Sermon Notes

I. Stephen’s _______ (7:2-53)

A. _______ (v. 2-8)

B. _______ (v. 9-16)

C. _______ (v. 17-43)

 

D. _______ and Solomon (v. 44-50)
E. _______ (v. 51-53)
 
II. Stephen is _______ (7:54-8:1a)
A. We become _______ what we worship (7:54-56)
B. Stephen falls _______ (7:57-8:1a)
 
What or who do you worship? 
1. _______ team 
2. _______
3. _______on social media

 

Going Deeper

  1. Stephen is accused of blasphemed against what William Larkin calls the “twin pillars of piety: the law and the temple (6:11, 13-14).” What made the temple and the law so important to the Jews? What were
    they missing when it came to Jesus?
  2. How did the Sanhedrin fail to learn from their history in Stephen’s speech? How have you failed to learn from your past sins? What do we need to do in order to learn?
  3. In Acts 7:7 Stephen quotes Genesis 15:13-14. What is God foretelling to Abraham? God told Abraham these things before he even has a son of his own. What does this tell us about God’s sovereignty?
  4. In Acts 7:9-16 who does Stephen talk about? What parallels do we see between Joseph and Stephen?
  5. The Sanhedrin (Scribes, Pharisees, Teachers of the Law) are convinced that the temple is the place where God must dwell. As Stephen begins to speak of the Lord God appearing to Moses in a bush, what truth has the Sanhedrin missed?
  6. Read Acts 7:37. Who is the prophet like Moses? In what specific ways is Jesus a prophet like Moses?
  7. What incident is Stephen describing in Acts 7:40-41? Read Exodus 32:1-6. How did the people become like what they worshiped?
  8. We become like what we worship. Read Psalm 115:4-8 and Psalm 135:15-18. How are idols described? How are those who worship the idols described? Read this article on how we become what we worship.
  9. What idols do you tend to worship in your life? Money, power, comfort, security, control, approval? What steps will you take to destroy these idols this week?
  10. John Calvin sums up Stephen’s speech: “No harm can be done to the temple and the law, when Christ is openly established as the end and truth of both.”
  11. Stephen’s accusation of the religious leaders is strong in Acts 7:51-53. He called them: “stiff-necked” = Ex. 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut. 9:6, 13 “with uncircumcised hearts and ears” = Lev. 26:41; Deut. 10:16; Jer. 4:4, 6:10, 9:26; Ezek. 44:7, 9 “resisting the Holy Spirit” = Isaiah 63:10 Read these passages from the OT. How are the religious leaders in Stephen’s day like the their forefathers?
  12. Jesus made similar accusations against the religious leaders in Luke 11:47–51; 13:34.
  13. Read Acts 7:56. What posture has Jesus taken in heaven? F. F. Bruce says: “Stephen has been confessing Christ before men, and now he sees Christ confessing his servant before God.”
  14. How do the leader respond to Stephen in Acts 7:54, 57-58?
  15. As Stephen is being put to death he speaks: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” v. 59) recalls Jesus’ dying words from the cross (Luke 23:46), and the second (Lord, do not hold this sin against them) recalls Jesus’ earlier prayer for the forgiveness of those responsible for his death (Luke 23:34).”  -ESV Study Bible
  16. Read Romans 12:2. We become like what we worship when we, “conform to this age.” How do you conform to this age or the patterns of this world? What will you do to be transformed by the renewing of your mind this week? Reading and memorizing God’s Word, confessing our sins, praying, spending time in Christian fellowship are all great ways to renew our minds.
  17. Read Acts 8:1a. Why is it important that we are introduced to Saul at this time? Who will Saul become (Acts 9)?