Acts 7
April Memory Verse: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 NIV
Read: Acts 7
Acts 7 is a tragic, saddening, God glorifying account of the death of Stephen. He was a man of God. He stood for truth and the people did not like that. Because of his stand for Jesus he was seized and put into prison (Acts 6:8-15) and now we get to hear his defense.
He did not choose to defend HIMSELF - He chose to defend JESUS. They had misunderstood history. They had rejected those God had sent. They had MISSED THE POINT. Stephen showed them this by recounting history.
He showed them this through:
• Abraham (v.2-8)
• Joseph (v.9-16)
• Moses (v.17-43)
• The True Temple (v.44-50)
This must have made them very upset. This was THEIR history and someone was telling them, very clearly, that they had missed the point. Stephen used the things they looked to the most to defend Jesus.
This brings up a very scary question… “How were they in such close proximity to these events and miss the truth? Are we able to do the same?”
They show us something very important… SELF SUFFICIENT HEARTS ARE BLIND TO THE TRUTH.
Look how Stephen described them:
1. Stiff Necked (v.51)
This means STUBBORN. You know those people, right? Sometimes we are those people. People who only want, see, desire things OUR WAY. We use this to justify things. We use this to overlook things. How are we stiff necked to the truth of God?
2. Uncircumcised In Heart and Ears (v.51)
This means that they were still DEAD IN THEIR SIN. They were not new in Jesus because they had chosen their way over His way. Circumcision was one of the chief things for the Jewish people. To call them uncircumcised, though true, was a great insult. How do we still live with the heart, ears, and minds of those who don’t know Jesus?
3. Resisting the Holy Spirit (v.51)
There is only one reason you resist God: You think you know more and that you don’t need Him. They did this. We do this. How do we still resist the Holy Spirit?
Because of this heart they, as a people, killed prophet after prophet and now they killed the Son of God. They lived out Luke 20:9-18. They knew exactly what he was saying. Stephen knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that this would result in his death but he chose to defend Jesus over himself anyways.
He suffered well. He glorified God. No doubt followers of Jesus were encouraged. No doubt this affected unbelievers like Saul (Acts 8:1 → Acts 9). No doubt watching someone suffer for God like this was the only apologetic that someone needed.
What steps can we take to avoid having a heart like the Jewish people that we see in verse 51?
How have you been encouraged by watching someone suffer well for Jesus around you?
What does suffering well look like?
By: Nick Parsons
Read: Acts 7
Acts 7 is a tragic, saddening, God glorifying account of the death of Stephen. He was a man of God. He stood for truth and the people did not like that. Because of his stand for Jesus he was seized and put into prison (Acts 6:8-15) and now we get to hear his defense.
He did not choose to defend HIMSELF - He chose to defend JESUS. They had misunderstood history. They had rejected those God had sent. They had MISSED THE POINT. Stephen showed them this by recounting history.
He showed them this through:
• Abraham (v.2-8)
• Joseph (v.9-16)
• Moses (v.17-43)
• The True Temple (v.44-50)
This must have made them very upset. This was THEIR history and someone was telling them, very clearly, that they had missed the point. Stephen used the things they looked to the most to defend Jesus.
This brings up a very scary question… “How were they in such close proximity to these events and miss the truth? Are we able to do the same?”
They show us something very important… SELF SUFFICIENT HEARTS ARE BLIND TO THE TRUTH.
Look how Stephen described them:
1. Stiff Necked (v.51)
This means STUBBORN. You know those people, right? Sometimes we are those people. People who only want, see, desire things OUR WAY. We use this to justify things. We use this to overlook things. How are we stiff necked to the truth of God?
2. Uncircumcised In Heart and Ears (v.51)
This means that they were still DEAD IN THEIR SIN. They were not new in Jesus because they had chosen their way over His way. Circumcision was one of the chief things for the Jewish people. To call them uncircumcised, though true, was a great insult. How do we still live with the heart, ears, and minds of those who don’t know Jesus?
3. Resisting the Holy Spirit (v.51)
There is only one reason you resist God: You think you know more and that you don’t need Him. They did this. We do this. How do we still resist the Holy Spirit?
Because of this heart they, as a people, killed prophet after prophet and now they killed the Son of God. They lived out Luke 20:9-18. They knew exactly what he was saying. Stephen knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that this would result in his death but he chose to defend Jesus over himself anyways.
He suffered well. He glorified God. No doubt followers of Jesus were encouraged. No doubt this affected unbelievers like Saul (Acts 8:1 → Acts 9). No doubt watching someone suffer for God like this was the only apologetic that someone needed.
What steps can we take to avoid having a heart like the Jewish people that we see in verse 51?
How have you been encouraged by watching someone suffer well for Jesus around you?
What does suffering well look like?
By: Nick Parsons
7 Comments
Great commentary! Good questions to ponder today Nick. So what does suffering well look like? Keeping Jesus at the forefront and glorifying Him regardless of the consequences to our personhood. I doubt many Americans have faced death or serious persecution for proclaiming Jesus. However this happens all over the world every day. (read Voice of The Martyrs website). I believe the day is coming sooner than many think when persecution comes to America. Our culture is rapidly turning in a secular direction and away from Biblical truth. I pray American Christians suffer well when our turn comes. Historically, the church grows as persecution increases.
Thanks Mike!
Great question - in what way am I like this? I’m going to pray through this today. Thanks Nick.
In Charles Stanley’s book “the spirit filled life” he speaks to the fact that the spirit filled life begins once we are absolutely and throughly convinced that we can do nothing apart from the indwelling strength of the Holy Spirit. Total dependence and total surrender!
Thanks Joey!
Very convicting passage. I find myself fearful when I consider persecution because I’m thinking only of myself. This was/is a lot to think about and a great example of suffering well for Jesus.
Thanks Rachel! We love and miss you all!