The Way - Day 031 (Acts 7)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Acts 7:1-60
In Acts 7 Stephen was left standing before the religious council. He had been falsely accused of blasphemy against Moses and God (6:14); however, Stephen kept his composure because he believed with all his heart that Jesus Christ was the One sent from God to save mankind from sin. The leaders and rulers of the synagogue did not like the message of Jesus Christ being spread Stephen and the apostles so they were looking for ways to eliminate them (5:33). As Stephen faced this council, they inquired of him whether his blasphemy of God and Moses was true. Instead of answering the question of the council, Stephen's lengthy response detailed the story of Abraham (7:2-8a), the twelve patriarchs (7:8b-16), and Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage (7:17-36). As Stephen concluded the story of Moses he said to the council, "This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.'" Stephen is quoting from Deuteronomy 18:15 and is declaring that the Messiah (Deliverer) spoken of by Moses in the Old Testament is Jesus Christ. Of course this would have been scandalous to the council who did not believe Jesus Christ was the Messiah.

Stephen continues to indict Israel as they had, throughout history, rejected God's prophets and messengers of truth including Moses (7:38-50). This would have greatly angered the council but Stephen continues to speak, "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it" (7:51-53). Ultimately, Stephen was exposing the fact that they had always rejected those whom God sent to testify of Him and the implication is that they had done the same with Jesus Christ, God's Son.
 
When the council heard what Stephen was saying "they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth" (7:54). Their response to his words indicated an evil heart of unbelief toward Jesus Christ, but their reaction did not seem to faze Stephen. Luke writes that "he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!'" His words caused more anger from the council so they "cast him out of the city and stoned him...as he was calling on God saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit...Lord, do not charge them with this sin.' And when he said this, he fell asleep [died]" (7:57-60). Stephen became the first recorded martyr of the early church. It was Tertullian (AD160–225) who said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." Many in the early church were willing to give their lives (even unto death) for Jesus Christ, so why can't we (who don't have to fear death) live our lives for Him?

Dear God, protect me from mediocrity and apathy. Help me to do my part in spreading the truth about Jesus Christ no matter the consequence.