Description: Prejudice can build walls that seem impossible to tear down. In this devotional, we join the Apostle Peter on a rooftop in Joppa as God uses a strange and powerful vision to shatter his deeply held biases and prepare him to take the Gospel to an unexpected place. It’s a lesson in letting God define what is clean and who is worthy.

Scripture: Acts 10:9-16

Explanation: In this pivotal moment, God directly confronts Peter’s lifelong beliefs. As a devout Jew, Peter adhered strictly to the kosher laws outlined in the Old Testament, which forbade eating certain animals deemed 'unclean.' These laws were not merely dietary; they were a core part of Jewish identity, creating a distinct separation from the Gentile nations. So when the voice from heaven commands him to eat from a sheet filled with unclean animals, his response is instantaneous: 'Not so, Lord.' It was unthinkable. But God's reply is revolutionary: 'What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.' This vision was repeated three times for emphasis. The Lord was not simply changing the menu; He was changing the mission. This was a divine object lesson to prepare Peter for the visitors who were about to arrive. God was teaching him that the barriers between Jew and Gentile were being demolished in Christ. The Gospel was to go to all people, and Peter could no longer consider any person 'common or unclean.'

Parable: Let me tell you about Pastor John Miller. He pastored a small, traditional Baptist church in rural Georgia, a church his grandfather had founded. They were good, loving people, but their congregation was as white as the building's clapboard siding. A new chicken processing plant had opened nearby, bringing in many Hispanic families. John prayed for them, of course, but he held an unexamined belief that they were 'just too different' to ever fit in at his church. Their music was different, their food was different, their culture was different. One Saturday, while wrestling with a sermon on the Great Commission, he felt a wave of exhaustion and dozed off in his study. He dreamed he was at the annual church potluck, but the tables were laden with strange, unfamiliar dishes he couldn't even name. A warm, authoritative voice spoke in his dream, 'John, I have blessed this food. Eat.' He recoiled in his dream, thinking, 'But Lord, this isn’t our food. This isn’t what we eat here.' The voice replied, 'What I have blessed, do not call foreign.' He woke with a start, the words echoing in his mind. Just then, there was a timid knock at his study door. It was a man named Carlos, a foreman from the plant whose children had attended their vacation Bible school. With his hat in his hands, Carlos asked, 'Pastor, my family… we want to know the Jesus your children sing about. Can you teach us?' In that moment, the dream became clear. The potluck wasn't about food; it was about people.

Moral: The lesson here is a powerful one for every believer. We all carry biases and prejudices, walls we have built between 'us' and 'them.' But the Gospel is a wrecking ball to those walls. God’s vision for His church is far more diverse and glorious than our limited, comfortable view. We must be willing to let the Holy Spirit search our hearts and expose any attitude that would label a person or people group as 'common or unclean,' for Christ died to make them holy. 

'And a voice came unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.' Acts 10:15 (ASV) 

'And he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean.' Acts 10:28 (ASV)

Description: Have you ever wondered if God hears the prayers of those who don't yet know Jesus as Savior? In this devotional, we explore the story of Cornelius, a devout Roman centurion, and learn how God takes notice of every heart that sincerely seeks Him, making a way for them to hear the saving truth of the Gospel.

Scripture: Acts 10:1-6

Explanation: This passage introduces us to a remarkable man named Cornelius. It's important to understand his position: he was a centurion, an officer in the occupying Roman army, making him a Gentile and an outsider to the Jewish faith. Yet, Scripture describes him as 'devout,' one who 'feared God,' was charitable, and 'prayed to God always.' He believed in the God of Israel but had not yet heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God did not ignore his sincere heart. The angel's words are profound: 'Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.' Cornelius's piety did not save him, but it caught heaven's attention. God saw a man earnestly seeking righteousness and initiated the divine appointment that would lead to his salvation. This demonstrates that God is actively drawing people to Himself and will move heaven and earth to bring the message of His Son to a heart that is truly open and searching for the truth.

