GOODNEWS LETTER
Number 357 February 2, 2011
STEPHEN'S FORGIVING HEART
"Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" - Stephen (Acts 7:60).
The truth has a way of moving people. Even, the most introverted person will take a stand and speak up about a subject. Conviction from the Bible, will do that. We all know men that are quite, almost unassuming, until they get into the Word of God. Then, they become preachers with boldness; often, loud and demonstrative in proclaiming the truth. With God's love filling the heart, the message is always strong and moving. Stephen, the Deacon, preached a tremendous lesson. The Jews should have been received it; for, it was their hope.
Dealing with people is never easy. In church work, God's love is necessary. A pastor has to love God AND His people. You might call it pride or the flesh, but people don't want to hear the Word of God. Resistance against spiritual truth is commonly seen; even, among those who ought to know better.
A prime example of truth denial is seen in the Acts 7. Jewish listeners were in the position to hear Stephen's message from their heart. And, Deacon Stephen's historical account was right on. But, rather than repent, "...they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth," Acts 7:54. Stephen was attacked.
God was with His servant, however. Full of the Holy Ghost, Stephen "looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" (V 55). A forgiving heart is always LOOKING UPWARD.
It was a hard sermon against the Jews that Stephen preached. He minced no words. He called them, "stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears...always resisting the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51. We might think about his approach. May be, if the message were a little smoother and kinder - something like, "C'om brethren, Jesus is the promised One and you are guilty of killing the righteous man." Would it make any difference? Nope! We can find no forgiving hearts in these Jewish listeners. Their view was from the Old and into the Law of Moses, only.
Although, Stephen spoke every word clearly and correctly, it wasn't peretrating the hearts of the people. They had to SHUT the mouth of this Deacon. The stiffnecked people "cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears," (V 57). No longer, could they take the truth. Stephen was cast "out of the city and stoned" (V 58).
The account in Acts tells much about Stephen's love for God and, his love for the truth. Clearly, it speaks loudly to his attitude, as well. After stating, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," Stephen kneels down. His next words are so precious and so beautiful. With words right from his spiritual heart, Stephen shows concerned, not with his own life but, with those who must one day face Jesus and give an account of this act. In a loud voice, Stephen cries out, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge (V 60). Then, Stephen falls asleep.
With truth filling a heart, the outcome doesn't matter. What happens after preaching doesn't concern a spiritual saint. Stephen's opportunity to reveal his heart came because he was preaching the gospel to those of the synagogue, who "....were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he (Stephen) spake" (Acts 6:9 & 10). They tried to hang Stephen with "blasphemous words against Moses, and against God" (Acts 6:11). They even brought in false witnesses, forcefully taking Stephen to the council (Acts 6:13).
If only those of the Jews had seen Stephen's heart as they saw his face. It was "as if it had been the face of an angel," Acts 6:15. With a forgiving heart, it is no wonder that Stephen pleaded on the behalf of those who were throwing stones at him; which, finally killed the great and forgiving servant of God. Preaching and living for Jesus now is no different than the time of the book of Acts. Let us look up and remember Stephen's forgiving heart the next time anyone throws stones at us.