Getting it Right - Part 512

In the last post, we read about Stephen's determination to serve the Lord, and in that realm, Stephen was confident that the Lord Jesus would never leave him or forsake him. Stephen, full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people. However, after further reflecting on Acts chapters 6-7, there is another message therein that also has merit. That is, the importance of getting it right.

Jesus said that He is the Word. In I John 5:6-7, "It is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one."

Stephen recognized that even in the face of adversity (and in his particular case death by stoning) he never stopped speaking the wisdom that had been bestowed upon him. "And they [certain of those of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of them of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Stephen) were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake."

In other words, even though thy suborned men to make false accusations, they could not resist the Word that Stephen spoke about --- the Word being Jesus. Even though they stirred up the people and the elders and scribes to say that they heard Stephen saying blasphemous words against God and Moses, Stephen would not stop preaching about Jesus. "This man ceaseth not ..." (Acts 6:13)

Stephen stated in reference to Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia the promise that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. "And God spoke on this wise, "That his Seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage and entreat them evil four hundred years. And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God, and after that shall they come forth and serve me in this place." (Acts 7:5-7)

He further spoke of the patriarchs who were moved with envy selling Joseph into Egypt but God was with him and delivered him out of all his afflictions. But God Almighty did not stop there. He gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh King of Egypt, and made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Stephen continues telling of Moses who was cast out, but Pharaoh's daughter took him up and nourished him as her own son. During that time,  Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was "mighty in words and in deeds." When Moses was forty, he went to visit his brethren the children of Israel. "And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian; For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by His hand would deliver them, but they understood not."

Later, the scriptures in Acts 7 state, " This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles to give to us; to whom our fathers would not obey but thrust him from them and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt."

What was the question? O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? ... Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

"Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; who found favour before God and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him a house. Howbeit "the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, saith the prophet."

"Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool; what house will you build me? saith the Lord; or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all things?"

Stephen then said, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now betrayers and murderers; who have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it."

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he -- Stephen -- being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. "Behold, I see the heavens opened," said Stephen, " and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

Jesus! The cornerstone that the church rejected and crucified on the cross is the Just One foretold by the prophets throughout the Old Testament. It is no wonder that the those listening to Stephen cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears. They had just crucified the Lord God Himself in the flesh -- who clothed Himself in humanity for our sake.

In spite of their best efforts to dismiss Jesus and to ignore the truth, Stephen and other believers like him, remained steadfast in their walk with Him. Stephen got it right. He wanted everyone to know that Heaven is Jesus' throne and earth His footstool. As the Word states in Acts 7:49,  "What house will you build me? Or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all things?"

Yes, the Lord God who created us in the beginning loved us so much that He would become flesh so that we might have eternal life. Jesus loves us that much -- that He will never leave us or forsake us. Thank you Jesus! Stand in the offering plate!