Parable: Let me tell you about a man named Frank. Frank was the plant manager at a large manufacturing facility in Ohio. He was known for being firm but fair, a man of his word. He wasn't a churchgoer; he'd had a bad experience as a kid and never went back. But every morning, before the sun came up, he'd sit in his worn leather chair with a cup of black coffee and just talk to the sky. He didn't know the right words, so he’d just say, 'God, if you're really up there, show me the way. There's got to be more than just this.' He also had a soft spot for the folks on his assembly line. When one of the workers, a young single mother, had her car break down, Frank anonymously paid for the repairs through the HR department. He never sought credit for his charity. One day, a young Christian engineer named David felt a strange prompting, a nudge in his spirit he couldn't shake, to talk to his intimidating boss about his faith. Terrified, but obedient, David knocked on Frank's door after his shift and invited him to a men's steak-and-Scripture night at his church. To David's shock, Frank didn't laugh or get angry. He just looked at David with weary eyes and said, 'Son, I think I've been waiting for this invitation.' That night, Frank heard the clear Gospel message for the first time in his life, and his heart’s longing was finally met in Jesus Christ. God had seen his memorial all along.

Moral: From this, we see a beautiful truth. God is not distant or indifferent. He sees the heart that sincerely seeks Him, and He honors the desire for truth. While good works and prayers cannot earn salvation, they are like a fragrance that rises to heaven, and God in His mercy will always make a way for that seeking soul to hear the saving name of Jesus. As the angel told Cornelius, his prayers were not in vain. 

'And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.' Acts 10:4 (ASV) 

'For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.' 1 Peter 3:12 (ASV)

Description: Witness the power of the early church in action through the miracles of Peter. The healing of Aeneas and the raising of Tabitha reveal a God who works through His people to care for the suffering and demonstrate His glory.

Scripture: Acts 9:32-42

Explanation: This portion of Acts chapter 9 moves from the singular, dramatic conversion of Saul to the ongoing, life-giving ministry of the church. Peter, acting as a leader and shepherd, becomes a conduit for God's miraculous power. We first meet Aeneas, a man defined by his long-term affliction—eight years paralyzed. Peter's declaration is not of his own ability but is a direct attribution of power to the Son of God: 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee.' The healing is immediate and complete, a powerful testimony that caused many in the region to turn to the Lord. Then, the narrative shifts to Tabitha, also called Dorcas. She wasn't an apostle or a great preacher, but a disciple known for her tangible acts of love and service—'full of good works and almsdeeds.' Her death brought genuine grief to her community. When Peter arrives, he doesn't offer mere condolences; he prays and, through the power of God, commands her to arise. These miracles demonstrate that God works through His people to bring both physical and spiritual restoration, confirming the truth of the gospel and drawing many to faith in Him.

Parable: In a small, rust-belt town hollowed out by factory closures, stood an old church led by a pastor named Frank. The town's spirit was paralyzed with hopelessness, much like Aeneas. The town's community center had been closed for years, its windows boarded up. Pastor Frank knew he couldn't fix the economy, but he could obey God. He felt called to simply 'make the bed.' He and a few men from his church went to the derelict community center, and with the town's permission, they started cleaning. They pulled weeds, replaced broken windows, and gave it a new coat of paint. It was grueling work with no promise of reward. Meanwhile, a group of older women in the church, led by a sweet lady named Dorothy, heard about children going to school hungry. They called themselves the 'Dorcas Kitchen.' They started small, making peanut butter sandwiches and packing them with an apple and a juice box. Every morning, they were at the school, handing out lunches to any child who needed one, no questions asked. They were simply showing the 'garments' of Christ's love. A reporter from a nearby city, doing a story on urban decay, stumbled upon the revitalization of the community center and the quiet, faithful work of the Dorcas Kitchen. He wrote a story titled 'A Town Called Hope.' A Christian businessman read the article and was so moved that he provided the funding to fully reopen the community center and expand the feeding program. The town saw this practical, powerful love in action, and many began attending Pastor Frank's church, turning to the Lord who had healed their town's broken spirit.

