Acts 7:51-53 (ESV)
“You stiff-necked people, 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 announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
Stephen is speaking the above verses. He is not an apostle but was chosen by the apostles to serve in the brand new church start up ministry. He was chosen to wait on the tables of the widows. But, while doing so, he began to grow in his faith and in his influence in the church community and the Jewish community. Notice what the Holy Spirit says about him right after he began to wait on tables:
Acts 6:8 (ESV)
Stephen Is Seized
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.
He was not chosen by the Apostles to do these “great wonders and signs among the people.” But, apparently God chose him to do so. However, as he was doing all these things the Jewish religious leaders ceased him and brought them before the people to stop his words and works. After giving a long dissertation on the history of the Jewish nation, Stephen comes to the above lines in his sermon. After showing how much the Jewish nation has resisted God’s message, his point is to show these Pharisees that their rejection of Christ followed a long line of resisting the leaders and rulers God sent over them. This is what the natural man does. They resist the authority and messengers of God.
It is amazing in our country today how many Christians are shocked by what goes on in our country. Yet, the natural man is going to do what the natural man does. They reject God’s word. This is what is so confusing about what is happening in our schools. Our schools are a place where the natural man can teach their thoughts to younger people. Believers, for some odd reason, are shocked that the natural man (in a system designed to teach the natural man’s philosophy) would dare teach natural man’s version of the truth. This is what Stephen is up against. God sends messengers of truth. But, the natural man (no matter their ethnic heritage) will reject truth. Stephen points this out in his day and losses his life. They will, as a result of him standing up to their rejection of truth, be stoned to death.
Today we think if we stand up to the untruth of the world’s system we should be honored. Don’t be surprised that the world hates us for standing up to their lies and telling them the truth of God, as His messenger. They rejected Moses and the prophets. They will reject you and I as well. Don’t let that surprise you:
1 Peter 4:12 (ESV)
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
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