Getting the Point of Christ

Acts 7:1-53

There are a lot of things we take pride or glory in. Things we treasure; things that give us significance. But we miss the point. Our parents buy us costly gadgets. But instead of loving them more, we love the gadgets which take time from them. We love our spouses and buy a home together. But the home becomes more important - spouses fight over which paint color! We get jobs to make a living. But instead of working for a living, we live to work. We miss the point. We love the gift more than the giver, the means rather than the goal, the practice rather than the purpose.

This happened to the Jews. They hated the message of Christ. They didn’t want to be saved. They thought they were good enough to save themselves. Keeping the law and sacrifices gave them a sense of accomplishment. But they missed the point. The sacrifices and laws were given to point to God’s forgiveness. The temple taught how Christ would forgive and wash them, pray for and be with them. The ceremonial law taught that Christ would make them acceptable to God. But they missed the point. They thought that these things made them good. That’s why they were angry with Stephen. They accused him for blaspheming the temple, the law, the prophets, and their heritage. In verse 1, the High Priest asked - “Are these things so?” So Stephen defended himself. But he went on the offensive. I’m not blaspheming the prophets, you are. The prophets glorified Christ. Have you forgotten? Your ancestors opposed the prophets. And you killed Christ. His defense had 4 propositions. Firstly, Abraham the Father glorified Christ; secondly, Joseph the Savior portrayed Christ; thirdly, Moses the Prophet was rejected like Christ; and fourthly, David and Solomon the temple builders relied on Christ.

Firstly, Abraham the Father glorified Christ. Stephen focused on Abraham because the Jews trusted their heritage. They thought God automatically accepted them because of Abraham. So he focused on how Abraham obeyed Christ unlike them. The Sanhedrin just saw Stephen’s face - angelic - full of the glory of God. Abraham also saw this glory. Verse 2 - “And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran.” He told them what Abraham really was - not the great believer they thought he was. Now, God revealed himself when Abraham was still a pagan in Mesopotamia. This showed God’s glory. God was the one who graciously led him out of the land, from his pagan family, into a land God would show him. And now that land, Canaan, is where the Jews live, verse 4. The Jews trusted their bloodline and took pride in their land. But Stephen’s point was this - Abraham was pagan. He had land in Mesopotamia. But he obeyed God and left. If you don’t obey the God of glory, as he did - you’re the pagans - no matter how much you claim him as your father. Abraham looked forward to Christ. John 8:56 - “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” Jesus came to dwell with man, full of grace and truth - and man beheld the glory of God. Abraham obeyed the God of glory - Jesus Christ himself.

Abraham also believed Christ. Abraham entered Canaan when it didn’t belong to him, verse 5. He didn’t even have kids to give it to. Even when he did, they’d have to wait 400 years, verse 6-7. We remember when Sarah died, he had to buy his own land to bury her. But there was no disappointment. He trusted God for something better. While God promised land to him, the land was not the point. The land was symbolic of something better. Hebrews 11:6,10 said of Abraham and his children, “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city…For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Abraham wasn’t hung up on the land - he got the point. The Jews didn’t. Many Christians also don’t get that the land is not the point.

Abraham also walked in God’s covenant. Verse 8 says, “And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.” God promised Abraham he would bless him. Abraham believed and was counted righteous. So God placed the mark of circumcision on him - as if saying, “Abraham, you and your children belong to me.” All true children of Abraham will be saved. And just as the land pointed to heaven, the outward circumcision symbolized to Abraham’s children the need to cut away or forgive sin in the heart. But while the mark conveyed that meaning to Abraham and he was grateful for forgiveness, many of the descendants missed the point. Instead of seeing the need for inward cleansing, they saw circumcision as a mark of pride. We’re children of Abraham! We’ll be saved anyway! To them, the ceremony was more meaningful than the meaning of the ceremony. While Abraham kept covenant by walking faithfully because he was grateful for salvation, the Jews were inwardly immoral. They missed the point. They didn’t glorify the God of glory. They were being told that if they rejected Jesus who could forgive them, they were rejecting Abraham who believed Jesus. But he didn’t stop at Abraham.

