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.'