What does that mean when 00:22:57.559 --> 00:23:00.380 you get up there? That means you stood for something. 00:23:00.539 --> 00:23:02.940 It wasn't the numbers in a bank account. It wasn't 00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:05.079 your notch on the corporate ladder. It wasn't 00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:07.660 that you raised an honor student. It was that 00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:10.980 you stood on truth. You walked with people as 00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:14.869 Jesus did. When the crowd condemned him, Christ 00:23:14.869 --> 00:23:18.630 stood to commend him. The opinions of people 00:23:18.630 --> 00:23:22.910 will always fade away. The presence of Jesus 00:23:22.910 --> 00:23:27.910 endures. 20 years doing this. Almost 100 funerals. 00:23:28.309 --> 00:23:32.349 When I'm in the funeral home. Right? When I'm 00:23:32.349 --> 00:23:35.410 seeing the line going through at Smiths or Schroederlauer 00:23:35.410 --> 00:23:39.250 or wherever. Rarely do I see if ever someone 00:23:39.250 --> 00:23:41.640 come up to the loved one and go, you know what, 00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:46.700 he still hold me 50 bucks. I've never heard it. 00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:51.700 I don't think I will. Because at the end, the 00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:55.099 funeral isn't for the deceased. The funeral is 00:23:55.099 --> 00:23:58.220 for closure for us, for remembering our life 00:23:58.220 --> 00:24:00.859 with that individual, the things we wish we could 00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:03.099 have said, the things we wish we could have done. 00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:06.880 But now we pay our respects as we lay them to 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:12.029 rest. I love that there's a sacred moment in 00:24:12.029 --> 00:24:17.130 that but it doesn't matter Heaven's applause 00:24:17.130 --> 00:24:20.049 the well -done's the good and faithful servants 00:24:20.049 --> 00:24:26.569 will always mean more It will always be more 00:24:26.569 --> 00:24:29.710 when we witness and that's the fourth one friends 00:24:29.710 --> 00:24:33.250 and this one's hard You come and ask me. How 00:24:33.250 --> 00:24:38.559 can I give ultimate witness to Christ? Forgive. 00:24:40.380 --> 00:24:45.019 Be someone who's known for forgiveness, not manipulation, 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:50.599 not deceit, not drama, not twisting words, not 00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:53.140 holding grudges, not wanting the pound of flesh, 00:24:53.799 --> 00:24:57.579 but forgiveness is the ultimate witness. When 00:24:57.579 --> 00:25:01.039 Stephen prays for his killers, the gospel shines 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:04.839 brightest. Walking closely with Jesus means reflecting 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:11.079 his mercy even towards his enemies. And that 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:14.460 is hard to do. Because we want to live by Hammurabi's 00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:17.180 code, don't we? Eye for an eye. You did this, 00:25:17.180 --> 00:25:20.220 I want to do that. You hurt me, I hurt you. And 00:25:20.220 --> 00:25:23.160 that could just be in marriage. That could just 00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:25.779 be your relationship with your kids. We even 00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:29.880 let that junk damage those relationships, let 00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:32.390 alone... the co -worker that got the raise and 00:25:32.390 --> 00:25:35.509 you didn't, right? The neighbor who still hasn't 00:25:35.509 --> 00:25:42.549 done anything with his leaves. Forgiveness is 00:25:42.549 --> 00:25:48.569 the ultimate witness. You get so upset about 00:25:48.569 --> 00:25:52.309 their leaves, ask them if you could go do it. 00:25:52.769 --> 00:25:55.069 I'd say just go and do it but they may hit you 00:25:55.069 --> 00:25:56.509 with trespassing and then you end up in jail. 00:25:56.750 --> 00:25:59.170 But probably not for doing leaves, I get it. 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:02.099 But understand we speak into forgiveness all 00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:06.720 the time Yet we struggle with it too and fifth 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:10.460 as I land the plane Death is not the end for 00:26:10.460 --> 00:26:12.799 those who belong to Christ this I want to spend 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:15.759 a minute on Don't get me wrong the plane still 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:18.299 descending right the wheels are still coming 00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:27.049 out Do you believe this This is a hard one Death 00:26:27.049 --> 00:26:30.190 is not the end for those who belong to Christ 00:26:30.190 --> 00:26:32.789 some of you might be so uncomfortable right now 00:26:32.789 --> 00:26:38.789 because the thought of death scares you But let 00:26:38.789 --> 00:26:41.549 me permit you one conversation I got to have 00:26:41.549 --> 00:26:44.009 that I'm gonna try not to cry when I say this 00:26:44.009 --> 00:26:47.009 and I can't look over to Where is where are they 00:26:47.009 --> 00:26:51.490 to Joel and Jess? But I remember I was asked 00:26:51.490 --> 00:26:53.930 to come to Nuria White's room two and a half 00:26:53.930 --> 00:26:59.259 years ago Because at 90 just she was about 96 00:26:59.259 --> 00:27:02.059 at that but at that point she was 96 I think 00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:06.400 that comes before 97, right? Okay All of her 00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:10.240 friends were dying because at 97 96 years old 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:14.619 that's what happens Exactly. They all start to 00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:20.339 wail and cry and die She had no peace The things 00:27:20.339 --> 00:27:22.200 she thought she knew, the things the way she 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:24.680 thought she lived or believed in life weren't 00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:28.720 finding her comfort at all. And I remember starting 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:31.700 the conversation reading Lord's Day 1 of the 00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:33.839 Heideberg Catechism. Nuria, what is your only 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:36.500 comfort in life and in death? She had no answer. 