Stephen’s Speech: The Precursor to Paul’s Conversion

Mike Leake

Yesterday in my New Testament 2 class taught by Dr. Thomas Schreiner* we discussed Stephen’s speech before his martyrdom in Acts 7.  I have to be honest in that I typically skim over his speech thinking that it is simply Old Testament history that I am already informed of.  As we went over the heart of this speech in class not only this text but Paul’s conversion took on a new life for me. 

In Acts 6 we read of what Stephen is being accused of:

We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God…This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.

The principle charges against Stephen is that he is going against the Law and the temple.  Then Stephen gives his defense.  Why an Old Testament history lesson?  In these particular stories Stephen is pointing out a few key things.  First of all he is pointing out that God does not need the land and that God does not need the temple.  Furthermore, he is pointing out that it is fitting to the history of Israel that they reject the one that is God’s agent of redemption.  In other words what they are doing to Stephen and the other apostles is the same thing that has always happened: you think you are serving God but you are really blind to God’s working of redemption.  Hence his concluding point:

You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit.  As your fathers did, so do you.  Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?  And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it. 

Now after this speech they are enraged and Stephen adds fuel to the fire by pretty much saying “I see Jesus standing up and pleading my case and not yours”.  Then they cast him out of the city and began to stone him.  And it is quite possible, because the text says “the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul”, that he is the ring leader of this entire mob.  We know it had a dramatic effect on him because he mentions it again in Acts 22:20. 

After Stephen’s stoning we are introduced to Saul who is, “ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison”.  Saul is quite confident that he is on a mission from God to stamp out all of these God-hating Christians.  But something happens in Acts 9: Saul (later called Paul) is confronted by Jesus. 

In one climactic moment it is revealed to Saul that he is guilty of what Stephen had accused him of.  Rather than being God’s instrument of truth he was rather the one that was responsible for killing God’s instrument of redemption. 

What do we learn from this?  It is quite possible to think that you are “helping out God” but all the while be stifling His agent(s) of redemption. 

*By way of note, this blog post is not what Dr. Schreiner said in class.  It is simply my attempt at further understanding the connection between Stephen’s speech and Paul’s conversion.  If something is wrong or I butcher a text the blame lays squarely on me and not Dr. Schreiner. 

 

Monday’s Ministry Musing: Should We Serve Our Own First?

Mike Leake 1 Comment

Yeah I know it’s Wednesday but I just could not let this go until next Monday.  So pretend that I wrote this on Monday and it got stuck in some cyber filter, wound up in a parallel world, and somehow just posted today. 
I am beginning to see rumblings of people frustrated with the American government providing relief to the Haitian people, “when we have hurting people over here.”  I’ve even seen this little jewel pop up on several people’s Facebook status:

Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment – yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations. 99% of people won’t have the guts to copy and and paste this…

