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Stephen, the First Martyr, March 4
Heroes for God
And they stoned Stephen, 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.
Acts 7:59, 60
Stephen, a man loved by God, and one who was laboring to win souls
to Christ, lost his life because he bore a triumphant testimony of the
crucified and risen Saviour.... The hatred which the enemies of truth had
shown for the Son of God, they revealed in their hatred for His followers.
They could not bear to hear of the One whom they had crucified, and
that Stephen should bear so bold a testimony filled them with rage....
In the light which they saw in the face of Stephen, the men in author-
ity had evidence from God. But they despised the evidence. O that they
would heed! O that they would repent! But they would not.
When Stephen was called upon to suffer for Christ’s sake, he did
not waver. He read his fate in the cruel faces of his persecutors, and
he did not hesitate to give to them the last message which he was to
bear to men. He looked up and said, “I see the heavens opened, and
the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” All heaven was
interested in this case. Jesus, rising from the throne of His Father, was
leaning over, looking upon the face of His servant, and imparting to his
countenance the beams of His own glory, and men were astonished as
they saw Stephen’s face lighted up as if it had been the face of an angel.
The glory of God shone upon him, and while he was beholding the face
of his Lord, the enemies of Christ stoned him to death. Would we not
think that a hard death to die? But the fear of death was gone, and his
last breath was spent in petitioning the Lord to forgive his persecutors.
Jesus has made it as easy as He possibly can for His children, and He
wants us to follow in His footsteps; for if we do, we shall be partakers of
Christ and His glory.
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