His Chosen People

I Peter 2:1-10

Have you ever felt like you did not fit in with others, either at school or maybe at work?  Maybe you felt like you just weren’t wanted around by others.  Some people were an unwanted child, and ended up in an orphanage or foster home.  For others, though their parents kept them, they let them know they weren’t wanted.  Some children are the last to be picked for a team, or are never invited to join a club.  This sometimes continues on into the workplace or in social groups.  However, there is Someone who is eager to choose you for Himself.  This is one of the subjects that the Apostle Peter touches on in our Scripture today.  Let’s see what God has to teach us today.

In his first general letter to believers, Peter instructs us to put away sin from our life, to desire God’s Word, and live as His chosen people, built upon the Lord Jesus, the Cornerstone.  He begins by listing five sins for believers to get rid of in their life (vs. 1).  We might think that big things like murder, harming children, or robbing a bank would top the list.  However what he lists are malice (a desire to do evil), deceit, hypocrisy (pretending to be spiritual while hiding sin), envy, and evil speaking (slander and gossip).  These destroy our fellowship with God and our spiritual growth.  Contrary to what some may think, these are not respectable sins, and must be rooted out of our life in order to grow as a Christian.  God’s love for us should motivate us to reject these behaviors.

What will help us grow as Christians?  Newborn babies desire milk, which helps them grow.  For a believer, our “milk” is God’s Word (vs. 2-3).  We should be desiring it just like a baby does his milk.  Reading the Bible shouldn’t be something we just check off of a list of things to do.  We should want to get into God’s Word every day.  Peter says to desire the “pure milk of the Word”, which is the Bible, not just other “spiritual” literature.  They cannot replace the Bible, and one must be especially careful that they aren’t teaching false doctrine.  Just as a good mother is extremely careful of what her baby eats, so must we be very careful with what we take in spiritually.

As Peter continues, he speaks on how as believers we have come to Jesus, the Living Stone (vs. 4).  He was rejected by men, but was chosen by God.  He is “living”, emphasizing His resurrection.  A stone is strong, stable, and is used to build a foundation, which Jesus is in our life.  As believers, we share in His life as lively stones (vs. 5).  We are built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering to God spiritual sacrifices, such as worship, obedience, and praise.

Peter then quotes from Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone.  Believers who trust in Him will not be put to shame.  Unbelievers will stumble because they disobey the Word of God.  Just as a building’s foundation is built on a strong rock so that it won’t move, our spiritual life needs to be built on the strong, solid foundation of Jesus.   Christ divides humanity into two groups - those who believe and are built upon Him, and those who reject Him and stumble into judgment.

As we continue on, Peter gives four titles for believers who follow Jesus - a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and His own special people (vs. 9).   You may be ignored or rejected by others, but when you follow Jesus, He has chosen you to be His redeemed people.  We are a royal priesthood, priests with kingly dignity, and access to God, with authority to represent Him.  As a holy nation we are set apart from the world, and as such we should be following God’s Word and not cultural trends.  As Christians we are God’s special people, His treasured possession purchased by the Blood of His Son.

As this Scripture passage comes to a close, Peter alludes to the first two chapters of the prophet Hosea.  We were once alienated from God, but are now adopted by Him (vs. 10).  We were once without mercy, but now we are recipients of His abundant mercy.

As we look back over these verses from I Peter, let’s be sure to continue growing as Christians, and not stay as babies.  We do that by taking generous portions of God’s Word each day.  We should also remember that none of us has to ever feel unwanted, abandoned or rejected, because God has called our names.  He has chosen us for His family.  Remember who you are in the Lord.  It is only when we remember who we are that we can call others out of darkness and into the light of Jesus.

Come and See

Psalm 66

When something special has happened to you, or you have seen something very special and exciting, one of the first things you want to do is tell others, and possibly also show them.  If they are doubting, you might urge them on by saying, “Come and see!”  There are some things that are just too good to keep to oneself.  Our unknown psalmist of today’s psalm felt that way.  He had much praise and worship for the Lord God that he wanted to share with everyone, which we can read today in our psalm.

Psalm 66 begins with universal praise of Yahweh from the whole earth.  Then it moves to national remembrance where the nation of Israel recounts God’s deliverance of them from captivity.  The psalm ends with the psalmist’s personal testimony of answered prayer in his life.  Each of these were things he wanted to share with others, calling them to come and see what God had done.

