THURSDAY April 21, 2022

The Just One

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”
Acts 7:51-53

Stephen was a man full of the Holy Spirit who was chosen to serve the Lord. Many men tried to dispute with him, but they were unable to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke (Acts 6:10). They condemned Stephen for teaching about Jesus of Nazareth. Surely, his words were blasphemous. He taught against the customs of Moses.

Stephen was angrily seized and brought before the council. He already knew he was a dead man. He had spoken the truth of the Gospel and was met with a bad reception. He used strong, bold words in addressing the Jews. He rehearsed their history back to them––a trail of stubbornness and murder. Stephen confronted them with their past. They murdered the prophets who told them of the Messiah’s coming. They refused to accept the Messiah, the Just One, who their fathers had killed.

Strong emotions were exhibited by the Jews as he continued to speak to them––they gnashed at him with their teeth (Acts 7:54), and their hearts were hardened. The full Gospel of peace was extended to them, but they rejected the truth of God. The term uncircumcised in heart and ears was used in the Old Testament by Moses and Abraham; it referred to their unbelief. They became so violent in their rejection of Christ that they cast Stephen out of the city and stoned him.

Be careful not to resist the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. If the Holy Spirit is convicting your heart, do not fail to respond. God has extended His grace, but if you continually reject it, there may come a point in time that God will honor your decision.

But those who chose to reject God during their lifetime on earth will be separated from him for eternity. This is not God’s desire, but man’s own choice. God holds every man accountable for his rejection of Christ.
~Billy Graham~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!