Acts #20 - Tell The Story (5/5)

Acts 7:44-53 (NIV)

Have you ever focused so much on the container of a thing that you’ve missed the thing itself?

The words in today’s passage are the words that get Stephen killed. In the wisdom of the Spirit he tells the Jewish leaders responsible for the Law and the Temple, that they are stiff-necked, spirit resisting murderers. You never know where the Spirit might lead you… but here he is, trying to tell these leaders that they have been so focused on the Law and the Temple that they’ve missed the point and big time.

Before we point the finger we’ve got to realize that we do this too. On family vacations we get focused on the activities and the travel and we forget to enjoy our family. At our holiday parties we worry so much about the food and the house and the guest list that we forget why we’re gathering in the first place. At Church we get so caught up in the style of music, the clothes that folks are wearing, or how long the pastor speaks that we fail to revere God. And even in our daily times with Jesus, we get so fixated on consistency, or time spent, or having deep moments, or getting in just the perfect spot that we forget about the one who we are there to worship.

Maybe Stephen wouldn’t charge us with having murdered Jesus… but he may very well call us out for not paying attention to his life in us.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What stood out to you in this passage?

2. When you think about the leaders, who’s life's work was to see to the Temple and all its functions, and to preserve the Law of Moses, teaching it and enforcing it, what do you imagine this accusation from the Spirit through Stephen would have meant. Why is it that they were so fixed on the Temple?

3. What are the things in your life that are good, but have your attention so much so that you have missed the point. You small group? Your Chapter Ministry? Your wo rship team? Your devotions? Your relationships with others?
Bring these things before the LORD and ask him for fresh eyes.

----------GO DEEPER----------

Bible Project: Acts 1-12 Overview >>

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