Acts 7
February 14, 2022
“At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.” (v 57-58)
Stephen’s preaching the truth about their sin (v51-52) and the Lordship of Jesus (v56) is what leads to this hostile response. After all, it’s one thing for Stephen to talk generally about their religious heritage (v2-50). The crowd listens to that. But it’s another thing for Stephen to personalize the gospel:
“YOU stiff-necked people” (v51a)
“YOU always resist the Holy Spirit” (v51b)
“YOU have betrayed and murdered Him” (v52)
Lord, I praise You for the courage You give Your servants to proclaim the truth of our sin and Your Lordship. Give me this kind of boldness - not just when I’m preaching on Sunday mornings, but whenever You open up doors of opportunity for me to talk about You with others. And on those occasions when it’s met with anger and resistance-may I respond like Stephen - keeping my eyes fixed on You (v56).
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
