Stephen's death

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today we come to the end of Stephen's defense. As we've seen, the case he is building isn't to show that he is innocent but rather to show that Jesus is the Messiah. He's taken us through the history of Israel from Abraham to Moses. In yesterday's reading we saw that he started to highlight Israel's resistance to God's leadership through Moses. Today he mentions the tent of meeting in the desert and Solomon's temple, arguing that God doesn't live in the temple because all creation is God's. Of course Stephen in right when it comes to what the Bible says about the temple. Even Solomon says that God doesn't live in temples. But Stephen is on shaky ground because the accusation against him is that he said Jesus would destroy the temple and change the traditions handed down to Israel.

Then Stephen moves right into calling the leaders a stiff-necked people and repeating the accusation that for generations the leadership has persecuted and killed the prophets God sent to them. Not surprisingly, this gets the leaders upset; but the icing on the cake is when Stephen tells them he sees God's glory with Jesus standing beside the throne. So they drag him out and stone him to death. Notice the parallel to Christ's death in his prayer that God not hold this sin against the people. Also notice that the witnesses lay their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul; we'll hear much more about him later as you know. Stephen is the first martyr of the church and the story of his faith and courage still inspires us today.

Blessings on your week,
Sam

Acts 7:44-60
44“Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. 45Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time of David, 46who found favor with God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. 47But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands; as the prophet says, 49‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50Did not my hand make all these things?’

51”You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. 52Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. 53You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.”

54When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. 55But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56“Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.