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THE KING’S BUSINESS
is to be noted that those who opposed were not on ly moral, but religious men, they belonged to a synagogue. The bitterest opposition to Spirit-filled men is rarely from the ungodly or even from the irrelig ious, it -is usually from those who have a form of religion but who do not knpw the power thereof. But though opposed, his opponents could not stand up against his reasoning: If a man is filled with a Holy Spirit his oppohents can never stand against “the wisdom and the Spirit by which he speaks” ( Matt. 10:19, 20; Luke 21:15 ; Acts 1 : 8 ). Friday, November io. Acts 6:11-15. As Stephen’s opponents could not answer him they sought to kill him. They employed the same methods that they had employed against Jesus. They suborned men who testified falsely against him (cf. Matt. 26:59, 60). These false witnesses tesiified that Stephen had spoken “ blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” Doubtless Stephen had said that the law of Moses had been fulfilled and thus done away in the sacrifice o f the Lord Jesus on the cross (of. Gal. 2:14-17); But this was not blasphemy, it was telling the exact truth about the law o f Moses.: Stephen’s oppo nents not only stirred up a rabble but the religious leaders ,1 and like his Master, he was arrested and brought up before the council. The false witnesses that they employed took what Stephen had really said and distorted it and added to it what Stephen had never said. This is the usual method employed by those who resist teach ers o f the truth. They do not forge an out and out lie against them but take what they really say and twist and distort it, add to it what they do not say, until the impression produced is entirely different from what is really said. Stephen had doubtless told them that the temple was to be destroyed; for this the Lord Jesus had predicted (Matt. 24:1, 2) : but he did not state that Jesus would do the destroying. In this hour of trial, while men lied about him, God testified to him: as his enemies
were laid upon them (cf. 2 Tim. 1:6, 7). As a result o f the spirit o f fairness and love and concession that the early church showed, and as a result o f the character of the d’ aeons chosen, “the W ord o f God increased, and the number o f disciples mul tiplied in Jerusalem greatly.” How dif ferent this is from the history o f the church today! Today we are content with a few additions every year, but in those days they had hot additions merely but multiplications all the timé, and big mul tiplications at that, they were " multiplied exceedingly .” Right through the Acts we read this same history o f ever-growing and rapidly growing church, a church that went steadily forward from Jerusalem to Rome. Every chapter has these notes of victory (ch. 2:47; 4:4; 5:14). A great secret o f this continuous and marvelous growth' is found in the fourth verses, they “ continued steadfastly in prayer ” (cf. ch. 2:42), a praying ministry is always a vic torious ministry and a praying church is always a victorious church. The prayer with which these deacons were set apart was real prayer, a real crying to God, that He might fit them for the work. The pur pose o f the laying on of hands was that they might be endued with the Holy Spirit (cf. ch. 8:15-17). How many o f our dea cons today are like these, Spirit-filled men? Thursday, November p. Acts 6:8-10. Among the seven deacons chosen Stephen stands out pre-eminent. He is one o f the most beautiful characters in the Bible. He was a very full man: ( 1 ) “ full o f faith” (2) “ full of the Holy Spirit” (3) “ full of grace” (v. 8 , R. V .) (4) “ full o f power.” Each one o f these four forms o f fullness is worthy o f study, not only o f study but o f deep meditation. The fact that Stephen was “ full o f grace and power” led to a marvelous ministry, he “wrought great wonders and signs” among the people. A man so filled always will work great won ders and signs. But it all got him into trouble. A man “ full o f the Spirit and power” will always stir up opposition. It
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