Trans World Radio – India

Chapter 7 — Stephen’s defense before the council is a recitation of thehistory of the nation Israel and their resistance and rebellion to God.Stephen charges the council of being betrayers and murderers of Jesus,which engenders their bitterest hatred and leads to the stoning of Stephen.

vv. 2-8 — He begins with Abraham, who believed and obeyed God.

vv. 9-16 — He goes on to the Patriarchal period. The brethren of Joseph,motivated by envy and hatred, sold Joseph into Egypt. God overruled andused Joseph to save them.

vv. 17-29 — He reviews the Egyptian bondage period. Moses was bornin this period and was brought up in the palace of Pharaoh. The wisdom ofthe Egyptians was advanced beyond that for which we have given themcredit. Mathematics, chemistry, engineering, architecture, and astronomywere highly developed fields of study. All this wisdom did not prepareMoses to deliver his people (v. 25).

vv. 30-36 — He reminds them of the deliverance out of Egypt. God madeMoses the deliverer (v. 35), whom the children of Israel first refused toaccept.

vv. 37-44 — He refers to the wilderness experience. A series of rebellionsagainst God were brought to a climax in the making of a golden calf.This plague of idolatry broke out again in the land (v. 43) and resulted in theBabylonian captivity.

vv. 45-53 — Stephen concludes with Joshua, who led them into the land,and Jesus who made a way to heaven. Note the strong charge of Stephen(vv. 51, 52). The Law was given to them supernaturally by the ministry ofangels — they did not keep it (v. 53). Jesus came by the announcement ofan angel, but they rejected Him.

vv. 54-60 — Stephen is stoned to death. Stephen, a Spirit-filled believer,beholds the glory of God and the seated Savior standing to receive himas the first martyr. The Savior has stood up to receive multitudes since then.Another young man standing there (v. 58), Saul of Tarsus, who led in thestoning of Stephen, also looks into the heavens but does not see Jesus.

However, this prepared him to see Him later on the Damascus road. “He fellasleep” (v. 60) means that Jesus put his body to sleep to await the Rapture.Stephen and Saul were on opposite sides of the cross at first, as were the twothieves. Stephen was a tremendous witness to Saul. Both were young men.The witness to the gospel became a youth movement.

II. The Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostlesin Judæa and Samaria, Chapters 8 — 12

Chapter 8 — Saul continues his persecution of the church, and the witnessesscatter. Philip becomes the chief missionary. The Ethiopian eunuch is converted.

vv. 1-4 — Saul becomes the chief persecutor of the church, and thechurch is scattered.

vv. 5-8 — Philip becomes the chief witness abroad after the death ofStephen.

vv. 9-25 — Philip has an experience with Simon the sorcerer, who wasthe first religious racketeer in the church, but not the last. Note that Simonprofesses to be a believer during the sweeping revival of Philip in Samaria.He goes through all the outward ritual — he believes (but it is not savingfaith), is baptized, and becomes a friend of Philip (v. 13). He is exposed toChristianity and is impressed, though not converted. Notice that the professingbelievers (vv. 15-17) had not been born again, for they were not baptizedinto the church by the Holy Spirit — they were baptized by water.

Simon was not baptized by the Holy Spirit but was impressed by it andwanted this gift. Notice that he is willing to pay for the gift (vv. 18, 19) thathe might use it in turn for profit and publicity. There is no record that heever was converted; he is a member of the “mixed multitude” that has beenfollowing the church for more than 1900 years.

vv. 26-40 — In contrast to Simon the sorcerer is the Ethiopian eunuch.Philip is led by the Holy Spirit from the revival in Samaria to the desert onthe way to Gaza (vv. 26-28). The Ethiopian was traveling from Jerusalemin state. He had a chauffeur who drove the chariot while he was reading.

Evidently, he had a retinue of servants. He was a proselyte who had been toJerusalem, the religious capital, but he was leaving with a mind and heartunsatisfied. The Spirit directed Philip to join him by hitchhiking (v. 29).Philip explains to him that Isaiah 53 is all about the crucifixion of Jesus (vv.30-35). The Ethiopian believes in his heart and is baptized.

Chapter 9 — Saul of Tarsus is converted on the road to Damascus; heis filled with the Spirit and baptized. He begins to preach, returns toJerusalem, then visits his hometown of Tarsus. The conversion of Saul ofTarsus was the greatest event from the Day of Pentecost to the Reformation.Peter visits Lydda and heals Æneas, goes on to Joppa and raises Tabithafrom the dead (vv. 32-34).

vv. 1, 2 — The zeal of Saul in persecuting the church leads him to gobeyond the borders of Jerusalem and Judæa. Having secured papers fromthe high priest, he goes to Syria.

vv. 3-6 — Saul meets the living Christ. “Who art thou, Lord?” (v. 5)reveals that he did not know Jesus, whom to know is life. “Lord, what wiltthou have me to do?” (v. 6) reveals that he yields in obedience to Jesus. Heis converted — faith with works.

v. 7 — The men with him see the light but do not hear the voice. OnlySaul understands the message (see Acts 22:9; 26:14).

vv. 8-16 — Blinded, Saul is led into Damascus and Ananias, a believer,is sent to him. Ananias is dumbfounded and fearful of Saul. Jesus explainsHis purpose in calling Saul (vv. 15, 16):

1. To witness to the Gentiles, and
2. To suffer more than any other saint.

vv. 17-25 — After he receives his sight and is baptized, he begins to witnessin the synagogue to the person of Jesus. The Jews plot to kill him, andthe disciples let him over the wall in a basket.

vv. 26-29 — Saul returns to Jerusalem after his conversion (see Galatians1:18, 19), but the church is reluctant to receive him until Barnabas sponsorshim.

vv. 30, 31 — When a plot is discovered to slay Saul, he is taken toCæsarea from which he returns to his hometown of Tarsus.

vv. 32, 33 — Peter goes to Lydda where he heals Æneas, a palsied patientbedfast for 8 years. This leads to many conversions.

vv. 34-43 — In Joppa, Tabitha (or Dorcas), a believer who used her giftas a dress-maker, died and Peter, who is still in Lydda, is sent for. He comesand raises her from the dead.

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