To this he replied: Brothers and fathers, listen to me!

The God of glory appeared to our

father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. Leave your country and
your people, God said, and go into the land I will show you.
Acts 7:2-4
Tonight we begin again our Wednesday evening Bible Studies after our summer vacation. When
we finished off at the end of June we were just beginning to explore Stephens long answer to the
charges which were brought against him at the end of the sixth chapter of Acts. This answer found in
chapter seven is of vital importance to the narrative which Luke is giving us of the expansion of the New
Testament Church. The fact that Luke quotes this answer at length shows us that it is of vital
importance in helping us to understand the way in which the Promise of God to bring redemption to the
nations through the Lord Jesus Christ was accomplished.
Tonight we will be reviewing the early verses of Stephens answer with the purpose of
understanding just what it is that God is doing in our world today. He is still engaged in the process of
redeeming this lost world through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. The means by which He is doing
this are clearly being shown here and it is vital that we understand them. Here Stephen begins his
answer, which will lead to his martyrdom and the forcing of the Church out into the nations by pointing
to a key fact which will guide his whole answer. This is that the God of glory is revealing Himself to
them. Stephens speech ends with the observation that he can see the Son of Man standing at the right
hand of God in heaven. God is in Christ revealing Himself to His Church just as He revealed Himself to
Abraham long centuries before. This has been Gods characteristic means of fulfilling the Promise of
redemption for His people.
Stephen points out, at the heart of his answer to the Sanhedrin that Abrahams calling consisted
of a revelation of Gods glory. What Stephen does here is to lead the leaders of Israel in a study of Gods
Word, which also contained the history of Gods people. How often do we like them rehearse the
details of our history without learning the lessons it teaches? This is what Israels leaders are being
confronted with. There is a lesson at the heart of Gods dealing with His people that they have failed to
understand. This is that God is fulfilling a Promise to redeem for Himself a people through at deliverer
who will fulfill all that God has promised. The promise was not just for Abraham or the Hebrew nation it
was for all who will come to God in faith. Earlier Peter spells this out in his Pentecost day sermon when
he says. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are afar off for all whom the Lord
our God will call. (Acts 2:39) Abrahams call is not for himself alone it is for the world. This is what
Gods Word says in Genesis 12:1-3 when it says, The Lord had said to Abram, Leave your country,
your people and your fathers household and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into
a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless
those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on the earth will be blessed
through you.
It is not for Abraham or his nation alone that this promise has been given. They have been
called in order to bring blessing to the world. Stephen points out that this great promise is fulfilled in
the Righteous One who has come, and whom Stephen and the New Testament Church are proclaiming
in the Gospel. In Hebrews 1:1-3 this is made clear for us. In the past God spoke to our forefathers
through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by
His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is
the radiance of Gods glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His
powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the
Majesty in heaven.
This is the answer that Stephen gives in his day, and in ours. God has revealed Himself in the
Lord Jesus Christ calling us to receive salvation by grace by believing in Him. The question is have you?