Moral: These accounts remind us that God's power is demonstrated through His church in both miraculous and practical ways. Whether it is a supernatural healing or a quiet act of service, our faithful obedience makes us the hands and feet of Jesus. We are called to bring His restorative power to a hurting world, so that in seeing our good works, many will glorify our Father in heaven and believe on the Lord. As Jesus said, 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.' Matthew 5:16 (ASV).

Description: Learn from Ananias, who was commanded by God to do something terrifying: minister to the church's most feared enemy. His story teaches us how to move from fearful hesitation to faith-filled obedience.

Scripture: Acts 9:10-19a

Explanation: In this passage, the focus shifts to a faithful disciple named Ananias. God gives him a clear, direct command in a vision: go and minister to Saul of Tarsus. Ananias's reaction is entirely human and understandable. He responds not with immediate, blind obedience, but with hesitation born of fear and logic. He essentially tells the Lord, 'Do you know who this man is?' He recites Saul's reputation as a violent persecutor, the very man who has come to Damascus to arrest believers like him. This wasn't rebellion, but a plea for understanding based on the terrifying facts he knew. Yet, God's answer is not a negotiation; it is a reaffirmation of His sovereign plan. God reveals that this instrument of terror is now His 'chosen vessel.' The critical moment is Ananias's response. Despite his legitimate fear, he chooses to trust God's word over his own understanding. He obeys. His act of faith was the essential human step God used to bring Saul fully into the fold, a powerful example that God often calls us to minister to those we may fear or mistrust, requiring our obedience above all.

Parable: Let me tell you about a retired police officer named Bill. He ran a small ministry that helped former inmates readjust to society. One day, a young man named Leo, recently paroled, was assigned to his program. When Bill saw the name, a cold dread washed over him. Leo was the man who, years earlier in a high-speed chase, had run Bill's partner off the road, leaving him permanently disabled. Bill had testified against him, his heart full of righteous anger. Now, God was asking him to help this very man. Bill prayed, 'Lord, you can't be serious. This man ruined my best friend's life. He's dangerous. He deserves nothing from me.' The feeling in his heart, however, was a firm, quiet insistence from the Lord: 'Go thy way: for he is a vessel I choose to use.' Bill wrestled for a full day, his fear and bitterness warring against the Spirit's prompting. Finally, trembling, he chose to obey. He met Leo at the halfway house. The young man was gaunt and broken, expecting only scorn. Bill looked him in the eye and said the hardest words he'd ever spoken: 'Leo, my name is Bill. The Lord has sent me to help you.' He saw the shock in Leo's eyes turn to tears. As Bill mentored him, he saw a genuine, radical change in the young man's heart. Leo had met Christ in prison and was desperate to make amends for his past. Bill's painful act of obedience became the bridge that allowed God's restorative work to be completed, not just in Leo's life, but in Bill's own bitter heart as well.

Moral: The story of Ananias teaches us that true faith is not the absence of fear, but obedience in the face of it. God does not always call us to easy tasks, but He always calls us to faithful ones. When we choose to trust His commands over our own feelings and limited understanding, we become crucial instruments for His redemptive and sanctifying work in the lives of others. As Proverbs 3:5-6 (ASV) instructs us, 'Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding: In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.'

Description: Explore the dramatic conversion of Saul of Tarsus, a man bent on destroying the church, and how God's sovereign grace can transform even the hardest heart.

