Stephen had been accused of speaking blasphemy against the law and the temple because he told the Jews that the Lord Jesus Christ had fulfilled all the types of the law and satisfied all its demands, and that all forms of carnal worship must be obliterated (Acts 6:8-15; John 4:23-24; Col. 2:8-23). In Acts 7 the Holy Spirit has preserved a transcript of Stephen's last sermon, a sermon preached to the sanhedrin, a sermon that cost him his life. What did Stephen preach that so greatly enraged these religious leaders? These men were known to be tolerant and compromising with one another. That is how they held their "denomination" together. But when Stephen had finished his sermon they stoned him to death! Why? What did he say to infuriate them so?

IMPLIED THROUGHOUT STEPHEN'S SERMON IS THE DOCTRINE OF GOD'S ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY IN PROVIDENCE. Beginning with the call of Abraham, Stephen showed how that everything in the history of the Old Testament pointed to Christ and was fulfilled by him. He demonstrated how that God gradually unfolds and accomplishes his sovereign purpose of redemption and grace in providence.

THE LORD OUR GOD IS A GOD OF PURPOSE (Isa. 14:26; Rom. 8:28; 9:11; Eph. 1:11; 3:11; II Tim. 1:9). His purpose is good, wise, and full of grace. It includes all things. Nothing takes God by surprise. His purpose in all things is the spiritual, eternal good of his elect and the glory of his own great name. His purpose is fixed, unalterable, and immutable (Isa. 46:9-11). It cannot be changed, thwarted, or overturned. Therefore "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose!" If God's eternal purpose could be altered to any degree, then no promises, prophecies, or threats recorded in the Bible could be believed. We can trust God only to the extent that we recognize his immutability. We can believe the Scriptures only to the extent that we recognize the universality and immutability of God's purpose (Rom. 11:33-36).

Predestination is the purpose of God. Providence is the unfolding and accomplishment of God's purpose. Everything that God has done or has allowed to be done, is doing or allows to be done, and shall do or shall allow to be done is for the spiritual, eternal good of his elect, to the praise and glory of his own great name. In the end everyone shall be made to see this (Rev. 4:11; 5:11-14). Beginning with Abraham, Stephen showed the unfolding of God's eternal purpose until the coming of Christ for the accomplishment of the redemption of his people. Apart from Christ and his great work of redemption the history of the Jews and all that is recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures would be meaningless (Lk. 24:27, 44-47).

ALL THE EVENTS OF OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY POINTED TO THE COMING OF CHRIST AND REDEMPTION BY HIM (vv. 1-47). The whole purpose for which the Bible has been written is to reveal the grace and glory of God in the substitutionary, redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:45). The bulk of Stephen's sermon is consumed with one theme: He shows that all the events of Old Testament history were arranged by Divine providence to reveal God's eternal purpose of grace in the redemption of sinners by Christ.

God's covenant with Abraham was a partial revelation of the covenant of grace made with Christ our Surety before the world was made (vv. 1-8; Heb. 7:22; Jer. 31:31-34). In that covenant a seed was promised (v. 5; Gal. 3:26). It was purposed that that chosen seed should fall into bondage (v. 6), even as God's elect fell into the bondage of sin by Adam's transgression. Deliverance was promised (v. 7) by which the glory of God would be revealed. That deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was a beautiful picture of our redemption by the blood of Christ and the power of his grace. The sign and seal of that covenant was circumcision (v. 8). Circumcision was typical of the regeneration of God's elect by the Holy Spirit, by which he separates his own elect from the rest of the world and seals to their hearts all the blessings of covenant grace (Col. 2:11; Eph. 1:3, 13-14).

Joseph was sent of God into Egypt to preserve his people alive (vv. 9-17). In all things he was a type of Christ. He was the delight of his father (Matt. 3:17; Prov. 8:30). He was despised and rejected by his brethren (Isa. 53:3). He was in the place of God, by God's appointment and arrangement (Gen. 50:19-20; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). When his brothers bowed before Joseph they were saved alive and accepted by Pharaoh (v. 13; Rom. 10:9-10).

Moses was sent to deliver God's covenant people from the bondage of Egypt (vv. 18-37). He too was a type of Christ (vv. 22, 35-37). He was a man approved of God (Acts 2:22). He was a prophet (John 3:2). He was a deliverer, by blood and by power. From the day that Israel came out of Egypt they wandered from God, rejected his counsel, and despised his prophets. But God's purpose could not be defeated, not even by the unbelief and idolatry of the chosen nation (vv. 38-43; Rom. 3:3-4).

The Lord established temporary houses of worship which were to prepare the people for the coming of Christ, but they turned the ordinance of God into idolatry (vv. 44-47). The tabernacle and its furnishings, first erected in the wilderness (among Gentiles), was a picture of redemption. The temple was a picture of God's church, of the glory of God dwelling in her, and of her dwelling in the glory of God forever. These blessed objects which should have prepared the hearts of men to receive Christ, the unbelieving Jews turned into idolatrous objects of worship. They became barriers to faith!

NOW THAT CHRIST HAS COME AND REDEMPTION HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY HIM ALL CARNAL ORDINANCES OF OLD TESTAMENT WORSHIP ARE FOREVER ABOLISHED (vv. 48-50). God has forever abolished Jewish, legal worship (Heb. 10:1-4). Any reliance upon outward, visible symbols (statues, pictures, crosses, temples, altars, etc.) is idolatry. God cannot be worshipped by the employment of carnal rudiments of the world. All true worship is spiritual (John 4:23-24; Phil. 3:3).

Stephen then declared that CONTINUED, WILFUL REJECTION OF DIVINE TRUTH RESULTS IN ETERNAL REPROBATION (vv. 51-53). God will not trifle with those who trifle with him (Prov. 1:23-33; Matt. 23:37-38). Though the Jews, being rejected of God, rejected his Son, God's purpose was not affected (Rom. 3:3-4; 11:11, 22, 23, 26).

OUR GREAT GOD EVEN OVERRULES AND USES THE HANDS OF WICKED MEN TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE OF GRACE TOWARD HIS ELECT (vv. 54-60; Psa. 76:10). The stoning of Stephen was an inexcusable act of wickedness on the part of these men. Yet, it was overruled by God and used by him to accomplish his great purpose of grace. It was best for Stephen. He went to glory! It was best for Saul of Tarsus. It was one of those works of prevenient grace that prepared the way for grace to come to him. It was best for God's church. Soon she would have another apostle, whose conversion, no doubt, had its roots here. It was best for the glory of God! IN THE LIGHT OF THESE THINGS WE SHOULD LEARN TO TRUST THE WISE AND GOOD PROVIDENCE OF OUR GOD!

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