November 23, 2012
The leaders have just (falsely) accused Stephen of speaking against Moses and God. They went out and found people to lie about him. And now the high priests ask him, "Are these things true?" Stephen replied: Listen to me! Then he summarized their Jewish history that is found in the Old Testament. He started with the promise God gave Abraham. He talked about Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Stephen showed how repeatedly God blessed, and how repeatedly the Jewish people rebelled against God. Stephen pointed out that they were doing the same things as their ancestors. Acts 7:51 - "You stubborn people! You have not given your hearts to God, nor will you listen to him! You are always against what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you, just as your ancestors were." He went on: "Your ancestors tried to hurt every prophet that ever lived. Those prophets said long ago that the One who is good would come, but your ancestors killed them. And now you have turned against and killed the One who is good." (Acts 7:51–52) Notice he said "is"—present tense not past tense. God had given them His words, but they refused to obey them.
The leaders were furious! How dare he point out their failures. Acts 7:54 - "They were so mad they were grinding their teeth at Stephen." Instead of accepting the message of truth from God's messenger, they chose to deny the truth and kill the messenger. Just like their ancestors before. They took Stephen out and stoned him to death. Stephen looked to the heavens and said, "Look! I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God's right side." (Acts 7:56) Standing at God's right side—not sitting at God's right side. This is the only time in scripture that it refers to Jesus "standing." Jesus is actively involved in His followers' lives. Stephen was "full of the Holy Spirit" and Jesus wasn't just sitting around thinking, "Oh well, what will be will be." He cared, and He was actively involved, which is what gave Stephen the strength to face what he was facing, to see the Hand of God working, and to feel no anger or revenge. Acts 7:59–60 - "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... Lord, do not hold this sin against them." After he prayed this prayer he died.
On May 01, 2008, Jane's POA, my husband and I were gathered around Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) bed. Jane was dying. Jane's POA and I were on the right side of her bed, and my husband was on her left. Earlier in the day (while it was just Jane's POA and I) Jane extended both of her arms straight up towards the heavens. Now it was evening, and my husband was standing on her left side. She kept pointing upward. She would look at my husband and then towards the ceiling, then back to my husband, then to the ceiling again saying, "Go up! Go up!" I'm convinced that Jane—full of the Holy Spirit—was seeing the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, walking with her through the dying process until it was time for, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Addendum: 3/5/16 ~ The words of the song We Will Not Be Shaken kept running through my thoughts last night. Stephen was not shaken. That song was followed by How Great Thou Art. Stephen's earthly death took him into the very presence of his Savior and he was able to immediately experience the greatness of God.
We Will Not Be Shaken
For we trust in our God
And through his unfailing love
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
Though the battle rages we will stand in the fight
Though the armies rise up against us on all sides
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
For in the hour of our darkest days
We will not tremble we won't be afraid
Hope is rising like the light of dawn
Our God is for us HE has overcome.
For we trust in our God
And through his unfailing love
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
All those against him will fall
For our God is stronger
He can do all things
No higher name we can call for Jesus is greater
We can do all things
For we trust in our God
And through his unfailing love
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
Listen to it here.
Listen to How Great Thou Art here.
Next Entry: Acts 7:1 – 8:1a (Continued)
The leaders have just (falsely) accused Stephen of speaking against Moses and God. They went out and found people to lie about him. And now the high priests ask him, "Are these things true?" Stephen replied: Listen to me! Then he summarized their Jewish history that is found in the Old Testament. He started with the promise God gave Abraham. He talked about Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Stephen showed how repeatedly God blessed, and how repeatedly the Jewish people rebelled against God. Stephen pointed out that they were doing the same things as their ancestors. Acts 7:51 - "You stubborn people! You have not given your hearts to God, nor will you listen to him! You are always against what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you, just as your ancestors were." He went on: "Your ancestors tried to hurt every prophet that ever lived. Those prophets said long ago that the One who is good would come, but your ancestors killed them. And now you have turned against and killed the One who is good." (Acts 7:51–52) Notice he said "is"—present tense not past tense. God had given them His words, but they refused to obey them.
The leaders were furious! How dare he point out their failures. Acts 7:54 - "They were so mad they were grinding their teeth at Stephen." Instead of accepting the message of truth from God's messenger, they chose to deny the truth and kill the messenger. Just like their ancestors before. They took Stephen out and stoned him to death. Stephen looked to the heavens and said, "Look! I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God's right side." (Acts 7:56) Standing at God's right side—not sitting at God's right side. This is the only time in scripture that it refers to Jesus "standing." Jesus is actively involved in His followers' lives. Stephen was "full of the Holy Spirit" and Jesus wasn't just sitting around thinking, "Oh well, what will be will be." He cared, and He was actively involved, which is what gave Stephen the strength to face what he was facing, to see the Hand of God working, and to feel no anger or revenge. Acts 7:59–60 - "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... Lord, do not hold this sin against them." After he prayed this prayer he died.
On May 01, 2008, Jane's POA, my husband and I were gathered around Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) bed. Jane was dying. Jane's POA and I were on the right side of her bed, and my husband was on her left. Earlier in the day (while it was just Jane's POA and I) Jane extended both of her arms straight up towards the heavens. Now it was evening, and my husband was standing on her left side. She kept pointing upward. She would look at my husband and then towards the ceiling, then back to my husband, then to the ceiling again saying, "Go up! Go up!" I'm convinced that Jane—full of the Holy Spirit—was seeing the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, walking with her through the dying process until it was time for, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Addendum: 3/5/16 ~ The words of the song We Will Not Be Shaken kept running through my thoughts last night. Stephen was not shaken. That song was followed by How Great Thou Art. Stephen's earthly death took him into the very presence of his Savior and he was able to immediately experience the greatness of God.
We Will Not Be Shaken
For we trust in our God
And through his unfailing love
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
Though the battle rages we will stand in the fight
Though the armies rise up against us on all sides
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
For in the hour of our darkest days
We will not tremble we won't be afraid
Hope is rising like the light of dawn
Our God is for us HE has overcome.
For we trust in our God
And through his unfailing love
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
All those against him will fall
For our God is stronger
He can do all things
No higher name we can call for Jesus is greater
We can do all things
For we trust in our God
And through his unfailing love
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
We will not be shaken.
Listen to it here.
Listen to How Great Thou Art here.
Next Entry: Acts 7:1 – 8:1a (Continued)
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