Acts 7:1-16, Jesus Christ as a descendant of Abraham
Today's Scripture Summary Stephen answers the high priest's interrogation. God promised Abraham the land of Canaan and gave him a covenant that his descendants would be servants in other lands for 400 years. God was with Joseph, one of Jacob's twelve sons, and sent him to Egypt to be a ruler and deliver Israel from tribulation. 1. Abraham (7:1-8) Stephen begins his sermon before the council. Rather than trying to prove his innocence, he uses this opportunity to teach that Jesus Christ is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. He gives a redemptive account of the tabernacle and temple, along with key figures Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon (7:2-50). At the beginning of his sermon, he addresses his audience, including the council members, by calling them "fathers and brothers" to let them know that he holds no ill will toward them. He also refers to Abraham as "our father" (v. 2), recognizing that Hebrew Jews and the Hellenistic Je