SNT 0419 Acts 6, 7, 8
September 28, 1969
SNT 419
Format: audio
Publication Date: 09-28-1969
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Act 8:1; (1Co 7:7); Act 6:1-7
Act 6:7-12
Act 6:13-15; 7:1-35
Act 7:36-50
Act 7:51-55
Act 7:55-60; 8:1-4
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snt-0419_acts_6-7-8(vpw) DRAFT
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Moses, Stephen, spirit, father, Egypt, church, Saul
I'd like for you to take your Bibles and turn to chapter eight tonight, please. A man's life is changing by hearing the Word. There's ever going to be any change, it has to be via the words. I want to get into the Word of God tonight to show you what I believe was the impact from the word upon a certain man. In the eighth chapter of the book of Acts, talking about Saul, Greek name was Paul. And Saul was consenting unto his death that is Stephens death. And at that time, there was a great persecution against the church, which was a Drude slum. And this great persecution was led by a man called Saul. Saul contest consented on the Stephens death. And for Saul to be able to do this. The text, of course, basically reads he voted for his death. In order to be able to vote for the death of a man, you had to be a member of the ruling console, the ruling body of Judaism, so called, and the ruling body is called the Senate written, or as it's sometimes pronounced in hedron, made up of 70 men. In order to be a member of that Senate run, you had to be over 30 years of age, you had to be the father. You had to be married, and be the father of a child. So if Saul cast his vote, officially against Stephen, he must have been a member of the Senate, which would put him in the category of being over or 30 years or more of age, and being married and a father of a child. Now this I understand rather clearly, because there's a section in Corinthians in the seventh chapter, where Paul says, if you if you can, and you, you, you have you have been married or this kind of thing. You'd like to stay as I am. It's better for you. I know what he's talking about. What he's simply saying is that in Corinthians, he is telling us that he had been married, he had a child, he lost his wife, he lost his child. And if this is what has happened, and you are a Christian, and you can contain yourself, as the word said, Stay as I am. Paul was not against marriage. He was not against sex. He was not against having children, like Playboy, he says, and all the rest of the unbelievers who tried to take a dig at the greatest man that God ever gave any revelation to the apostle Paul, I believe that Paul was he Hebrew name was Saul was a member of the Senate. And I believe that it was he who cast his vote, and who along with the rest of them said, Let's kill it. Let's get rid of that Steven fuller. Let's execute him. Let's get rid of him. Now. I want to show you in God's word, what brings a man to that position, like Saul came to that position regarding and exactly what happened. In the sixth chapter, the book of Acts, is where I'd like to begin.
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And in those days, the early days of the church in Jerusalem, when on the first day of Pentecost, about 3000, were added to the Lord to the church, the Lord added to the chart. And then it says, The Lord added daily such as we're being saved. In those days, when the number of the disciples were multiplied, there rose a murmuring of the Grecian against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected, not properly cared for, in the daily ministration. Then the 12, the 12 apostles, called the multitude of the disciples, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables, food, tables, food in the early church, and this by the way, the date on this perhaps could be as early as ad 34. This section in here in the early church, as they brought their ties, their gifts, their special offerings and everything beyond what they needed to live off. But they brought the church had to use in the work. There were people who, like these widows, it's talking about, who had to have some food, material thing. And the church took care of its people. And because these reasons are the Greeks, and so forth, in comparison with Hebrews, there was a little dissension among them in the early church. And so, the 12 apostles, called a group of the disciples, not all of them, but a multitude of the disciples together. And they said, it's not reason. Now, what I believe this word is trying to say to us, it's not logical, it's not proper. The word reason, they said it isn't logical. It isn't proper, that we, the 12, apostles, should leave teaching of the Word of God, and should spend our time serving tables or serving food. Now, that sounds good. When they said it's not logical or proper. But was it Christian? asked the question. I think the thing that I see here in the Word of God is not whether it's logical, or proper, but it was not Christian. And the thing that should have been done, this which they are planning on doing is not at all what they should have done. And I believe this is biblical proof. That spirit filled men can be wrong. They caused the people whom they selected to serve tables, not only served tables, but they serve the Word of God as well. In other words, they preach the Word of God. And this you will see for yourself. Now, it sounds very logical. If you sit down and think and say, Well, boy, VP should never get out on the farm. He should stay in that office and then work that word day and night and get people to gather and do nothing but the word. What does he want to mess? On the pollen for out among the trees or in among the shrubs? Or what does he want to get concerned about whether the grass is mowed or not? Well, that's their problem here, only a little differently. They said, Look, all we want to do is just study the Word and teach the Word, we're going to get some others that'll take care of these mundane things like seeing that people have food to eat, crackers and milk for lunch and this kind of stuff. Well, let's see if that's exactly what God's will was. So they said in verse three, Wherefore, brethren, looky out among you, seven men of honest report, full of spirit, the holy is not in the text, full of spirit,
