by Sean Hotinski
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But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets (Acts 7:42a).
Read Acts 7:17–29
Today, we continue with the disciple Stephen’s speech before the Jewish chief priests, in which he presents his defence. Stephen says: ‘[Moses] led [the Israelites] out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness’ (Acts 7:36).
After the ten dreadful plagues of Egypt, the historic exodus and parting of the Red Sea, and the manna from heaven, one would think that people would have enough evidence by now to believe Moses was God’s prophet and messenger. But apparently, it wasn’t. The Israelites asked Aaron to make a golden calf because Moses was ‘taking too long’. Then, God gave them over to their idolatry.
That phrase ‘wonders and signs’ comes up earlier in Acts when the Apostle Peter says that Jesus performed wonders and signs in the Israelites’ midst, just like Moses and Stephen (Acts 2:22). Yet, in response, Jesus’ people crucified him by the hands of Gentiles. We’re seeing a pattern here, aren’t we? Holy prophets of God perform wonders and signs to point people to salvation, but people reject them in response.
Maybe this has happened to you. Perhaps you’ve done some evangelism and given people really good reasons to believe or convincing Bible passages. But those people just don’t believe. It can be easy to feel down in the dumps. But we need not feel this way. This is simply the reality of life: the natural human rejects the things of God. Only the Holy Spirit-led human accepts them.
By our own power, we can’t bring anyone to Christianity. Only God can do this. But this is good news: we know that just as God worked through Stephen, who proclaimed the word of Christ, he also works through us when we share the gospel. Because of this, every time we’ve witnessed someone was never in vain and never will be. Thanks be to God!
Heavenly Father, thank you for being with me in all the times when I shared Christ, your word, and your gospel with others. Please guide all people I interact with to you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I can confess Christ faithfully. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Sean Hotinski is from Perth, Western Australia. He is currently in Adelaide with his wife, Olya, studying to be a pastor and is doing vicarage at St Paul Lutheran Church, Blair Athol. In his spare time, Sean enjoys reading and studying the Bible, looking into Christian apologetics, game design, and going on walks.
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He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand (Acts 7:25).
Read Acts 7:17–29
The first Christian martyr, Stephen, preached the gospel to some Jewish non-Christians. Because they couldn’t stand up against the wisdom and Spirit with which Stephen spoke, they slandered him before the high priest and accused him of several false things.
In response, Stephen gave them an outline of Israel’s history. When the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt and Pharoah ordered that all the little boys should be killed, it seemed like all hope was lost. However, God protected Moses by sending him Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son. God provided.
When Moses saw an Israelite being wronged by an Egyptian and struck down the Egyptian, he thought the Israelites would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand; however, they did not (Acts 7:25). Only later on did they realise this, when Moses led Israel out of Egypt. God used Moses to save the Israelites, which means that the ultimate ruler and redeemer of Israel is God himself. God again provided.
The point of Stephen’s words is that God was the one who provided for his people, Israel, all along, but they didn’t always see this. In the same way that the Israelite man didn’t understand that God was giving salvation through Moses (see Acts 7:23–29), the chief priests did not understand that God was giving salvation through the hand of his servant, Jesus Christ. Despite this, God still provided for his people in Stephen’s day through Jesus and his redemptive work on the cross.
How many times in your life have you felt like God wasn’t providing for you? Like nothing seemed to be going well? Like all hope was lost? And yet you haven’t perished; you’re still here, with the word of God, reading this devotion. God provided for Stephen by giving him the words to say to his slanderous opponents. Throughout your life, God has also provided for all your needs and will continue to do so in the future. Because no matter what, God our Father is faithful; he will always provide for his children.
Heavenly Father, help me to trust in you always as my eternal provider. Thank you for all the gifts that you daily give to me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sean Hotinski is from Perth, Western Australia. He is currently in Adelaide with his wife, Olya, studying to be a pastor and is doing vicarage at St Paul Lutheran Church, Blair Athol. In his spare time, Sean enjoys reading and studying the Bible, looking into Christian apologetics, game design, and going on walks.
by Pastor Matt Bishop
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He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village (Mark 6:6b).
Read Mark 6:1–13
‘If only … ’ It’s a phrase heard at every church level. ‘If only our church building was more comfortable, we would have more people.’ ‘If only the pastor preached better, people would flock here.’ ‘If only our church modernised our teaching, we would not be dying.’
Even if the above were all true, they wouldn’t necessarily lead to more believers. There is an old joke that when congregations think about the pastor they want, they start with Jesus and then have to make a series of drastic compromises until they end with the person in front of them. Yet today’s reading shows that even if you got Jesus as your pastor, that would still not be enough. It wasn’t 2000 years ago in his hometown. It still isn’t today. How many caring, impressive and intelligent colleagues, family and friends do you love who have heard his message but take offence at it? Not even Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour of the world could convert everyone to believe in his promises.