Scripture: Acts 9:1-9

Explanation: In these powerful verses, we witness one of the most significant events in all of Scripture. Saul of Tarsus was not a man passively disagreeing with Christianity; he was its active, violent enemy. He possessed religious authority and was on a mission of persecution, fully believing he was serving God. His journey to Damascus was one of pure, destructive intent. But God, in His sovereign grace, intervened. The encounter on the road was not a debate or a gentle persuasion; it was a divine interruption. The blinding light, the voice of Jesus Himself, and Saul's subsequent helplessness demonstrate God's absolute power to halt a sinner in his tracks and initiate a new creation. This wasn't Saul finding God; this was God finding Saul. It proves that no one is beyond the reach of His redemptive call. Saul's physical blindness for three days became a spiritual necessity, forcing him into a period of deep introspection and total dependence on the very God he had opposed, preparing him for his new life and mission.

Parable: Let me tell you about a man named Marcus Thorne, a ruthless corporate raider known on Wall Street as 'The Vulture.' His sole purpose was acquiring and liquidating companies, no matter the human cost. He reveled in the destruction, seeing it as a sign of his own strength and genius. He was on a private jet, flying to North Carolina to finalize a hostile takeover of a small, family-owned textile mill, a company known for its Christian owners and ethical practices. He had his speech prepared, full of scorn for their 'outdated' values. Midway through the flight, a brilliant, disorienting light filled the cabin, and Marcus collapsed from a sudden, severe stroke. He awoke in a hospital, alive but completely blind and unable to speak clearly. The power he once wielded was gone, replaced by utter helplessness. His only regular visitor was a quiet, gentle nurse named Sarah. Day after day, she tended to him with a kindness he had never known. One afternoon, she read to him from her Bible. He learned that Sarah's own father had lost his job years ago when his company was liquidated by a man just like Marcus. Yet, she showed him no malice, only the love of Christ. In the darkness and silence, stripped of his pride and power, Marcus Thorne finally saw the emptiness of his life. He began to pray, not for his sight to return, but for the forgiveness of a Savior he had mocked. When his vision and speech slowly returned, he was a changed man. He called his office, canceled the takeover, and began the long, difficult process of using his wealth to restore what he had once sought only to destroy.

Moral: From this account, we see that God's grace can intervene in the most dramatic ways to stop us in our sinful tracks and reorient our entire lives toward His divine purpose. No matter how far we have run or how grievous our sins, we are never beyond the reach of a holy God who can, in an instant, turn a persecutor into a preacher. As it is written, 'Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.' 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ASV).

Description: What happens when God calls you away from a place of public success to a deserted road? In our final devotional on Acts 8, we follow Philip's journey of obedience as he is led by the Spirit to a divine appointment with an Ethiopian official, reminding us that some of our most significant ministry happens in the one-on-one encounters orchestrated by God.

Scripture: Acts 8:26-31 ASV

Explanation: Here we see a beautiful picture of divine sovereignty and human obedience working in perfect harmony. Philip was in the midst of a powerful and successful city-wide revival in Samaria. By all human metrics, he was exactly where he should be. Yet, God calls him away from the crowds to a deserted road. This call would have seemed illogical, a step backward from a fruitful ministry. But Philip’s response was immediate: 'he arose and went.' He did not question or hesitate. This simple act of obedience placed him in the exact right place at the exact right time to meet a specific man with a specific need. The Ethiopian eunuch was a God-fearing man of high status, searching for truth in the Scriptures but lacking understanding. The Holy Spirit then gives a second, more specific command: 'Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.' Philip’s obedient running led to an open door to share the Gospel, beginning right where the man was reading. This is a masterclass in personal evangelism guided by the Holy Spirit.

