The Angelic Face (Part A)

You will have tribulation 10 days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the Stefanos of life.

I will give you the crown of life. The fingers crown winners crown.

You will be the winner. You can inherit diet. A royal crown, Solomon inherited a royal crown, but the only way to get the Stefanos Stern the only way to receive the victor's crown endurance and perseverance with endurance in Christ. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of acts.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of acts chapter 6 as he begins his message.

The angelic face book of acts chapter 6 and Bibles versus eight through 15 beginning in verse eight, and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

Then there arose from what is called the synagogue of the freed men's Iranians, Alexandrian's goes from Celestia and Asia feuding with Stephen. They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.

Then they secretly induced demand to say we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God stirred up the people, the elders describes they came upon him, seized him and brought him to the Council. They also set up false witnesses who said this man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us and all who sat in the Council looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. The angelic face. That's what this morning's message is entitled. Of course this sets up what's coming in chapter 7 where Stephen will demonstrate he knows the word of God as well if not better than they do, where he will point to what God's word says and not what the rabbis say, and then the killing. He is teaching us because you a look at the short sections of or can I get from this as a Christian while Stephen is teaching us how to be a target for Christ and make it count. What is an angel. Anyway, well, aside from being God's agent. They, the Angels are those who see the face of God, as he is in heaven, which is a big deal for us here on earth. In fact, in Peter's first letter. He points this out. Concerning Christ, but is true of the Godhead.

Overall, this is not having seen you love. Though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

I like quoting this. I like bringing that verse verse up because there's Peter who knew Jesus well walked with him, saw him surround him very close to him and yet there he is worshiping with believers who never saw Jesus and they were giving Christ the same love with this gusto as as much as Peter was giving and it struck him or the Angels they have seen the face of God. The interesting statement Jesus makes concerning children, take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones.

For I said you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my father who is in heaven will of course that tells us so much about God's care for those who are just too little or unable to care for themselves. He dispatches his angels, but it also tells us about the Angels that they see the face of the father in heaven.

This is the face that they saw on Stephen without really knowing what it meant to them. It was essentially in the writer is essentially this cut to it. They saw the innocence, so that was nothing in this man for them to hate and they hated him. Nonetheless, Stephen was seen as in a gel angelic faith face because of the spirit of God that was in him.

He was full of the spirit we just read that and he was an agent of God.

Therefore, to preach and to reach those without Christ, to make converts and in making converts. He made enemies.

While there something for me regardless of what I might have going on in my life or not, have going on in my life because you know not to achieve what you want in life can lead you to aiding life feel like you've been cheated are worth living. Just can't get what you want.

We all have to face that some degree, some do better than others, but it is up to all Christians to prevail well to preach and to reach those without Christ and to make himself a target of all the miracles in the Bible. Conversion of the soul is supreme and it is a miracle and easy proof of that is you all know someone who is not a believer who you pray for you want to see become a believer, but you feel they are so far out there there almost unreachable to God, almost unreachable to God and that the going to get certain save is going to take a miracle kind of eye-opening when you consider that there are some Christians at fuss over the gifts of the spirit pass this one right by. This is the big gift.

This is the big deal it is supreme reaching lost souls. That is what Stephen was engaged in and that is what caused him to go to heaven is still a young man.

It is the one thing converting souls that the angels in heaven applaud out loud, so much so that Christ pointed to this there is joy in the presence of angels.

Luke chapter 15 verse 10 the angels of God over one sinner who repents the Angels get it in again.

This is the face. This man shows to his killers. James said this, he who turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Converting the lost souls is a big deal. That's why the church needs to have teaching so the Christians can become stronger and be what we would say up to grade qualified and requalified. This is true, out in the world. If you have some skill you have to communal work that skill. If you are in law enforcement or the military. You have to go spend time at the range to make sure that you know you you can still find the target and hit the target that you are competent enough with your weapon was a safe Christians is that we don't go every six months or every four months we have an opportunity to go will hear twice a week.

Other churches, perhaps more or less those again who are interested in the conversion of souls effectively put on their back. A big bull's-eye for Rachel to target them. We should not be intimidated by the Stephen he didn't flinch any of this, we should understand that we are in God's hands and again no matter what you have going on in your life that's going wrong in your life you are still basically accountable to preach the gospel. Any chance you get. No matter what this man will be preaching the gospel as their stoning him to death. This is Satan behind this persecution of this man, Satan if he cannot defeat your soul. If he cannot stop you from getting saved, and he will attack your body. If he canvassed the whole story of Joe Jesus said to Satan, was a murderer from the beginning that he does not stand. In truth, and that when he speaks. And it's a lie and he's the father of lies is the one that produces these things when Stephen was chosen as an overseer in the early church.

