使徒言行録7:54-60 Acts 7:54-60,

In the Jerusalem church, which is first church in the world, there was a man called Stephen. Stephen had a ministry of taking care of the poor. Not only that, he was a man who had been given the gift of witnessing to Jesus in a powerful way.

Stephen was taken to the council in Jerusalem by those leaders who did not believe in Jesus. He was then put on trial. At the trial, Stephen said, “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.” He boldly showed that the Israelites had been opposing God since Old Testament times and pointed out that the people of his age had crucified and killed Jesus, whom God had sent, and urged them to repent.

Those who heard Stephen’s words and had their sins pointed out were furious. “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. And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God’” (7:55-56). “The Son of Man” is Jesus.” Stephen’s confident words were, to those in power among the Jews, filthy words that blasphemed God. The Jewish people were angry because, in their eyes, Jesus had died on the cross as a being cursed by God. The angry and offended people began shouting and shouting, covering their ears with their hands, attacking Stephen at once, dragging him out of the city and throwing stones at him. This is in accordance with the Old Testament, which says: “Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him” (Lev. 24:15-16).

Stephen’s death by stoning was a more powerful testimony of Jesus than any previous scene in Stephen’s life. He prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And at the end he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them,” and was taken up to heaven. The end of Stephen’s life is very similar to Jesus’ death on the cross. On the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” At the end Jesus said with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” and he breathed his last.

Stephen’s end, full of trust in God and love for his enemies, may seem surprising given the severity with which he sternly pointed out the sins of the Jewish people. Common sense would have dictated that he would have died wishing God’s judgement on his persecutors. However, at this time Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God the Father and of Jesus. People who are filled with the Spirit of Jesus pray like Jesus, think like Jesus and act like Jesus. By dying like Jesus, Stephen witnessed to Jesus who died on the cross for human beings.

Stephen lived to witness to Jesus and died to witness to Jesus. He died because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus. We may not be able to live and die in the same way as Stephen. But we want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and live a life that witnesses to Jesus.