Chapter 7 of Acts:
Stephen, one of the first deacons, shared the gospel starting with Abraham. Christianity is not a new religion; it is the fulfillment and continuation of God’s plan.
Stephen might have been okay with his speech if he did not conclude with a strong altar call in verses 51-53. You! The world is okay with us believing in Jesus, they just don’t want us to share Christ. This is why the Chaplains in our military cannot evangelize; they can only teach in their services and answer questions when asked. The world is somewhat okay with us keeping our Christ to ourselves. The only problem is God told us to share it. We are told to confront the world with their misconceptions and false beliefs. It is a burden to know the truth.
Stephen’s altar call turns into a mob that kills him. I guess all things don’t work together for good? I guess that verse was not written yet. Or maybe it means something different than we have thought. Maybe to go without and die for the gospel is a good thing some times. Maybe our bad day is a good day for God’s kingdom. Maybe that doctor’s visit is to bring the gospel to that doctor.
Note verse 58 and the young man who is named Saul. He will become a very important person that will take the gospel to the Gentiles. Today Saul curses the church and grows up to persecute the church killing Christians. In a few chapters God will captivate Saul’s heart. Right now religion captivates his mind; he is blinded by what he believes. Soon God will liberate Saul’s mind through his heart and Saul will become a voice for the church.
Be careful of the statement, “I don’t believe that”. Many are going to miss heaven because their mind has closed their heart to truth. Many have left the truth of God for a lie that they have chosen to believe. Paul who was Saul, tells us in Romans 12, to renew our mind by God’s Spirit and by God’s Word. We are allowing this to happen as we read together and as we let God’s word speak to us.
The question the Spirit keeps saying to me today is; how important is the gospel to you?
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