Secondly, Joseph the Savior portrayed Christ. If they rejected Christ, they’d also reject Joseph. Joseph was the savior of God’s people. But he was rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery - the very means by which his brothers were saved. The Jews were proud of their heritage, but they forgot their own ancestors rejected Israel’s savior. Verse 9 says, “And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt.” Their forefathers - who made up the 12 tribes - were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery. They had the same jealous anger as the Sanhedrin. When Joseph was 17, he followed his older brothers into the field. There, they did evil. He exposed their wickedness to their father. And they hated his righteousness. They also rejected his position. He was gifted an ornate coat with long sleeves. This elevated him above his brothers and they hated him. Now, if he was 17, they were much older with families. But age is no remedy to anger. We all know angry old men! They also hated his dreams. When his dreams prophesied their submission to him, they hated him more. Finally, they rejected him and sold him into slavery for 20 pieces of silver. Jealousy led to hatred, hatred led to a murderous heart. But the second part of verse 9 says - “but God was with him.” He whom man rejected was preserved by God.

In fact, God exalted Israel’s savior. Just as the plots increased from hatred to a desire kill, his exaltation was also progressive. Verse 10 says, “And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.” Joseph was taken to Egypt and became Potiphar’s head servant. Eventually, Pharaoh exalted him above Potiphar and above every other person in Pharaoh’s realm - even over his brothers and father. Why? Not because he was smart but because God was with him. He had many setbacks - his brothers’ betrayal, slavery under Potiphar, Mrs Potiphar’s lies - but God was with him. The slave traders passed by at the right time; the baker and butler were in jail at the same time. God was with him! And Pharaoh gave him a name - Zaphnath Paneah - which means, God speaks and he lives. And that’s what he did for his family.

Israel’s Savior lived to save his brothers. Verse 11 - “Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.” The famine was so bad there was no sustenance - meaning animal feed. Not only was there no human food, but no animal food. Yet God saved them through the one they rejected. Verse 12 - Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to get grain for the first time. In verse 13, at their second visit, Joseph revealed himself to them and brought all 75 family members to Egypt, verses 14-15. They were fed, full, cared for, all because of Joseph. But their salvation was ironic. They were saved, not in the Promised Land flowing with no milk and honey - but in Egypt - flowing with grain. God called Abraham from Mesopotamia. God called Moses in Saudi Arabia. The land of Israel was not as important as they thought. They were saved by one they rejected. He was rejected for his righteousness, his exalted position, his preaching. His brethren sold him for silver. And he became their savior through the very means of rejection. Who else was hated for his righteousness? Who else was betrayed for silver? Who else was rejected and by means of his rejection saves? Joseph portrayed Jesus. So if they rejected Jesus, they rejected Joseph. But Stephen didn’t stop there.

Thirdly, Moses the Prophet was rejected like Christ. The Jews made a big deal of having the law and having Moses. But their ancestors refused to follow Moses - a special deliverer that God raised at the right time. Verse 17 - “But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt.” When it was time for Israel to inherit the land, God multiplied them, and gave them a reason to leave. He raised a king who oppressed the Israelites and killed their children, verses 18-19. So God raised up Moses. He was special - an exceeding fair or polished child, verse 20. The word fair means approved. God chose him for a special purpose. And we remember how Miriam got Jochebed to be his nurse from birth until weaning, or 5 years old. So he was raised a Hebrew and knew he was one - not like Disney where he’s shocked when he finds out. How could he not know? He was circumcised! And as a prince, he was rich and the best education. That’s why he was mighty in words and deeds. Our kids may be good at this or that sport, musical instrument, or subject - maybe even President Scholar next time. But they’re all ordinary compared to Moses. Moses was special, a man raised at the right time. And what great irony. Pharaoh wanted to destroy the Israelites, but Moses was saved by his daughter, ate his food, lived in his palace, and educated in his schools.

But he was rejected by people who needed deliverance. When he was 40, verse 23 says, he went to visit his people. He identified as a Hebrew! He considered the slaves his brothers. And he knew his purpose - he visited them. The word “visit” means to visit with a purpose. This word is often used to speak about God rescuing his people. So as a deliverer, he tried to make wrongs right. He fought injustice, verse 24. He tried to mediate conflict =, verse 26. But they rejected him. They didn’t want someone to judge or deliver them. “Who made you ruler and judge?” they asked. He was pushed away - physically. But God still got him. They needed a deliverer. They needed a judge and ruler. There’s no salvation without submission to that savior.

