Eyes To See and Ears To Hear

Ojos Para Ver y Oídos Para Oír

Back story, Stephen wrongly accused, now before the council

Acts 6:13-14 Review the accusations, things the Romans found sacred to Jews… strong identity as a people, law, temple, land…

Acts 7:1-2 Stephen’s response, “hear me”. Main imperative…

Not a defense but an appeal to brothers and fathers…

<pray>

Acts 7:2 The God of glory… they had lost sight of him…

Explain, all Jews descended from Abraham…

Acts 7:3-5 Why the emphasis, “no inheritance, not even a foot…”

A people who were destitute, without land or even a people… Only a promise…

Can you see God behind His handiwork?

¿Puedes ver a Dios detrás de Su obra?

Like the Israelites, fail to see the God behind the work… I enjoy good things in my life… I live in a world, yes fallen, but still full…

<apologetics… atheists, “no evidence”>

Rom 1:19-20 Speaking of unrighteous, unbelieving, mankind…

Col 1:16b …all things were created through him and for him

…todo ha sido creado por medio de Él y para Él

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Y Él es antes de todas las cosas, y en Él todas las cosas permanecen

Heb 1:3 he upholds the universe by the word of his power

sostiene todas las cosas por la palabra de Su poder

Job 12:10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. Que en Su mano está la vida de todo ser viviente,

Y el aliento de todo ser humano

Life, breath, sustained by his power… withholding judgment for sin

Acts 7:6-8 God’s plan…

Acts 7:9 Man’s failure, God’s sovereign plan

Acts 7:10 God raised up Joseph to be an advocate…

Acts 7:11-19 What’s going on… God using Egypt as an incubator

In adversity, unsettled… What is God doing? Constancy, rest…

Acts 7:20-22 God is raising up a leader, similar to Joseph but fully educated… their reaction…

Acts 7:23-25 Moses saw God’s hand in his position…

Acts 7:26-34 Clear and specific call… people of Israel failed to see

Acts 7:35 This Moses…

Acts 7:36-37 Beginning to draw the connection between the past response to Moses and their response to Jesus. Moses is the one through whom the law was given, yet he pointed forward to another

Acts 7:38-41 Not how the Rabbis would tell it…

Acts 7:42-43 Even as they brought accusations against… holding on to their law… failing to hold on to the God who gave it to them

Stephen has dealt with land and law… They view: land as place of God’s blessing, law required for God’s blessing… now temple…

Acts 7:44 God’s doing, God’s design…

Acts 7:45-47 Temple allowed by God, used by God but does not contain God

Acts 7:48-50 Focused on His handiwork, but far from Him…

Is 66:2b: “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

«Pero a este miraré: Al que es humilde y contrito de espíritu, y que tiembla ante Mi palabra

Acts 7:51 heart far from God, and not having ears to hear God

Acts 7:52-53 Historically, Israel does not listen to God…

Acts 7:54-57 They did not want to hear any more!

Are you hearing what God is telling you?

¿Estás escuchando lo que Dios te está diciendo?

<picture for a moment…>

Where was Stephen’s focus, what was he seeing?

Acts 7:55-60

Are you following Jesus?

¿Estás siguiendo a Jesús?