Transcript

Distinguished Producer

Lifespring Family Berean Brother Paul of Seattle.

Podcast Introduction

Today is Gospel Saturday and Acts 7-8. I’m calling today’s episode “The Message Spreads.”

Comments on Acts 7-8

Acts 7 

Remember that I told you a few episodes back that we should be bold and strong, and that we should follow the leading of the Holy Spirit when He tells us to speak up?

Well, that’s what Stephen did, and he became the first Christian martyr. 

He spoke the truth. In answering the religious leaders, he told them the entire history of the Jewish people, and he let them know that they were not on God’s side. Their reaction to this was predictable, was it not? In today’s jargon, they were offended. But instead of running off to their “safe space”, they had Stephen taken out and stoned to death.

Listen, being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a guarantee that speaking the truth to those who do not want to hear will not be offended. It’s no guarantee that you will not draw the wrath of people who would harm you.

Jesus told us this. In the gospel of John, chapter 15, verses 18 and 18, He said, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”

And He also said in Matthew 10:33, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”

So, who’s approval do you want?

Acts 8

What happened after Stephen’s execution? The scripture says that “On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem and most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”

Widespread persecution. Sounds like a mob mentality cropped up, doesn’t it? Hmm. The authorities identified the believers as “the enemy”, and it became acceptable…and even virtuous…to persecute them. Where have I heard of this kind of behavior? 

But where the enemy saw this as a winning strategy, God used it to further the church. “…most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” And then a couple of verses later it says that “The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word.” 

They didn’t cower in place. They didn’t shut up. Having seen what happened to Stephen, they knew what could happen. But they spread out and spread the word.

Be encouraged by what the early church did, beloved. Be encouraged and know that what looks like defeat and disaster to the world is far from it in the eyes of Almighty God. Jesus has already won the war. What we are seeing today are the death throes of satan and his demons. 

He knows that his time is running out. He wants to frighten people and keep them from following Jesus. Don’t fall for his lies. Don’t accept the defeat of denying Jesus. Kick the devil in the teeth and remain strong in your faith in Jesus Christ. Because there will come a day when EVERY knee will bow, and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, including the master of lies himself.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 7 NLV; Ch. 8 GW

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STEVE WEBB – 0:00
Whose approval do you want?

INTRO S12E290 – 0:09
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and today is Gospel Saturday. So we’ll read Acts seven and eight. I’ll have some comments after the reading, and Brother Paul of Seattle sent in another question. I’m calling today’s episode, “The Message Spreads”. Today’s show notes page is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e290. And my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s go.

Acts 7 (NLV) – 0:43
Acts, chapter seven. (1) The head religious leader asked Stephen, “Are these things true?” (2) Stephen said, “My brothers and fathers, listen to me. The great God showed Himself to our early father Abraham while he lived in the country of Mesopotamia. This was before he moved to the country of Haran. (3) God said to him, ‘Leave your family and this land where you were born. Go to a land that I will show you.’ (4) He went from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. After his father died, he came to this country where you now live. (5) God did not give him any land to own, not even enough to put his feet on. But He promised that the land would be his and his children’s after him. At that time he had no children. (6) This is what God said, ‘Your children’s children will be living in a strange land. They will live there 400 years. They will be made to work without pay and will suffer many hard things. (7) I will say to that nation that it is guilty for holding them and making them work without pay. After that they will go free. They will leave that country and worship Me in this place.’

(8) “He made a promise with Abraham. It was kept by a religious act of becoming a Jew. Abraham had a son, Isaac. On the eighth day Abraham took Isaac and had this religious act done to him. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of our twelve early fathers.

(9) “The sons of Jacob sold Joseph to people from the country of Egypt because they were jealous of him. But God was with Joseph. (10) He helped him in all his troubles. He gave him wisdom and favor with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. This king made Joseph leader over Egypt and over all the king’s house.

