Stephen
READ Acts 6:1-5
What
was the problem that the growth of the Church created?
Widows and others who needed welfare help
were joining the Church.
This presented the other Church members
with an opportunity to serve.
But to be done equitably, it required
some organization within the Church.
Where
did the Apostles choose to focus their time and why?
They did not want to “leave the word of
God”.
They wanted to give themselves
continually to prayer and to the ministry – teaching the message that Christ is
the Messiah and that He lives.
They had finally got Christ’s message
that to “feed my sheep” had nothing to do with welfare or business issues.
What
solution was created to deal with the temporal and business issues of the
Church?
The work of temporal welfare is still
important so seven other men were called to do/oversee this work.
Think “Presiding Bishopric” in today’s
Church.
Remember they are attempting to establish
Zion – with all things in common – and laying all of their wealth at the
“Apostles feet” to administer would take time away from the “greater part” –
think Martha and Mary.
Stephen was called as one of these seven
men to administer the Law of Consecration and take care of the Church’s
temporal concerns.
READ Acts 6:8-15
Why
were the learned Jews in the synagogue not able to resist the wisdom and spirit
by which Stephen spoke?
He spoke with the tongue of angels (see 2
Nephi 32:2).
His words had such power through the Holy
Ghost that it was not possible for them to disbelieve them (see 3 Nephi 7:18).
But that does not mean that they had to
choose to comply with the words – in fact, it only made them angrier.
What
were the leaders doing by arranging for false witnesses?
Conspiring to murder him.
They knew Stephen told the truth and yet
they were setting him up to be killed.
They were afraid of the power of his
miracles and testimony – they had killed Jesus and yet His followers were
growing in number daily and began to demonstrate the same powers.
In his trial, Stephen gives a very
interesting account of Moses’ call to deliver Israel, including the fact that
he was told by God long before the Burning Bush that he would deliver Israel
from Egypt and he decided to take matters into his own hands and killed a slave
master but the Israelites didn’t believe that he could deliver them and
rejected him, so he left for the desert for 40 more years, seemingly having
failed in his attempt to garner support to free Israel. Anyway, Stephen shares this story to show
that despite the miracles, the temple, and mercy of the Lord toward them, how
disobedient and disbelieving the children of Israel had always been from the
leaders on down, and that it was no different today
READ Acts 7:51-54
Why
do the High Priests “gnash their teeth” at Stephen and turn to violence when he
calls them to repentance?
Preaching is always most difficult when
it confronts an audience with their mistaken beliefs and false religion.
They have pride in being “right”, as they
suppose, and it becomes a jugular issue of core identity if someone calls that
“chosen” status or righteousness into question.
This is made worse when the pride of
being right is compounded by the pride of being “in charge” (and right)… and a
little bit infallible.
People who have abominable religious
practices are more often moved to violence than repentance (see Christ, Lehi,
Isaiah, Nephi, Samuel the Lamanite, Abinadi, Peter, Paul, James and Zacharias
as other examples of prophets who experienced violence at the hands of a
religious audience).
READ Acts 7:55-60
What
kind of Spirit must Stephen have been filled with to intercede with God on
behalf of those who stoned him to death, as they were doing it?
A fullness of the Holy Ghost.
He loved them with charity, as Christ did
when He was crucified.
What
was happening to Stephen when he saw God and Christ?
He was entering into the Rest of the
Lord, which is His glory, i.e. entering into His presence (see D&C 84:24).
In fact, in this case, Stephen is
entering into the presence of the Father AND the Son, so that the Son can bear
testimony to Stephen’s redemption (the more sure word of prophesy) (see D&C
88:75).
Stephen is being sealed up to eternal
life.
Simon the Sorcerer
READ Acts 8:9-24
What
is Simon doing?
Using sorcery (the devil’s priesthood as
taught in the temple; an association with dark spiritual beings – this doesn’t
necessarily mean he’s a devil worshipper but is clearly spiritually gifted in
communing with unseen entities in a legitimate way) to do miracles.
So that he would appear to be a great man
with power.
He is setting himself up as a light to
get gain = priestcraft.
Is
his power real?
Yes, Simon is not a charlatan; he has an
association with spiritual entities which enable him to demonstrate power and
knowledge in this world.
But implied by the fact that Simon has
this power already but still wants to acquire the priesthood (or association with
spiritual beings) that the apostles have, the Priesthood of God is more
powerful than any other priesthood – in other words, an association with the
gods of light is more powerful than an association with other beings.
Why
was Simon baptized?
He believed in the teaching of Philip (it
sounds like this was legitimate).
And he was in awe of Philip’s priesthood
power, which was demonstrated in miracles.
What
is implied by the fact that when Peter and John laid on hands for the Gift of
the Holy Ghost, that people were immediately filled with it?
They had the sealing power (Holy Spirit
of Promise) with them to command, according to the will of God (which is why
they prayed first and must have received a positive answer from God that they
were to go to Samaria and administer the Baptism of Fire/HG).
They had to receive revelation from God
first, before they laid hands on an individual, knowing that the person would
receive the baptism of fire if they administered to them.
What
was Simon’s interest – to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost or to receive the
Priesthood power to administer it with the sealing power?
He wanted the Priesthood power and the
ability to administer it, not the Gift itself.
Likely he wanted to profit from it by
selling the administration of the gift to others.
What
does the fact that Simon’s heart was not right before God imply about his
baptism?
He had taken upon himself the covenant
through the outward ordinance but had not laid his whole soul on the altar yet,
sufficient to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and mighty change of heart –
he was still an unredeemed “natural man” (see Alma 41:11).
It is not a coincidence that the Apostles
did not lay hands on Simon when they were administering the Spirit to the
others in Samaria (remember, they had prayed first and were no doubt being led
by the Spirit or angels regarding who to lay hands upon).
