Stephen's trial, part 2

Good morning everyone,
This morning Stephen continues recounting the story of Israel to explain what God is doing now in Jesus. Here he tells the story of how Jacob's family went from resident aliens in favor with the King of Egypt to a nation oppressed in slavery. Then he tells about Moses' birth and eventual calling to lead Israel out of slavery.

In this passage it's only mentioned in passing, in tomorrow's passage and even more in Monday's passage Stephen will emphasize how the people of Israel resisted Moses' ministry and God's leading. This is to set the stage to discuss how the leadership rejected the prophets as well and how they turned away from the covenant with God. Stephen wants to show that the crucifixion of Jesus fits into this longstanding pattern of rejecting messengers sent from God. It's not an argument calculated to make the religious leaders happy, but instead to call them to repentance. May we hear God's call to repent from whatever holds us back,
Sam

Acts 7:17-34

17“But as the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased and multiplied 18until another king who had not known Joseph ruled over Egypt. 19He dealt craftily with our race and forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so that they would die. 20At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful before God. For three months he was brought up in his father’s house; 21and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds.

23“When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his relatives, the Israelites. 24When he saw one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25He supposed that his kinsfolk would understand that God through him was rescuing them, but they did not understand. 26The next day he came to some of them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong each other?’ 27But the man who was wronging his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29When he heard this, Moses fled and became a resident alien in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons.

30“Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. 31When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look. 33Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.’