GETTING STARTED
Do you ever wish you could tell your side of the story: for the real reason you were speeding; for that misunderstanding with a friend; for why you couldn’t get your work project finished by the deadline? Have you had that imaginary conversation in your head where you explain what really happened—to get the truth out, to clear the air, to help someone understand? In today’s passage, a falsely accused Spirit-led man named Stephen gets a divine invitation to do just that.
- How does it feel when you get the chance to tell your side of the story?
READ THE WORD: ACTS 7:1-8 (ESV)
7:1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
DIGGING DEEPER
- How does Stephen, a Greek-speaking, Jewish Christ-follower, appeal to this Jewish crowd (vs. 2)?
- Why do you think he addressed them in this way?
- Why do you think Stephen started his defense by sharing a history lesson about the patriarchs—surely it wasn’t new information to this Jewish audience?
- What wisdom can you draw from Stephen’s approach when trying to share Christ with people today?
RESPOND TO GOD
Stephen got to tell “his side of the story.” He had been wrongly accused of speaking against holy things that the Jews held dear. He began by recounting the shared history that Christ followers have with the Jewish faith. He was building common ground with his hearers while beginning to make his case that all of the Scriptures point to the Messiah, the Righteous One. It was a gentle beginning that would powerfully crescendo to this truth by the end of his speech—a truth that would condemn his accusers. With incredible wisdom, Stephen began to share a powerful presentation of God’s covenant faithfulness, starting with Abraham. May we, too, be ready to make a defense for the hope that is within us.
- Ask God to empower you with his Spirit to share his truth with wisdom and boldness.