And this is why they continued to oppose God’s deliverer. They wouldn’t submit. He was sent again by God, verse 30. And the place of his calling was interesting. It was Sinai, where he was told to remove his shoes because it was holy ground. He was scared, verse 32. But this was not the Promised Land. It was Midian. But it was holy ground because God was there. He was told to deliver the ones who rejected him, verse 35. What’s Stephen’s point? Moses was approved by God - he had miracles. He was a prophet sent by God. He had the laws. But they kept rejecting him. In fact, they wanted slavery. Verse 39 - “To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt.” By rejecting the appointed and approved prophet, they rejected God himself. That’s why they worshiped a golden calf, complained about God’s provision, even wanting another leader. They even worshiped Moloch and Saturn. This proved that Moses was not respected. And he was so fed up, he said that God will raise up another prophet, verse 37.

The Jews made a big deal about Moses and the laws. But in their history, he was rejected constantly. They didn’t get the point. Even Moses pointed to a better prophet. At the fulness of time, God sent his Son, born of a woman. While Moses was slave turned prince, Jesus was prince turned slave. Moses was fair, but Jesus was 10,000 times fairer. Both were sent to their own, both were rejected. Their ancestors wanted other gods, they wanted their traditions. Their ancestors wanted another ruler, the Jews said - we have no king but Caesar. Moses who was refused, God sent him to be ruler and deliverer. Jesus who was crucified, God made him Lord and Christ. Here’s the irony. They held Moses, Joseph, Abraham in high regard, but all these prophets regarded Jesus higher. So they missed the point when they looked at these men.

And they also missed the point when they idolized their temple. Lastly, David and Solomon the temple builders relied on Christ. God gave them the temple to symbolize his presence with sinners. Stephen recounted the history. It started as the tabernacle of witness, verse 44. It was a witnessed that God was among his God’s people. Every day the ark would lead them. A pillar of cloud and fire was there. God was saying - I’m with you. Moses built it according to God’s pattern. But all the while he was receiving the pattern, Israel was committing idolatry below - the golden calf. But God still gave them the tabernacle - to show his presence; to atone their sins, make them clean, show them mercy. It also showed his leading. When Joshua led the people into Canaan, the priests carried the ark before them. So the temple was good - it showed God’s presence among bad people. Now, Stephen even stressed that the ones who built the temple weren’t good. David wanted to build, but verse 47 says that Solomon built it. Why? David was a man of blood! And God never asked him to build. God doesn’t need a house. David was not good enough. But in one sense, neither was Solomon. But God let it be built to show his presence with sinners. But the Jews saw it as a mark of their goodness. Like the Pharisee at the temple. He thanked God he was not like that publican, with raised hands, proclaiming his own goodness. They also used the temple as a place of commerce - to cheat people to buy expensive but poor quality sacrifices. So they got the temple wrong. They missed the point. It was God’s saying I will be with you, even though you are sinful. But they thought - we have the temple, we’re okay.

So Stephen made the point that the temple was limited. Verse 48 - how can the most high dwell in temples made with hands? When Solomon built the temple, he dedicated it to God with these words. 2 Chronicles 2:5-6 - “And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. but who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?” Solomon knew God was unlimited. Outer space is God’s throne, the earth his leg rest, verse 49. Stephen had shown God was in Mesopotamia with Abraham, Egypt with Joseph, Midian with Moses. But the Jews limited God to the temple. Even today, the Jews make God into an idol. In verse 48, Stephen said - “Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” The term “made with hands” is used in the Bible to speak about idolatry. In the past, they made their own idols - the golden calf, figures of Moloch and Saturn. But now, they turned the temple into an idol. God was not involved in every part of their lives. They boxed him up. They could do things religiously, but not devotionally. That’s why they could murder Jesus and take the Passover on the same day.