As our psalm opens, the author gives a universal call to worship Yahweh (vs. 1-4).  God deserves global worship, not just from Israel, but from all nations.  The praise is vocal and public from people, as they sing out and make His praise glorious.  God’s works show us exactly what His character is like.  His deeds are so mighty that even His enemies will eventually submit themselves to Him.  We don’t see that now, but there is coming the day when Jesus returns to earth, and then all nations will bow before Him (Philippians 2:10-11).

The psalmist next calls upon his people, the nation of Israel, to remember what God has done for them (vs. 5-7).  Two events that he particularly points out are the crossing of the Red Sea, and then forty years later, the crossing of the Jordan River, each time where God parted the waters, allowing the people to cross on dry land.  Some people believe that God is a remote God, who does not get involved in human events, and that after He created everything He just left that creation to get by on its own.  However, God is actively involved with all creation. He acts in history, He delivers His people, and He rules eternally.  We see this most personally with the Lord Jesus, the Son of God who came to earth, born as a human, to die upon the cross for our sins.  As the psalmist said, “Come and see!”

The next section of our psalm shifts from God’s mighty acts to that of His disciplining and refining His people (vs. 8-12).  Precious metals are put through a refining process to remove impurities, making the metal more valuable.  The same holds for believers.  God will often put His children through similar processes in order to remove sin.  He will test us, bringing us through figurative fire and water, in order to refine us just as silver is refined.  This discipline is purposeful, not punitive.  These trials are not signs of abandonment, but of refinement (Hebrews 12:5-11).  God allows us to go through times of testing to toughen our spiritual muscles and endurance.  He teaches us to rely on Him, and purifies us to be holy, so that we become more like Christ.  God will preserve us, purify us, and bring us to a place of abundance.

Proceeding on, the psalmist next speaks of his personal worship and vows that he had made to God (vs. 13-15).  Some time in his recent past he had made some vows to God in prayer for deliverance from various troubles that he was in.  Many people make vows and promises to God when they have problems in their life, or when they seek healing from a critical illness, but then when He delivers or heals them, that promise is forgotten.  Not so with our psalmist.  He brings his offerings to the Lord in sincere gratitude.  That should be the case with every Christian.  If we ever make a vow or promise to the Lord, we should be certain to fulfill those vows, and not conveniently forget.

Lastly, the psalmist gives a personal testimony of answered prayer (vs. 16-20).  He reminds the reader that if there is sin in one’s heart, God will not answer.  However, that is not the case with him, as God heard and answered his prayers for help.  God does not find worship acceptable from believers who cling unrepentantly to sin (vs. 18).  Some people choose to live in ungodliness, even after salvation.  If this is our choice, God will not respond to our prayers.  This doesn’t mean we can never make a mistake.  God understands our frailty.  But we must repent of all known sin, and avoid continuing in it.

How often are we, as Christians, calling upon others, both fellow believers and the unsaved, to come and see what mighty works God has done?  He deserves our praise.  Our testimony just might open up some lost person’s eyes and heart to the Lord, leading them to one day call upon the Lord Jesus for salvation.

Forgetting God in the Good Times

Deuteronomy 6:10-25

When are people more likely to pray - when things are going great in their life or when there are serious problems?  We all know that we are more likely to turn to God when we have troubles and we need His help, rather than when we are prosperous.  That seems to be human nature.  However, that shouldn’t be the case for Christians.  In our Scripture passage today from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, the people of Israel were about to enter into the land that the Lord had promised them.  This land was to be a blessing to them, an abundant and fruitful land.  On the eve of their entry into this land, Moses gave them a warning.  Let’s look at what that warning was.

For the past forty years the people of Israel had been traveling through and living in the wilderness.  That was a difficult existence, with a scarcity of food and water if it wasn’t for the Lord’s provisions.  Now they were going into a fruitful land, one blessed for farming and raising livestock, a land that had pre-existing cities and infrastructure.  This may seem like a great blessing, and it was.  However, with the blessings, Moses warned that there was a great danger.  Israel’s greatest danger had not been the wilderness that they were leaving.  It was Canaan’s prosperity.

In the wilderness the people had lived in tents, sleeping on the ground or on cots.  It was hot, it was dusty, provisions were scarce, and it was not very pleasant.  Now they were entering a land where the cities and houses were already built, where the wells were already dug, and the farmland was already prepared (vs. 10-12).  This was a blessing from the Lord, a gift of His grace.  The people needed to remember that, and not fall into pride and feelings of self-sufficiency.  God is the giver of every good thing, and they, along with us today, need to beware of forgetting that.

