"This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him...." (Acts 7:38a)
"The Angel who spoke to him," here is our Lord Jesus Christ. Too many times when the Bible uses the word, "angel," people see wings and created creatures; not so. The word means, "messenger." In the Bible the phrase, "the Angel of the Lord," it is a reference to Jesus, "The Messenger," or, "The Word of God." We can say that Jesus is the "Mind" of God, revealed as, "The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us," or, "Immanuel, God with us." We can say, "[Jesus] was in the congregation (church) in the wilderness...." We can also say that if those who were about to kill Stephen had known Him Who, "....was in the congregation in the wilderness," they would have "joined the Church."
Stephen's long apologetic was a reminder of the Lord God's faithfulness to Israel over its long history. He rehearsed to them the reason the Sanhedrin should believe in Jesus. Jesus was the "Promised One." All that the Living Triune God did in the days of "the fathers" was pointing and moving towards the fulfillment of the Old Covenant in the New Covenant, "which was established on better promises--- a new and living way" (Hebrews).
People today who do not know the "history of God," aka, the Bible, cannot submit themselves to Jesus. Life and/or God's dealings just makes no sense to them. "Why does God do things this way," or, "Couldn't God just," or, "How can you believe in a God Who............" Stephen was operating on the premise that the leaders of the Jews knew the Bible. Those leaders certainly thought they did when they were killing Stephen. And then there was, "Saul of Tarsus," who stood by while Stephen was murdered by people who, again, thought they knew the Bible. Saul would continue for some time in the same deception, that is, until he met Jesus on the road.
Knowing the Bible does not mean that we can quote long passages or are a walking concordance. Knowing the Bible means living a life of obedience to Jesus Christ, a life which recognizes and supports other Followers of Jesus, a life based upon and in, "The Words of God."
Father, in Jesus' Name, may I always recognize and support all "Stephens." Amen.
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October 28-November 15
"The Angel who spoke to him," here is our Lord Jesus Christ. Too many times when the Bible uses the word, "angel," people see wings and created creatures; not so. The word means, "messenger." In the Bible the phrase, "the Angel of the Lord," it is a reference to Jesus, "The Messenger," or, "The Word of God." We can say that Jesus is the "Mind" of God, revealed as, "The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us," or, "Immanuel, God with us." We can say, "[Jesus] was in the congregation (church) in the wilderness...." We can also say that if those who were about to kill Stephen had known Him Who, "....was in the congregation in the wilderness," they would have "joined the Church."
Stephen's long apologetic was a reminder of the Lord God's faithfulness to Israel over its long history. He rehearsed to them the reason the Sanhedrin should believe in Jesus. Jesus was the "Promised One." All that the Living Triune God did in the days of "the fathers" was pointing and moving towards the fulfillment of the Old Covenant in the New Covenant, "which was established on better promises--- a new and living way" (Hebrews).
People today who do not know the "history of God," aka, the Bible, cannot submit themselves to Jesus. Life and/or God's dealings just makes no sense to them. "Why does God do things this way," or, "Couldn't God just," or, "How can you believe in a God Who............" Stephen was operating on the premise that the leaders of the Jews knew the Bible. Those leaders certainly thought they did when they were killing Stephen. And then there was, "Saul of Tarsus," who stood by while Stephen was murdered by people who, again, thought they knew the Bible. Saul would continue for some time in the same deception, that is, until he met Jesus on the road.
Knowing the Bible does not mean that we can quote long passages or are a walking concordance. Knowing the Bible means living a life of obedience to Jesus Christ, a life which recognizes and supports other Followers of Jesus, a life based upon and in, "The Words of God."
Father, in Jesus' Name, may I always recognize and support all "Stephens." Amen.
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October 28-November 15
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