(11) “The time came when there was no food to eat in all the land of Egypt and Canaan. The people suffered much. Our early fathers were not able to get food. (12) Then Jacob heard there was food in Egypt. He sent our early fathers there the first time.

(13) “The second time they went to the country of Egypt, Joseph made himself known to his brothers. The family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh. (14) Joseph asked his father Jacob and all his family to come. There were seventy-five people in the family. (15) Jacob moved down to Egypt and died there. Our early fathers died there also. (16) They were brought back to the city of Shechem where they were buried. Abraham paid money for the grave from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

(17) “The promise God had given Abraham was about to happen. At this time many more of our people were in the country of Egypt. (18) Then another man became king in Egypt. He was a king who did not know Joseph. (19) He was hard on our people and nation. He worked against our early fathers. He made them put their babies outside so they would die.

(20) “At that time Moses was born. He was beautiful in God’s sight. He was fed in his father’s house for three months. (21) Then he was put outside. Pharaoh’s daughter took him and cared for him as her own son. (22) Moses was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He became a powerful man in words and in the things he did. (23) When he was forty years old, he thought he should visit his brothers, the Jews. (24) He saw one of the Jews being hurt. Moses helped the Jew and killed the man from Egypt. (25) He thought his people would understand. He thought they knew God would let them go free by his help. But the people did not understand.

(26) “The next day Moses came to some Jews who were fighting. He tried to get them to stop. Moses said to the Jews, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you hurt each other?’ (27) One was beating his neighbor. He pushed Moses away and said, ‘Who made you a leader over us? Who said you could say who is guilty? (28) Do you want to kill me as you killed the man from Egypt yesterday?’ (29) When Moses heard that, he went as fast as he could to the country of Midian where he was a stranger. While he was there, he became the father of two sons. (30) Forty years passed and Moses was near Mount Sinai where no people live. There he saw an angel in the fire of a burning bush. (31) He was surprised and wondered when he saw it. He went up close to see it better. Then he heard the voice of the Lord speak to him. (32) ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ Moses shook! He was so afraid he did not look at the bush.

(33) “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take your shoes off your feet! The place where you are standing is holy ground. (34) I have seen My people suffer in the country of Egypt and I have heard their cries. I have come down to let them go free. So come now, I will send you back to Egypt.’

(35) “The people had put Moses aside. They said, ‘Who made you a leader over us? Who said you are the one to say what is right or wrong?’ But God made this man a leader. Moses was the one who brought them out of the country of Egypt. This was done by the help of the angel who was in the burning bush. (36) This man led them. He did powerful works in Egypt and at the Red Sea. For forty years he led them in the desert.

(37) “Moses said to the Jews, ‘God will give you one who speaks for Him like me from among your brothers.’ (38) This is the man who was with the Jewish nation in the desert. The angel talked to him on Mount Sinai. Moses told it to our early fathers. He also received the living Words of God to give to us.

(39) “Our early fathers would not listen to him. They did not obey him. In their hearts they wanted to go back to the country of Egypt. (40) They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us. We do not know what has happened to this Moses who led us out of Egypt.’

(41) “In those days they made a calf of gold. They put gifts down in front of their god in worship. They were happy with what they had made with their hands. (42) But God turned from them and let them worship the stars of heaven. This is written in the book of the early preachers, ‘Nation of Jews, was it to Me you gave gifts of sheep and cattle on the altar for forty years in the desert? (43) No, you set up the tent to worship the god of Molock and the star of your god Rompha. You made gods to worship them. I will carry you away to the other side of the country of Babylon.’

(44) “Our early fathers had the tent to worship in. They used it in the desert. God told Moses to make it like the plan which he had seen. (45) This was received by our early fathers. They brought it here when they won the wars with the people who were not Jews. It was when Joshua was our leader. God made those people leave as our early fathers took the land. The tent was here until the time of David. (46) David pleased God and wanted to build a house for worship for the God of Jacob. (47) But Solomon was the one who built the house of God for Him. (48) But the Most High does not live in buildings made by hands. The early preacher said, (49) ’Heaven is the place where I sit and the earth is the place where I rest My feet. What house will you build Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is My place of rest? (50) Did not My hands make all these things?’

