Saturday, August 2, 2014

Centered Upon

DEVOTION
THE BOOK OF ACTS
CENTERED UPON

Acts 7:51-56

51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers 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 put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it." 54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
NIV


Stephen finally gets to his charge against those of the Sanhedrin, calling them stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears. We have heard this teaching before, well actually later from the Apostle Paul, who by the way was there, when his name was Saul, at the stoning of Stephen. The teaching of having value of circumcision of the heart rather than of the flesh. It is obvious the since Stephen was before the time of Paul’s teaching, that this is from the influence of the Holy Spirit. Those of the Sanhedrin were so wrapped up in the letter of the law, they could not experience the spirit of the law, for they only considered circumcision of the flesh, but their hearts were cold, unyielding to the grace of God. To be told that you always resist the Holy Spirit was more than they could stand, and their response was one of humankind rather than one of Godly men. They became furious and gnashed their teeth at him, and at this we see what Stephen’s response was to their behavior. Certainly we can see the difference between being religious and being Spirit filled. Religious is something which is part of a person’s life, Spirit filled is a person’s life. Religious  is strictly an outward presentation while Spirit filled is an inward experience, which becomes evident in outward behavior. Certainly Stephen was not a perfect man, as were those of the Sanhedrin, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  We cannot afford to lift him upon a pedestal, although he was a man full of faith, and of the Spirit, full of the grace of God, full of the power of God and full of wisdom. Yet there is a distinct difference between Stephen and those of the Sanhedrin. They were unwilling to hear from God, while Stephen was not only willing to hear from God but to act on that which he heard. This has to be our life lesson. We have to admit our imperfection as humans but at the same time we cannot afford to close our hearts to God. He does not expect perfection, that is only possible for him, but he does expect us to be open to his voice, to have our hearts open, exposed to his influence, circumcised. When people become furious or gnash their teeth at us, our response should be like Stephens. Those of the Sanhedrin when exposed to the truth about their lives, responded in anger even rage, but Stephen only could see God. Their response was due to having a life centered upon themselves, while Stephen’s life was centered upon God. What is our center? What is the focus of our life? 

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