Stephen preaches one of the most accurate and concise overviews of Hebrew history ever recorded. In it he does not diminish the law and in fact honors the role of Moses in their history, and yet these are the two things the people are holding against him.
The truth is that what engaged them in this sermon was when they are called out as stiff-necked people and uncircumcised in heart and ears. If any thing he is upholding the law and showing them how they had failed to keep it. (Vs 53). Then in their response they reveal that the accusation they hated so much was spot on, so proud of themselves and so stiff-necked that they killed him for calling attention to their character flaws. And yet in a fashion that we should be getting use to, God glorifies his truth even through death and chooses the one holding the coats of the stoner's as the next evangelist to rise up and fill Stephen`s place. So whether it be Candace Cameron speaking up about her biblical values as a wife or Natalie Grant walking out of a godless Grammy awards night be assured that as Christ-followers, we will be hated. Stephen is an example to us today that truth, morals, and biblical values will be misinterpreted and misunderstood. Haters will get offended and will go to unusual means to shut the mouths of those that live out the truth. Its really an age old story.
And so it is time and again, Satan tries to use death to bring an end, and over and over again God uses it as a beginning and to expand the Kingdom. And over and over again history haters are shown that the best, that is ahead, can only be found by looking back.
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