(51) “You have hard hearts and ears that will not listen to me! You are always working against the Holy Spirit. Your early fathers did. You do too. (52) Which of the early preachers was not beaten and hurt by your early fathers? They killed those who told of the coming of the One Right with God. Now you have handed Him over and killed Him. (53) You had the Law given to you by angels. Yet you have not kept it.”

(54) The Jews and religious leaders listened to Stephen. Then they became angry and began to grind their teeth at him. (55) He was filled with the Holy Spirit. As he looked up to heaven, he saw the shining-greatness of God and Jesus standing at the right side of God. (56) He said, “See! I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!” (57) They cried out with loud voices. They put their hands over their ears and they all pushed on him. (58) Then they took him out of the city and threw stones at him. The men who were throwing the stones laid their coats down in front of a young man named Saul. (59) While they threw stones at Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (60) After that he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.

ACTS 8 (GWT)- 9:05
Acts, chapter eight. (1) Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. Most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

(2) Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him.

(3) Saul tried to destroy the church. He dragged men and women out of one home after another and threw them into prison.

(4) The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word. (5) Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about the Messiah. (6) The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said. They listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed. (7) Evil spirits screamed as they came out of the many people they had possessed. Many paralyzed and lame people were cured. (8) As a result, that city was extremely happy.

(9) A man named Simon lived in that city. He amazed the people of Samaria with his practice of magic. He claimed that he was great. (10) Everyone from children to adults paid attention to him. They said, “This man is the power of God, and that power is called great.” (11) They paid attention to Simon because he had amazed them for a long time with his practice of magic. (12) However, when Philip spread the Good News about the kingdom of God and the one named Jesus Christ, men and women believed him and were baptized. (13) Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized, he became devoted to Philip. Simon was amazed to see the miracles and impressive things that were happening.

(14) When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. (15) Peter and John went to Samaria and prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. (16) (Before this the Holy Spirit had not come to any of the Samaritans. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) (17) Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit.

(18) Simon saw that the Spirit was given to the Samaritans when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered Peter and John money (19) and said, “Give me this power so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”

(20) Peter told Simon, “May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy God’s gift. (21) You won’t have any share in this because God can see how twisted your thinking is. (22) So change your wicked thoughts, and ask the Lord if he will forgive you for thinking like this. (23) I can see that you are bitter with jealousy and wrapped up in your evil ways.”

(24) Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you said will happen to me.”

(25) After they had boldly spoken about the message of the Lord, they spread the Good News in many Samaritan villages on their way back to Jerusalem.

(26) An angel from the Lord said to Philip, “Get up, and take the desert road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (27) So Philip went.

An Ethiopian man who had come to Jerusalem to worship was on his way home. The man was a eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of all the treasures of Queen Candace of Ethiopia. (28) As the official rode along in his carriage, he was reading the prophet Isaiah out loud.

(29) The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that carriage, and stay close to it.”

(30) Philip ran to the carriage and could hear the official reading the prophet Isaiah out loud. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”

(31) The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to sit with him in his carriage.

(32) This was the part of the Scriptures that the official was reading:

“He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
He was like a sheep that is silent
when its wool is cut off.
He didn’t open his mouth.
(33) When he humbled himself,
he was not judged fairly.
Who from his generation
will talk about his life on earth being cut short?”

(34) The official said to Philip, “I would like to know who the prophet is talking about. Is he talking about himself or someone else?” (35) Then Philip spoke. Starting with that passage, Philip told the official the Good News about Jesus.

(36) As they were going along the road, they came to some water. The official said to Philip, “Look, there’s some water. What can keep me from being baptized?”  (38) The official ordered the carriage to stop. He and Philip stepped into the water, and Philip baptized him. (39) When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official joyfully continued on his way and didn’t see Philip again.

