Stephen had
preached a memorable and mighty sermon, and the
people were cut to the heart. But instead of calling
on the Savior to be saved, they called on the sinners
to stone Stephen.
Note his
sight. It's written in Acts 7:55, Stephen,
"being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up
steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God,
and Jesus standing on the right hand of God."
It's a good thing to look before you leap, to gaze
before you go. So we see Stephen, who'd be in heaven
within a few minutes, gazing into it. Oh, there's
enough in heaven to keep us gazing. The brightest
robes are there. The richest jewels are there. The
greatest treasures are there. The costliest street is
there. The sweetest people are there. The best of
mansions are there. But Stephen wasn't looking at
these things...only at Jesus. And Jesus was
standing...He was looking in love on Stephen...He was
sympathizing with him in his sorrow...strengthening
him in his soul...and welcoming him home to heaven.
Note his
speech. With a curse and a cry, they ran upon Stephen
and cast him out of the city. Coming to a cliff, they
threw him off. Then they began to drop stone upon
stone on him. Amid the rain of the tearing, torturing
stones, he clambered to his knees, folded his hands,
and while the blood dropped from his temples to his
cheeks, from his cheeks to his garments, from his
garments to the ground, he prayed, "Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge." That's the test
of real love. Oh, that we'd have the grace to
"bless them that curse us, and to pray for them
that despitefully use us, and persecute us." To
love them that love us is nothing. The vilest sinners
do that. But to love them that loathe us...to pray
for them that persecute us...to forgive them that
fling us to death...that's Christian love.
Note his
sleep. It's written in Acts 7:60, "And when he
had said this, he fell asleep." The figure is
that of an infant going to rest in the arms of a
loving mother. What a beautiful ending to a brutal
and bloody death. But death to a believer is going to
sleep in the arms of our Lord...even if it be by the
way of a martyr's death. John Noyes died for his
faith in the Lord, and he kissed the stake to which
he was bound. Just before he was burned to death, he
said this to his fellow martyrs, "We shall not
lose our lives in this flame, but change them for a
better; and for coals, we shall have jewels."
John Huss was one of the greatest Christians this
world has ever known. He, too, was burned at the
stake. But he left behind him a song as sweet as any
ever sung by the lark, "floating back to earth
long after the singer vanished out of sight, in the
martyr's immortal language, 'Glory be to God on high,
and on earth peace, good will toward men.' We praise
Thee, we bless Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks
to Thee for Thy great glory." These men of God
went home to heaven bearing the marks of our blessed
Lord.
"A noble
army, men and boys, the matron and the maid,
Around the
Savior's throne rejoice in roves of light arrayed;
They climbed
the steep ascent of heaven 'mid peril, toil, and
pain';
O God, to us
may grace be given to follow in their train."
"Oh,"
but you say, "what a way to die...burning at the
stake...or being stoned to death. What a place that
was to sleep...at a stake...a hard rock under
him...stones falling down upon him...blood flowing
from his body...the angry, merciless mob
cursing...and you call that sleeping?" Oh, at
the stake, and by the stones was our blessed Lord.
Underneath were His everlasting arms, and as they
rested in them, they fell asleep.
"Asleep
in Jesus, blessed sleep, From which none ever wake to
weep;
A calm and
undisturbed repose, unbroken by the last of foes.
"Asleep
in Jesus, peaceful rest, whose waking is supremely
blest;
No fear, no
woe, shall dim that hour that manifests the Savior's
power.
"Asleep
in Jesus, far from thee thy kindred and their graves
may be;
But thine is
still a blessed sleep, from which none ever wakes to
weep."
Will such a
sleep be yours? Then come to Christ now.
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version..
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to the next message in this Sower Scripture Study on
the book of Acts.
This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The
Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
