I think he wants us to hear on the one hand that he is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,

showing faithfulness and steadfast love to thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.

He wants us to hear the story of his faithfulness. God is in no hurry to punish

anybody. God is not eager to find fault. God is slow to anger. I really hope that you heard what

John Piper just said. God wants us to know that he is slow to anger.

And that's really challenging for us to believe sometimes, at least for me it is. I'm Dan Kroover.

In this episode of Light and Truth, John Piper turns to Acts 6 to tell us this story of God's

forgiving heart in a very unexpected way.

A sermon that ends in bloodshed becomes the backdrop for showcasing God's patience.

This message was originally delivered at Bethlehem Baptist Church on April 7, 1991.

Let's get the setting before us.

Verse 14 of chapter 6, we learn the charges.

We saw them a couple of weeks ago, but let's remind ourselves.

Stephen is under arrest.

He's before the council.

What are the charges?

Verse 14, chapter 6.

We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth, number one, will destroy this place,

this temple.

Number two, will change the customs of Moses that he delivered to us.

Now, those are the two charges.

Stephen is against the temple and God, and he's against the law and Moses.

...