What Jesus does next is a beautiful encouragement, though. Amazed at their lack of faith, he then goes around teaching from village to village. In other words, he doesn’t give up. He persists. Despite the rejection, scorn and ridicule, Jesus goes even deeper into his mission. And not just alone in a sort of ‘I think I’m right, but I respect others may not, so I’ll just go on my own’ kind of way. Instead, he puts stubborn, must-be-obeyed calls on people’s lives, drafting them into the very work he knows won’t succeed with everyone. Beyond drafting us in, he keeps persisting all the way to his ultimate rejection embodied in his trial, torture, nailing, death and grave.
Thank God our dear Lord did. Risen eternally from death, he asks us also to keep persisting out of his living witness and power. He knows our ineptitudes, fatigues, distractions and sins. But he also knows they have been covered in his blood and new life. And he knows this message is worth a crack for every single person. For he knows his brothers James and Jude eventually got with his message.
So rather than ‘If only’ as a precondition to faithfully doing his work, how about ‘Let’s persist in the one who now lives in us’?
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for bringing us Christ, who persisted to death for our sins and now persists in making us alive in him. Give us your spirit of might that we may persist in his wisdom when our ‘wisdom’ says to give up. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Matt Bishop serves at St Paul Lutheran Church and primary school at Blair Athol SA. He is having a pretty full year supervising Vicar Sean Hotinski and chairing the General Pastors Conference planning committee and conference. That’s why he goes fishing to unwind – the beautiful Venus Bay on the Eyre Peninsula being a favourite spot.
by Carolyn Ehrlich
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Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt (Psalm 123:3).
Read Psalm 123
Have you ever reached the end of your tether? Have you been buffeted by the opinions of others? Experienced scorn and contempt? Bullied in your childhood perhaps? Bullied in your workplace? Frowned upon because you are different somehow?
Your heart aches for some space, for some mercy, to be shown some love. These are hard patches … wilderness living … prickles, desert, hot dry winds, drought, thirsting for a reprieve, thirsting for love, hungry to be noticed, desperate to be heard, aching to be understood, to be known. Everything feels dry and parched. Wandering, wondering, unseen, unheard.
And yet, there is a place to look, a lament to be made, a cry to be vocalised. It is okay to cry out to God when things are tough. Look up, not in. Look up, not down. Look up, not out. Look to the only One who knows, who has heard, who has experienced. Look to Jesus and cry out. In your despair, look to the Lord our God. Jesus knows. Jesus was scorned. Jesus was treated with contempt. Jesus suffered. Jesus the man-God experienced all the feelings that you are experiencing. He, truly, extensively knows. He cares. He loves you. He is merciful. He is faithful.
Look to him and cry out:
Have mercy on me, Lord, have mercy on me. My soul has had enough, enough scorn, enough torment, enough contempt. I lift my eyes to you only. Have mercy on me. Amen.
Carolyn Ehrlich lives in retirement with her husband Wayne in Ipswich, Queensland. Prior to retirement, Carolyn worked as a researcher in the fields of disability and rehabilitation. Today, Carolyn is kept busy with hobbies, supporting the Ipswich Lutheran Parish in various leadership roles and supporting her family.
by Carolyn Ehrlich
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And the high priest said: ‘Are these things so?’ (Acts 7:1).
Read Acts 6:15–7:16
Toward the end of yesterday’s reading, we read that people were stirred up against Stephen – a man full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. False witnesses were found. When asked by the high priest whether the allegations were true, Stephen had a decision to make. He could speak to save himself or use the moment to speak the truth of God’s love and care for his people. He spoke of God’s faithfulness to his people. He spoke of the well-established evidence that God blessed his people throughout history. Staring death in the face, Stephen humbly submitted to God’s truths that he refused to deny. He was stoned for his conviction.
What would you do in Stephen’s situation? Ponder that for a moment. In today’s world, we are so often bombarded with messages of self-preservation at all costs. But how did Stephen approach this time? He confidently knew God’s truth. He knew God’s love. He knew the truth of God’s love and care for his people across history. Whatever he was facing, he wanted others to know the importance of God’s truth. He knew deeply that he was loved – so deeply that he had the face of an angel (Acts 6:15).
God loves each of his chosen people deeply, and faithfully. He loves me and he loves you. Know that truth. Ponder God’s love. God loved Abraham. He was faithful to his promise to Abraham. Stephen knew that. Whatever you are facing today, know that God is faithful. Know that your reward is not in this life, but in eternity. Know that God has a better plan. And when you are asked ‘Are these things so?’, trust that you can rely on God’s truth, revealed in Scripture. God’s truth about you trumps anything that false witnesses might say.