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Anoma and wisdom, whom we may appoint, over this was, who was going to do the appointing, they were man was, what it was a remarkable statement when they said, even if we're going to serve tables, if we're going to serve food, you know, the that nobody gets meant to do that job, we've got to have men who are filled with a spirit. Boy, they didn't just want to go out even then and pick anybody did they? They wanted men who were an honest report among the believers, who were full of the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, born again, manifesting, operating, manifested to be full of the Spirit is in the overflowing of it, you know, the PLATO type of thing. Well, but it says, verse four, we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the Ministry of Lord and the saying, Please, the whole multitude. The whole multitude was swayed by those who should have known better. And I think this is leadership responsibility, and I think it's leadership gets in the soup on this. Just like at times, I perhaps would sway the whole multitude, and if I was wrong on it, And it's still wrong. But I'm still a child of God. The only thing is I made a mistake. So what they made one. And if we think we're ever going to go through life, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and never make a mistake, we got another guest coming. But the saying please the molecule and they chose Stephen, a man full up believing and have a new Maha Gill, a man who really believe filled with the Spirit. Likewise for Philip, and for chorus, and I can Cannell and Tieman. And para man, and Nicholas, a proselyte, of Antioch. They even chose a proselyte. Very interesting verse six, whom they set, these seven they set before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. And the laying on of hands here is the ordination, the operation of manifestations, of word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, for to make known ministries, this kind of thing. And the Word of God in Greece, very seven. And the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly. And a great company as a priest, were obedient to the faith. The faith is the common faith, the household of faith. The which every born again believer belongs, God is our Father, we are His children, we make up the household. And the household is called in the Bible, the common faith, it's called the faith at this particular location. This is what it's referring to. Verse seven, and Stephen, full of grace and power. The word faith in the text is grace, full of grace, full of divine favor, and a power did great wonders and miracles among the people. In the New Testament, there are three words that are used in your king Jing miracles, signs and wonders, it appears in Chapter Eight again, over here, in this particular section that we're reading, a verse was I ate, it just uses wonders and miracles among the people. The word for miracles that's used in the Bible, in the New Testament, is the word gentlemen. Gentlemen. It's a very poor translation miracles, because the word really is signed. Inside GNS. The word miracle as, as it's used in the New Testament from the word dunamis.
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Simply means power, potential, but brought forth into manifestation. That's why they translated dunamis miracle at time, it was inherent power dinamic power potential brought into manifestation. This word miracles is used 38 times in the New Testament. It's used, I mean, the word dunamis is used 38 times in the New Testament uses that within a macro it's used 13 times in Matthew five times this word in Matthew with translated power, or powers. Six times the word venomous in Matthew is translated mighty works. One time it's translated wonderful works. And one time it's translated ability. I'm giving you the number of these tonight and all the different names all you need to do is look them up in a concordance like power or powers. And if it's the word venomous, you'll find it 13 times in the book of Matthew under these particular headings. So if you add 561 and one you come up with 13 Oh, Nail in the Gospel of Mark. This word dunamis is used 10 times, five times it's translated power or powers. Three times it's translated mighty works, once it is translated virtue, and once it is translated miracle in the Gospel of Mark. In the Gospel of Luke, this word venomous is used 15 times 11 times it's translated power or power. Twice it is translated mighty works. And twice it is translated virtue. Now, when it comes to the word for sign, as IgM s, the word is semitone, S, E M, long E. IOM. Now, there's a tremendous difference in this word and the word dinamik. dunamis is potential power brought forth in a manifestation. While semitones sign is the indication of the significance of the work which is wrong. Usage of it. Whenever you read this word semitone, at the IOM n, that's the Greek word. That word is always an indication of the significance. What is the significance of the work which is wrong? This word sign is used 13 times in Matthew seven times in the Gospel of Mark and 11 times in the Gospel of Luke. One time however, in the Gospel of Luke, this word sign or semitone, is translated miracle. The Gospel of John into 17 times 13 times its translated miracle. And four times in John is translated science. The other word is the word for wonders. Yo en d ers. This is the word cut off trs. And this is the real word for miracle. This is the word they should have used all over when they wanted to translate the word miracle. Because a miracle means a wonder. It is the Taos this word always means the wonderful effects produced on those who have experienced or who have seen, the denim was brought forth in a manifestation. That's why the dunamis brought forward the potential brought forth in manifestations produces the XR, which is the size the Wonder views 16 times in the New Testament Carroz. Used once in Matthew once in Mark once in John, once enrollment. Once in Corinthians, once in Thessalonians. Once in Hebrew. The balance of the usages are all in the book of Acts nine times the good book to heaven, isn't it nine times in the book. Once in Matthew once in Mark