First of all that is one of the most uninformed and narrow minded statements I have ever read.  If you are my friend on Facebook and you thought this would be cool to cut and paste—then I am sorry if I offend you, but this statement is just plain wrong and outright irresponsible.  Do a little fact checking.  Are we really THE ONLY COUNTRY where homeless are without shelter, children go to bed without eating, etc.  Seriously?  Have you seen Africa?  Do you know about North Korea?  starving_child-sudan2
There are numerous places in much worse shape than we are.  But that is not my main issue.  Let’s just pretend for a moment that this statement IS true.  Should we “serve our own” before we serve the needs of others? 
This way of thinking within Christian circles I just do not understand.  Yesterday morning on a Christian radio station I heard an advertisement for some spa/resort business that said something like this, “In 2010 you should finally do something for yourself…come in to blah blah blah and we’ll give you the care that you deserve.”  These advertisers are not stupid.  They are appealing to something within us that wants to say…”Yeah, you’re right, I’ve been always giving—it’s about time I start taking.” 
The  principle is the same as the Haiti response.  Why should I take care of someone else when I myself am hurting? 
As a side note I do understand there are times when you are absolutely burnt out and you have nothing more to give anyone.  You do need to get away for a little while and retreat.  Even Jesus did this (Matt. 14:23).  But notice that Jesus “went up on a mountainside to pray”.  He got His refreshment by spending time with the Father.  He did not get his refreshment by going to a health resort, or calling up his disciples and saying, “hey guys why don’t you serve me for awhile.” 
So, why should you take care of someone else when you are hurting yourself?  Why should our nation send relief to Haiti when we have homeless people and orphans here?  Because that is exactly what Jesus would do.  Jesus would not refuse to serve a Samaritan because the Jews were under Roman oppression.  You look at the Cross and compare that to this “I need to care of my own needs first”, New-Age, Oprah-driven, egocentric junk.  I do not see my bleeding Savior climbing down off the cross and saying, “someone else will have to serve for awhile…I have my own needs”.  You find me one explicit place in Scripture where Jesus put His humanly needs above other people and I will delete this post and copy and paste that silly little shame on you America thing myself. 
Now if you want to point out American duplicity I’ll show you were it is found.  It is not in America helping Haiti.  I fully support our nation in supporting the people of Haiti.  Where you can see American duplicity has its roots in this “serve my needs first attitude”; and we see the fruit in this attitude in the atrocity that is abortion. 
Shame on you America for fighting the genocide of other nations while neglecting to address your own infanticide.  Shame on you America for waving a flag that says we fight for freedom but refusing to fight for the freedom of the unborn.  Shame on you America for exalting a woman’s right to choose while neglecting the much smaller and less developed woman’s right to choose.  Shame on you America for exemplifying an attitude that says, “me first and then I’ll serve you.” 

Review of According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy

Mike Leake

Author: Graeme Goldsworthy

Pages: 251 pages

Publisher: IVP

Price: 16.29

Genre: Theology/Biblical Interpretation

Quick Summary:

According to Plan is exactly what it claims to be: An Introductory to Biblical Theology. Biblical theology is essentially studying “how the Bible holds together as one book with one message” (20). What that message is and how exactly it comes together is the nature of the biblical theologian’s task. According to Plan is Goldsworthy’s suggestion for understanding the Bible’s central message. The book is broken up into 4 parts: the Why? How? What? Where? of biblical theology. Interspersed throughout are very helpful summaries, diagrams, and charts. For further help the reader is given a study guide at the end of each chapter.

What I Liked:

According to Plan is “written for those who have not had any formal theological education”, yet it was still a required book for my seminary class on Hermeneutics. The book is written that well. It is able to hold the interest of the theological student but does not fly over the head of those without a formal theological education. In my opinion any book claiming to unfold the Bible’s central message must be about Jesus; Goldsworthy’s offering does not disappoint. It is Christ-centered throughout. The Lord used this book alongside a few others to help shape a Christ-centered hermeneutic in my own personal life. This is probably the most helpful resource on an introduction to biblical theology.

What I Disliked:

Anything that I would put in this section would be simply straining gnats. This book is an excellent resource. The Church would be well served to have every member go through such a study.

Should You Buy It:

Yes. This book will cause you to think. It will get the wheels rolling towards a more biblical theology. The principles in this book are ones that you should not store away on a bookshelf. You should buy this, take notes, apply it to your Bible study and pass it on to others.  At only $16.29 you will be happy you bought this.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars.

A Lesson on Prayer From a Little Boys Tears

Mike Leake

I understand that my two year old does not quite understand logic; but I still talk to him as if he did.  Tonight he really wanted to play with a very sharp screwdriver-type-thingy (that’s the technical term).  He had found it and wanted to run around with it.  Obviously, Nikki and I were not cool with his new found toy.  So, we took it away from him.  Then the waterworks came.  Then I said something really profound: “Son, I’m not going to let you play with something that is going to potentially kill you no matter how much you whine about it”.  Then I felt as if the Lord communicated to me this:  “Sounds familiar, Mike”. 
How often do I keep whining about something that I do not have that would end up killing me.  Often the reason why God does not answer my prayers and respond to my silly crying is because if I got what I wanted I’d end up killing myself.  The Lord is good.  Good father’s don’t let their children play with pointy screwdrivers no matter how much they whine.  And our Father doesn’t idly sit by and let us play with sin no matter how much we whine to get it or keep it.