Good morning,
Stephen was a mighty man of God. He was faithful and never backed down in the face of opposition. He died proclaiming God’s word.
Who was Stephen? Who opposed him? What was Stephen’s message? What was the response to Stephen’s message?
Stephen, the High Priest, and the Rebellious
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. (Acts 7:51)
STEPHEN’S DEFENSE The history of Israel (Acts 7:1-53)
Then said the high priest, Are these things so? v1
Abraham (2-7)
a) Family history v 2-4
2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
b) Inheritance v 5
5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
c) Bondage v 6-7
6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
Covenant of circumcision v 8
8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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