wanting John once in Romans, one in Corinthians wanting to in touch alone, Ian's and once in Hebrews. If you didn't get all these facts, you'll want them afterwards, they're there. Just don't take my paper. It's all I know about it. Now, that's that tremendous eighth verse. And I've said this before you because hardly anybody is able to work this word and you ought to sometime and especially your people in the Corps, get those words work out in your Bible and mark them in your testament as to which ones or which one, so that when you get out teaching among the groups, that you'll be able to spot it and handle it. If the time comes. I don't expect you to handle it. In that depth among the groups. I just expect you to know what you're talking about when you get among the people. Verse eight, even full of grace and power did great wonders and sign among the people is the text. Then there are rows certain on the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the liberty and the Iranian and Alexandria and then isolation of Asia. And they started to dispute argue with Steven and there were not and they were not able to reset with Stan the wisdom and the spirit by which he was they, you see, when they selected these men, these men had to be follow up. Right? Men, filled to overflowing with the Spirit, and therefore these men were operating manifestation. And the reason they couldn't withstand Stephen is because God was pouring it in. Stephen was pouring it out. That's all. God was giving him revelation and old, Stephen was just giving it out. That's why they couldn't. With all the brains they had, they couldn't get to understand. God poured it in Steven pouring it out. That's what he's talking about. They were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit, the Spirit by which he states, how did he speak? It tells us for cow by the Spirit, the Spirit by which he spake. This plane is a nose on my face. Didn't they couldn't withstand him, you know what they did? Verse 11. Then they appointed, sunburned. It's an old English word simply means appointed. They, the people of the synagogue, synagogue should have had the word of God, but apparently didn't have too much of it. So you know what they did? They appointed men who say which set is King James? The original text reads, they appointed men to say they appointed them to say, not that is true, but simply to say. And what did they say? We have heard him Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. Or does that just sound like a religious group? whenever, whenever someone is speaking by the Spirit of God, and that, speaking by the revelation, which God by His Spirit gives, then what happens in the organized religious world, they appoint someone to doggone nothing to say, Now, look, he can't be right. After all. We've been in this thing a long time, and we're members of the Sanhedrin. We belong to the top echelon. And so they said, That fella is speaking blasphemous words. And, look, he's speaking it against Moses. And you know, Moses, boy, he is our patron saint. No. And he's speaking contrary to what Moses said, and he's against God was even against God. Was he against Moses? No, he was simply holding up the truth of God's word. But these leaders in the synagogue appointed men to say that he was doing and you know what happened? They stirred up the people. They stirred up the people, and the elders and the scribes. And they came upon Steven, and caught him and brought him to the console the Senate read. And they set up verse 13, false witnesses, which said, This man, Caesars Caesars not this big boss's words, against this holy place the temple against the law. Going through? Why? Verse 14, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs laws, which Moses delivered unto us. Those are the two unforgivable sins apparently. You know, destroy the temple, the seat of Revelation. Man, that's unthinkable that the Church of Our day that those buildings should be wiped out, emptied nobody in it, that's blasphemy. And to change the customs, the laws, that's terrible, you know, we got a wall on the school 930 Birch 1030 Wednesday night prayer meeting and you better be there and we have altar call you got to get to the altar to get saved. We got long are they really worked him up? And all that sat in the console? Only 70 Man that's all they weren't all can include. That sat in the console. What stedfastly on Stephen. And the reason they glued their eyeballs to him was, as it says in the latter part of the verse, they saw his face. As if it had been the face of an angel. That boy was all lit up. That's right. He was brighter than forward. Here, they were so angry at him. They said he's blasphemous, he's working against God and everything else. But they couldn't help but see that that boy was laid off, he had something to shine, something that changed his complexion, something that changed his facial expression. It's something because if you get enough of the love of Christ within and you understand the greatness of the presence of God, it's going to show on your face. It can't help but to in your face. It's, if you're happy on the inside is going to come out some way or other. Either that or your bust, bust the gasket. It's got to get out. But on the other hand, if you're all depressed, all full of fear and frustration, all negative, it'll show two, won't it? Can't you imagine? Old Steven getting on and say, Oh, look, fellas, this stuff's hard work here. And if you ever want to get saved you better. They didn't ever look steadfast. But he hadn't written all everything. Because he had enough of it on the inside. People, when we get enough of the love of God in the renewed mind operating inside, it's got to come out. It's just as simple coming out as a tail following the dog. It just can't help that bloom and things back there and the dog goes this way. It just got that's what they saw written all over Stephens face that boy had tapped into something. And here he was appearing before the Sanhedrin, the top echelon in the religious world. And they look steadfastly on his face and his face shone like they saw his face, it's been the face of our angel. That tremendous. You know, what's also tremendous about it didn't change their thinking one iota.
