Faith Resistant Religion

Dale Gooding - Acts 7:1-60

I) High Priest’s Inquiry (Acts 7:1)
    - Are these things so?

II) Stephen’s Response (Acts 7:2-50)
    A Historical Review - Acts 7:2-50
    • Acts 7:1-50 leads up to Acts 7:51-60
    • It is significant that Stephen didn’t start with
      Adam, Noah, or even Moses, but Abraham
      Israel Had:
      A) Abraham - Acts 7:2-8
          1) Father of faith-based
               covenant = Heb 11:8-13
          2) Before the Law = Gal 3:11; 15-18
          3) Not a Jew, initially a Gentile
          4) “glad to see Jesus’ day” (John 8:54-59)
      B) Joseph - Acts 7:9-16
          “God was with him” (9)
          1) Rejected by his brothers - Acts 7:2
      C) Moses - Acts 7:35
          “Beautiful in God’s sight” (20)
          1) Was sent by God as ruler & redeemer
          2) Led Israel out of Egypt,
               signs & wonders for 40 years
          3) Was the pattern of the promised
               Deliverer - Jesus
          4) Was the receiver of God’s oracles
               (10 Commandments)
          5) Was replaced by a desire for Egypt (39)
      D) Tent of Witness (Tabernacle) - (Acts 7:44)
          1) With all the detail & meaning
          2) With the Ark of the Covenant in it

III) Stephen’ Condemnation (Acts 7:51-53)
      A) Anthropomorphic references
      B) The Paternal Precedent - 
            Persecution of the Prophets
      C) Stephen’s Collective Charge - 
            you resist the Holy Spirit

IV) Luke’s Conclusive Observations (Acts 7:54-60)
      A) The Anger of the Jews (54-60)
      B) Stephen’s Gracious Reaction (55, 59-60)