S acts 7
6 God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’[b] 8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
6 God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’[b] 8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
...
51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
O - We are people who have been delivered by a promise from God, that began with Abraham. However, over the years from the promise we as a people have been through many experiences, including 400 years of slavery, release from that , a journey toward the promised land, and were given commandments to live by. Despite these promises over time our minds become distracted from God's purpose for us to live for Him, and to live like Christ. God gaves us the rules but he could not give us the hearts and character to become who He designed us to be... up until Christ came and removed the sin from that separated us from God.
A - The story here being recapped by Stephen before His stoning is a reminder that we can be given everything by God and still fall short or wander from His ways. It is only through Jesus, our salvation, and a willingness to follow the Holy Spirit he is provided that we can continue to be transformed more and more into the image of Christ.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this lesson, may it be sealed to my heart. I pray Lord that you help me in this restoration of who I am in Christ to begin once again living to honor you and become more like Christ. Starting with my wife and kids, expanding out into my workplace, and local church, and to all those you place before me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment