Speak Lord, Your Servant Hears

“Honey from the Rock”

(Acts 7:1-2, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, July 17, 2011)

7:1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me.”

… (57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears ...)

7:1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

The high priest had heard the accusations that witnesses had made against Stephen. Stephen was one of the servant-leaders of the Christian movement that was gaining thousands of followers throughout Jerusalem. This was not the first time that the high priest had heard about Jesus and His followers. The priests and the Sadducees who were in charge of the temple precincts, together with other Jewish leaders in the Sanhedrin had been trying for many months to stop God. That is why they had condemned Jesus of blasphemy and turned Him over to the Romans. That is why they had instigated the crowd to ask for the freedom of Barabbas when Pilate wanted to free Jesus. That is why they had tried to spread a false report denying the resurrection. That is why they had demanded that the apostles stop preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus.

Some Jews who were part of a movement called the “Synagogue of the Freedmen” considered Stephen their enemy. They were Jews who had come to Jerusalem from places like Northern Africa and modern-day Turkey in the north, and were zealous for Rabbinic traditions. They had seized Stephen, a truly great man, full of grace and power, and had dragged him before the council with some false witnesses that they had instigated to bring certain charges against Stephen, who had a face like the face of an angel. These witnesses said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They also said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law.” They went on saying, “We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” These were the charges: that Stephen was involved in religious hate speech against God in His own Promised Land, speech that God had said in His Law should be punished by death, speech against the Holy One of Israel, against Moses, and against the temple, the Law, and Jewish customs. The charge was not only blasphemy but also insurrection through Jesus, who Stephen and the Christians claimed was alive; that this resurrected Jesus would destroy the temple and change Jewish customs. The charges against Stephen were very serious. Before the entire council and before Stephen's accusers and anyone else who may have been witnesses on that day, the High Priest asked Stephen this question: “Are these things so?”

In asking this question he opened the door of public fairness to a man that the Scriptures say was “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” A forum like this was a dangerous one for those who are committed to a lie. Truth might break out in unexpected ways. Make no mistake about many of the priests, the Sadducees, the Sanhedrin: They were not seeking the truth. They were committed to this lie: that Jesus and his apostles were mortal enemies of Judaism and deserved to die.

When you give a man full of the Holy Spirit an opportunity to speak about Jesus, the Scriptures, Moses, the Law, the temple, and Judaism, you may not like what God says through that man. If truth breaks out, you may not be able to contain it, even if you kill the one who speaks the truth.

The Synagogue of the Freedmen already knew the danger of free speech. The foreign-born Jews who were in that movement had confronted this servant-leader-preacher Stephen and had tried to contain him themselves. They had tried already to use words against him, and they had learned that it was not advantageous to give this man a chance to speak. They had learned that “they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.”

2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me.”

Sometimes we speak. Sometimes we don't. Stephen spoke. There is no rule to tell us when to speak and when to be silent. When the high priest had invited Jesus to answer the charges of false witnesses, at first He remained silent. Then He responded to this direct question: “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” See Matthew 26:57-68. The servant of the Lord speaks when the Lord wants him to speak, and keeps his silence when God wants him to be silent.

But when the Lord's servant does speak, we need to hear the words that such a man says. Stephen talks to his fellow Jews, calling them “brothers and fathers.” He has a word from God that all those who are interested in the story of the Bible should hear. Moses had written so long ago: “Hear, O Israel.” Later, the psalmist Asaph wrote, “Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!” He said, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” Israel sang out Asaph's song. They gave voice to the voice of God encouraging them, “With honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” When the Rock of Israel came to die, when He was hungry in the wilderness and facing fierce testing, He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Israel was the covenant community, the church of God in their day. Above all people on the face of the earth, those who were spiritual teachers and leaders in Israel needed to hear the Word of God not only with the ear, but with the heart. That is why Stephen said to them in God's behalf, “Hear me.”

It is disappointing when anyone decides that he does not want to hear the Word of the Lord. It is especially disappointing when the covenant community, Israel, and then the church, will not hear the Voice of Jesus through His Spirit-anointed messenger. But it is especially heartbreaking when those who are religious leaders associated with the Name of the great I-AM, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will not listen to a man like Stephen, and will not listen to Jesus.

… (57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears ...)

We need to hear from God eagerly, and test everything according to the Scriptures. We need to hear passages from the Bible as they are read, seeing the point even before the messenger says another word. Then we need to hear that point brought forward succinctly by the Lord's servant that day. Jews all over the world, even today, need to consider what Stephen had to say. There is still time to see Jesus as the Hope of Israel and to receive Him gladly. Church leaders everywhere need to take a fresh look at the Bible in light of Acts 7. Jesus is Abraham's Messiah. When Joseph was brought so low before He was raised up to Pharaoh's right hand, he was telling the story of Jesus, who was brought lower than Joseph, and who serves as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus is the God of Moses. The longing of Moses that all God's people would be filled with the Spirit is being fulfilled even now by the gift of Jesus from heaven. Jesus is the Temple of God, and He is building us up into the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is not the enemy of Israel or the church. He is the ultimate Friend who died for his friends.

The church needs to hear the voice of the God-man who gave his life to give us life. Stephen followed Him in truth and in death. The martyr's truth is like a double portion of grace from God for all who will receive his words. He gives the word of the blood of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, and he testifies to the truth of that message with all that he has.

1. What were the accusations against Stephen?

2. When should a servant of God speak?

3. Why does Stephen call his hearers “brothers and fathers?”

4. What does it mean to hear God's voice?

OT Passage: Psalm 81