Parable: Let me tell you about a firefighter named Captain Miller. His crew had just spent 72 hours battling a massive wildfire that threatened a whole town. They were exhausted, soot-covered, but triumphant. They had saved the town. As they were packing up their gear, a call came over the radio dispatching Miller, alone, to check on a 'possible smoke sighting' on an old, abandoned logging road miles in the opposite direction. His crew grumbled. It made no sense. 'Cap, that’s a wild goose chase,' one of them said. 'We just saved a thousand homes, and they’re sending you to look for a phantom campfire?' But Miller knew his duty. 'Orders are orders,' he said, and drove his truck down the dusty, overgrown road. As he rounded a bend, he found a small, isolated cabin he never knew existed. And it wasn't a phantom campfire; a tree had fallen on the power line, and the roof of the cabin was just beginning to smolder. He rushed inside and found an elderly man, a widower, asleep in his chair, completely unaware of the danger. Miller woke him and helped him to safety just as the flames engulfed the small home. As they sat on the bumper of the fire truck, the old man clutched Miller's arm. 'I've been praying all week,' he whispered, 'asking God to send someone. I've been so lonely and scared out here. I knew He hadn't forgotten me.' Miller realized his dispatch wasn't about a fire; it was God’s answer to one lonely man’s prayer.

Moral: Captain Miller's story reflects Philip's. God is concerned with the crowds, but He is also intimately concerned with the one. He will often call us away from what we perceive as 'big' ministry to orchestrate a divine appointment with a single soul He has prepared. Our responsibility is not to question the logic of the call, but simply to obey. We must cultivate a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading, for we never know when our 'desert road' will lead us to someone whose heart is ready to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. As we are told in Proverbs 3:5-6 ASV, 'Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding: In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.'

Description: Can the power of God be bought with money? Today we examine the story of Simon the Sorcerer, a man who believed in the miracles but failed to grasp the grace behind them. This devotion serves as a solemn warning against seeking God for personal gain and reminds us that a right heart is more important than any outward confession.

Scripture: Acts 8:18-23

Explanation: This encounter between the Apostle Peter and Simon the Sorcerer is a crucial lesson for the church in every age. Simon had been a man of great influence in Samaria, amazing people with his magic. He witnessed the genuine power of God through Philip, and the text says he 'believed' and was baptized. However, his belief was superficial. When he saw the apostles impart the Holy Spirit, his old mindset kicked in. He saw it not as a gracious gift from a holy God to His children, but as a superior form of magic, a power to be acquired and wielded for influence. His offer of money revealed the true condition of his heart: it was unregenerate, still captivated by pride, and seeking to control the things of God for personal glory. Peter’s rebuke is severe because the error is so dangerous. It reduces the Holy Spirit to a commodity and salvation to a transaction. Peter diagnoses Simon’s problem perfectly: his heart was 'not right before God.'

Parable: Imagine a brilliant but arrogant billionaire, Mr. Sterling, who was famous for his corporate takeovers. He heard about a humble soup kitchen in the poorest part of the city, run by a man named David. This kitchen was legendary; it wasn't just the food, but there was a palpable sense of peace and hope there. Broken people walked in and left with their dignity restored. Sterling, ever the pragmatist, was fascinated. He visited, saw the incredible transformations, and decided he wanted to franchise it. He approached David with a briefcase full of cash. 'I'm impressed,' Sterling said. 'I want to buy your methodology. Your 'secret sauce.' I'll pay you ten million dollars for the rights to your system. We'll call it 'Sterling's Hope Centers' and open one in every major city. It'll be a huge success.' David just shook his head sadly. 'Sir, you don't understand. There is no secret sauce to buy. There is no system to franchise. The 'power' you see here is love—a gift freely received from God and freely given to these people. It cannot be bought, packaged, or branded. It can only be experienced when you humble yourself and serve others out of a genuine love for them and for God. Your money is worthless here, because you are trying to purchase what can only be received with an empty, open hand and a surrendered heart.' Mr. Sterling’s desire to possess and control the 'product' revealed he never truly understood the 'process' of love and sacrifice.

Moral: The lesson from Simon and Mr. Sterling is clear: the gifts of God, especially salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, are not for sale. They cannot be earned by our works, bought with our wealth, or obtained through any human effort. They are gifts of grace, received through faith and genuine repentance. We must constantly examine our own hearts to ensure we are seeking God Himself, not just what we can get from Him. As Jesus taught, we must be poor in spirit to inherit the kingdom. For it is written in Ephesians 2:8-9 ASV, 'for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.'

