Hearts Exposed

 Exodus 28-29; Acts 7 

“…where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things? You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears!...You always resist the Holy Spirit!”

Acts 7:49-51 

Stephen’s sermon to the Sanhedrin was a brilliant summary of Israel’s covenant history with God. The point of the sermon was that the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God’s desire for a relationship with his people and to be a “resting place” with them. However, rather than welcoming the Messiah and the Holy Spirit, the Sanhedrin was resisting the Holy Spirit and had killed the Messiah and his followers.

Why did Stephen’s historical sermon take such a sharp turn?

The Holy Spirit was exposing the root of religious pride. The Sanhedrin continued to resist the Holy Spirit, despite the many thousands in Jerusalem who were repenting of their sin and receiving the baptism of repentance and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Stephen was less interested in convincing the Sanhedrin of the truth than in exposing the truth of their hearts.

What sermon is the Holy Spirit speaking to us?

“Lord Jesus, I humble myself before you. I receive your Spirit and covenant relationship with you, for your glory.”