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That's also true.
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Looking at it from a spiritual point of view, it's terrific that Steven had it, but did that appearance on his face? Terminator action, did it change him not one bit.
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Then said the high priest, even are these things so? And that was the mistake the high priests make.
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Because now, he had opened the door for Steven to say something. And when the high priests top man asked the question, then naturally, Stephen could speak. This, by the way, is the fourth sermon recorded in the Book of Acts. And it again I want you to notice how biblical the sermon is. And he Steven said, Men, brothers and fathers, listen, hark it careers. The God of glory, appeared on our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in code, and said unto him, get the outer Dichtung three, and from thy kindred and come into the land, which I will show you. Then came he, Abraham, out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelled in cotton. And from then, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land where in ghee now oil. You people in the core, I want you to notice how this thing is built. How he starts out with something which is real knowledgeable to everybody there, and how he builds the logic of, there is no greater way to learn to teach or to preach God's word than to go to the Word and see a devout practice what the Word teaches. Build your particular preaching ministry on the techniques that the word says you can't be wrong, his words. And he gave him no inheritance in it. No, not so much as to set his foot on. Yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to exceed after him, when, as yet he had no one. And this word spelled CH, AR n, you know, caught on is pronounced. It's the word hazzan. In the Old Testament, ha era, same word, same deal. And God speak on this wise that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and then treat them evil for 100 years, and the nation to whom they shall be in bondage. Well, I judged that God, and after that, shall they come forth and serve me in this place, and he gave him the covenant of circumcision. This is, you know, when Ishmael or somebody was 13, or 13, and so well, covenant circumcision. And so Abraham begat Isaac circumcised him the eighth day. And Isaac began Jacob, Jacob, they got 12 patriarchs, the patriarchs moved within be sold Joseph in Egypt, God was with him, and deliberately model out of all of his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And he made him Governor over Egypt and all these how now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt, and Canaan, and great affliction and our fathers found no sustenance. Or when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our father's first, that the second time Joseph was made known his brethren in Joseph's can read was made known unto Pharaoh then sent Joseph and called his father Jacob to him, and all these Kindred, threescore and 15 poles. So Jacob went down, did Egypt and died, he and our fathers and were carried over into Titan, and laid, or second that is, I guess, the Old Testament, and late in the soccer, that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of EMO or the father ship. But when the time of the Promised drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, come, another king arose, which knew not Joseph. The same, dealt suddenly slightly with our kindred, and evil and treated our fathers so that they cast out their young children to the end that they might not live, in which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair. And nursery step his father's in his father's house three months. And when he Moses was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up Marie's Tim for own son, and Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptian, and was mighty in words and deeds. And when he was full, 40 years old, it came into his heart to visit his brother and the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffering wrong, he defended him and abandons him that was oppressed and He smoked the Egyptians were he supposed his brother would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not. And the next day, he showed himself on to demonstrate strobe and would have set them at one again saying, search your brother, and why do you wrong one another. But he that did his neighbor wrong, trust Him always saying, Who made the ruler and a judge over us will talk kill me abou did the Egyptian yesterday, then fled Moses at the same and was a stranger in the land of Midian, where he got to son. And when 40 years were expired, there we're appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at this site, and as he drew near to be hold it, the voice of the LORD came unto him that he thought in the midst of voice saying, I am the God of my father's the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac got to Jacob, then Moses trembling, he does not bow Then said the Lord to him, but oft I choose from my feet for the place without dynasties holy ground. I have seen the affliction of my people, which is in Egypt, and I've heard their groaning, and I'm coming down to deliver. And now Come, I will send the in Egypt, this Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made the a ruler and a judge the same that God seemed to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush, of this real significance. They cause listening to this message was the man by the name of Saul, the head executioner, the head, promoter for all the persecution of the Christian, there he is sitting in that Senate drum, and even his teaching the word as he gets guidance to teach it, and he takes them through all the background This word, and he uses the man called Moses, Moses who had killed a man, Moses who had to escape for his life so he wouldn't be killed, who spent 40 years, that very man, God called delete the children of Israel hits a man who has not only murdered one, but dozens of other people. I'm talking about soul listening to this word.