00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:38.839 She didn't know how to respond. She talked about 00:27:38.839 --> 00:27:41.279 family. She talked about history. She talked 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:43.299 about all those things, but nothing was giving 00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:47.640 her peace. Friends, when you make it that long 00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:52.099 in life, You know that death is looming, right? 00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:55.180 If you're here today, 40, 45 years old, you're 00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:57.059 not thinking that way. And if you are, let's 00:27:57.059 --> 00:27:59.200 talk about that, right? Because that's not something 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:01.380 we should be constantly thinking is looming, 00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:03.180 though today could be the last day. We don't 00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:06.859 know. But those in faith, right? Those that have 00:28:06.859 --> 00:28:09.579 Jesus, that are trying their best to closer walk 00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:12.019 with thee, that, can you go back to that last 00:28:12.019 --> 00:28:16.059 point? This point should be where we find comfort. 00:28:16.889 --> 00:28:21.250 Death isn't the end. Well, Pastor, what happens 00:28:21.250 --> 00:28:25.150 to you when you die? I lovingly try to give answers, 00:28:25.170 --> 00:28:26.549 but I start by saying, I don't know. I've never 00:28:26.549 --> 00:28:30.190 died. What is it like when you get up to heaven? 00:28:30.289 --> 00:28:33.009 I appreciate you think I know that. I don't. 00:28:33.029 --> 00:28:35.730 I've never been there. I read in scriptures, 00:28:35.750 --> 00:28:38.250 and I really like the Ray Bolz song. But that's 00:28:38.250 --> 00:28:42.650 all I got. If you don't know, thank you by Ray 00:28:42.650 --> 00:28:47.720 Bolz. Thank you later. Death is not the end for 00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:51.440 those who belong to Christ. I can't fathom not 00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:55.299 being in this world We just welcomed our first 00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:58.619 kid. We just had our fifth kid or for the Schleichers 00:28:58.619 --> 00:29:01.160 We just had our whatever number kid that they're 00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:06.400 gonna have I Just got a new job. I just found 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:09.299 the career. I wanted I just met the girl I'm 00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:12.380 going to marry whatever it is. We love to put 00:29:12.380 --> 00:29:15.559 those things on there I can't go until these 00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:17.900 things happen. That's for someone who thinks 00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:20.740 death is the end. Friends, that's why this is 00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:26.839 so hard. Death is not the end for those in Christ. 00:29:28.660 --> 00:29:32.240 I love what Luke's writer says, he fell asleep. 00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:36.339 Those words remind us the grave isn't final, 00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:40.839 friends. Resurrection hope should be our firm 00:29:40.839 --> 00:29:48.599 foundation. Just a closer walk with thee Granted 00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:52.460 Jesus is my plea Stephen didn't just live for 00:29:52.460 --> 00:29:57.480 Jesus He died walking closely with him his final 00:29:57.480 --> 00:30:01.059 words were not anger, but love His final sight 00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:05.819 was not of pain, but it was glory That's the 00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:10.180 power of a closer walk with Christ The world 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:13.039 can't take your comfort though. It will try It 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:16.720 can't take your reputation, though it can, even 00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:20.319 your life. But the world can never take your 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:26.740 Savior. Munster Church, the closer we walk with 00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:31.000 Jesus, the more we'll look like Him. Courageous 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:35.400 in truth, gentle in love, steadfast in hope. 00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:39.759 So may this hymn become our prayer, our purpose, 00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:44.519 and our peace. Just a closer walk with thee granted 00:30:44.519 --> 00:30:48.019 Jesus is my plea Please stand if you are able 00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:50.500 and we will close together with our prayer of 00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:55.799 unison our prayer in unison People of God, let's 00:30:55.799 --> 00:31:00.160 pray together Lord Jesus Christ our Savior and 00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:04.880 friend Grant us a closer walk with you when trials 00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:08.859 rise and the world resists your truth Fill us 00:31:08.859 --> 00:31:13.720 with courage to stand for grace to forgive help 00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:17.900 us see beyond this world to your glory and live 00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:21.779 each day with eternity in view strengthen us 00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:25.980 to walk faithfully until we see you face to face 00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:28.900 amen and until that time may the Lord bless you 00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:31.559 and keep you make his face shine on you be gracious 00:31:31.559 --> 00:31:33.640 on you lift up his countenance upon you give 00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:36.079 you his peace which always passes our understanding 00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:37.980 in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit 00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:40.180 we all agree and said amen