Kingdom For All: Cause & Conviction

February 14th, 2021 / The Lookout

Question: What in your life has the most value? Let me ask it this way, what in your life are you currently living for? The weekend? The next career move? The next level of financial comfort? A spouse, kid, or friend?

I want you to seriously consider the greater purpose of your life. Is there a cause you’re championing? Is there a cause outside of something that just makes your life better or happier? Maybe something of eternal significance.

With every cause, there is an effect.

If you don’t brush your teeth, you’ll get cavities

If you speed, you’ll get a ticket

If you don’t work, you’ll struggle to pay your bills

If you fail to remember special events for your significant other, such as Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or anniversaries, there’s an effect.

Personal Story: Two anniversaries ago I blew it. No gift, no plan, and I was in a bind. The effect or consequence was hurting my wife's feelings.

Title: Cause & Conviction

Cause Definition = a principle, aim, or movement that, because of a deep commitment, one is prepared to defend or advocate.

Conviction Definition = a strong persuasion or belief, the state of being convinced

The cause that I want to talk to you today about is the kingdom of God. The kingdom is God’s reign through God’s people over God’s creation. The kingdom of God is the vision of the world reordered around the love of Jesus. I’ve also heard it said that the Kingdom of God is what Boulder looks like when Jesus has His way.

Big Idea: The cause of the Kingdom of God in your life should produce convictions through your attitude and actions. Is your cause worth dying for? Are your convictions worth living for?

Passage: Acts 6-7

Pray:

Main Points: Four Convictions

1. Convicted to Submit (Acts 6:1-7)
   1. In those days, as the disciples were increasing in number, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. 2 The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit… 7 So the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly in number, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
   2. A call to serve
      1. Stephen was a manager of food distribution to the poor... “Then the word of God spread.” (*V7)
      2. Don’t minimize your title. Don’t reduce your calling. Don’t belittle a servant role.
      3. Stephen’s position was given with a high level of honor and resulted in a worldwide movement. His life and death was the catalytic event that fulfilled Acts 1:8
      4. If serving is beneath you then leadership is beyond you.
      5. A title does not elevate your status or influence, it simply affirms your calling and willingness to serve faithfully
      6. Be careful to not let your ability or charisma take you to a place where your character and faithfulness can’t keep you.
   3. Good reputation, full of the Spirit, and wisdom
      1. Question: What is your reputation? What are you known for?
      2. “In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled 7 in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. 8 Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us.” - Titus 2:6-8
      3. Question: Does the message you are communicating carry power because it is representative of the way you live your life? Or is there hypocrisy there? Is there a gap between what you preach and what you live when no one is looking?
      4. Transition: A reputation may be built for a season on what’s on the outside, but without integrity, it will eventually be found out and the result will be devastating.
2. Convicted To Seek (Acts 6:8-10)
   1. Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.
   2. Emphasis on “fullness”
      1. The word “full of” means that he was “to be controlled by”
      2. In the text we see that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3, 10), full of faith (Acts 6:5), and full of power (Acts 6:8).
      3. Question: What are you controlled by? Or another way to say it is what are you full of?
      4. Would it be said of you that you are full of the Spirit, faith, and power? Or are you full of yourself?
   3. Signs & wonders in the lunchroom
      1. People were getting healed and Word of God spread
      2. Many believe that only the apostles were credited with the ability to perform signs and wonders. But we see in the life of Stephen that God can choose anyone He empowers through His Spirit to perform signs and wonders.
      3. You don’t need a title to perform the supernatural! You don’t need a microphone to multiply your impact. In Jesus name and through the power of the Holy Spirit you are empowered wherever you go!
   4. Deep conviction is very convincing - V10
      1. A problem today is that many people don’t have core convictions.
      2. A standard is what you are trying to live for, a conviction is what you are willing to die for.
      3. There’s something powerful when someone stands up for their convictions against all opposition.
      4. Personal Story: If I’m doing my job correctly, then there is going to be offense.
      5. “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12 CSB
      6. Transition: There is great power for change when the convictions you preach align with convictions of your everyday life. Offense through God’s word, delivered in grace and truth, will result in intense opposition and offense.
3. Convicted to Stand (Acts 6:11-15)
   1. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin. 13 They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law. 14 For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
   2. The Sanhedrin
      1. The Sanhedrin used LIES to condemn Stephen for RELIGIOUS TRADITION SAKE! This is the result of fleshly control, pride, and a hunger for power.
      2. This was NOT a display of seeking spiritual truth and reliance on God’s guidance.
      3. This enraged mob not only lied and created false witnesses, but they also murdered Stephen illegally by Roman law.
      4. Surely the members of the Sanhedrin would recall Moses’ shining face in Exodus 34:29-30. It was as if God was saying “He’s not against Moses! He is like Moses - he is my faithful servant.”
   3. “Are these things true?” the high priest asked. 2 “Brothers and fathers,” he replied, “listen…”
   4. The high priest
      1. This high priest was probably Caiaphas, the same man who had earlier questioned and condemned Jesus (John 18:24)
      2. Stephen is quite familiar with how this could turn out and yet he doesn’t back down or shy away from speaking the truth.
   5. Shrink back or stand firm
      1. Stephen didn’t shrink back in fear, he stood firm in faith
      2. Stephen didn’t go on the defense, he goes on the offense, taking the opportunity to point people to Jesus.
      3. Question: How do you respond when you face opposition?
      4. Question: Are you self empowered or are you Spirit filled?
      5. Let’s be a people that stands firm in the face of humiliation, opposition, and persecution. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can stand firm in every circumstance.
   6. Stephen knew the Word
      1. You will never outgrow your knowledge of the Word. I’ve heard many people say “I want to grow”, “I’m not hearing from God”, “I’m feeling stuck”, etc… Maybe it’s because we’re not committed to reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God?!
      2. Stephen did not serve in his own effort, but out of the overflow of what God was already doing in his life through the Word.
      3. Sermon Outline: They resisted the Law, persecuted the prophets, and rejected the Savior Jesus Christ
      4. Stephen, full of the power of the Holy Spirit, called out their hypocrisy, lawlessness, and arrogance.
   7. Stephen was a humble servant and faithful messenger before he was a forgiving martyr
      1. Are you saying “Yes God, I would die for you!”, yet you are too busy to serve? Too busy to share the Gospel? Too busy to pray?
      2. “I’m called to a global movement..” okay, let’s start in the parking lot. Let’s first be faithful in the small things before we expect God to lead us to the big things.
      3. Transition: If you are unfaithful to serve, what makes you think that you would be faithful to sacrifice your very own life?
4. Convicted To Sacrifice (Acts 7:54-60)
   1. When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 They yelled at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And after saying this, he died.
   2. Stephen looked up
      1. In the midst of Stephen's persecution, what does he do? He looks up.
      2. Question: Where do you look? In? Out? Over? Back?
      3. “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” - Psalm 121:1-2
      4. Personal Story: I often find myself looking in. What are my habits? How is my health? Who am I hanging around? What content am I consuming? All of these are good, but apart from Jesus, these patterns are both temporary and insufficient.
      5. Stephen stood up and looked up, but when brought to his weakest moment.. Jesus stood up!
      6. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”
      7. “Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 CSB
   3. Jesus stood up
      1. This is the only instance where Jesus is standing up at the right hand of the Father. (Psalm 110:1, Mark 16:19)
      2. “Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. 12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.” - Hebrews 10:11-12

