Jesus Calls UsThe Birth of the Church
The Baptized Ethiopian
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5Acts 7:48-8:2 The Voice48 Yet we all know the Most High God doesn’t actually dwell in structures made by human hands, as the prophet Isaiah said, 49 “Since My throne is heaven
and since My footstool is earth—
What kind of structure can you build to contain Me?
What man-made space could provide Me a resting place?” asks the Eternal One.
50 “Didn’t I make all things with My own hand?”[a] Stephen: 51 You stubborn, stiff-necked people! Sure, you are physically Jews, but you are no different from outsiders in your hearts and ears! You are just like your ancestors, constantly fighting against the Holy Spirit. 52 Didn’t your ancestors persecute the prophets? First, they killed those prophets who predicted the coming of the Just One; and now, you have betrayed and murdered the Just One Himself! 53 Yes, you received the law as given by heavenly messengers, but you haven’t kept the law which you received. 54 Upon hearing this, his audience could contain themselves no longer. They boiled in fury at Stephen; they clenched their jaws and ground their teeth. 55 But Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. Gazing upward into heaven, he saw something they couldn’t see: the glory of God, and Jesus standing at His right hand. Stephen: 56 Look, I see the heavens opening! I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! 57 At this, they covered their ears and started shouting. The whole crowd rushed at Stephen, converged on him, 58 dragged him out of the city, and stoned him. They laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul, 59 while they were pelting Stephen with rocks. Stephen (as rocks fell upon him): Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 Then he knelt in prayer, shouting at the top of his lungs, Stephen: Lord, do not hold this evil against them! Those were his final words; then he fell asleep in death. 8 1-2 Some devout men buried Stephen and mourned his passing with loud cries of grief. But Saul, this young man who seemed to be supervising the whole violent event, was pleased by Stephen’s death. That very day, the whole church in Jerusalem began experiencing severe persecution. All of the followers of Jesus—except for the emissaries[b] themselves—fled to the countryside of Judea and Samaria.
For Reflection
As Stephen recounts how God has worked with the Jews in spite of their faltering fidelity, his speech up to this point sounds like any good synagogue sermon. In the stories of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, he narrates the history of God’s work of salvation among the Jewish people in the midst of their repeated struggle with unfaithfulness and idolatry. However, it is one thing for his audience to agree that idolatry was a problem in the past and another when they are charged with the accusation of the same idolatry in the present. According to Stephen, those who reject Jesus are following the same path as the people who rejected Moses to follow idols. Such a strong message strikes a nerve, and Stephen becomes the first martyr of the church because of it. Stephen’s sermon weaves together the story of the Jews and the life of Jesus. The point of the message is that God pursues His children despite their constant failure. The crucifixion of Jesus is the greatest of all of these failures. Stephen affirms that through circumcision, they have made themselves look like Jews, but their hearts and ears need circumcising as well. Of course, telling the Jewish leaders to get their hearts and ears circumcised elicits a rather violent response. Stephen speaks the truth so that all might hear, including a man named Saul.
Pray
Thank God for the example of Steven, who loved so recklessly because he hadn't trusted himself to Jesus. Pray for a new beginning. Pray that each new day brings an opportunity to witness the restoration that occurs each day in your life.
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