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By: Vera Grimmius
You may listen to this devotion in audio form via podcast here.
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of their killing him.
One time (some years back) my husband Tom and I were out to dinner on an extra busy Saturday eve. The waitress, in her rush, accidentally knocked over Tom’s full glass of wine as she brought dinner items to our table. Red wine splashed on my white pants while glass shattered over our table. Tiny splitters of glass were everywhere yet we were surprised as the manager was trying to act as if it wasn’t so bad and a little clean up would take care of the mess. Upon Tom’s insistence we were given another table and new plates of food. My favorite pants were ruined, and we were not given any discount or even offered a free dessert. Almost like it never happened. We marveled that these people didn’t want to see or admit their mistakes. Tom was a gentle, kind man, not one to make a fuss so we paid the bill and left quietly.
Stephen had a much worse situation. Trying hard to explain the truth of the gospel to the Jewish leadership, they didn’t want to hear. No matter how much evidence Stephen shared it only made them more furious. In verse 54 it says they gnashed their teeth. Why? Stephen had just pointed out a very big mistake of theirs – they had murdered the Holy One of God. The facts were clear and could not be denied. Then in verse 55 it was like God gave them one more chance to have their eyes opened. Notice how Stephen looks up and sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He tells the angry crowd, “Look!” He tells them what he sees, and it tells us they covered their ears and yelled at the top of their voices! They refused to look up and see, instead they chose blindness.
We know how this sad story ends, Stephen dies from stoning yet forgives his arbitrators and asks God to forgive them as well. Because God does forgive, the powerful ministry of Saul (Paul) begins.
Let us all stay alert, with eyes open, in this new year of 2022 to be aware of how God can use the hard things of life to bring many people to Him.