March 01, 2023 | Be On Mission
The Legacy of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob & Joseph
Scripture: Acts 7:1-16 (NIV)
1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
2 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 Harran. 3 ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’
4 “So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. 5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. 6 God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’ 8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.
11 “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food. 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit. 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died. 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.
Devotional
Recall the accusations made against Stephen by false witnesses, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place (the temple) and against the law (the first five books of the Old Testament). For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us” (Acts 6:13-14). Now, the high priest of the Sanhedrin pointedly asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
Quickly think of all the ways Stephen could have answered this question. What might the results have been?
Instead of all these options, Stephen gave these experts in the Old Testament a lesson in the Old Testament! In today’s reading, he covered the book of Genesis beginning with Abraham who obediently followed God’s promises and ending with Joseph (Abraham’s great-grandson) who was enslaved in Egypt before becoming second in command to Pharaoh.
It is interesting that this man who was tapped to lead the food distribution ministry was so well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures. He was so confident in his knowledge of Scripture that he used it as a defense when being questioned by the top religious authorities of his day.
Why is it important for every believer (not just pastors and church staff) to be thoroughly knowledgeable about the Bible? What strategy and plan could you develop for knowing Scripture better? How will this help you in your journey of faith? Will you do it?
Prayer
God of glory, thank You for Your presence among Your people of old. You brought Abraham into Your land and gave him Your covenant to be the father of the people of God. You established this people through his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. And You used Jacob’s son Joseph to rescue Your people from vanishing through famine. In the same way, Your hand is on me and the generations before and long after me. Make me faithful with the legacy I have received and will pass to others. To You be the glory!
Poem
One Sermon
If I had one sermon
One sermon to preach
If I had one crowd
One crowd mine to reach
If I had one moment
The best news to tell
If I had one chance
Others’ fears to dispel
If I had one last word
A people to reach
If I had one sermon
Just what would I preach
