The Bible is not ancient words. It has so much to say to us today. It is for every generation but especially needed in this generation.

Then

Accusations

False witnesses came forward accusing Stephen of blasphemous words against the Torah and the Temple (Acts 6:11, 13)
These are charges that would lead to capital punishment.
Acts 7:1 the high priest asks Stephen if these charges are true. Stephen begins his response very graciously "brothers and fathers…" and at that moment Stephen goes from Defendant to Prosecutor.

Stephen's Response (part 1) - Torah

A trip through Israel's history…

Abraham (Acts 7:2b-3)

Stephen begins his speech with "The GOD OF GLORY appeared to our father Abraham…" and shares the story of Abraham. We will see he ends His story with the words Glory and God as well!

Joseph (Acts 7:9-10)

Joseph was hated by his brothers, but ultimately used by God to save his brothers and families. Those God uses are often persecuted.

Moses (Acts 7:25-40a)

Moses was used by God to save the people, but the people did not recognize he was sent to rescue them. Using the history of Israel Stephen continues to demonstrate how often God's people have rejected the very ones God has raised up. Steven talks about Moses receiving "LIVING WORDS" to pass onto the people. Jesus is the Living Word - we see this in John 1:1, John 1:14. Stephen is communicating that Messiah has come and He is the Living Word all without mentioning Jesus name.

Stephen's Response (part 2) - Temple

The history of Israel's idolatry…

Tabernacle (Acts 7:44-47)

God gave Moses the pattern for the tabernacle of the covenant law to have with them in the wilderness. God gave the people the design of the tabernacle and that He would dwell in their midst but the people chose to worship idols instead and that resulted in exile. David ushered in a period of revival and Solomon built the Temple but ultimately ended up worshiping false deities.

Temple (Acts 7:48 - 53)

Stephen shows how the temple has become an object of worship rather than God: Worship of things rather than the Creator. Stephen calls these important leaders a stiff-necked people and accuses them of being just like their own ancestors. He tells them they resist the Holy Spirit and asks them, "Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?" And he goes on to accuse them of killing the Righteous One.

Now

Ignore the Scriptures -

Then - they took the parts of Scripture they liked and ignored the parts they didn't.
Now - this same thing continues today.

Followed self-made gods

Then - followed the gods and ideas of others rather than the Scriptures
Now - today we buy into the lies of the culture - Christians are often ignorant of what the Bible has to say.

Buildings over Mission

Then - they idolized their temple
Now - many see the Christian faith as having a nice social network when instead our mission is to lead the world to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

Miss Jesus the Messiah

Then - this testimony of Stephen was for calling the people back to God
Now - God today seeks to call us back to the knowledge of Jesus the Messiah.

Resist the Holy Spirit

Then - many resisted the Holy Spirit
Now - today many resist the Holy Spirit. God calls us to despair of doing things in our own power and to humbly receive what He offers in Jesus our Savior. He desires we listen to Him and follow Him as Abraham, Joseph, Moses, the prophets, Stephen and the Apostles followed Him.

God yearns for us to know Him

Jesus loves us desperately and in Him is hope, forgiveness, power to live a new life and life forever.

Acts 7:54-60. There are only 2 ways to respond to this message:

1 - to be angry

2 - to be repentant

How did the Sanhedrin respond to Stephen's message? They were angry, but Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looks up to heaven and sees the GLORY OF GOD and concludes his testimony with, "Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man (Jesus) standing at the right hand of God." Then they take Stephen out to stone him and his final words are: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Do not hold this sin against them."

This week's READING ASSIGNMENT:

Acts chapter 7-8 (read and reflect on these two chapters together).

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