Read
Acts 7 (Key verse, Acts 7:55)
Reflect
How would you defend the Gospel?
How would you handle opposition to your defense of the Gospel?
Respond
Acts 7 is the cliff notes of the Bible. They ask Stephen a yes or no question and he launches into a sermon (a good preacher will do that :). The Jewish leaders resisted the Holy Spirit and killed the messenger of God. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and according to verse 55 “saw the glory of God.” It’s crazy the things we will do when we resist the Holy Spirit. But, it’s even crazier the things we will do when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
BRAD FARNSWORTH 
I’ve always found this chapter rather hard to read. To be honest, I usually skimmed over it. However, this time I saw something new. Stephen reviews the narrative, the story, of the people of Isreal. This story is the birth story of Jesus – his background, his history!
I can picture the passion with which Stephen retells this history, the same passion that inspired him to be entrusted with the leadership of the early church’s first relief organization. A passion derived from the fulfillment of his Jewish heritage, his narrative. Jesus is the fulfillment of this ancient story – and his Spirit in us is the presence that both inspires and impowers us on a daily basis!
I tend to do the same thing. I think that’s the “curse” of being raised in the church. I often say, “Oh yeah, I know that story…” and forget that God’s Word is not just “a story” but it’s alive and fresh manna/bread for my day.