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Well, verse 36,
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God brought them out after that he had, that is Moses, God Moses. After that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, Red Sea, the wilderness 40 years. This is that Moses would set on the children of Israel, a prophet, shall the Lord your God raise up unto you out of your brother in like underneath him, shall you here, this is T. That was in the church, in the congregation, in the wilderness, with the angel with respect to him and the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers who received, deco made the living oracles to give unto us living oracles like the word of God, to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them. And in their hearts turn back again, into a lot. Eight hoses got the greatness of God's word, he shared it with his robot instead of wanting to go that way that children, they want to go back to Egypt, to make bricks without straw, and other minor things. And they said unto Aaron, this is Moses, his own brothers, make us Gods to go before us, we got to have some way to save. For as for this, Moses was brought us up out of the line of Egypt, we do not know we want not, we know not kn O W. What is become him. After all, he been up on the mountain for 40 days.
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Give me instructions.
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And they made a calf Golden Calf in those days, and they offered sacrifice under the idol and rejoice in the works of their own hands. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven. As it is written in the book of the prophets, all ye house of Israel, have he offered to me slain decent sacrifices by the space of 40 years in the wilderness. Gay he took up the tabernacle, a mullet, and the star of your gods of FM, RAM, Pan diggers, which he made to worship them, and I will carry you on way beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed speaking on a Moses, that he should make it according to the faction that he had seen, has tremendous things in here. Just want to call them to your attention in some time, you just have to work the word more to dig them. But verses 40 to 43, God turned in gave them up to worship, the host of heaven. Why did God give up? Because they gave God up. Because the verse before it said, they made themselves the golden calf rocks, and they worship that golden calf and the images that they made as the true God. And therefore, they bumped their head up against the stone wall, so to speak. And that's why the Bible says God's turn gave them they walked away from God, they served other gods. And what kind of gods were they serving? They worship the host of heaven. The worship hosts a heaven is just like today, where you go by the signs of the zodiac, you know, you're born under Leo, you have a certain kind of love affair, or a certain kind of religious experience. And if you're born under Virgo, you do so and so. The numerology type of things, the astrology type of things you see in your newspapers every day. That's what they turned to. That's what they were talking, oh, some heaven, spiritualism, Devil spirits had infiltrated the group. And all these things, refers to those posts of him.
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It's really something
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I believe perhaps the finest piece of work I've ever seen along this line, if I remember correctly, to do Bible worshipping to host all of these little gods that were made out of some type of metal or gold or stone or something.
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And there's Mohawk College got a fire You're the heart
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and soul for a James a few of the many. Well that's what they worship. It's hard it speaks to our day a little bit judgment of what our people are going by the reason they publish all the numerology stuff and all the astrology stuff is because that's what people want to hear. That's what they're reading. And the newspapers are published for the simple purpose of making money. So what people want to hear what they pay for, then they publish it. Aaron did this too. He published what they wanted to hear that's why made him a golden calf. Aaron was Moses, his brother. He was supposed to be Moses and spokesman. Moses was to speak God's word. Aaron was to speak to the people. He was the mouthpiece for Moses. Moses told him what to do before we went up but all there and didn't do. Instead, the people said we want these gods like everybody else. We want to know who we're going to marry, and whether their personality will be right according to signs in the mood. Or no, I no doubt the moon has effect on time....