He did not know he was going to die preaching to convert souls. That's where it went. Following the lead of the Holy Spirit because it tells us again.

He's full of the spirit doesn't leave much room for anything else when you're a full, this did not matter to him because once again Christ was worth it, and to live to live a life long life in Christ. In a relatively peaceful environment. It requires that sometimes we consider these things and remind ourselves that whatever comes our way is worth it for Christ hears this serving clad in spiritual armor first facing these people doing it right.

Holy Spirit says I want to write this down. I don't want to forget this not of course anthropomorphic.

I don't mean literally. God does not need to be reminded to write something down but it captures for us in the language we understand when something is important. I will write that down so I don't forget it because it's that important. We call it the Bible. So when Paul writes about the spiritual armor that Stephen is wearing and he will wear to his grave when he said we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts. That means armies of wickedness in heavenly places. The spiritual realm and pulses. Therefore, because we are wrestling against these we are in contest with them at war with them, take up the entire armor the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand stand well again. Stephen is clad in this armor and he is doing. He is standing and he is doing all to stand and he winds that kill him, but he winds he is the victor come back to that moment stand therefore Paul echoes that great point, having girded your waist with truth. This separates us from everybody else. From every religion on earth. We passed the truth test they don't so he says your waist girded with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness at breastplate sticks out there. You know you watch her. You know a movie with the Roman century is one of the first things you seal that does that breastplate.

It's right there of righteousness because Satan wants your body because your body is what carries the righteousness through this life onto other people without that body would good are you is an interdependent relationship with God.

God said to Moses, what is that your hand. It was his staff he supported on the ground. It turned into a separate serpent told him to pick it up again. He grabbed it again.

It became a staff God said this is the power available to you and I need you to do things for me. There is an inter-dependent relationship that we are to have Moses and I need to get going. Having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

I like that he put that preparation in there because to do anything effectively you have to be prepared. You gotta put some work in it. Very few things in life that are victorious are just accidentally achieved without preparation. It takes work were under the curse by the sweat of your browser will yield its fruit.

Above all, taking the shield of faith above all will. He's full of faith because he's full of the spirit with which you will be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one had he not quench those God's he would've taken back his confession. Okay I'm sorry I didn't mean that Jesus was Lord what he meant every word of it and took back none of it and quench their.darts in the process and take the helmet of salvation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God which a lot of churches get rid of it all.

Sorta like you know no weapons allowed.

You cannot conceal carry in this place more open care, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance.

Perseverance means keep on going during endurance means suffer while you keep going to endure while you persevere. I don't like it you don't like it. What is worth it. That's what our faith does, but I have to add this caveat fleshes armor to spiritual man has armor and so does your flesh.

These two war against one another, therefore, is not enough to dress like a believer is part of it, but it's not enough. Gotta go further.

Gotta put it to use gauge and fight see I do what I keep failing but you keep fighting Evelyn. That's what it means to keep the honor on and keep fighting because the ones that say I've had it.

Christianity is not what I expected. They become apostates they become lost. So now with that background, we come to verse eight, and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people now in the Scripture to be fold means to be controlled by is controlled by the spirit of God is why they can't withstand his wisdom. He knows how to apply the word he knows how to tell if not that's wrong to their face. Whatever you don't do that. I just saw a headline is settled. A lot of Christians are against these trends, sexual things, but they're not Christian. A lot of people but they're afraid to say anything less, not having done all, to stand therefore stand that is not to be full of faith we are to signal up.

Sorry, don't believe it fire me if you must.

I'm against it. This is where we are not new Christians or been persecuted through the ages for disagreeing with people who side with Satan, the outcome of him being full of faith and power is effective service. I say to myself I know how to be full. I just have a hard time staying that way since it does leak out or evaporate or something. Gotta keep doing over and over again as you stack up. I'm either going to get good at knowing about this ongoing become weary to the point where I my effectiveness is diminished, Jesus, and you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the outermost part of the world, which means that's us because the apostles could not reach the whole world, following generations succeeding generations have just a brief review again of this man in verse three. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom verse five, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Here in verse eight, full of faith and power in verse 10 it says irresistible and near irresistible man of truth who they could not withstand what is not written but is captured in the end. In chapter 7 in the 60's verse 60 of verse that all of these things gave him courage and that courage gave him mercy and mercy gave him grace and that's why he was able to face the stoning like them believer and call upon grace and mercy for those executing him one of the people that he was praying for and did not even know he was praying for them who was present to this whole process was Saul of top farces who would become the great apostle Paul, and I do believe Paul never forgot steep. How could he Stefano's in the Greek there are two words for crown in the Greek language in the New Testament comes to us through the Greek language of very rich language diadem is one that is a royal crown that is to crown the Jesus wears the diadem gives us our English word that the Greek word Daya Daya Dema gives us diadem in the in the English then there is Stefano's.

