During my morning Bible time I was in Acts 7 and the speech of Stephen. Coincidentally, while driving to town I listened to one of Moody's sermons called "How to Study the Bible." He begins his message by describing the Spirit-filled Christian. He says that the person who is filled with the Spirit deals often with the word of God. But the person who is following his own ideas refers rarely to the Bible. You seldom see it mentioned in their discourses.
What does this have to do with Stephen's speech? Well, see all of those words printed in bold below?
They represent Scripture quotations from the Old Testament. This isn't very surprising in light of what Moody was saying. When a man like Stephen is filled with the Spirit, he can't help quoting it. In Moody's words, "Men and women of God deal much with God's word."
The Scriptures were serious business for a man like Stephen. And if we're truly in love with Jesus, they will be for us too.
Have a wonderful day!