ACTS: Loosen up your Heart, and let God come in!
We pick up the Book of Acts in Chapter seven in the middle of Stephen’s sermon. He is speaking to the High Priest, the Council, and his accusers, the men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen. Stephen continues talking about Moses.
Acts 7:20 "But God raised up Moses at this moment in our history, and his family would not let him die. 21 "When he was three months old and they could no longer keep him hidden, Pharaoh's daughter brought Moses into her home and raised him as her own son. 22 "Here Moses received a great education and became a powerful man in all he did and spoke. 23 "Near the age of forty, he decided to visit his brothers in the community. 24 "On one trip Moses noticed a brother being mistreated by an Egyptian and he killed the Egyptian. 25 "He thought this would show to his brothers that God was with Moses and through him the people would have deliverance from their affliction. But they did not see it this way. 26 "The next day he arrived to find two brothers fighting and he tried to break up the fight. "You are brothers, what makes you treat each other this way?" 27 "One of them pushed Moses and said, 'You are not our ruler and judge. 28 'Are you planning to kill me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' 29 "This caused Moses to leave, not just the community but Egypt altogether and he went to Midian and became the father of two sons.
I wonder if Moses had been thinking about God’s will and speculating about why God allowed him to live, and live in the palace. It would make sense for God to place someone strategically in the king’s presence if He desired to set the people free from this bondage. Afterall, the Pharaoh at the time could have even been his stepmother, the daughter of the Pharaoh at the time of his birth.
When he tried to assert himself into the role, he thought God was calling him into, it backfired on him. It was not God’s timing. And God had a lot more to teach the people both of Israel and the Egypt about His Greatness and Wonder. Moses was 40 years old when he first killed the Egyptian, and 80 years old before he met the LORD in the burning bush. The people had waited for these 80 years for an answer to their prayers of deliverance. What was God doing to them?
Acts 7:30 "He lived there forty years until he was visited by an angel in the midst of a burning bush out in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. 31 "He was quite surprised and as he approached the bush, the LORD spoke to him: 32 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses turned his eyes away from the bush and trembled with fear. 33 "The LORD spoke again, "Remove your sandals, you are standing on Holy Ground. 34 "I know the persecution that My people face in Egypt, I have heard their tension, and I am here to deliver them. I am sending you to Egypt for this purpose.'
Rather than God just stepping in and setting the people free, He chooses to work through a human. Seems to be His way of doing things, choosing ordinary people to carry out the work of God. And so, He calls Moses to be the spokesman with Pharaoh. Was this his stepmother, a stepbrother he grew up with, or maybe even a nephew whom he had spent time playing with in the palace.
Acts 7:35 "The same Moses they said, 'You are not our ruler and judge,' is the one the LORD sent to the people as their ruler and deliverer, with the aid of the angel in the burning bush. 36 "And Moses led our people from the land of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and for forty years as they made their way in the wilderness. 37 "This Moses, whom we revere, said to our people then, 'the LORD will bring you another prophet like me.' 38 "Moses continued to lead our people in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, and passed on to us the Law we hold onto even today. 39 "Our forefathers wanted to turn back to Egypt rather than serve the leadership of Moses. 40 "They even asked Aaron to make idols for them, saying, 'Even though Moses led us out, he is nowhere to be found.' 41 "They made the molten calf and brought sacrifices to it and were proud of what they had done. 42 "But God turned away from them, and later wrote in the book of the prophets, 'You did not offer sacrifices to me during your forty years in the wilderness.' 43 'I know that you continued to worship at the tabernacle of Moloch and to the star of Rompha. Because of that you will be removed to Babylon.' (Micah 5:25-27)
Moses taught the people in the wilderness how they should look for another prophet. But over time they lost sight of this coming sign from God and they began to reject the teaching and even God Himself. The tent of worship in the wilderness gave way to the House of God in Jerusalem. But God all along said there is no house on earth that can contain Him.
Acts 7:44 "Moses made the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness according to the plans God gave him. 45 "Our fathers brought the tabernacle into our land with Joshua after God defeated the people of Canaan. 46 "Then in the time of David, who found favor in the eyes of the LORD, he asked for permission to build a place for God to be present with His people. 47 "Solomon finally built that house. 48 "You and I know that the LORD does not dwell in houses made by men. The prophet Isaiah said: 'I dwell in heaven; the earth is where I rest my feet; how can you possibly build a house for Me? Or what could you design that would give me rest? 50 Wasn't it Me who created everything you have? (Isaiah 66 1,2)
Stephen reminds His listeners that the LORD uses the earth for His footstool, not His home. He dwells in the heavens and is the One who created everything for man to enjoy.
