In Acts 7, Stephen delivers one of the most eloquent and detailed sermons recorded in the book of Acts. When he finished, they didn’t come to the altar, they didn’t turn and repent. No, they stoned him. Do you know who was standing in that crowd? Saul of Tarsus who is later known throughout the book of Acts as Paul. He got one of the best Bible studies, one of the best sermons and he wasn’t converted. Paul wasn’t converted until he had an encounter with God on the Damascus road.
We can learn something from this. Have you ever had someone that you were just trying to share truth with and they didn’t receive it? Not only did they not receive it, they seemed to move further away from the truth.
This doesn’t mean that you have failed. Did you deliver the truth? Then you succeeded, you did exactly what you were supposed to do. While there are some that get it when you explain it to them. There will be some that have to have an experience with God to be convinced.
Don’t think what you have said hasn’t affected them. You planted the seed, just as Stephen planted a seed in Saul. You may think it had no effect on him, but it is difficult not to notice how closely Paul’s sermon in Acts 13 follows the same Biblical storyline Stephen preached in Acts 7. Stephen begins with Abraham, moves to Joseph in Egypt, recounts Moses delivering Israel, and mentions the wilderness journey. Paul follows that same chronological path, beginning with the patriarchs, moving to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, and mentioning the forty years in the wilderness. We cannot say for certain that Paul’s sermon was shaped by Stephen’s message, but it is certainly possible that Stephen’s words remained with Saul long after that day. Seeds often lie hidden beneath the surface long before anyone sees them begin to grow.
A planted seed can grow into something beautiful. So if you have presented truth to someone and it seems like it has had no effect, remember your role: you are called to plant or water, but you cannot force the growth. Pray for them that they have that experience with God that changes their heart.
If you have presented the truth to someone and it seems to have had no effect, do not lose heart. Your role is simply to plant or water the seed. Your role is not to produce the harvest, because you can’t make a seed grow anyway. It is only God, who makes things grow (1 Corinthians 3:7 NIV).
The conversation may be over, but your work is not. If you’ve planted the seed, continue to water it with prayer. Long after your words have ended, God can still be working beneath the surface until the day He brings forth new life. So pray that they will have the encounter with God that opens their heart to the truth you have already shared.
Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
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