Careful to Listen

2022-01-09

All they had to do was look and it would have changed their world.

They were the upright men in the community. Everything they did was in accordance with all the religious rules.

Until the man Stephen came and told them they were in rebellion against the God they thought they were serving. These were not just words Stephen spoke. God opened heaven itself to prove the deacon’s message: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). These men just had to stop and look.

On the contrary, we see this: “Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord” (Acts 7:57). They literally put their fingers in their ears so they would not hear Stephen.

Be careful to hear, be careful to listen. These men thought they were doing everything right, but it turned out everything was wrong. They would not listen to anything that would not validate their delusion.

Countless people do the same as these men today. Jesus told us that few will be saved. How do you know you are one of them?

Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (Luke 13:23-24)