2000 YEARS LATER AND IT’S STILL THE SAME

ACTS 7:51-60

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

Compare the martyrdom of Stephen approximately 2000 years ago with the martyrdom of Charlie Kirk this week and you’ll soon discover that 2000 years later it’s still the same.

 

I. THE WORLD IS STILL THE SAME

1. The World Still Hates Light [John 3:19-20, 1 John 1:5]

-And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

- This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

2. The World Still Hates God’s Saviour [John 15:18, 25]

-If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

-But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law , They hated me without a cause.

3. The World Still Hates God [John 15:23-24]

He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

 

II. THE WILL OF GOD IS STILL THE SAME

1. It is still the Will of God that All Should Be Saved [2 Peter 3:9]

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2. It is still the Will of God that All Believer’s Be Set Apart [1 Thessalonians 4:3]

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

3. It is still the Will of God that All Believer’s Be Surrendered [James 4:13-17]

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

 

III. THE WORD OF GOD IS STILL THE SAME

1. The Warning of Judgment is still the same [Rm. 3:10-12, 23, 6:23]

-As it is written , There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

-For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2. The Way of Justification is still the same [Rm. 4:5-6, 24-25]

-to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

- But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

3. The Willingness of Jesus is still the same [Rm. 5:6-8, 10:9-13]

-For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

-That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.