Stephen, the first deacon, was accused by Jerusalem’s religious leaders of supporting Jesus and changing Moses’ teachings. In response, Stephen retold the history of Israel, showing how often the people failed to follow God and the leaders they claimed to honor, such as Moses.
“It was this Moses whom they rejected when they said, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ and whom God now sent as both ruler and liberator through the angel who appeared to him in the bush” (Acts 7:35).
The people rejected Moses in two ways. First, when he went up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, they became afraid and made a golden calf for themselves. Second, Moses predicted that a prophet would arise. Jesus was clearly a prophet, priest, and king, yet they rejected him as well (see Acts 7:36-41).
Returning to the Old Ways
The Hebrews may have been slaves during their time in Egypt, but they had food and some sense of security. Even in oppression, they lived within a limited space of safety. When Moses went up the mountain, they lost that feeling of security. Instead of waiting for God, they returned to their old ways.
When we leave behind a life of slavery to sin and begin walking in God’s freedom, things change. Sometimes those changes make us feel insecure and vulnerable. At that point, we may be tempted to return to our old way of life. It may have been miserable, but it was familiar. We knew what to expect.
Religious Pride Confronted
After quoting many Old Testament passages to show that his accusers were guilty of the very things they claimed about him, Stephen turned their attention to their own guilt.
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which 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. You are the ones who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it” (Acts 7:51-53).
One of the most harmful things to the Christian faith is religious pride. When Stephen confronted his accusers, he exposed their pride, and his words should challenge us too.
We should look at our own lives, put down the spiritual umbrella that makes this message seem meant for everyone else, and ask: How are we stubborn and hard-hearted when God speaks to us? How do we resist the Holy Spirit like people in the past?
Let’s move beyond seeing this passage as only a history lesson and let it become a spiritual experience for us. Let’s ask how we may be like the bad guys in the story and where God is calling us to repent and return to him, fully trusting in the work of his Son, Jesus Christ.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 7:35-60 on YouTube today.
