God's Wisdom Will Always Prevail

May 28, 2020

God's Wisdom Will Always Prevail

Acts 6:8–15

Jayson Fisher

Central Truth

All of us want more wisdom, but few are willing to seek it. Come and see how a man full of wisdom engages those who want to get rid of him.

But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

Stephen Is Seized

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Before we jump into our passage for today, we need to go back one verse earlier in Acts 6:7 for context: "And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith." God is doing exactly what He said He would do in Matthew 28:19-20 by spreading the gospel and making disciples.

As we see the Word of God continuing to increase, Stephen is introduced in Acts 6:8 as a man "full of grace and power, [who] was doing great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen knows God's Word, and he begins engaging with other religious leaders in Jerusalem. These other men were frustrated that Stephen wanted to do away with the sacrificial system because he claimed Jesus of Nazareth was the once-and-for-all sacrificial lamb. These men knew that believing in Christ would change how they did business in the synagogues, and that just couldn't happen.

But they had a problem. Stephen knew God and was devoted to His Word; and, as they disputed him, "they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking." (Acts 6:10) God's Word is true; therefore, no amount of disputing or scrutiny will be able to refute it. And if God's Word is true, then we should bank our entire lives on the One who gave us His life. Stephen knew that they could bring false witnesses and accuse him, or stone him (spoiler alert), but he would continue to entrust himself to the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23).

God's Word is true and points us to life, but often we are so consumed with our everyday worries that we neglect spending time with our Father. We want peace, joy, and wisdom, but we neglect the source of those things. Stephen knew the source of true life and pursued God's Word and the Person that the Word pointed him to.

1. Are you seeing the Word of God increasing and disciples being made? What can you do to continue to see more of these things?

2. Do you consider yourself wise? What are you doing to take in more of God's wisdom?

3. When is the last time you engaged with someone who did not know the gospel? Was your conversation marked by wisdom and peace?

4. How can you continue to grow in engaging with more people who need the truth of the gospel?