Forgetting God is not a memory lapse.  It is a spiritual drift that can lead to idolatry.  When life becomes easier, prayer often becomes weaker, as we might feel that we don’t need God’s help anymore.  Comfort can dull our spiritual vigilance.  The antidote for forgetting about God is having a grateful heart.

Moses instructed the people, and us as well, to continue to have a fear of God, to have a heart of reverence for Him, to serve Him in obedience, and to swear or show public allegiance to His Name (vs. 13-15).  God demands exclusive worship.  This includes the mixing of worship of Him, of true Christianity, with that of other false religions.  Some churches falsely teach that it is fine to mix into our faith the teachings and beliefs of other religions, however God’s Word warns against that.  Also, idolatry is not only the worship of false gods, but it is also the giving of one’s heart loyalty to anything other than God.  This could include our career, hobbies, entertainment, and relationships.  We must consciously choose God over everything else.

Reading further, Moses reminded the people of an event from their time in the wilderness, where they had tested God at Massah (Exodus 17:1-7), where they doubted God’s goodness and demanded proof from Him (vs. 16-19).  God never has to prove Himself to us in order to deserve our obedience.  Testing God is unbelief, and trusting Him is obedience.  We “tempt God” when we demand signs, manipulate circumstances, or obey only when it is convenient for us.  Faith will always obey, even when the path is unclear.

Our Scripture continues by instructing us to teach the next generation the meaning of redemption (vs. 20-25).  During the days of the Old Testament the people were to explain to their children how God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, bringing them out and giving them the Promised Land.  Following Jesus’ resurrection, believers are to teach their children about the Savior’s redemption of us through His shed Blood upon the Cross, and the necessity of putting their faith and trust in Jesus.  We should share testimonies of God’s faithfulness, and teach our children His Word clearly, consistently, and joyfully.

As Moses warned, prosperity can become spiritually dangerous.  Forgetfulness of God’s blessings can lead to pride, idolatry, and sin.  Obedience to God’s Word is the only safe response to His redeeming grace.  This passage is a sober warning for believers today who live in a world full of comforts, distractions and competing loyalties.  Let’s remember to praise and thank God during our times of blessings, when things are going well, coming to Him often in worship and prayer, and not develop spiritual amnesia.

Which Door Do You Choose?

John 10:1-10

Every day each of us will likely go in and out of various doorways.  Throughout our homes there are several doorways.  Then as we go out for our day we go in and out of office doors, store doors, even our car doors.  We need to be careful that each of these doors are the correct ones.  We wouldn’t want to accidentally try to go through the wrong apartment or house door, or the wrong car door!  That might get us into trouble!  As important as it is to choose the correct doors in our life, it is even more important that the door we go through as we enter eternity is the correct one!  Our Scripture today from the Gospel of John speaks of the door that we need to make sure that we enter through.  Let’s see what door that is.

A common theme throughout the Bible is that of representing people as sheep with a shepherd looking after them.  The kings of Judah were sometimes spoken of as shepherds guiding the flock of God’s people.  King David was both a literal shepherd in his youth, and then a figurative one as king.  The prophets throughout the Old Testament were frequently referred to in Scripture as a type of spiritual shepherd, guiding the flock of God’s people into His ways.  Just like in life, there were good shepherds that genuinely cared for the sheep, and then there were bad shepherds who didn’t.  There were good kings and good religious leaders who led the people in following God, and bad ones who led the people astray into idolatry and false teachings.

Just prior to the beginning of our Scripture Jesus had healed the man who had been born blind, and the Pharisees in protest, cast him out of the synagogue for believing in Jesus, and then proceeded to challenge Him.  Jesus began to teach the people about false shepherds who lead the flock astray, as that is what the Pharisees were doing.  Sheep were kept in a fenced-in sheepfold overnight, which had a gate or doorway to enter.  There was only one proper way to enter the sheepfold, and that was through the gate, and anyone who tried to enter another way, was up to no good, he was a thief (vs. 1).  The flock was God’s people, and the proper door was God’s appointed way to eternal life which His proper shepherds were to lead to.  False spiritual leaders who claim authority but do not lead by God’s appointed ways, are thieves and robbers.  God alone determines the correct spiritual way.  Any leader who chooses some other teaching besides the Bible is a false shepherd.

A true, God-appointed shepherd will come through God’s appointed means (vs. 2).  Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and the prophets of the Old Testament and true godly priests and preachers of today come through God’s approved way.  The Chief Shepherd calls the sheep by name. Just like sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd, genuine believers will recognize the voice of the Shepherd Jesus (vs. 3).  He personally cares for His sheep, His children, and knows them each intimately, knowing their name.