That's not the royal crown that the winners crown the crown of the victor you participated in an event any one you got get to receive the winners crown the Stefanos's name means that and as we covered so many times the Scripture. The intention of the name in Scripture is to reveal the intended nature. You can have a child and you can sever the nameless child Timothy. Well, what is the motivation behind naming the child was it's maybe another family member me just like the name or because of the nature of the Bible character you wanted associated with your child so that they can reflect that behavior is the move through life themselves. Not that it's wrong to name someone after family member or something like that I might. My point is name in nature go together in Scripture. And this man happens to have a name that fit the nature of his walk with Christ. Interesting.

Jesus says to this church in Smyrna church that was persecuted. People were dying in that church you contrast which church would you rather attend the nauseating church at Laodicea, off the persecuted church of Smyrna. There are other choices but just the thought.

Jesus said to the church. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer while stop right there Lord because I fear everything I'm about to suffer. I mean traffic lines at anything I run out of sugar I I don't want to suffer at all. Jesus continued. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation 10 days before a full on to death and I will give you the Stefanos of life.

I will give you the crown of life. The victor's crown. The winners crown. You will be the winner. You can inherit a diadem, a royal crown, Solomon inherited a royal crown, but the only way to get the Stefanos to earn it. The only way to receive the victor's crown is to endurance, perseverance with endurance in Christ, faithful in life faithful to the death. These are the lessons that we have here you come across a little chapter of the like this. You said the section of the paragraph that would hurry to get past this and even he is a long sermon Stephen does. I don't how to get through that. But we will, but to be filled with the spirit of God means that we do not pretend that truth does not matter. Truth is everything the truth of Christ.

We don't act like it's secondary this arrival truth out there. The Bible overlook this concerning human beings, but here we can produce something else. I reject that thought thought I reject that kind of approach to Christianity categorically line by line. I reject that advocate what the credentials are of those who introduce it. I reject I have the Scripture, I can enjoy a movie about Christianity, but I've got the Bible. Bottom line, I don't depend on those things but I cannot get a nuts smack on anybody.

What about the 10 Commandments and to be a Christian means that we do not imagine that the spiritual gifts are greater than truth is the truth.

We are after we talk about receiving a gift from Christ in us so that we can employ it to be effective for him. That's we can show it off.

If that is your thought and you need humility, which is not a gift it does work work of the spirit in the heart. As Christians we do not see truth without action. We believe we are to learn things we can do something with them. Imagine the lumber truck truck pull up to know and say what is all the lumber you need to put that thing together. He never put it together but he did. Jesus said by this you will, they will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. That's a toughie because that makes me dependent on God that makes God in this sense, dependent upon me to act on being dependent on him over delusion and as a Christian we did not make room for non-Christian views when it comes to what the Bible says views about God is about man which is life eternity. As Christians we do not fail to see the truth is a responsibility we have to employ wisdom.

We have to know how to apply truth, I can know that somebody is going to hell it works where I work as a truth that doesn't mean I walk up to the person say by the way you are going to hell. That's not very wise or loving or being little or maybe the spirit might tell you give it to him sometimes but it's rare. We know the truth does not move forward without Christ because it comes from him. We believe the gospel is moral and spiritual dynamite.

You shall receive power, the Greek word Una must we get our English word dynamite you shall receive this stuff to blast things apart says Erie did great wonders and signs among the people. This is the first mention of a non-apostle performing signs. What an honor.

Verse nine. Then there arose some from what is called the synagogue of the freed men, geraniums, Alexandrian souls associate in Asia, disputing with Stephen. These are descendents of slaves, slightly in the beginning, captured by Pompeii about 60 years of plus before Christ was born. Pompeii comes to Jerusalem, take slaves, sells them and uses them etc. and these of their descendents. Some of them were slaves themselves and set free. For whatever reason, they formed an assembly or church or synagogue synagogues probably go back to after the Babylonian captivity or in the Babylonian Do not know once absolutely sure there are some hints in Scripture in Psalm but anyway they are free form a synagogue like Stephen. These are Hellenist, they are greatly influenced by the Russian culture of the language they speak the language at the Septuagint for their dominant source of scriptural information versus the Hebrew Bible and enlist some of the locations.

The first two from northern North Africa server Indians and Alexandrian remember Simon. This Iranian for the cross of Christ goes from Celestia.

Paul was from solicitor which tells us, not on one of the hints that he is here is present in this group move you've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply visit cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio in your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of acts right here on cross reference radio