I See Jesus

Acts 7:54-60

“When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth,

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.

And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears,  and ran upon him with one accord,

And cast him out of the city, and stoned him;  and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

And they stoned Stephen, (while he prayed),  calling upon God, and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit,

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice,  Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, and when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

To set the stage , the apostles found themselves being spread really thin trying to do everything that needed to be done.   People were complaining that some of the widows were being neglected.  The Bible tells us that the twelve called the disciples together and said it was not fitting that they should leave the word of God and serve tables.  They directed them to look among the people and select seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom they may appoint over this business.  The word says they wanted to be able to give themselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

The apostles prayed and laid hands on the seven, showing that they were being “commissioned” by them to serve.  This shows these men’s hearts.  They each had a servant’s heart.  The Lord was using Stephen in a powerful way and his was the first name mentioned when selecting the seven men to serve.

Acts 6: 8 tells us that Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.  He spoke under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the word says there were those in the synagogue who were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. I believe the bottom line is they were under conviction.  Their response was to stir up the people, and the elders and the scribes saying Stephen was speaking blasphemous words against their holy place and the law. (Words used here is Rhema, meaning the literal word of God).  They set up false witnesses and took him before the council.  Verse 15 says that “And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.”

Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these things so?

Here was an opportunity for Stephen to  tone down his rhetoric to save himself.  Instead, he forged full speed ahead and gave a riveting address (Acts Chapter 7) culminating with the words: “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did, so do ye.”

Verse 54 states: “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.” They were furious and they moved “as one” to take him out of the city and stone him, laying their clothes at the feet of Saul.

Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. (verse 55)

There are numerous nuggets in these verses. One being when the truth of the Gospel is spoken, people who hear it will have a response.  Sometimes it will be to humble themselves in the presence of the anointing of the Holy Spirit and repent and other times it will stir a great hatred and cause an evil response.  Stephen spoke the truth in love and then asked that their sin of stoning him not be laid to their charge.

Many years ago as I was reading these  verses, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart about the fact that Stephen saw Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand.  It was one of those moments not easily forgotten.  I knew the Lord wanted me to see something else.  I began to look at the verses where Jesus is sitting at the Father’s right hand.

Colossians 3:1  “If ye then, be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

Hebrews 1:3 “Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word (Rhema) of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high…”

Hebrews 8:1-2  “Now the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is seated on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, A minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”

Hebrews 10:12  “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever, sat down on the right hand of God…..”

Hebrews 12:2  “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the  joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father.  The Holy Spirit spoke gently to my spirit and caused me to comprehend that Jesus stood in anticipation of greeting Stephen, the first of a multitude of martyrs, as he was ushered into His presence.  The Lord’s deep and abiding love and compassion were on full display as He welcomed Stephen home.

Galations 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

If we try to live for God without first dying to self, we will be in a constant struggle.  Ezekiel 44: 17-18 states that when the priests come to enter into the inner court, they must be clothed only in linen garments, and no wool may touch them while they minister in God’s presence. The end of this passage says “they shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat.”  Sweat represents the flesh.   I Corinthians 1: 26-27, 29  “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ”  “That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

God seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.  Only after our love relationship with Him is fervent  and  we are dependent on His strength, His power, and His anointing, can God safely send us out to work for it will then be “not by might, not by power, but by His Spirit”.

There were immediate consequences of Stephen’s death.  On that very day a great storm of persecution burst upon the church in Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria. The words “scattered abroad” suggest the sowing of seed.

We live in a time of great opportunity.  Stephen’s life presents a pattern for us to follow as he was full of faith and power and he spoke the truth in love.  He responded to his attackers with love. (He was following the example set by the Lord.) This can only be done by dwelling in the presence of the Lord and laying down our lives (flesh) daily (Paul said “I die daily”).  The lyrics of an old hymn come to mind, “Search me oh Lord, and know my heart today, Try me oh Savior, Know my thoughts, I pray; See if there be some wicked way in me; Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free. ”

The Word tells us that all those who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  Sometimes I wonder if we consider our “persecution” to be not getting the parking spot we want or someone sitting in our pew of choice.  I realize that is a gross over-simplification, but really, do we understand  the persecution mentioned in the Word?  Are we prepared to speak the truth in love and let the chips fall where they may?  Do we tend to water down the message so that we don’t offend?  These are legitimate questions we all must answer.  Are we not suffering persecution because we are not crucifying our flesh? Not taking a stand? Not pointing souls to Calvary?

Sincerely asking God to search our hearts is a huge step.  Asking Him to then cleanse us from every sin will set our feet on the path to a crucified life.  We rarely see ourselves as other people see us but we desperately need to see ourselves as God sees us.   We can then be washed with the water of the Word and be granted grace and mercy by the One who loves us with an everlasting love.  We will then be a vessel of honor in the house of the Lord and fit for the Master’s service.