Loving Father, your truth is the only truth. You continually show us that our reward is not in this world, but in eternity with you. Amid whatever we are facing today, help us to know your love – intimately, personally, and relationally. Thank you for the gift of eternal life through your son, Jesus. Amen.
Carolyn Ehrlich lives in retirement with her husband Wayne in Ipswich, Queensland. Prior to retirement, Carolyn worked as a researcher in the fields of disability and rehabilitation. Today, Carolyn is kept busy with hobbies, supporting the Ipswich Lutheran Parish in various leadership roles, and supporting her family.
by Carolyn Ehrlich
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Therefore, brothers and sisters, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom whom we will appoint to do this duty [caring for widows] (Acts 6:3).
Read Acts 6:1–15
There are two things in today’s Scripture that I want to highlight for our meditation today. First, the 12 apostles recognised they could and should not be trying to do everything. Rather, their work was praying and preaching the word of God. Second, they chose men of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom, to minister in the community.
The work of caring for others in our community is important. But it takes a whole community. The apostles found that they could not do everything everyone needed, so some of the most vulnerable people in their community were being neglected. How do we, God’s people, view ministering work in our communities today? Do we get involved? Do we outsource the caring roles of church communities to someone else? What caring work should we, the church, be involved in? Do we select people of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom, to perform ministering work? Do we pass this role over to our pastors – who in the footsteps of the apostles might need to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word (verse 4)? If our pastors are devoting themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word, do we expect them to be doing other things instead?
And at what cost? We are often worried about what it costs us to do God’s work. We are frequently more interested in what it costs in terms of reputation than we are about financial cost – although that worries us too. The cost to Stephen was great – rivalry, slander, arrest, false accusation, and martyrdom – the cost of speaking up and out.
The big question that arises for me from today’s reading is ‘God, what are you asking me to step into?’ There are many, many different things that God could be asking me and you to do when we consider how caring for widows in the early church aligns with caring for those people who are vulnerable and needy in our world today. There are also many different things that God could be asking me and you to do that would free up our pastors to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.
Heavenly Father, there is much work to be done. Raise in me the desire to do your work. In our communities, raise people of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom to do your work of caring for all those who are vulnerable and in need. Give us hearts to serve you by providing care to those who need it. Lead us to help where you would have us serve. Use us to create the space for those you have called to serve as pastors in your church to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of your word. And, Lord, bless all those you have called and who are doing your work in this world. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Carolyn Ehrlich lives in retirement with her husband Wayne in Ipswich, Queensland. Prior to retirement, Carolyn worked as a researcher in the fields of disability and rehabilitation. Today, Carolyn is kept busy with hobbies, supporting the Ipswich Lutheran Parish in various leadership roles and supporting her family.
by Carolyn Ehrlich
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… if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail (Acts 5:38b).
Read Acts 5:27–42
A Pharisee named Gamaliel noticed an important trend that was happening at the time of the early church – human plans failed, but God’s did not. It was not wise to try and work out which were plans of human origin and which were of God. Rather, Gamaliel advised the council to take care and to keep away from the apostles. Fast forward 2000 years. What is happening in today’s world?
I look at verse 37, which explains how Judas the Galilean drew people to him, but he perished, and his followers were scattered. Presently, many of us are concerned about our dwindling church attendance. We are often tempted to look to music styles, personalities or our leaders to take responsibility and act in ways that attract people into our churches. But what were the apostles doing? They were preaching and teaching. Peter said, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority’ (Acts 5:29). And for their trouble, the apostles were beaten and instructed not to speak in the name of Jesus (Acts 5:40).
This says to me that we must obey God. We must preach and teach Jesus’ name. Models of Sunday worship that are concerned with theatrics – sound, colour, stage presence, mood-lighting, the quality of the coffee that is being served, how charismatic the preacher/pastor is – rather than the teaching need to be careful to ascertain whether they are plans of God or human origin. If they are plans or an undertaking of humans, they will fail. If they are of God, they will not fail. We need to look at the skills and talents that God has provided us for his glory and honour. We may need to take stock of what we are doing, and we may need to repent and obey.
Another important aspect of this Scripture seems to be that the apostles did not have things easy. They were arrested, humiliated, and beaten by the authorities. But their response was to rejoice; they were thankful that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name of Jesus. So, even if circumstances seem to be difficult in your church, even if it seems that the secular world is beating you about, if your work is to honour and glorify God, then God’s plan will never fail and you can rejoice in that truth.
