May 8, 2016

Portraits of God

Speaker: Jerry Witham Series: iWitness Topic: Mercy Passage: Acts 7:1–60

Acts 7: We live in a day where a good deal of our culture is obstinate and closed off to listening to the things of God. Some might take a little bit of God, but believing in Jesus and the gospel is often shrugged upon. Stephen, a Jerusalem church member in the first century faces such a culture head on in the first century. Stephen faithfully served the church in caring for widows, but he also was a bold witness for Christ in his everyday living. Today as he comes face to face with the obstinate religious leaders of his day we learn some great truths as he shares with them. Stephen uses the history and story of the Old Testament to speak about the character of God and what He desires from people. Some rejoice in these great truths, like Stephen, while others dismiss them or in the case of these we hear about today, they are enraged with anger leading them to murder Stephen. In Stephen’s death we see a man who not only shared about the mercy of God, but also displayed that same mercy himself as he breathed his last longing for God to not hold the murderous sin of these leaders against them. Today, may we rejoice in God for His mercy and patience and desire to emulate the life and even death of Stephen.

other sermons in this series

Jan 29

2017

Acts 29

Speaker: Jerry Witham Passage: Acts 28:11–31 Series: iWitness

Jan 22

2017

The Risk-filled Life

Speaker: Jerry Witham Passage: Acts 23:11– 28:16 Series: iWitness

Jan 8

2017

Cause of Christ

Speaker: Jerry Witham Passage: Acts 21:15– 26:23 Series: iWitness