Have you ever had a stiff neck? Usually it’s a temporary condition that heals quickly. Apply some ice or heat, take ibuprofen, do some stretches, or see a physical therapist. You’ll be fine, not a big deal. In the Bible though, a stiff neck is regarded as a very serious condition—not physically, but spiritually. To be stiff-necked is to be obstinate and stubborn, difficult to lead—like an ox that refuses to cooperate with a farmer. Imagine the frustration of plowing a field, or transporting a cart, with an ox that won’t turn its head and be guided into a different path. Such an ox would be useless for any real work. Needless to say, it’s not a good thing if the Lord regards you as stiff-necked! But in Acts 7, when Stephen comes to the end of his sermon, that’s how he describes his listeners: “You stiff-necked people!” And these were religious leaders! Committed to their rituals, they were stubbornly refusing to listen to God or follow Him. “You always resist the Holy Spirit,” Stephen says (v 51). In the previous chapter, they didn’t appreciate Stephen’s persuasive logic from the Scriptures. So they tried to silence him with a smear campaign, accusing him of speaking against God’s house and God’s Word (6:13). Like Jesus, Stephen never actually opposed either the temple or the law. What he did say was that Jesus was the fulfillment of both. He was God’s new temple, replacing the old. And by His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the law’s requirements, as the perfect priest and final sacrifice. Charged with blasphemy, Stephen’s response comes in the form of a history lesson. He rehearses the Old Testament storyline in order to prove that God is present with His people, wherever they are. The living God is not limited to a particular place, not even the sacred temple in Jerusalem. This point is made by considering the lives of Abraham (v 2-8), Joseph (v 9-19), and Moses (v 20-43). As he goes on to mention Joshua, David, and Solomon (v 44-50), the topic of religious buildings is specifically addressed. Stephen’s point is not that it was wrong to construct the tabernacle or the temple, only that these places should never have been regarded as God’s home in any literal sense. The entire history of Israel proves that their God is a mobile God. He is always on the move, impossible to confine, and never restricted to any one place. In regards to God’s law, Stephen turns the tables on the religious leaders, charging them with the murder of God’s Son, “the Righteous One” (v 51-53). Their response? They were enraged at Stephen’s Spirit-filled witness for Jesus. With necks stiffened, they cast him out of the city, and stoned him (v 54-60). For further meditation: