Rejection and Rebellion

 

    Stephen was a strong advocate for the Christian movement.  He had the Holy Spirit alive inside him and it showed.  He spoke boldly.  He was what we all strive to be as we follow Jesus.  That also made him a target.  It was volatile times for the new church of Jesus followers.  The old church wanted it shut down and people like Stephen made it difficult.

    Stephen went through the same kind of lies and trail as Jesus, but now people noticed a little more because the spot light was full on people like Stephen.  He was not as noticeable as the apostles, but he was noticeable.  He was a leader of the church.  

    The new church showed how Jesus was still with the church even though he lives in Heaven.  Even with strong leaders like the apostles and the seven church leaders people rejected Jesus.  Stephen used his voice to call out the old church leaders for their hard hearts and resisting the Holy Spirit.  It was not out of anger or to draw attention.  Their actions hurt the people instead of helping.  He wanted that to change.  He wanted them to see the truth too. 

    Stephen saw God's glory.  He understood what was at stake.  He knew the risk for speaking the truth, but it had to be said.  Why not be said by him?  Just because people refuse to hear the truth does not mean that we don't need to declare the truth.  We can  be careful with the wording, but the truth has to be declared and lived out.  

    Stephen's speech was meant to connect his faith to the old church's religion.  It was led by the Holy Spirit.  He began with the fundamentals of faith (Abraham).  Faith requires action, even when it doesn't make sense.  He then moved on to Moses' three stages of 40 year spans in his life.  It kind of represented how Christianity was becoming a living religion, but how it is still rejected and how rebellion is so natural to people.

    There are always going to be people that want to shut down the truth.  People that get angry and even dangerous when the truth is declared.  We can't be afraid of them or our lives will be a shell of what they are meant to be.  Fear kills the soul.  Living out your faith boldly gives the soul life and power.  

    In Stephen's case it did not end well, but he knew he was going to die.  Stephen was prepared and through the Holy Spirit saw Jesus with God in Heaven before he even died.  The Sanhedrin leaders had learned their lesson about making a killing public with Jesus, so they drug Stephen from his trial to a more secluded place and stoned him to death.  Stephen became the first martyr for Jesus' church.  Ironically, his death was considered a murder because the church had no right to stone him.

    Saul, who would become Paul, was among the Sanhedrin leaders.  He was one that was hungry for Christian blood.  He wanted all Christians wiped out.  He watched Stephen die with a sense of victory because he believed his religion was the right way.  He truly believed that Christians were heretics bend on destroying the church.  It always comes to perception and faith.  Paul thought Stephen was a leader of a rebellion that needed to be stopped.  He was in charge of Stephen's clothing.

    Stephen's last words stuck with Paul.  Paul had seen Jesus' death, so he knew every word that Jesus said on the cross.  It is uncertain on if Stephen was at Jesus' crucifixion, but he most definitely heard about every detail.  Stephen's last words were a prayer for God to accept his spirit and to forgive his killers because they did not understand what they were doing.

Acts 7