Did
Simon have a chance to repent?
Yes, and in fact, he asks the Apostles to
pray for him that he might be spared.
It is possible that he did repent.
The Redemption and Calling of Saul/Paul
Who
was Saul?
Born in Tarsus on the south coast of Asia
Minor (modern day Turkey), one of the three great cities of Greek philosophy
(Athens, Greece and Alexandria, Egypt are the other two), so he can fit in
anywhere in the Roman empire culturally.
A Diaspora Jew (dispersed from the Holy
Land) – a Jewish Greek (Paul is the Greek version of the name Saul).
Born a Roman citizen – aristocracy of the
Roman world; very rare, ESPECIALLY for a Jew; it was gained through either
“wonderful” service to the Empire or bought for a massive amount of money; it meant
he can’t be touched, abused or imprisoned and he is guaranteed Roman police
protection wherever he is; he can appeal to Caesar if he ever gets in trouble
with local authorities and must be escorted to Rome for an audience with the
Emperor; his Roman citizenship gives him a real advantage as a missionary
across the Empire – has an “in” that none of the original Jewish apostles would
have had.
He is a Pharisee; educated at the
“Harvard” of Israel in Jerusalem; trained to be a Rabbi or doctor of the Law;
is the valedictorian of his class – the brightest, up-and-coming Jew in the
country.
Working for the Sanhedrin as their
“clerk” or assistant – similar to how the best Harvard law school graduates
“clerk” for the Justices of the US Supreme Court; he can already argue with the
Rabbis and beat them.
He is an amazing “coup” for this
fledgling movement with Judaism to have.
READ Acts 8:1-3 and Acts 9:1-2
What
was Saul’s current mission/job for the Sanhedrin?
He was head of the Jewish leadership’s
“secret police” (a lot like the Spanish Inquisition, and a little bit like
Brigham Young’s Home Missionaries used during the 1857 “Reformation” or an
ancient Strengthening the Members Committee leader).
He would somehow find out which Jews
believed in Jesus, come to their houses with armed guards, and haul them off to
prison without a trial.
He was killing Christians; he created the
plan and led the attack on the Christians on behalf of the Sanhedrin; he was
completely feared by the Jewish Christians.
His leadership was very public and well known – those Jews and
Christians as far away as Damascus knew of his leadership role and mission.
Why
did Saul do this?
He felt that Christianity was a massive Jewish
heresy.
It had to be stamped out by any means
necessary.
It might destroy the Jewish Church if
allowed to continue (many were joining “The Way”, including many Priests).
He was not necessarily an “evil” man –
but completely misguided through following the oral tradition; like the other
Jewish leaders, he never questioned the “truth” of the Church or his own
inherent “chosen-ness” by being born a member.
READ Acts 9:3-9 (including JST)
Why
would the resurrected Christ Himself appear to this enemy?
Christ knew his heart – if Saul knew the
truth, he would be as passionate about it as he was about his Pharisaical
beliefs.
He was a “chosen vessel” unto Christ (see
v 15) despite his current beliefs and behaviors.
What
does it mean that Saul was “kicking against the pricks”?
The Lord had been attempting to contact
him through the Spirit but he was actively denying it, filled with the
“rightness” he felt in what he already “knew” was true.
If
he was 3 days blind, what does it mean “when his eyes were opened”?
His spiritual eyes were opened, like Alma
during the 3 days of unconsciousness, even though his physical eyes had been
blinded.
The veil had fallen from his spiritual
eyes – he could now see things as they truly were, which has nothing to do with
physical sight.
READ Acts 9:10-18
What
does Ananias’ response to the Lord in vision tell us about the Lord?
He is humble in the way He deals with us
– inviting questions and concerns to be shared; He will “reason” with us.
He speaks with us as one man speaks to
another, in plain humility.
What
does it tell us about Ananias – who was “just a disciple” (i.e. not a Church
leader) in Damascus?
This was not the first time the Lord had
appeared to him in resurrected form.
We can deduct this by the calm way he
reacts to the Lord appearing to him (“I am here, Lord”) and the way he states
his concerns about Saul.
It also tells us that the Lord does not
just visit with The Twelve Apostles, even in that time (Stephen is another
example).
What
is Saul’s mission for the Lord to be?
As a missionary to the Gentiles.
To bring the gospel to foreign kings and
to the Jews living in the diaspora.
To suffer and sacrifice a great deal for
Christ – through which his salvation will be obtained (see LoF 6:5-7).
What
is Saul’s first act after being healed from blindness?
He is baptized.
Even though he is already a witness of
Christ’s resurrection – he needs to enter into the gospel covenant.
READ Acts 9:19-30
What
is Saul’s first act after being baptized?
He testifies of the resurrection of
Christ and that He is the Son of God, in the Jewish synagogue.
Why
did the Jews so quickly try to kill Saul?
He is a massive threat to them – much
more than Peter or the other Galilean apostles.
He is well known in Jerusalem, is a Roman
citizen (which most of them were not) and is their brightest protégé.
They consider it a massive betrayal.
Why
were the Apostles and disciples in Jerusalem so afraid of Saul?
He was the leader of the Christian
persecution movement on behalf of the Jewish leaders.
They lacked faith and either did not have
sufficient Holy Spirit within them to have received a revelation or even a
confirmation in real time of what had happened, or they must not have even asked
God if Saul’s change of heart was legitimate, after the fact.
What
do the Apostles do with Saul?
They send him home to Tarsus, to protect
him from the Jews in Jerusalem.
It is also interesting that instead of
ushering him into their Apostolic inner circle, they basically banish him to
the hinterlands.
