Acts 7:1-51 / 35-36 – “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness.
“This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.” Stephen is showing the history of Israel to reject the ones whom God has sent. The brothers of Joseph (The Patriarchs of Israel) rejected Joseph when he was first with them and accepted him the second time he was with them. They also rejected Moses when he was first with them and accepted him the second time that he was with them. Ultimately they also rejected Jesus when He was first with them and will accept Him when He returns again. In Luke 13:34-35 Jesus lamented “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Thus, they had to that day, killed prophets sent to them by God. It is no surprise that they would also kill Jesus. Jesus told a parable about this very thing where evil tenants beat and killed every messenger sent to them. Eventually they killed the landowner’s son (Matthew 21:33-46). V45 reveals that the chief priests and the Pharisees knew that Jesus was talking about them.
Just as they questioned the authority of Moses, they also questioned, and rejected, the authority of Jesus (Matthew 21:23-27, Mark 11:27-33, Luke 20:1-8).
“He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness.” God used Moses to break the Pharaoh and lead the people from slavery to freedom. Through Moses God performed huge incredible signs to show that God was using Moses to lead them. Jesus performed so many miracles that the Apostle John said “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25) The Jews had enough miracles from the prophets and Jesus to know that they were all sent from God for them, but they rejected all and killed many. They rejected Moses and they rejected Jesus. Moses was a savior and Jesus was the Savior. Both were rejected by the people that they loved and came to save.
Family, do we think that if a ministry has a rough time, that would mean that maybe it is not God’s will. Should we then quit? If that were so then Joseph, Moses and Jesus would have quit. But they didn’t. Jesus never promised a smooth road in our ministry to share the Gospel and minister to each other. In fact He said just the opposite. The world will oppose us, hate us and may even kill us (The time is coming even to those in “free” nations). (Mark 13:13) Family we must know the “voice” of Jesus. We must know when He is leading and guiding. Then we will not use circumstances to determine if we should persevere through ministry trials, but will do as God is leading us. We will follow because we know He is directing and leading. People, even other saints will ignorantly oppose us. When we know God’s voice, when His Word resides and lives within us, then we will be changed and we will be sent out to do His work. Listen for Jesus. Do what He says. Think like Peter and John who said that they would do what God said regardless of what man says (Acts 4:19-20). Navy Admiral David Glasgow Farragut is famous for saying “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” (paraphrase). Back then tethered mines were called “torpedoes.” He was leading ships through a bay filled with these “torpedoes.” As one of the other ships hit a mine and sank the others thought it too dangerous and not wise to proceed any further and so they began to slow down. Admiral Farragut then uttered his command to go full speed ahead. He would not let their mission be slowed by any of the enemy’s efforts. Family, may we go full speed ahead in spite of any of the enemy’s attacks against our mission. Our command is to love God with all that we are and to love each other. Our mission is to share the Gospel and care for each other. Family, full speed ahead, forget the torpedoes! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.