At Stephen's trial, he made no attempt to defend himself against false witnesses (Acts 6:12-7:53). His accusers were locked into their own little ideas about their own religious power-base. They could not see the truth of Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

God saved Jacob (Israel) and his family from starving to death during a catastrophic famine. It was a miracle … and all the more so because of the way in which God did it. He allowed Jacob's eleventh son, Joseph, to be maliciously sold as a slave into Egypt by his jealous brothers (Genesis 37:2-36). Yet, after a time of injustice and suffering, God raised him to a position of power and authority so that he could save many lives in Egypt (Genesis 39:1-41:57); and also provide food for rich people in other countries (Genesis 42:1-50:14). That is a real-life picture of Jesus' life's work too.

So Stephen used incidents from Israel's history to show the religious leaders that they should expect God to work uniquely, and even through unfair suffering. This history lesson was stimulated by the Holy Spirit to demonstrate that Jesus should not be rejected any more - even though He was despised and sentenced to death by the same jealous Council of the Sanhedrin who were now cross-questioning Stephen (Mark 15:10). This was their opportunity to repent and believe the gospel, trusting in Jesus (Acts 17:30).

God is still at work. He is still drawing people to Jesus. He uses His Word, and alerts people through their circumstances to seek Him (Isaiah 55:6-7). He places His people alongside seekers to explain to them what He has done through Jesus and urge them to repent. Even through the difficult times in your life, God is letting the people around you see what trust in Jesus looks like; and is providing you with opportunities to speak about Jesus. Often, it is not the shining examples of spiritual success that reaches through to sinful hearts, but the quiet witness of a broken person who is still holding on to Jesus (Psalm 51:15-17 and 2 Corinthians 12:9).