More of the Story: Don't get too comfortable

Then they secretly instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.” And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. ~ Acts 6:11-15
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The sort of stuff that, let's face it, doesn't always sell. ~ Rachel Held Evans

It didn't sell the leaders of the temple.

 Not interested in your goodness, Stephen. We don't like what you are saying.

 You can't say that stuff about that Jesus fellow. It is a sin against Moses.

 Not interested in your communion rituals. Are you born again?

 You can't say that stuff about creation. It's a sin.

 No interested in your joy and peace. Did you think you could get away with having women in the pulpit?

You can't say that stuff about loving non-Christians. They're going to hell!


Someone once said that Christianity was meant to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.

 Yet we often seem to get lost in the quagmire of dogma, rituals, tradition, and custom.

 Even with the face of a angel, Stephen fell victim to that quagmire, despite being one of the first to buck the trend.

 To do and teach the unexpected and to serve in unexpected ways.

 Christians have been bucking the trend since the beginning. It was never about doing what was expected. 

 Or comfortable.
Prayer: Comfort me Lord, but also afflict me when I get too comfortable. Amen






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