Joseph Salvation is Jesus Salvation

I taught last Sunday on Acts 7.  We read and discussed the declaration Stephen made before the high priest before he was brutally stoned to death for preaching and healing in Jesus name.  I was amazed to consider the address he gave.  In it he mentions Abraham, who walked faithfully with God thought he never had a place to worship.  He mentions Moses who was rejected and the law he wrote down was also rejected.  Before Moses though, Stephen mentions Joseph.  He doesn't give the whole account of Josephs life but he gives enough to communicate this thought:  Joseph was rejected by the Patriarchs.  The Fathers had sold him as a slave into Egypt.  Yet God used the rejected son to bring salvation upon the chosen people and the other nations.

I think it is meaningful to realize that Stephen is talking to the very same men who had falsely and murderously killed Jesus.  The Israelite leadership had rejected the one God sent to them.  And yet, salvation is still available for them through the very one they had up to this point rejected.  Salvation is still not out of reach for those who had plotted against Jesus.  If they would turn to him even now, they could be saved.

It was not to be though.  They ground their teethe together in a rage shoved their fingers in their ears and led Stephen out of the city.  There they brutalized him with stones.  He died gazing into heaven and was received by the Lord Jesus even as he prayed for the forgiveness of those in the act of stoning him.

I don't know who reads blogs like this one.  My hope is that someone might read this who has rejected Christ, even violently at times.  My hope is that you would unstop your ears, lay down your anger, bring your guilt and sin before the perfect savior and be washed clean.