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Well, look what it says in verse 45, which also our fathers that came after brought in with, in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles whom God drove out before the face of our fathers on the days of ACE Davis, who found favor before God and decided to find the tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But Solomon building my house. I watched various 48 however, how be it the Most High God, while was not in temples made with one. Oh boy, can't you just see their dandruff coming off on that one? This is the Sanhedrin the top brass. And they had just said, accused him of saying being a blasphemer because he said, the temple is going to be destroyed. And he having the audacity, the boldness, the courage, whatever you want to call it, to stand in front of those people and simply say what he says here, the most high God dwellers knock in temples made with hand. Butter Bennett's revolting and shocking. They just didn't have people talk to them. Like, after all, it's like great, the Hannah says in her testimony, she said, when you belong to the stinking rich. He talks. He said nobody very seldom at least, disturbs the stinking rich, because after all, we are in a position of authority and therefore you can't afford to tell us the truth
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Oh, Steven couldn't afford to tell the truth either but he did it. He said God doesn't dwell in temples made with hand. Would that be tremendous? If somebody said it again today it needs to be said today because we have the silly idea that here's a church on the corner and that's where you gotta go. That's where God is. God doesn't go encounter God doesn't go in this place here. Please just in him until you get until men of God and women a god walked in here it's just a building. God doesn't dwell here. He dwells in people in born again believers you can't build him a place and say come on God hibernate this joint can be done boy but if you can get people to believe you can do it. You see you can crowd them in and
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by finance the institution heavens I'd thrown there sigh footstool what house would you build for our fellow dot size?
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The second
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real sense of humor, isn't it He was in a cold turkey when Stephen was speaking to the group he wasn't just turned off you know where he said the life of God with any whatever that he gets it really that's a good sense of humor well that's what he's talking about. God doesn't dwell in temples made with Heaven is his throne the earth is his walk. And here we got the temple we're in here how you going to put a man where a heavens is thrown the earth is too high you're gonna put a big follow like that in this little sample that's wonderful. Oh, I have not my hand versus my handmade all these things. Verse 51, you'd like to cut out because that is not modern psychology. It is not Dale Carnegie could Napoleon Hill or any science of success operation from their point of view, but look what he said. He said you stiff neck birds
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you know what a stiff neck person and he said this to the senator in the ruling body.
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April, we talked about having courage to the neighbor next door he said Oh, you went away headquarters. Oh no.
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Or they'll think Oh, you went to places Hey, you talk about curry. He really stood didn't he wasn't supposed to. He was supposed to serve peanut butter applesauce soup. They didn't they they selected him to serve what? He started on under bread a life no bigger. not wonderful. And he said you stiff neck and you uncircumcised they were circumcised in the place so maybe out of twice I don't know. But boy I just figured that out while I was speaking. As legalistic as they were, if it does good, why don't you do it twice? Twice as much good legalism. Well, transfer it over. It's our modern legalism. And you'll see the greatness of it. Boy, he said you get neck felon you uncircumcised in heart. And where can you imagine having your ear balls circumcised? That's what they needed. They couldn't hear. No, they couldn't hear nothing. You do always resist the Holy Ghost. Deepa, Noma de Hoggin written they put the article in just to me he's you not only resist Purnima hugging you are raised always resist the Holy Day goes.
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He always did it.
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Your father's did something some? Your father's dead. So you see the believers in the early church did everything they could do when
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they did everything. They always went back into the synagogue. Whenever they got to town. They did everything to win Israel. We today are doing everything to get into the church to win the believers during you find the same thing today. They're stiff neck. They're uncircumcised. They never want to move in the greatness of God's word. Yes, maybe one maybe another. far as I'm concerned, the day is here. If we want to move we got to do exactly what the word did. They got finally they came to their senses after 15 years. And they said we go the Gentiles the boys want to hear started a whole new program of operation if it hadn't been for that new program, they'd still be sitting back there in Jerusalem, peeling potatoes or doing something else that you and I wouldn't have. But it's because somebody got the vision that it had to move outside of the pale of the organized group, that it really started to move. God was waiting on them. But as it says, well, even when the persecution the great persecution set in, and these follows Filipinos go to Sumeria, who stayed in Jerusalem. 12 apostles never got out.
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But Philip got out.