(40) Philip found himself in the city of Azotus. He traveled through all the cities and spread the Good News until he came to the city of Caesarea.

COMMENTS – 13:45
Well, over the last couple of weeks, there have been several times where we’ve talked about the fact that we should be bold and strong and we should follow the leading of the Holy Spirit when he tells us to speak up, right?

Well, of course, that’s what Stephen did. And he became the first Christian martyr.

Steven spoke the truth, right? In answering the religious leaders, he told him the entire history of the Jewish people, and he let them know that they were not on God’s side. Their reaction, of course, was predictable. You might say they were offended. But instead of running off to their safe space, they had Stephen taken out and stoned to death.

Well, listen, being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a guarantee that speaking the truth to those who do not want to hear it will not be offended. And it’s no guarantee that you will not draw the wrath of people who would want to harm you.

Jesus told us about this in the Gospel of John, chapter 15, verses 18 and 19. He said, “If the world hates you remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belong to it, but you’re no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world so it hates you.”

And also in Matthew 10:33. He said, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But anyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”

So, whose approval do you want? Do you want the approval of the crowd or of Jesus?

Now, chapter eight, what happened after Stephen’s execution? The scripture says that “On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem and most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”

Widespread persecution. Well, doesn’t it sound like a mob mentality cropped up? The authorities identified the believers as the enemy, and it became acceptable and even virtuous to persecute them. Let’s see, where have I heard that kind of behavior before? Hmm.

Where the enemy saw this as a winning strategy, God used it to further the church. What did the scripture I just read say, most of the believers except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. And then a couple of verses later, it says that the believers who were scattered went from place to place where they spread the word.

They didn’t cower in place. They didn’t shut up. Having seen what happened to Steven, they knew what could happen, but they spread out and spread the word.

So, beloved, be encouraged by what the early church did be encouraged and know that what looks like defeat and disaster to the world is far from it in the eyes of Almighty God. We need to remember that Jesus has already won the war. What we’re seeing today are the death throes of the enemy and his demons.

He knows that his time is running out, and he wants to frighten people and keep them from following Jesus. Well, don’t fall for his lies. Don’t accept the defeat of denying Jesus. Kick that devil in the teeth and remain strong in your faith in Jesus Christ. Because there will come a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And that includes the master of lies himself.

What do you think? Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e290. Tomorrow is Epistles Sunday and we’ll read Hebrews 11 through 13. You’ve heard of the Baseball Hall of Fame? Well wait till you hear tomorrow.

Boost.

DISTINGUISHED PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT AND QUESTIONS – 17:29
Lifespring Family Berean Brother Paul of Seattle is our Distinguished Producer today. His weekly $22.22 donation came in, and for that Brother Paul, I thank you.

And he wrote a comment on the 2 Chronicles 16 through 20 episode, “How Does God See You?” Here’s what he said, “[W]henever I hear [or] read about how the Israelites ebbed and flowed into and out of following God, I wonder how [it’s] possible for anybody to follow God over the long term!? I mean, they had all the signs in front of them and they still wandered, sometimes in a matter of hours [like at Mt. Sinai] and sometimes over years. It makes me concerned where I will be in a few months or years, especially knowing where I have been before. I guess maybe the whole takeaway is that I can’t do it [all] alone, it’s not by my power or will, it’s by the grace of God. If I continue to seek Him and remain in His word and do it with my heart, not just going through the motions, God will bring me along. Maybe that is one of the big [takeaways] of the Old Testament?”

Well, thanks for the comments, Brother Paul of Seattle, and thank you for that. But I’ve also got a couple of other thoughts in response to your question or statement. Number one, keep in mind that we have something that the Israelites did not have. Can you guess what it is? We’ve been reading about it here in the book of Acts. Yeah, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, every believer does. And that wasn’t true with people until he began that part of his ministry that morning in the upper room, when they heard the sound of the mighty rushing wind, and what looked like tongues of fire that came to rest on each believer. Until that morning until that point, very few people ever had the Holy Spirit in them. And even then, it doesn’t appear that he actually indwelled them, but he came upon them, and usually for a very specific short amount of time. But when we get the Holy Spirit, we have him forever.