He now comes to the end of what he has to say. He has laid the groundwork for the people to hear what he has to say. Stephen speaks on to his accusers.
Acts 7:51 "I want to say to all of you religious leaders, I am disappointed in your hardness of heart and it seems you are set on resisting the Holy Spirit just like your fathers did in the past. 52 "Your fathers persecuted all of the prophets and killed those who were announcing the coming of the Messiah, the Righteous One. Now, you have become those who have betrayed and murdered that same Messiah. 53 "The law came to the people of Israel as ordained by angels; you received it and you did not keep the law."
It is nothing new for the leadership of Israel. You have turned away from the leading of the LORD over and over again and even killed many of the prophets that He sent teach you the right way. Now, the Messiah, whom Moses said was coming, has arrived and you put Him to death, hung Him on a cross. You did not even keep the Law that was ordained by angels and given to you to live by.
In essence, Stephen says, God has done everything you teach and I agree with you as well. My belief in Moses is the same as yours. I believe like you do that God cannot be contained in an earthly house no matter how large you choose to make it. As for the law, your fathers did not keep, nor have you. And as for sin, it is the same as it has always been, you are hearers of the word but not does as Jesus taught. (Matthew 7:24)
It is amazing how hard hearted these people are, they see the miracles, they see the face of Stephen shining in glory, and they hear the truth spoken to them, yet they cannot bring themselves to believe. The writer of the Book of Hebrews said, “We have been told by the Spirit, “Do not become hardhearted when you hear the voice of God, as the fathers did in the wilderness.” (Hebrews 3:7 EBV)
What does it take for us to become hard hearted? It happens often to each one of us when we want to rationalize away our sin and make it look like nothing happened, or when we become unwilling to listen to reason because we are sure our way or idea is best. Hard hearted Pharaoh pushed God to the limit before he let the people go and even then had to send the troops after them into the Red Sea. Hard hearted people often leave behind the good that God has given them and long for other “lands,” thinking the “other man’s grass is always greener.” Forgetting to stop and smell the roses right near one’s feet.
Hours spent with the LORD in prayer, time studying His Words, and singing His praise often opens our minds enough so we do not succumb to the hard heartedness that is so common to mankind.
The religious leaders were so set against Stephen, they drove him out of the city and threw stones at him until he was dead.
Acts 7:54 When the religious leaders heard these words, they were disturbed and agitated. 55 But Stephen was not bothered. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and said, 56 "I see Almighty God in all of His glory and Jesus, the Son of Man is standing on God's righthand." 57 The leaders began to scream out loud, put their hands over their ears, and charge together towards Stephen. 58 They drove him outside of the city and picked up stones to throw at him. Those participating in this stoning were laying their outer garments at the feet of Saul, a young up and coming leader from the school of Gamaliel. 59 While the group continued throwing stones, Stephen calls out to Jesus saying, "Lord Jesus, welcome my spirit into your presence." 60 He fell down to his knees and again loudly cried out, "Jesus, do not hold this sin against these people." These were the last words he spoke.
Some thoughts about Stephen’s message to us. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. We don’t not have to be free from sin in our lives to be used by God, just forgiven in the blood of Jesus. And this messes with the religious leaders because they want things to be about their own righteousness that they built for themselves. Yet, Stephen made it all about God.
Stephen teaches us to not look so much at the person who is speaking to us as to listen to the words God is saying through them.
Stephen reminds us to be patient. God will do His will in His time. Moses led the people out of Egypt over 80 years after they prayed for deliverance. The Messiah came to Israel over 1,000 years after Moses spoke of His coming.
Stephen shows us evidence of Jesus standing at the righthand of God the Father, alive and well, as our master and LORD.
With God, there will be change. With God on our side there will be things that don’t make sense. But with God, there will always be love and there will be an eternal future waiting for us when this life is over.
May you be blessed with the love of Jesus surrounding you in all that you do. May you feel His presence, be strengthened by His Spirit, and empowered to stand up for the good news He has given to us to share.
Pastor Edd
Pastor Edd
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