Acts of the Apostles 7-1-8-40

2. The Stirring Sermon &
Senseless Stoning of Stephen (7:1-60)
• Stephen was arrested and put on trial at the end of chapter 6 (6:11-16).
− He was accused of speaking blasphemously against: Moses, God, the temple, the law.
− The high priest asked Stephen if he was guilty or not guilty of the charges (7:1).
• Stephen’s inspired defense first emphasized that God’s presence, favor and
rule were not confined to “the holy land” of Israel or “this holy place” of the
temple (7:2-34).

3. The Stirring Sermon &
Senseless Stoning of Stephen (7:1-60)
• Stephen’s inspired defense second emphasized the willful inclination
characteristic of Israel (from its beginning) toward outright rebellion and
rejection of God (7:35-53).
− Stephen pointed to the fathers as the ones who truly rejected Moses (7:35-40).
− Stephen pointed to the fathers as the ones who rejected God & were rejected (40-43).
− Stephen pointed to the fathers as ones who worshiped without a temple (7:44-50).
− Stephen pointed to the fathers (& his accusers) as ones who violated the law (51-53).

4. The Stirring Sermon &
Senseless Stoning of Stephen (7:1-60)
• Stephen’s inspired defense closed with a severe & stinging rebuke (7:51-53).
• Stephen’s sermon enraged his accusers to violence and an illegal mob
execution (7:54-60).
− His hearers were “cut to the heart” (sawn asunder with anger like 5:33, not 2:37).
− As the first martyr for the cause of Christ, Stephen was remarkably focused!
− This first killing of a Christian led to “a great persecution against the church” (8:1).

5. The Scattering of the Church & the
Preaching of Philip, the Evangelist (8:1-40)
• “A great persecution arose against the church…were all scattered” (8:1).
− Saul, the persecutor, is introduced in this context, ravaging the church (7:58-8:3).
• Philip was prominent in taking the gospel to Samaria (8:4-25).
− “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (8:4).
− There was long-term, deep-seated animosity between Jews & Samaritans.
− Philip “preached Christ” in Samaria, confirming his message with numerous miracles,
and multitudes were converted to Christ (8:5-13).
• The preaching of Christ (and the N.T.) involves commands that must be obeyed (8:6).
• True miracles of God are unmistakable, irrefutable and un-reproducible (8:5-13).
• Conversions to Christ in the New Testament all looked the same (because they were)!
− The apostles imparting the Holy Spirit sparked Simon’s material instincts (8:14-24).
• Miraculous power of the Holy Spirit could only be imparted by the 12 apostles (8:14-19).
• God has two laws of pardon: one for the non-Christian and one for the Christian.

6. The Scattering of the Church & the
Preaching of Philip, the Evangelist (8:1-40)
• Philip was sent to convert the Ethiopian Eunuch (8:26-40).
− A convert to Judaism was returning from Jerusalem to his home in Ethiopia (8:26-29).
• The providence of God, especially in conversion, is a marvel to see at work (8:26-40).
− The Ethiopian was reading aloud Isaiah 53, and Philip joined him to teach Jesus to him
(8:30-36).
• It is impossible to “preach Jesus” without preaching the necessity of baptism (8:35-36).
− Philip baptized the eunuch in a body of water along the chariot’s pathway (8:37-40).
• Baptism is by immersion (8:38-39).
• Rejoicing comes after one’s baptism (8:39).