Listen to this from gotquestions.org. “The outpouring of the Holy Spirit ushered in a new era, the church age. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was a rare gift that was only given to a few people and usually for only short periods of time. When Saul was anointed king of Israel, the Holy Spirit came upon Him. We read that in 1 Samuel 10:10. But when God removed his blessing from Paul, the Holy Spirit left him. That happened in 1 Samuel 16:14. The Holy Spirit came for specific moments or seasons in the lives of Othniel in Judges 3:10, Gideon in Judges 6:34, and Samson in Judges 13:15 and 14:6. And he did that to enable them to do his will and to serve Israel.”

I’m still reading here from gotquestions.org. “At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers in Christ, and he came to stay. And this marked a major change in the Holy Spirit’s work”, unquote. So part of the Holy Spirit’s work is to make us like Jesus. And the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Another thing we know is that when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, he places a seal on us, our salvation is sealed. It’s secured, it’s made permanent. Ephesians 1:13 says, “In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation and believed in him, were sealed with a promise of the Holy Spirit.” And Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Okay, so that’s my first thought.

Number two, in Philippians, 2:12 and 13. Paul writes,

“Therefore, my dear brothers, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continued to work out your salvation, with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His purpose.”

Now, don’t misunderstand Paul’s meaning here, he does not want us to live in a constant state of anxiety. That would go against his teaching that we should have peace, boldness and confidence in the God who is the author and finisher of our faith. The Greek word that was translated as “work out” as in “work out your salvation” means to “continually work to bring something to completion or fruition”. Well, how do we do this? By constantly doing our best to be obedient to God, as we are made more like Christ. Paul wrote about that in Philippians 3:13 and 14 when he said,

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

The words “straining forward” and “pressing on” are what he meant by “working out our salvation”.

So to kind of wrap it all up here. It is the Holy Spirit’s task to complete the work that he has begun in us which he will do. We’re promised that. But as he is accomplishing it, we also put forth effort in cooperation with him. Not that our efforts bring salvation, but as he matures us, our desire to obey Him is strengthened, and is a natural outgrowth of that maturity.

So does that help? Does that kind of take some of the anxiety away from you, Paul, I hope so. Feel free to respond at lifespringmedia.com/s12e290. That goes for Brother Paul of Seattle or anybody who’d like to contribute to the conversation.

VALUE-FOR-VALUE – 23:34
Beloved, as you know, the Lifespring Family Audio Bible is here for you every day of the week to help keep you on track to read through the entire Bible. There is no advertisers, but expenses do need to be paid, and that’s where you come in. If you value the show, because it is helping you to stay in the word every day or because of the comments I bring to you on every show and the fact that I don’t compromise God’s word, then please help support the show. Go to lifespringmedia.com/support. Donate what you feel is equal to the value you receive from the show. Pray about it and then do with the Lord leads, lifespringmedia.com/support.

CLOSING PRAYER – 24:20
Let’s pray, shall we? Our Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the Holy Spirit and his work in us. Help us, Lord, to listen to him and cooperate with him. We thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness, for your patience and for your mercy. I pray this in Jesus name, amen.

OUTRO S12E290 – 24:46
Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e290. Email me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to Kirsty, thanks to Sean of San Pedro, and thanks to Denise for all the work you do. Kirsty does the newsletter, Sean of Pedro does the chapters and Denise corrects the transcriptions. All of that takes time and talent.

Thanks to you streamers and boosters out there. I appreciate you. I thank you and may God bless you.

And I certainly want to thank you for inviting me into your life today. I appreciate you. I thank God for you.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Corrected by Denise