Description: In today's devotional, we explore how God uses the hardship of persecution not to extinguish His church, but to expand its reach. Discover how the scattering of the believers in Jerusalem became the very catalyst for spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, turning tragedy into triumph for the Kingdom.

Scripture: Acts 8:1-4 

Explanation: In this powerful passage, we witness what appears to be a great tragedy for the early church. Following the martyrdom of Stephen, a fierce persecution led by Saul (who would later become the Apostle Paul) descends upon the believers in Jerusalem. They are forced to flee their homes, families, and community, scattered like seeds in the wind. From a human perspective, this was a devastating blow meant to stamp out the fledgling Christian faith. However, God, in His infinite sovereignty, had a different plan. He used the very evil intended to destroy His church as the engine for its greatest expansion yet. The believers did not flee and hide in fear; instead, wherever they went, they took the good news of Jesus Christ with them. What was meant for evil, God turned into a glorious opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission, pushing the Gospel out from its cradle in Jerusalem into the surrounding regions of Judea and Samaria, just as Jesus had commanded.

Parable: Let me tell you about a master gardener named Elias. In the center of his prized garden grew a unique and magnificent rose bush, which produced one perfect, crimson bloom each year. Elias treasured this rose; it was the crown jewel of his entire garden. One spring, a violent thunderstorm rolled through the valley. The wind howled and the rain beat down, and in the heart of the storm, a powerful gust tore the perfect crimson bloom from its stem, shattering it and scattering its petals and seeds across the entire property, into the neighboring fields, and even onto the dusty roadside. Elias was heartbroken, believing his most beautiful creation was lost forever. The following spring, as the snow melted, Elias walked his property and was stunned by what he saw. Everywhere the seeds had landed—in the neatly tilled rows, among the wildflowers in the meadow, and even in the rocky soil by the road—new crimson rose bushes were sprouting. What he thought was a catastrophic event that destroyed his single perfect bloom had actually been the very means by which a whole field of beautiful crimson roses was planted. The storm, which seemed so destructive, had multiplied the beauty far beyond the confines of his small garden, sharing its glory with the whole countryside. The garden wasn't destroyed; it was multiplied.

Moral: This story helps us understand a profound spiritual truth. God often uses the storms of persecution and trial, which seem so destructive to us, to scatter the seeds of the Gospel into new and fertile ground. What our enemy intends for our destruction, our sovereign God uses for the expansion of His kingdom. We are not to despair in hardship, but to trust that even in being scattered, we are being sent. Our part is to remain faithful in preaching the word wherever God plants us. As the scripture says in Romans 8:28 ASV, 'And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.'

Description: In the face of martyrdom, Stephen's focus wasn't on his earthly attackers but on his heavenly reward. This devotional encourages us to lift our eyes above our present troubles and fix them on Jesus, our standing and victorious Savior.

Scripture: Acts 7:54-60

Explanation: This passage marks the dramatic and triumphant conclusion to Stephen's life on earth. Faced with a council consumed by murderous rage, Stephen is not filled with fear, but with the Holy Spirit. This divine filling changes his entire perspective. He is given a glimpse beyond the veil of this world, past the snarling faces and the stones in their hands. He sees into heaven itself, witnessing the ultimate reality: the glory of God, and Jesus standing in a position of honor, authority, and readiness to receive His servant. This heavenly vision empowers Stephen to face a brutal death with astonishing grace. His last words are not a curse on his enemies, but a prayer for their forgiveness and a commendation of his own spirit to the Lord. His death is not portrayed as a defeat, but as a peaceful 'falling asleep,' a victorious transition from earthly suffering to eternal glory.

