Acts 7:9-19 (NIV)
Read by: Sarina Chatman
How does your understanding of where you come from influence your relationship to God?
Today on Daily read we hear part 2 of Stephen’s telling of the story before the Jewish leaders in the Sanhedrin. If you haven’t listened to yesterday’s passage, it might be good to start there. Because remember Stephen has been accused of saying that Jesus would destroy the Temple and change the customs of Moses. Now for Jews, this was no small thing. Their whole sense of meaning and identity was wrapped up in the writings of Moses and the life of the Temple. And when Stephen is challenged on it, he goes back to the beginning to try to get them to see that Jesus is the place where the story was headed all along.
In today’s section of that very long story, Stephen recounts a pretty familiar part of the narrative. It’s the story of Jospeh being sold into slavery and how God’s people ended up in Egypt prior to the time of Moses and the Exodus. For Stephen, who is being given wisdom from the Holy Spirit, there is something significant to the leaders knowing where they come from when it comes to them understanding who Jesus is. Perhaps the same is true for us?
----------REFLECT----------
1. What parts of this story sounded familiar? What Images came to mind?
2. There is something significant about this story in particular, because it’s a reminder to any Jew in the time of the book of acts, of having been first enslaved by a foreign people. And these leaders didn’t have to look far to be aware of the Roman occupation at the time. What do you imagine this group feeling as they were reminded of this story?
3. Are there stories in your life, or in the life of your family that give shape and meaning to your relationship to Jesus? Are there stories of faithfulness or suffering that have marked your family or community’s life with God? Bring those to the LORD in gratitude and or contemplation.
Spirit of the living God, help us to discover your Story and find our place in it.
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Bible Project: Acts 1-12 Overview >>
InterVarsity Press Selections: Acts >>
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