November 18: Acts 7-8

November 18, Acts 7-8

Acts Continued… 

Acts 7 This has to be one of the greatest summaries of the Old Testament in the New Testament! Bakers Commentary sums it up great... “Standing in front of the Sanhedrin, Stephen begins his speech by politely addressing the members of the court. He continues by reciting Israel’s history and mentions Abraham. The patriarch was called by God out of Mesopotamia and settled in Canaan, but he did not own a foot of ground. God told him that his descendants would be slaves for four hundred years and afterward leave for Canaan to worship God there. God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.

Joseph was sold as a slave in Egypt, but later became ruler of that nation. During a famine, Jacob and his family went to Egypt. Although he died in Egypt, he was buried in Canaan. His descendants continued to increase in number and received cruel treatment. They were forced to abandon their newborn babies. Moses was born and placed outdoors, where Pharaoh’s daughter found him. Moses was educated at Pharaoh’s court, visited fellow Israelites, killed an Egyptian, and fled to Midian.

After Moses spent forty years in Midian, God called him from the flames of a burning bush. God sent him to Egypt to deliver his people from oppression. Performing miracles, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and into the desert. Moses testified of the Christ, who would come as a prophet. While Moses received the law at Mount Sinai, the Israelites made an idol in the form of a golden calf and worshiped it. God told Moses to construct the tabernacle according to the pattern God had shown him. The tabernacle remained with the Israelites until Solomon built the temple.

Stephen reproves the members of the Sanhedrin for being obdurate by resisting the Holy Spirit. He reminds them of Israel’s infamous history of persecuting and even killing the prophets and tells them that they are like their forefathers. The Jews become furious, hear Stephen say that he sees Jesus standing in heaven next to God, drag him outside the city, and begin to throw stones at him. In his dying moments, Stephen asks Jesus to receive his spirit and to forgive his enemies.” Jesus had Steven's whole heart. He was willing to die for Jesus and He did. He did not shy away from the opportunity to confess the real Truths of Christ. 

Acts 8 Saul, who will later learn much from, was the one approving the Executions of the Christians. He ravaged houses & pulled out men and women and imprisoned or had them killed if they confessed Jesus as Savior. Bakers Commentary, “The church in Jerusalem endures a great persecution and consequently the believers are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Devout men bury Stephen and mourn for him, but Saul tries to destroy the church. Philip preaches Christ in Samaria and performs many healing miracles.

Simon the sorcerer had gained the reputation among the Samaritan people that he was the power of God, the power that is called great. The people listen to Philip preach the Good News; they believe and are baptized. Simon also believes and is baptized.

The church in Jerusalem hears about the believers in Samaria and sends Peter and John to pray for them. The apostles place their hands on the Samaritan believers, who then receive the Holy Spirit. Simon offers money to the apostles in an attempt to buy the gift of the Spirit. Peter rebukes him and tells him to repent.

An angel of the Lord instructs Philip to travel along the desert road toward Gaza, where Philip meets an Ethiopian eunuch sitting in his carriage and reading a messianic passage from the prophecy of Isaiah. Philip asks the man if he understands what he is reading. The Ethiopian requests help and Philip interprets the passage for him, telling him the good news about Jesus. The eunuch notices some water, stops the carriage, and is baptized. Philip is snatched away, appears in Azotus, and preaches the gospel in coastal towns until he comes to Caesarea.”
We can't miss some things here. We must be obedient. God has a Sovereign design and plan and we are part of that.
We must have humble confidence in Jesus Christ & the Holy Spirit's leading. We also must know our Word and our God if we are going to talk about Him. Yes, God will give us the words to say, but let's have His Word so deep in our hearts that they literally permeate our entire beings and God's Word & Love flows out of us. 

To sum it all up: 

• Never pass up 'divine opportunities' - these are from God for His people. I pray everyday, literally, for divine opps. I want to be used by God. This also makes my heart open and I am trying to walk in the Spirit and be obedient. 
• Like Phillip, I want to run when God says go.