Bible Study - Acts 7

S - Scripture

You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Acts 7:51 ESV

O - Commentary:

Stephen raised the same charge that God had raised against his people in the wilderness: that they were heathen (literally uncircumcised) at heart and deaf to truth, because they were rejecting the gospel and obstinately resisting the Holy Spirit
New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Ac 7:51.

Stephen could hardly choose harsher words. His point is that his hearers, like their ancestors, reject God's messengers; the Holy Spirit was especially seen as the Spirit who had inspired the prophets
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament.+~Stephen+could+hardly), Second Edition (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2014), 340.

A - Application

We were once like this — far from God, with no idea who the Holy Spirit was in our lives. But once we accepted Christ, all of that changed. We drew close to God and invited the Holy Spirit into our days. Here's the challenge: does God have 100% of our lives? Are there still areas we keep "off limits" to His interaction? Do we hold back from letting Him work through the Spirit to change our thoughts or behavior? We cannot be stiff-necked. We must surrender to God daily.

R - Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are holy and just. Show us the areas where we are stubborn and self-sufficient. We want to surrender 100% of ourselves to You. We invite Your Holy Spirit to work in us today, so we are ready to do what You ask of us. Amen.