And that’s why the temple showed their hypocrisy. They had accused Stephen of blaspheming the law, so now he charged them. Verse 51 - “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” Yes, they kept the outward ceremonial laws, but they were unholy inwardly. They kept the letter of the law, but forgot the inner spiritual meaning. The words stiffnecked and uncircumcised were used to describe those who worshiped the golden calf. So Stephen accused these priests of being no better than pagans. When the prophets preached Christ and his righteousness, their ancestors killed them. And now, these men had killed Christ for preaching a righteousness couldn’t be earned, only freely given. They utterly hated him. How dare he tell us that we’re not righteous. We keep the Sabbath. He breaks the Sabbath. We tithe - even our mint and anise - others don’t tithe as we do. As verse 53 says, they received the law, but had not kept it. They missed the point. The law was not to get them to police everyone, or be satisfied with their righteousness. The law was to drive them to love God and others. That’s why self-righteous people can condemn others and feel righteous. The prodigal son came back, repentant. But his brother condemned him. He was justified in his anger. Saul murdered for God. We gossip and judge one another. We excuse hard rebuke because it shows courage, even though we destroy each another. The Jews were the older brother. And when Stephen told them to repent of their wicked self-righteousness, they couldn’t take it.

Beloved, there’s a legalist, a traditionalist, an older brother, and an idolater in each one of us. But Christ frees us from our sins and this baggage. We’re never too bad for Jesus. He forgives the worst sinners. We can only be too good to come to him. Do we Christians sometimes miss the point? Yes. It could be our heritage. The Jews say - I’m a child of Abraham! We say - I’m very mature as a Christian. I’m reformed. I know my doctrines. My worship is pure. Dearly beloved, only Christ saves. Our heritage does not. Children, if you trust that your baptism saves you and don’t actually trust in him to cleanse you, you are lost. You are treating as an unclean thing the blood of Christ. We often forget that Christ rescues us to bring us to a better land, and love life here. Parents, are you sacrificing your children on the worldly altars of success like those of old to Saturn? The Israelites were rescued from slavery, but they wanted to go back. Do we redeemed not betray and reject Christ when we yearn for the garlic of greed, the leeks of lucre, and fish of fornication of your past? Maybe you’ve boxed Christ up as an idol? We have an outward religion, but not one of inward devotion. We bring Christ out and worship him in church. But put him away during the week. He’s out in Bible Studies, but in our pockets when we’re on the internet. We’ve boxed him up.

Then there are the legalists. We’re perpetual police men. This person not godly enough, women aren’t modest enough, people too liberal. They must repent and not be a mockery of God’s holy temple. Well, dearly beloved who think this way, you’re not exempted from growing in Christ. Your convictions don’t make you more spiritual than others. But your love for them shows your spirituality - in being patient, in exhorting, in helping, in laboring to be a brother’s keeper. To be a prophet, priest, and king to them. But if you’re aloof, judging others, you’ve forgotten that you were the prodigal. You are the prodigal - always needing to return home. But you’ve turned into his brother. Run to Christ. He can save you from your disgusting self-righteousness, as he did me. Remember what Christ has done. Don’t reject him. Like Joseph, he has saved you when you rejected him so many times. And do reject by your sins so many times. But he who has given you faith, will save you to the uttermost. And like Moses, he will bring us to that eternal Zion - that better land - the tree of life and river of life are there. But best of all, Jesus, the glory of God, is there and we will behold him face to face. Let’s not miss the point.

1. Abraham the Father Glorified Christ

A. Abraham obeyed Christ

B. Abraham believed Christ

C. Abraham walked in God’s covenant

2. Joseph the Savior Portrayed Christ

A. They rejected Israel’s savior

B. God exalted Israel’s savior

C. Israel’s Savior saved his brothers

3. Moses the Prophet Was Rejected like Christ

A. God raised a deliverer

B. The deliverer was rejected

C. They continued to oppose the deliverer

4. David and Solomon the Temple Builders Relied on Christ

A. The temple symbolized God’s presence

B. The temple was limited

C. The temple showed their hypocrisy

1. We should love God who gives us all good things. What common gifts do we make an idol of instead of worshiping God?

2. How has the gospel broken down our own self-righteousness? What other ways do we continue to struggle with our own self-righteousness? How does this prevent us from loving the brethren? How has this message specifically spoken to you about the disgusting good works you need to repent of?

3. If the objective of the law is love, how is Christ’s righteousness in you expressing itself to your enemies and those who are less holy?