Jesus v. Moses - Berean Baptist Church

Jesus v. Moses
Acts 6:8-15
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and
miracles among the people. 9 Then there arose certain of the
synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia,
disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the
wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11 Then they
suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12 And
they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and
came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the
council, 13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man
ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy
place, and the law: 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus
of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the
customs which Moses delivered us. 15 And all that sat in the
council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been
the face of an angel.
Acts 6:8
• And Stephen, full of faith and
power, did great wonders and
miracles among the people.
Does your Bible say grace
instead of faith?
Faith v. Grace
This is a manuscript
variance.
Acts 6:9
•Then there arose
certain of the
synagogue,
Synagogue
Local meeting place for
Jews to worship and study
the Torah
Acts 6:9
• Then there arose certain of the
synagogue, which is called the
synagogue of the
Libertines [Freedman], and
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of
them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing
with Stephen.
Acts 6:9
•disputing with Stephen.
What are
they arguing
about?
Moses v. Jesus
• V. 11
• Moses & God
• V. 13
• The Temple & the Law
• V. 14
• Customs of Moses
Consider the Irony
Of Jews who have gained their
earthly freedom [Libertines]
desiring to stay in bondage to
the Mosaic Law
Of the Big Three
Moses is the Man
Abraham, Moses, David
This is the Big Issue
Moses v. Jesus
Issue #1
Does God have a
Son? Is it Jesus?
Issue #2
Is the Mosaic Law still
binding to Jewish
Christians?
And others all keep the Mosaic
Law in some form or fashion.
Issue #3
Is the temple still an
important structure in
religious life?
Ultimately
The issue is,
does
Jesus replace Moses?
Or
Acts 6:10
•And they were not able to resist
the wisdom and the spirit by
which he spake.
We are going to see Stephen’s
wisdom in chapter 7
Do you think before
you speak?
Wise people think before
they speak?
Acts 6:11
• Then they suborned men, which
said, We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against
Moses, and against God.
Blasphemous Words
• Against Moses
• Anything that minimizes Moses
• Against God
• By suggesting that God has a Son
• Therefore, he can’t be one
Acts 6:12
• And they stirred up the people,
and the elders, and the scribes,
and came upon him, and caught
him, and brought him to the
council,
Stephen is Arrested
Acts 6:13
• And set up false witnesses, which
said, This man ceaseth not to
speak blasphemous words against
this holy place, and the law:
temple
Acts 6:14
• For we have heard him say, that this
Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this
place [the temple],
• and shall change the customs which
Moses delivered us.
In Reality Jesus is on Trial Again
Consider the Irony
Jesus does destroy the
temple and does change
the customs
#1
On the cross Jesus ripped
the veil of the temple in two
opening a way to the holy of
holies
#2
In 70 AD God used the
Romans to utterly destroy
the temple
Matthew 24:1-2
• And Jesus went out, and departed
from the temple: and his disciples
came to him for to shew him the
buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus
said unto them, See ye not all these
things? verily I say unto you, There
shall not be left here one stone upon
another, that shall not be thrown
down.
How does Jesus
change
The customs of
Moses?
#1
We do not sacrifice
animals.
Jesus
Was the Ultimate and
Final Rest
#2
We (some) do not keep
the Jewish Sabbath.
Turn to
Colossian 2:6-17
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so
walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and
stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of
men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of
all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
6
And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary
to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore
judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an
holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but
the body is of Christ.
13
Christians are NOT
United
On what we do with
‘Keeping the Sabbath’
Various Ways of Keeping Sabbath
• Keep it on Saturday like the Jews
• Keep it on Sunday and call it the
Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10)
• Ignore the Sabbath commandment
similar to the way Christians ignore
other ceremonial laws
However
Nothing eliminates the
principle behind the law
that humans need REST!
But Ultimately
Jesus is our rest
from the work of seeking
to keep the law.
#3
We do not keep the
Jewish festivals of
Passover, Pentecost, etc.
We Celebrate
Jesus
The Supper that
Instituted.
#4
Jesus is our High Priest.
#5
We do not pay the temple
tax.
We Give To
The Church that Jesus
Started.
#6
We do not keep the law of
circumcision.
Our Hearts Were
Circumcised when we
believed the gospel of Jesus
both male and female.
#7
We do not limit our diet
to the prescribed foods in
the Mosaic Law
Are we guilty of
creating our own
customs?
We love our traditions.
Christians stay in churches
that are dead and haven’t
preached the gospel for
years
Because of the familiarity and
traditions associated with it.
Acts 6:15
• And all that sat in the council,
looking stedfastly on him, saw his
face as it had been the face of an
angel.
What’s going on
here w/ a face
like an angel?
God is giving these
Jews
Another sign to
authenticate the
messenger
Law, Grace, or Hybrid
Where do you stand?