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Welcome to everyone reading through the New Testament in 2007. Each day, there will be a new post for the day's reading. You are invited to share your thoughts about what you've read, by adding comments to that post.

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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Roots. Acts 7.

Stephen's response to the accusations that he blasphemed Moses and God, was to tell the history of the Hebrew people, from God's choosing Abraham, up to the present moment. In doing so, he placed Jesus, not in opposition to all that had preceded, but as the culmination of all that had preceded. Jesus coming, His message, and His sacrifice were rooted in God's choice of the Hebrew people to bring His Word, both written and living, to humanity. Contrary to the accusation, Stephen's proclamation of Jesus honors both Moses and God. And that left the council, the ones who rejected Jesus, as the real blasphemers.

Our roots as Christians include the history narrated by Stephen. They include the history of the church from Acts forward. But what about our more recent history? How did you and I end up as followers of Jesus? Do we know the story for a generation or so? Most importantly, as a witness, can we tell about the most recent part of the story?
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Anonymous said...

Hi,this is Faith. Reading through Acts Chapter 7 today I was struck by a couple of things: 1) Stephen relates that God promised Abraham that his decedents would possess the land -- after 400 years of being enslaved and mistreated in a country not their own. I wonder if Jacob thought about that promise as he took his clan to a country not their own. would the story have been different if the descendents of Jacob -after the famine was old history- decided not to stay in Egypt (and be enslaved). Or perhaps the abundance they lived with under Joseph would have made the thought of leaving ridiculous? 2) Stephen shows how stubborn and rebellious the Israelites were all through their history before he tells the listeners that they are just like their ancestors. What an effective sermon- the listeners were definitely moved by what he said. (okay, it wasn't positive - stoning) Wonder what Paul thought of Stephen's sermon after his conversion. Wonder if the way Stephen responded to the accusations and later the stoning helped to give Paul courage when he faced opposition (and stoning, twice)

2:15 PM

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