      3. 3 possible reasons why Jesus stood up:

         1. Illust: Imagine you are on trial. You have been accused of a horrendous action and the prosecutor stands up and charges you with offences. You have already given your statement, but now you look around for your defence attorney to stand up and give your rebuttal. You look around in shock to see that there is no defence attorney there to plead your case. The judge then stands up, walks down, and takes the position on your defence. The trial is then over! Who else can stand against the judge!

            1. In the Sanhedrin, when someone would bear witness they would stand up. And since nobody was bearing witness on the good of Jesus, Jesus stands up and says “Everything this man is saying is true!” 2. He could have been giving Stephen a standing ovation. The first recorded martyr for the Christian faith.

            2. “Stephen you lived for the eternal, welcome home my son.” 3. He could have been standing because this is Stephen's coronation ceremony. The bible talks about 5 different crowns that can be received in heaven. In a coronation ceremony someone kneels down and a crown is placed on their head. Stephen was living not for this world, but for Jesus Christ the King. And as Stephen is being stoned to death and he goes to his knees, Jesus stands up and says “I got a crown, it’s the crown of life! Well done my good and faithful servant!”

            3. There are two words in the NT for crown. The first is “diadema”, which is a royal crown that you can inherit. Then there is “stephanos”, which is a crown that comes when you earn it. Stephen's name actually means “Crown”.

            4. “Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” - Revelation 2:10 4. Question: How many of you want to live a life, where at the end of your life Jesus stands up and says “well done, my son, well done my daughter.” And we take the crown and lay it back at Jesus' feet. He who is worthy of all our worship and rewards!
               4. A Living Sacrifice
                  1. You may not be called to die a physical death for the sake of the Gospel, but we are all called to be a living sacrifice
                  2. “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” - Romans 12:1
                  3. Your sacrifice is your worship
                  4. Some of you might say “I just want to come and worship.” Meaning, I want the experience without the sacrifice.

         2. If you are exploring the faith, then that’s completely understandable, if you are a follower of Jesus then that just doesn’t make sense. 5. True worship is when we lay down our lives for the sake of the mission of God. I want to show up early, I want to stay late, I want to give the gifts that I have, I want to fund the advancement of the Kingdom, I want to offer my all in this thing, and I want to worship with my life!!!

            5. Grace & Truth
               1. Stephen stood firm on truth, and at the same time demonstrated immeasurable grace
               2. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
               3. Stephen’s final words sound a lot like Jesus right?
               4. Stephen died like Jesus died because he lived like Jesus lived.

Closing: If it’s not worthy to die for, is it worthy to live for?

Question: What would you be willing to die for?

1. The people you love
   1. “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:13
   2. The very thing you would be willing to die for, should be the very thing you are faithfully living for today!
2. A cause of eternal magnitude
   1. “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” - Philippians 1:21
   2. Let’s not live our life for the urgent, but for what’s most important.
   3. When what you live for & what you would die for come together, that’s where you find your purpose.

The length of our life does not determine the impact of our legacy.

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