Acts 7-9

These three chapters, like Ron Burgundy, are kind of a big deal. What we have in these three chapters:

1. The first Christian martyr
2. The first Gentile convert
3. The conversion and calling of the most important evangelist and theologian ever

I'm a bit overwhelmed with things to write about, in other words. That said, one thing struck me about reading the story of Stephen: He didn't say anything that initially seems all that inflammatory. From 7:2 through to 7:50, his sermon is a high-speed trip through the entire history of Israel; it's only in verse 51-53 that it turns into an accusation: "You people missed the boat." Telling people that they're wrong usually annoys them. Telling people that they're ignoring a basic truth, though, really does tend to offend and enrage them. I recently read a blog post by Dan Phillips that called Genesis 1:1 the most offensive verse in the Bible, simply for what it implies: The basic truths of the world are not up for discussion, because God created the world and has authority over it. That, essentially, is what Stephen preached: The whole history of the world is a story of redemption of what can't be redeemed any other way, and you people ignored the Redeemer. It's no wonder they got mad. Then, of course, Stephen is rewarded with a vision of the Father and of Jesus at his right hand. Then he mentions it. Apparently this isn't the sort of thing one should close a sermon with.