Shepherds in the Middle East during Biblical times would always lead their flock from the front, not from behind (vs. 4-5).  That is the way that Jesus leads His sheep, by His example, not by coercion.  His sheep will follow Him because they can trust Him, they know His character, and recognize His voice.  True believers have spiritual discernment.  They may be temporarily confused, but they will not ultimately follow false doctrine or false teachers.  Some of the people listening, including the Pharisees, refused to accept Jesus’ words (vs. 6).  They were spiritually blind, closing their hearts and minds to Him.

Jesus is not only our Shepherd, He is also the Door through whom we must enter to come to God’s Kingdom (vs 7).  Access to God is exclusively through Him, and salvation is only through Him.  This is consistent with John 14:6, where Jesus said He is the Way, and no one can come to the Father except through Him.  All of the false messiahs, the corrupt religious leaders, and self-appointed spiritual authorities, both then and now, are thieves and robbers (vs. 8).  They steal, taking what is not theirs.  They kill by destroying spiritual life, leading to eternal ruin.  How many of today’s false preachers continue to take money to live their lavish lifestyle, and preach their false messages which send their followers to eternal doom?

However, those who follow Jesus, going through His door, will be saved, finding spiritual nourishment (vs. 9-10).  He is not merely the beginning of salvation, He is the ongoing source of spiritual life.  The thief destroys, but Jesus gives eternal life more abundantly.

Whose voice are you following, that of Jesus or some other religious leader or philosophy?  Jesus is the only Door.  No other religion, ritual, or leader can replace Him.  True under-shepherds will lead those in the flock they are looking after through His Door, His way.  They won’t try to climb in some other way, which leads to destruction.  There is only one safe and true Door.  When we walk through the door of Jesus, we are promised eternal life.

Suffering for Righteousness

I Peter 2:19-25

Have you ever been wrongly accused of something that you had never done, and then been punished for it?  Perhaps as a child one of your teachers blamed you for something that another student had done.  As you get older, it could get more serious.  A police officer could claim you didn’t yield when driving, or speeding when you weren’t, and issue you a ticket.  More serious than that would be if your boss falsely accused you of something and you lost your job, and even worse you could be falsely accused of a crime and spend time in prison.  In the Apostle Peter’s first letter to Christians who were going through some seriously difficult times for their faith in Jesus, including many having to leave their homes, he spoke about such circumstances, and what their reaction should be.  Let’s see what God’s Word can teach us.

Peter was writing to give encouragement to Christians in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) who were being persecuted for their faith.  He explains here why righteous suffering matters, as it reflects the Lord Jesus to others.  Peter begins this segment of Scripture to say that God is pleased when believers endure unjust suffering, because they are conscious of Him (vs. 19).  It is commendable, as God looks with favor on their endurance when they don’t give up their faith in Him.  This, as Peter states, is if they are going through this suffering wrongfully, not because of sin or any wrongdoing that they have done.  The motive of the suffering is important for meriting God’s blessing and favor.  It must be for righteousness, not sin, stoicism, or self-glory.  Righteous suffering is meaningful because it is focused on the Lord.

Some suffering is deserved for the wrong that was done, and this suffering has no spiritual value (vs. 20).  If you were speeding, you deserve the ticket.  If you committed the crime you deserve the prison sentence.  However, often good people suffer for doing well.  The bad treatment they are enduring is undeserved.  Not all suffering is noble.  Only  the suffering endured for righteousness’ sake is commendable to God.  If a person does wrong and then suffers the consequences, even though they patiently endure the punishment, nobody applauds.  But when you do what is right and suffer for it with grace and patience, God applauds.

Now Peter gets to the heart of this passage.  Believers are called to righteous suffering (vs. 21).  This is not because God delights in pain, but rather because such suffering follows the example of Jesus Christ, and it displays Him to the world.  We are conformed to the image of Jesus because He also suffered unjustly.  His suffering was substitutionary because He suffered for us, and also left us an example to follow.

Verse 22 is a quote from Isaiah 53:9, which establishes that Jesus was sinless and perfectly righteous.  He alone was qualified to be the spotless Lamb of God, the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins.  Only a sinless substitute can bear the sins of others.

What was Jesus’ response to the unjust suffering that He endured?  So often when someone is wrongly accused and punished for something they didn’t do, they try to defend themselves, raising their voice in anger.  On that Good Friday, Jesus did not retaliate.  He did not answer back.  Instead, He left the judging to God.  He did not seek revenge (vs. 23)  This is the pattern for believers to follow.  We do not need to vindicate ourselves as God will do that for us.