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Some of the rest of them. That's how the word got around. The Word says, You can't put new wine, Obama. When you really tap into great truth, you've got to walk that road before the Father and you just are not going to fit in any particular pattern except the Lord. To put you into a pattern serve and say here, this is your little cubby hole. You know that song you and you small corner, stupid. Who wants to be in a small corner? When the world is our vision? Is not a small corner. Why the idea of you in your small corner and I in my Well, Holy Hannah, they've had US backed up in that corner for centuries. I got out of that stupid corner. I don't want to wait had you seen that great song tonight just before I came up here to teach tremendous thing. We're complete what? Well, if we're complete, we're not sitting back in some little corner you in your small corner and I in mind, the world is our Perry, every believer on the outside and unbeliever is our opportunity to witness I tell you that tremendous dynamic very spurred 52 Which of the prophets have your father's not persecuted? Which are the prophets have they not slain? Have you ever read Hebrews chapter 11 that'll tell you what they did do you know 11 Yeah sure where they killed all those
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names a lot of room the lions
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chop them up whenever they felt like all Nehemiah I guess. They shoved him down into the dung. He had a big pit belt builder all full of dung. And they shoved him down up to here, I think kept him in there for a week. Because they love the Word of God so much. Oh, they were great for a minute ago. Satan has always influenced people to be great come in a gun fight like you did here. But remember who's sitting there listening to it? A man by the name of Saul along with $69 and Saul is just as mad as anybody is all irritable. He is all upset that's why the question you have to ask yourself is when you teach the truth of God's Word and somebody gets angry somebody gets upset then you tone the word down and you quit teaching it and you apologize to them and say I'm sorry upset their flame them which showed before the coming of the Just One of whom he has been Now the betrayer and murderers man they said that he said to them, You fellows have betrayed Jesus Christ and you murdered him. Whoever received the law you people did this who received the law by the dispensation of angels and have not won when they heard they're these things. They were cut to the heart and they knocked on the nursed on him with their teeth. That doesn't mean they chewed his shoulder couldn't have digested that meat anyways.
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But first 55
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He being full of new Maha young Holy Spirit. He being full of it. He was just effervescing. He was just bubbling. It was just rolling out to him like water runs off of a duck's back. He being full of Holy Ghost, look up steadfastly under heaven looked up. And he saw something. What did he see?
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Why not really want to turn him on? He saw the glory of the Lord. Wonder what that glory the Lord really liked must be glorious.
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Time and time again, the church epistles you know, you read about the glory, the glory, and he looked up, and he was speaking the Word. And everybody was just mattering crazy. And yet, while he was teaching, he looked up and he saw that the Lord was having a big smile on his face. He said, give it to him, give it to him, give it to him. That was that was the message cover down for the habit. The other message was, we'll get you we'll get you we'll get you. God just given given given they said, we'll get you big fine. Boy, you locked up, he saw the glory of the Lord. And he saw what how could he do that? If Jesus is God, or God's got a split personality? Yeah.
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Well, I didn't write the book.
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You know, anybody who believes in the Trinity is a heretic biblically and officially from this platform tonight. Oh, I saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God isn't that wonderful? Man Oh, man, that's, you know why? You know what the Bible says when Jesus ascended up into heaven, he did want that down, don't see it was sitting. When he looked up and he saw this vision, Revelation, Revelation was other glory of the Lord. And the glory of the Lord was so tremendous and he saw Jesus standing. That's something that some Bible says you send it up in heaven, he sat down well, he got up you know, I got up because there was one fella down there was supposed to serve meat, mashed potatoes and gravy. Or instead of serving meat, mashed potatoes, gravy, he was handing out a good dish of where to God. And when the word started moving, and some of those people got all upset, geez, take a look down here and see what's going on. Down here the world before somebody really sad, man, I better get up and see what's going on down.
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Most the time, Lord never had to get up because nothing going on. I'm glad you got a good sense of humor. Now Lord does vs to have put up nail all the glory and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see the heavens open.
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And the donor mind landing on the right hand of God. Wonderful. Then they cried out with a loud voice. And they stopped there. They said, shut up, Stephen. Shut up. They stopped there. Just like a kid is like a bunch of kids. They stopped their ears. And they ran upon him with lots of cool court. We had that word before didn't we went to court. They a penny cost. This is six times. Time. The words want to court are useful because it simply means unity of law. That's exactly what I taught you the first time ever taught you. You got it again. The unity of the purpose of the 70 man was odd to get a hold old steam and they're gonna shake him from God, they cried with a loud voice. They stopped their ears and said shut up, Steven. We're gonna get you and they ran upon him. The whole thing ran on him. And with United action, one accord they kept they took him and they threw him out of luck. Even when they tossed it picked him up. They carried him out of the city from the temple onto the outside of the city. And when they took him when they threw him you know they did with him. And then they ran back and got themselves some stones and they started throwing them
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they can't do it
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you know, I know they can do it because I know the laws of the Sanhedrin
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That's right.