Parable: Let me share a modern story to help us grasp this. Think of a firefighter named Captain Miller, a veteran of twenty years, leading his crew into a blazing, unstable warehouse. Inside, the heat is immense, the smoke is blinding, and the roar of the fire is deafening. A young firefighter on his first big call becomes disoriented, panicking as a section of the roof begins to groan above him. He's frozen by fear, looking at the fire, the falling debris, the chaos all around him. But Captain Miller gets on the radio, his voice calm and steady. 'Son, stop looking at the fire. Look at me.' Through the smoke, the young man sees the captain standing near an exit, illuminated by a powerful beam of light from the outside. The captain isn't looking at the flames; his gaze is fixed on the young man, his hand outstretched, motioning for him to come. The captain’s calm demeanor and fixed gaze cut through the rookie's terror. Seeing his commander's confidence, knowing the captain knew the way out, the young man stops focusing on the immediate danger and moves toward the source of the voice and the light. He focuses solely on the captain, and following his lead, he makes it out of the inferno just as the roof collapses. His focus on his rescuer saved his life.

Moral: The lesson for us is powerful. When we are in the fires of trial, when the world rages against us, our natural tendency is to focus on the danger and the chaos. But Stephen teaches us a better way. We must, by the power of the Holy Spirit, lift our gaze from our circumstances and fix our eyes stedfastly on Jesus. He is not sitting, but standing at the right hand of God, attentive, powerful, and ready to receive us. This vision of His glory and authority gives us the grace to endure suffering, to forgive our enemies, and to face even death with peace, knowing that we are passing from this life into His eternal presence. 'Looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.' Hebrews 12:2 (ASV).

Description: Stephen's sermon reveals a painful pattern in Israel's history: a tendency to reject the very deliverers God sends. We will examine this pattern and consider how pride and tradition can blind us to God's work in our own lives.

Scripture: Acts 7:35-39

Explanation: Here, Stephen holds up a mirror to the religious leaders of his day. He recounts the story of Moses, a man chosen and sent by God Himself to rescue Israel from bondage. Yet, how did the people respond? They refused him, questioned his authority, and rejected his leadership. Even after witnessing God's miraculous power through him, their hearts remained hard. In their rebellion, they longed for the familiarity of their slavery in Egypt and turned to idolatry. Stephen's point is sharp and direct: this pattern of rejection did not end in the wilderness. He is accusing the Sanhedrin of being the spiritual descendants of those rebellious Israelites. Just as their fathers rejected the deliverer Moses, they have rejected and murdered the ultimate Deliverer whom Moses prophesied—Jesus Christ. It is a solemn warning that a heart hardened by pride and tradition can fail to recognize God's messenger when He stands right before them.

Parable: Let me tell you about a small town called Harmony Creek, which for generations had suffered from a debilitating illness caused by contaminated well water. The town elders, fiercely proud of their heritage, insisted on following the 'ancient remedies' passed down from their forefathers—a mixture of boiled herbs and poultices that offered little help. One day, a doctor who had grown up in Harmony Creek returned after years of study at a prestigious medical university. He came with a simple, proven cure: a powerful antibiotic. He offered it freely to everyone. But the town elders were insulted. 'Who are you to question our traditions?' they scoffed. 'Our fathers used these herbs, and they were good enough for them.' They spread rumors that the doctor's medicine was a poison meant to control them. They publicly denounced him and forbade the townsfolk from seeing him. Most people, fearing the elders, obeyed. They continued to drink from the tainted wells and apply the useless herbs, all while the cure was right there in their midst. A few brave souls secretly sought out the doctor and were immediately healed, but they were ostracized for breaking with tradition. The elders, in their stubborn pride, chose sickness and tradition over health and truth, leading their people to ruin.

Moral: The moral of this story is clear and sobering. We must diligently guard our hearts against the pride that says, 'We have always done it this way.' Tradition can be a good thing, but when it stands in opposition to the clear truth of God's Word, it becomes a dangerous idol. We must be humble and teachable, always ready to receive the truth God reveals, lest we be found, like the Sanhedrin, to have rejected the very One sent to save us. Let us heed the warning in Hebrews 3:15 (ASV): 'To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.'