Acts 7: 51 says, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Stephen reminded the religious leaders of the continual rebellion of the nation of Israel. Now, those Stephen was talking to were stiff-necked and uncircumcised of the heart and ears. They were resisting the Holy Spirit as their ancestors did. They had become so caught up in doctrine that men had created that they would not hear what God was telling them through the Holy Spirit. Stephen was being falsely accused of blasphemy when the religious leaders were themselves guilty of it. They attributed what God had done through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to the actions of a mere man. Verse fifty-two adds, Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers. They were told they were like their fathers who had stood against the prophets in their day. They were determined to stop the influence of Jesus Christ in the world, especially their world, just ss their fathers had killed the prophets that spoke of His coming. They were the religious leaders of Israel, and nothing was going to stop their influence, not even God Himself. Sometimes today, we can become so mired in tradition or halfhearted dedication to God's word that we stand against Him. Verse fifty-four continues, Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. Stepehen said even though they had received the law by the disposition of angels, they had not kept it. We have received the fulfillment of the law by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but too many people refuse to hear about it. Verse fifty-four states, When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. Upon hearing what Stephen was saying, the religious leaders were cut to the heart and gnashed their teeth at him. Stephen had justly accused them of murdering the Just One. Verse fifty-five adds, But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, While their anger ruled them, Stephen "being full of the Holy Ghost looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." When everyone around us is filled with hate and anger, we need to look steadfastly to God. Verse fifty-six continues, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Stephen was not focused on the mob, but on Jesus Himself. If we are a dangerous situation today, as Christians we need to keep our focus on Jesus Christ. Verse fifty-seven says, Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, As Stephen saw the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, the religious leaders saw only in anger. They stopped their ears and of one accord rushed Stephen. They were all in agreement that they didn’t want to hear what Stepehen was saying, and people today are still united at times in refusing to even hear the gospel. Verse fifty-eight adds, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. They took Stephen out of the city and stoned him. They laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. I have to wonder at the impact this might have later had on Saul, who became Paul. We may never know what impact our life may have on others. Verse fifty-nine continues, And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. What would be our reaction as we were being stoned? Stephen first asked God to receive his spirit. He knew that this was not the end of life but only the beginning of his everlasting life with God. We need that same assurance in our life today. Verse sixty concludes, And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Stephen was praying for their forgiveness as he was dying. We should likewise hate evil but pray for the evil doer. After kneeling and praying, Stephen died.
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