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Your cat, you can't condemn a man and send him to death like this. But the top brass did it. That's why I know rules mean nothing to the top brass. As long as things are to their advantage or disadvantage. They go whichever way they want to go because they make the rules they can read from wherever the ones right. Unbelievable, but they did it. If you read up on Jewish law in a senator, and you'll see this was real mob action, and they couldn't take that mob action according to law, they had to illegally pass a judgment on him and then take him out and stone him. And the stoning was not by picking up a stone here in a stone there. They put them down in a hole and roll the big stone over. Federal deal. But over here, everybody went looking for a brick or something. They took him out they stone, Stephen. And while they were stoning Stephen, Stephen was still calling on. Humanity said, Lord Jesus received my soul do the soul go to heaven right when you die. I read it on an announcement at the top of a service tonight. Somebody brought me back today that at the top that soul never die. Your Bible all the pieces. The word was soldier wasn't so with luck. Amen. It told us in the beginning, they picked out men who were pull a lot in order to be pulled through they had to be born again. Right? And when when you die, if you're a Christian, when you die in the spirit of God is in you what happens that's for God was that God who gave you? Right? He said, Lord Jesus received my spirit. Ad while they were stoning him, he just kneel down and cried with a loud voice. He cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not to send to their chart.
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And when he had said this, they killed it. The stones didn't kill him. He just got title if they didn't stone him to death. It doesn't say that in the Word of God. And I don't believe it for one minute. I believe that they took him out and stoned him like he says, but while he kneeled down, he cried with a loud voice. And when he had said this, he simply was asleep. He just said, That's it, Lord, give you my spirit through or close his eyes that was standing there at that place. Not only having consented to it, but holding the closing in one hand and a brick not in the other was a man by the name of worth. And he had listened to that over to God. And he was angry, man, he was so angry he voted again. So he himself stood there and watch the execution and took part in it placed in the Bible it does tell you that he stood there with open closing I forget. What is it? Oh, yeah. Did I know I didn't. I guess a bit misled part didn't.
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And the witnesses, those people standard renew witness to help with it. The witnesses and the witnesses lay down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was was something that's why chapter eight said install was consenting unto his death. And at that time, there was a great persecution against the church, which was a Drow slum. They're all scattered abroad throughout the region in some area except the apostles. And devout men carried Steven, through his burial made great lamentation. Or as for Saul, he made have he just ruined the church. He racked him ruined, entering into every house hailing men and women committed them to prison, therefore they were scattered. They that were scattered abroad went everywhere, preaching. Oh, boy, the very thing that they were preaching was getting them into trouble. They were getting tired in a fight, they were given up their lives, yet forever they went, they continue to pray, talk. And that's the message we need to hear today. Wherever we go, we got to see that the word is taught. The word is held. If we suffer persecution, so once we get tired to fight, we just fall asleep. What no matter where we go, it's got to be the worst. Sometimes it doesn't look like it does much for people didn't do much for some people, it's not my responsibility or yours, whether it does much for anybody. It's our responsibility that we do much of Lord, that's our responsibility that we give the abundance of God's word that's our responsibility. Whether you believe it or not, that's your responsibility, not mine. What are the people you ministry to believe God's word that's their responsibility yours is to teach. It looks like it helps so much it is. Sometime later, this fellow soul heads up north, you know, North Country. He's got letters of introduction, got the inhuman Bill of Rights or something, and he's talking. He's headed up for the great capital city of some area called Damascus. He said, I'm going up there, I'm gonna get a recruit. We'll bring him back to Jerusalem, and we're just going to have a big break. This is what he was saying with his mouth. This is the action he was at he had been sitting around and eating he had seen a man named Steven, he had heard the preaching of the great season. And once you hear that kind of thing, you may be meaner than the devil afterwards, but you're never gonna forget that you're already an old Saul didn't forget you already. He was on the road to Damascus. All at once. This man who just cause havoc in the Church changed his life. But God I happen to know that faith comes by what? And it doesn't come by the Reader's Digest. You it says it comes by hearing. And I've got the proof that he couldn't have been saved unless he heard the words. All got saved like everybody else. Somebody taught the Word and that somebody was a person who was only supposed to serve table. But he forgot about the tables, he started serving the Word of God along with it. And that greatness of that word live to all herdy. As even though he was wicked, he was mean that you can't judge by because the word changed the man's life and he believed God's Word on the road to Damascus he got saved. This is why building these few chapters together and seeing this man Steven in operation just settled that for me, the foundation of that the truth, that nobody gets saved unless they hear the word because Saul heard the word and that starts a man on the road. And when the man gets to the place that he accepts with his own freedom of will the Lord Jesus Christ, believe God raising from the dead.