Heavenly Father, thank you that we are your people. Thank you that we are your church. Thank you that you have a plan and your plan is perfect. Help us to obey you. Where we have failed to do your will, to preach and teach, we are sorry. Forgive us when we have focused on our plans rather than on doing your will. Help us to rejoice, even when things are challenging. Help your church to reject becoming caught up in anything that is not of you. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Carolyn Ehrlich lives in retirement with her husband Wayne in Ipswich, Queensland. Prior to retirement, Carolyn worked as a researcher in the fields of disability and rehabilitation. Today, Carolyn is kept busy with hobbies, supporting the Ipswich Lutheran Parish in various leadership roles and supporting her family.
by Carolyn Ehrlich
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They arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison (Acts 5:18).
Read Acts 5:12–26
Today I will focus on being put into a public prison and ask you to ponder whether Christians in our country are being put into public prisons today. I am not thinking about physical prisons with razor wire, prisons where you need to be fingerprinted, present yourself for searches or be regulated by strict rules and regimes. I am talking about the prisons of public opinion, the prisons of self-focus, the prisons of being asked to accept things and ways that we know are evil. Are Christians in our country so imprisoned by popular thought that we no longer marvel at the wonder of God? Are we intellectually (rather than physically) imprisoned? So imprisoned that we do not question what is right or wrong? So imprisoned that we do not speak words of life to the people (verse 20)? So imprisoned that we do not enter the temple and begin to teach (verse 21)?
Do we even know whether we are imprisoned by the ways of this world? Do we know what God’s word says? Do we have a grasp on God’s perspective of the world? Do we, with great eagerness, submit ourselves to God’s authority and trust in his promises?
The truly amazing thing about this story for me is that God sent his angel to open the prison doors and let the apostles out. This leads me to ponder what would happen if we trusted God to send his angel to let us out of the prison of public opinion. Would we go and teach the words of life? Would we have the confidence of Peter to boldly proclaim ‘We must obey God rather than men’ (verse 29)? Would we, as the author of Hebrews instructs us in Hebrews 3:11–15, encourage one another so that people won’t fall away? We are free! Freed from the prison of this world! Free to teach and proclaim and encourage others so that none are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin! Free to gather and meet together as a community of God’s people to exercise faith, hope and love (see Hebrews 6:10–12; 10:19–25).
Father God, help me, and all your people, to listen to your voice, and not to harden our hearts in rebellion. Through your Holy Spirit, grow our powers of discernment as we constantly train to distinguish good from evil. Send your angel to open the prison doors that hold us back from proclaiming your good news to the world. Amen.
Carolyn Ehrlich lives in retirement with her husband Wayne in Ipswich, Queensland. Before retirement, Carolyn worked as a researcher in the fields of disability and rehabilitation. Today, Carolyn is kept busy with hobbies, supporting the Ipswich Lutheran Parish in various leadership roles, and supporting her family.
by Carolyn Ehrlich
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But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?’ (Acts 5:3).
Read Acts 4:32–5:11
I don’t know about you, but I find this Scripture challenging to read – a reality check. A Scripture about a lie with immediate and deadly consequences. A Scripture about a conspiracy between husband and wife to act disingenuously. A Scripture about collusion, about being found out. A tragic outcome. Why? Because Satan had filled the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Spirit. It was not so much that they kept proceeds for themselves. The property that Ananias and Sapphira sold was theirs to do with as they desired. If they wanted to keep money back for themselves, that was okay. But they lied to the Holy Spirit in a premeditated sin that was motivated by pride – they said they were giving all the proceeds of the sale to God’s work, but that was a lie. They wanted to appear generous before their peers, but in their heart of hearts, they were not. They wanted to look good, to look righteous, to look godly, but they were hypocrites, and they were fake. Their hearts were dark, self-interested, self-serving, selfish.
What then does God want from us? He is asking for honesty, for humility, for integrity, for authenticity, for vulnerability before him. Self-examination can be difficult, but important. So today, perhaps it is time to ask some soul-searching questions. What are you keeping back from God? What are you doing to appear to look good before others? Are you cultivating a lifestyle of transparency and authenticity? Do you have a clear conscience? Do you have unconfessed sin? Are you representing God’s truth in a world dominated by evil? Are you making promises that you do not intend to keep? Are you colluding with someone else to deceive God and your community? Is what others think about you more important to you than honesty before God?
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23,24) (ESV)
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
Amen.
Carolyn Ehrlich lives in retirement with her husband Wayne in Ipswich, Queensland. Before retirement, Carolyn worked as a researcher in the fields of disability and rehabilitation. Today, Carolyn is kept busy with hobbies, supporting the Ipswich Lutheran Parish in various leadership roles, and supporting her family.