Jesus bore our sins upon Himself, in His own Body, on the Cross (vs. 24).    Because He bore our sins, we are to die to sin and live for righteousness.  Following in Jesus’ steps means pursuing holiness and enduring suffering.  The Cross of Christ reveals man’s sin at its worst, but also God’s love at its deepest.  In taking our place on the Cross, Jesus experienced the wrath of God against our iniquities.  As a result, the penalty for our sins has been fully paid.

Peter closes with a pastoral reminder (vs. 25).  We were like wandering sheep (Isaiah 53:6).  However, Jesus’ substitutionary death brings us back into God’s fold.  He is now our Shepherd, protecting and providing for us.  He is also our Overseer or Bishop of our souls, guarding and taking care of us for all eternity.

As the day of Christ’s return draws closer, there will be more persecution and suffering of His followers.  As Peter has told us, suffering for doing right is never wasted.  It is precious to God.  We need to imitate Jesus’ humility, patience, and trust in God during any time of suffering we go through.  And now, the One who suffered before us and for us, watches over us.

Trusting in the Correct One

Psalm 20

Sometimes in life we find ourselves doing battle.  Of course there are literal, physical battles, whether it is a war that our country may get involved in, or if someone picks a fight with us.  Then there are figurative battles, such as battling an illness or disease, or economic or financial battles we deal with.  And then equally as serious are the spiritual battles we fight against Satan and his minions.  Our psalm for this week is a prayer for the king as he goes forth to battle, and can also be a prayer for us in any type of battle that we may face in our daily lives.

King David often went to battle against the enemies of both Israel and also of Yahweh.  When he would prepare for battle he and the people of Israel would pray for God’s protection and help.  They prayed that the Lord would answer David when danger comes, in “the day of trouble” (vs. 1).  This refers not only to a literal battle, but also can apply to any crisis we face.  Jesus told us that trouble is to be expected and should not be considered unusual (John 16:33), but that He will hear us when we pray to Him in time of trouble (Psalm 34:17).  We should always remember to pray for ourselves and each other before the crisis hits, not only while we are in it.

As the people prayed, they knew that help comes from God’s presence, not from any type of human strategy (vs. 2).  God is the source of our victories in any type of battle (Psalm 121:2).  The spiritual battles that we face require spiritual help (Ephesians 6:10-18).  God’s help should always be sought first, not as a last resort.

David had offered sacrifices before going into battle, and the people prayed that God would accept them (vs. 3).  When our worship is offered in obedience to His Word, God will respond.  Victory is connected to a life aligned with God, not just merely asking for His help.  The people prayed that God would fulfill David’s desires and plans (vs. 4).  God will bless the desires of ours that align with His will.  We need to pray that our desires will be shaped by the Bible so that God can bless them.

As we read further, the people anticipated a victory before the battle even began.  Faith will celebrate God’s deliverance before it arrives, and praise Him in advance for what He will do.  Next David spoke, giving testimony that he knew that God would save “His anointed”, which is what the word Messiah in Hebrew means (vs. 6).  David had been anointed king by the prophet Samuel, however Jesus Christ is the greater Anointed One.  God’s salvation is certain because it rests upon His covenant.

Where or in whom are we placing our trust when we encounter the battles that we face each day? (vs. 7).   What “chariots” do we trust in?  Our abilities, strength, human wisdom, friends or relatives?  Worldly goods are sometimes useful in daily life, but they don’t give us security in times of trouble.  If we place our trust in things, possessions, or wealth, we find that they eventually give way, and then we wonder why we fail, and why certain problems continue to affect us.  In a world of change, we can trust our unchanging God.

While God may use the resources of this world to help us, ultimately victory over our problems comes from Him.  Whether He gives us a resolution or the grace to endure, we can trust that He’ll be for us all that He says He is.  We don’t have to be overwhelmed by our troubles, but we can face them with His hope and peace.

Those who trust in theirs or others human strength will eventually collapse.  But those who trust in God will stand firm (vs. 8).  God promises to exalt the humble, and brings down the proud.  This victory is not always physical, but is spiritual.  Standing firm in trials is evidence of trust in God.  The psalm ends with a final prayer for God’s salvation and for the king’s success.

As we look back over our psalm of today, we realize that God is the source of both salvation and victory.  It is not in our human strength, planning, or resources. Prayer is always essential before any type of battle we face.  We also learn to pray before the crisis hits, not just during it.  Finally, we should examine where our trust lies - is it in God or in human strength?  As believers and followers of Jesus, our trust should be in Him rather than in any worldly security.

