Acts 7: A look within

After Stephen was brought to the council in chapter 6, he found himself being questioned in chapter 7 as to the things he was saying. He was asked if the accusations of blasphemy were true. Stephen gave a clear summary of his God, and his preaching. He stood for his God in the face of whatever punishments would come. When he finished his history of his forefathers and of God, he stated this in verses 51-58:

"You stubborn and stiff-necked people, still heathen and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit… Which of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? And they slew those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, Whom you now have betrayed and murdered-- You who received the Law… and [yet] you did not obey it!"

When the Jews heard him say these truths, they were angry at Stephen. Stephen knew the punishment to come was death, and he looked to Heaven to see Jesus at the right hang of the Father. The people stoned Stephen to death for his preaching. 

People often do not like to hear the things they are doing wrong, and it is not our place to judge them. We should, however, show people the things they are doing wrong (in a loving and kind way certainly) so they know to work on those things. These Jews obviously did not take kindly to Stephen's word concerning them, and so they perpetrated against him. Stephen did nothing wrong and was punished for it. Speaking God's Word is a dangerous thing, and it is not to be taken lightly. Taking action on the Gospel is a responsibility to be held sacred and we should teach and inform others as well as acting on it ourselves. We cannot point out the splinter in another's eye while we have a plank in our own. We should honestly and continually apply God's commands in our lives and find ourselves accountable with others who care for us. We should have others in our lives who we trust to lovingly tell us the things we are doing wrong so that we can correct those things and grow closer to God each day.

Honestly,

Lance P.