A questionable defence
by Pastor Tim Castle-Schmidt
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
His descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and mistreat them during four hundred years (Acts 7:6).
Thus begins Stephen’s defence of the accusation that he is a Jesus-follower and that he is undermining the power of the synagogue. Stephen goes on to recount the history of Israel, God’s choosing of Abraham, and the repeated failure of the people of Israel to live up to God’s requirements.
To recount the failures of your ancestors is a pretty questionable way to try to influence your accusers. But I suspect that Stephen wasn’t too interested in his own defence; he was most interested in the last few words of his preamble: ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place’.
Stephen goes on to argue that in Jesus, in his life, death and resurrection, he has become the place where people can worship the Father. Despite their loss of the Promised Land, despite our loss of some freedom during this pandemic, we need not fear nor even try to defend ourselves before others, as we can be assured that, like Abraham, God has chosen us. Even though we may not be able to (yet) see our inheritance, it is in God’s nail-pierced hands.
Lord Jesus, even when we can’t see far enough ahead to know where we are going, grant us the faith to trust that in your nail-pierced hands is the promise that we, too, can worship the Father in you. Amen.
- Click here to read previous devotions.
- We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
- Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.
