Devotion 4.30.26

Acts 7

(Stephen is speaking)

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[b] at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

The readings for this week included a lengthy one for Acts from Acts 6 & 7. I chose to divide them over two days since both make great studies separately. Today's reading is interesting in that it normally finishes at the start of Acts 8 in which Saul is further introduced to the reader for the first time.

Have you seen the video circulating the reel circuit on social media of the Yankee fan at the Ranger's ballpark in a "fisticuff" waylay. The Yankee fan doesn't give up, but he clearly is on the receiving end of the fight that ends with an EMS attendant trying to stop his bloody nose. Wearing a Yankee jersey in the opposing team's ballpark is fine, but be aware you are a foreigner sojourning in another man's land. We call that "situational awareness."

Tying the theme to yesterday's reading, conflict, the question is do we deal with conflict that arises as a result of a natural course of life or do we create it? It is worth noting that Jesus, by way of who he was, knew when conflict was near, so sometimes he said things that carried a double-meaning. His entire discourse in John 10, for example, confused his followers, but the pharisees present knew exactly what he was saying when he referred to himself by saying, "I am the Good Shepherd." Jesus had a keen sense of "situational awareness."

Speaking the truth is freeing in many ways, but it can result in agony, pain, and even death for the speaker. Paul even clarifies how we are to present the truth as fully mature Christians in Ephesians 4:15 when he says, "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way...."

Stephen, new to his role as a "server of a table" (Acts 6), finds himself in a situation where he is before a crowd who is accusatory, so he chooses to speak the truth, and from what it seems, he is doing so in love. Yet as we learn, the crowd is incited further by then-Saul (soon to be Paul). In essence, regardless of Stephen's "situational awareness," Saul was a master in the area of words and using those words to achieve an end. At this point in Saul's life, that end was ending the teaching of Christ. Stephen chose truth, guided by the Spirit, and was stoned to death for speaking the truth.

Sometimes conflict finds us. Maybe we were minding our own business, and maybe we were speaking the truth of Christ, but in any event, situational awareness may or may not serve us. What do we learn from this passage?

Don't fear conflict or avoid it at all cost. Sometimes it will find us regardless, so pray for God's Spirit to give you words, to measure those words, but to speak those words in love. In the end, you are better off for moving forward, handling the conflict and getting through and past it.

Pain is temporary. When Ralphie finally uncorks in "Christmas Story" and ends the bully's reign of terror, he puts aside any fear of pain and deals with the situation that's been on-going for a long time. In our spiritual lives, which is our only life, Peter is saying this to us from his letters we are reading simultaneously, including tomorrow's devotion from 1 Peter. The pain may be minimal (over-coming a fear) or it may be great, but if we glorify God and make a disciple/create a lasting relationship in the process, then God's gain is immeasurable.

Forgive. Note Stephen in mid-stoning ask for God to forgive the crowd for their actions. He is following Christ's lead from the cross. As we begin to forgive, we strive to learn how to heal. We glorify God by following his Will which he spoke in the prayer he taught us, "...as we forgive those."

Pray with me: Gracious God, Help me overcome my fears, perceived or real. Send your Spirit to me to give me the strength needed to speak your truth in love to a world that needs to hear it. Protect me as I speak it and let the pain I may experience be fleeting. Above all, help me to forgive those who oppose me for your sake. In Christ's name, I pray. Amen