The Martyrdom of Stephen

Acts 7:51-60

We often remember the first person to do something, like Neil Armstrong being the first man on the moon, Edmund Hillary and Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay being the first to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, or Roald Amundsen being the first to reach the South Pole.  Countless other “firsts” were never recorded so we have no idea who would get the honor.  However, we do have a “first” recorded in our Scripture for today, that being the first martyr of the Christian Church.

Today we look at a pivotal event that happened in the very early Church, that of the martyrdom of St. Stephen.  Though the exact date is not given in the Book of Acts, most Biblical scholars place his death between two to four years after the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down upon the believers, and the Christian Church began.  Stephen was one of seven men who were chosen by the Apostles to be deacons in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6).  In addition to assisting in the day-to-day ministries for the needs of the poor, Stephen was also a very gifted preacher.  His teachings were very powerful and convicting, so much so that he quickly came to the attention of the Jewish religious leaders and the Sanhedrin (the Jewish court and legal council).  Stephen was promptly arrested and brought before these religious and legal leaders where he was questioned.

Our Scripture passage picks up just as Stephen ended a rather lengthy testimony, tracing Israel’s history of resisting God’s messengers.  He brought his message to a conclusion by stating that the leaders of the people now have repeated the sins of their fathers by rejecting the Messiah (vs. 51-53).  This would be the final rejection of the Gospel by the Sanhedrin.  Stephen called these religious leaders “stiffnecked”, as they stubbornly refused to bow to God, just as their fathers also refused. And they were “uncircumcised in heart and ears”.  They were outwardly religious, but inwardly they were disobedient.  They willfully rejected God’s revealed truth.  Israel had a history of rejecting God’s messengers.  Stephen pointed out that they prided themselves on possessing God’s Law, however, possession is not obedience.

The religious leaders were “cut to the heart” (vs. 54).  They knew that what Stephen said was true.  There was no denying it.  However, they did not repent.  Instead of yielding to the Holy Spirit, they responded with rage.  Stephen remained controlled, calm, and focused on Christ in contrast to the mob’s fury (vs. 55-56).  As he looked up he saw the Lord Jesus standing at God’s right hand.  This is the only time in Scripture that Jesus is described as standing at God’s right hand.  Jesus was standing as Stephen’s advocate (I John 2:1).  He was standing to receive His servant, the first of countless martyrs, into glory.

When these religious leaders and members of the Sanhedrin heard Stephen speak of seeing Jesus at God’s right hand, they flew into a murderous fury (vs. 57-58).  They stopped their ears and rushed upon him, casting him out of the city.  There they began to stone Stephen.  This was not a legal execution, but instead a lynching driven by their religious fury.

As Stephen fell down dying, he prayed to Jesus, repeating some of the same words that the Savior did as He died upon the Cross (vs. 59-60).  He asked Jesus to receive his spirit (Luke 23:46), and also asked Him to forgive those who had killed him (Luke 23:34).  As we can all imagine, stoning is a very brutal form of death, yet Stephen forgave them.  Would we be able to do the same?  This was evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in Stephen, even in his suffering.

In this Scripture passage we are first introduced to Paul, who at this time was known as Saul (vs. 58).  Saul was a devout Pharisee, and was possibly also connected to the Sanhedrin.  As one who at this time strongly opposed this new faith of those who followed Jesus, he approved of the death of Stephen.  The blood of the first martyr watered the tiny seeds of faith that would, in a couple of years, bring forth fruit in the heart of Saul with his conversion, which we read of in Acts 9.

As we close, we see that Stephen boldly spoke the truth, even when it was unpopular, and even when he knew the danger of doing so in front of the Jewish religious leaders and Sanhedrin.  We must do the same today.  There are many different groups which are hostile to true, genuine Christians today.  However, like Stephen, we need to stand for Biblical truth, and refuse to compromise anything under pressure. Stephen’s eyes were on Jesus, not on his circumstances.  Because of that, he was able to see the Savior clearly.  He valued eternity over comfort, and so must we, living with heaven in view.  This passage challenges us to forgive our enemies.  We need to release all bitterness, and instead pray for our persecutors.  Finally, as we look, we see Saul off in the corner.  His presence there shows God’s hidden purposes.  What looks like tragedy may be the seeds of future triumph, as we know how God used Saul/Paul in a mighty way to spread the Gospel he once fought against.