Stephen was bold in his preaching.  So they killed him for it.

Acts 7 is all about the history of Israel.  And when the hearers of the day are listening to it, they really don’t know where it is going.  But Stephen’s point is going to be this–whenever a righteous man comes, you kill him.  And not only that, but you did the same with the Messiah.  You killed him.

“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—  you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it” (Acts 7:51-53).

And so what did the people do?  They killed one more righteous person – Stephen.

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.  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.  “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:54-60).

Why did he do this?  Was he picking on the Jews?  How can you blame them for their response?

For starters, this was not about picking on the Jews.  History has interpreted this in an evil way to mean the Jewish people.  But Stephen was Jewish.  The early believers were Jewish.  Many were Jewish.

Stephen said some harsh things because he needed to confront them with their actions.  And remind them that they had the Scriptures that pointed to Jesus, but they rejected him because their hearts were hard.

The truth is many would be angered to hear words such as these.  But it was not necessarily the case.  If we look back two chapters, Peter had a similar message to the crowds.

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 2:22-23).

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36).

It was the same message.  You killed him.  But Peter was preaching to the crowds, not the religious leaders.  The crowds seem to have more humility and can recognize their sins.  The religious leaders had a turf to defend.

So what was the response?  To the same message?

 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

They saw their sin.  They were humbled.  As the saying goes,

Same message.  Different soil of the soul.

Because they acknowledged their sinfulness, Peter answered them.

 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39).

It reminds me of something that Jesus taught.

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:29-32).

All of us tend to think we are good people.  It’s because we compare ourselves to others.  But how good are we compared to God?

When we understand that, we too will ask, “O Lord, what must I do to be saved?”

It’s the basis of being reconciled back to God.