Something Greater

Rejection of God and Self-Rejoicing Stephen, disciple of Christ, arrested and on trial for heresy and blasphemy, defends himself before self-righteous religious rulers, using the history of his people as an object lesson in religious rejection of God . "This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, - Who made you a ruler and a judge? - this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, - God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers." Acts 7:35-37 (ESV) This is Stephen's grand thesis. This declaration is the climax of his argument defending himself from the false charges of heresy and blasphemy. This careful, sequential overview of his people's history, from faithful Abraham to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and now Moses, leads inevitably to...

Who was Timothy? The Book of 1 Timothy: Introduction The Holy Bible includes two letters written by Paul the Apostle to Timothy the Pastor. With this post today we will begin to look closely at the first of these two letters. "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." 1 Timothy 1:1-2 (ESV) TIMOTHY: Timotheos (dear to God); from time (pronounced "tee-MAY", meaning a value, money, to esteem, dignity) and theos (a deity, a magistrate, by Hebraism very); from tino (to pay a price, as a penalty) Timothy's name literally means "dear to God" or "very dear". The name grew out of a word meaning something valuable , something to be paid. It seems not merely coincidental that the root of Timothy's name and the English word for divisions of day and night appear the same: time....

Moses Trembled Stephen stood before the accusing council of religious rulers, defending himself against charges of blasphemy and heresy . He had quickly traced the history of the nation of Israel, beginning with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Joseph and Moses. He is at this point reminding the court of the great disappointment that Moses must have felt after forty years of sheepherding, exiled in fear of punishment by Egyptians after a failed attempt to deliver his people from oppression. After forty lonely, lowly years of regret, God spoke to Moses . "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. - And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. Then the Lord said to him, - Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt." Acts 7:33...

God Spoke Stephen's defensive argument began with a brief history of Abraham's life, firmly establishing the importance of maintaining faith in God's word, no matter the circumstance, distance or time it takes for God to fulfill His promises. This legacy of faith was passed from father to son , culminating in Abraham's great-grandson, Joseph. Joseph had risen from slave to ruler of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. But decades passed, Joseph died and the tide of favor faded . "But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph." Acts 7:17-18 (ESV) The new Pharoah oppressed the people of Israel, made them slaves , forcing the abortion at birth of all Israeli male infants. (Exodus 1) This was the fulfillment of God's warning to Abraham: "God spoke to this effect...that his offspring would be sojourners i...

The Faith of Abraham Stephen's defense was based upon the faith of Abram, who later was called Abraham. In obedience to God's direct command, Abram left a country in which his family ancestors had lived for generations, to a land completely foreign to him. "Now the Lord said to Abram, - Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV) Abram obeyed, but with great reluctance and procrastination . Still, he obeyed. Yet what was Abram's reward? What happened to God's promise? "God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to...

Grace and Goodness from a Wasted Life Stephen, preacher and servant of Christ, has been arrested for heretical blasphemy. In the face of hateful, false witnesses and malicious judges, Stephen's appearance radically changes in the eyes of all at the trial, and he begins his defense. "Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, - Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you." Acts 7:2-3 (ESV) What was "your land" and how did it become their land? MESOPOTAMIA: mesopotamia (Mesopotamia, region between the Euphrates and the Tigris); from mesos (middle) and potamos (a current, brook or freshet: running water that is drinkable) The Old Testament account described Abraham's country as "Ur of the Chaldeans". UR: ur (a place in Chald'a); from ur (flame, figurative for the East, the region of lig...

He Looked Like An Angel The wisdom and spiritual power of Stephen upset the preferences and plans of Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Unable to refute arguments solidly supported by Scripture, the religious rulers set up false witnesses, stirred up public anger and arrested Stephen, charging him with blasphemy and religious rebellion . When the council's anger and self-righteousness had vented itself in a furious storm of words and threats , they paused for breath and stared at Stephen daring him to defend himself: "And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel." Acts 6:15 (ESV) How many angels had these religious rulers seen? What experiences allowed them to compare Stephen's face with that of an angel? Their experience with angels was probably limited to only the descriptions written in their holy Scripture. The final book of the Old Testament, written by one of the last authentic Jewish prophet, Malachi, spe...