Who Told You That?

Scripture: All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Acts 6:15

Observation: The only people who could have told Luke - the author of Acts - this information was ... members of the Sanhedrin. And the only way Luke would have used the term 'all' would be ... if several - or many - members of the Sanhedrin provided this observation. And the only way that any member of the Sanhedrin would have been interviewed by Luke 10-20 years after-the-fact and provided this favorable memory of Stephen is if ... they were now favorably inclined to the Church of Jesus Christ!

Application: The upcoming trial and stoning of Stephen is the turning point of the Church. It is the time when it is scattered out of Jerusalem to begin its mission to the rest of the world. And here we have the council that has opposed Jesus and is opposing his Church, with insight that these very people will someday be members of the Church and believers in Jesus.  How did that happen?

The answer might have been in Acts 5 with advice from a Pharisee named Gamaliel:

"Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." Acts 5:38-39

The Sanhedrin is about to kill Stephen, kill other leaders (like James), persecute all the apostles, scatter all the members ... and watch the Church exponentially grow stronger. In other words ... they discovered they were fighting against God, and repented.

Prayer: The most exciting thing about this thought, Lord, is the idea that you are so loving and forgiving that you would allow men who voted to kill your son and waged war against your Church to then join into your Church and receive everlasting life, simply by placing their belief in Jesus. And so we all can learn that nothing we do could ever separate us from your love, and others should learn that they can always come to you, believe in Jesus, and receive eternal life.