When people become leaders in the church it is as if a target were drawn on them, and the enemies of God (the devil, the world and our sinful nature) seek to shoot them down.
Yesterday, we read about the appointing of the first deacons of the church. They were servants, indeed the word deacon means servant, whose primary function was to see to the care of the widows in the church. At the same time, these were godly men filled with the Holy Spirit who proclaimed God’s Word. They served God and His people, but they also testified regarding Jesus. Two of these leaders are of great importance to us as we continue through Acts; Stephen and Philip. We’ll talk more about Philip tomorrow, so today we’ll look at Stephen.
Stephen was very bold in faith and proclaimed the Word powerfully. His ministry was also accompanied by miracles. Clearly he was a leader.
He was also marked.
Stephen’s enemies lied about him saying that he spoke, “blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They arrested him, and brought him before the Jewish High Court. In his own defense he outlines a major portion of the history of Israel, demonstrating how the Israelites had time and again disobeyed God’s will and had even rejected Moses, the prophets, and, ultimately, the Christ. They dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. (And it is here that we meet Saul for the first time as he approved of Stephen’s death and guarded the clothes of those who were killing him.)
Stephen became the first martyr of the church. According to Wikipedia, “A martyr is a person who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce a belief, usually religious.” We are perhaps familiar with this Word: “martyr.” It comes from a Greek word that means, “witness.”
Even in Stephen’s death he served as a witness to Jesus’ death and resurrection. His willingness to die for that faith showed his conviction and the depth of his faith. His behavior as he died, praying for those who stoned him and asking for God to forgive them, was a reflection of His Lord, and a testimony that the core of the Christian faith is forgiveness.
Because we are people who will lead others to Jesus, just as Stephen did, we are marked as well. The target is on us. People will twist what we say, try to make us look bad, discredit us, and accuse us. In addition, we will face temptations to lash out, to resort to manipulation, and to fall into shameful behaviors that would tarnish our witness to the power of Jesus in our lives.
What do we do when those kinds of things happen to us? One thing we can do is remember Stephen, and what he saw. “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” He saw that even in the moment of his death, Jesus was (and is) still the Lord of Life. He entrusted himself into Jesus’ hands, and we can too because God is greater than the circumstances of our lives. He will defend us and he will lead us safely through this world to our heavenly home. He is faithful even when everything else is falling apart around us.
Father in Heaven, help me to trust you with my whole life as Stephen did, and help me be a good witness to the hope I have in Jesus, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Yesterday, we read about the appointing of the first deacons of the church. They were servants, indeed the word deacon means servant, whose primary function was to see to the care of the widows in the church. At the same time, these were godly men filled with the Holy Spirit who proclaimed God’s Word. They served God and His people, but they also testified regarding Jesus. Two of these leaders are of great importance to us as we continue through Acts; Stephen and Philip. We’ll talk more about Philip tomorrow, so today we’ll look at Stephen.
Stephen was very bold in faith and proclaimed the Word powerfully. His ministry was also accompanied by miracles. Clearly he was a leader.
He was also marked.
Stephen’s enemies lied about him saying that he spoke, “blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They arrested him, and brought him before the Jewish High Court. In his own defense he outlines a major portion of the history of Israel, demonstrating how the Israelites had time and again disobeyed God’s will and had even rejected Moses, the prophets, and, ultimately, the Christ. They dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. (And it is here that we meet Saul for the first time as he approved of Stephen’s death and guarded the clothes of those who were killing him.)
Stephen became the first martyr of the church. According to Wikipedia, “A martyr is a person who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce a belief, usually religious.” We are perhaps familiar with this Word: “martyr.” It comes from a Greek word that means, “witness.”
Even in Stephen’s death he served as a witness to Jesus’ death and resurrection. His willingness to die for that faith showed his conviction and the depth of his faith. His behavior as he died, praying for those who stoned him and asking for God to forgive them, was a reflection of His Lord, and a testimony that the core of the Christian faith is forgiveness.
Because we are people who will lead others to Jesus, just as Stephen did, we are marked as well. The target is on us. People will twist what we say, try to make us look bad, discredit us, and accuse us. In addition, we will face temptations to lash out, to resort to manipulation, and to fall into shameful behaviors that would tarnish our witness to the power of Jesus in our lives.
What do we do when those kinds of things happen to us? One thing we can do is remember Stephen, and what he saw. “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” He saw that even in the moment of his death, Jesus was (and is) still the Lord of Life. He entrusted himself into Jesus’ hands, and we can too because God is greater than the circumstances of our lives. He will defend us and he will lead us safely through this world to our heavenly home. He is faithful even when everything else is falling apart around us.
Father in Heaven, help me to trust you with my whole life as Stephen did, and help me be a good witness to the hope I have in Jesus, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
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