(Audio)
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
Most of us get so invested in our debates that we become more interesting in proving ourselves right than in the actual edification of those with whom we are speaking. Not so with Stephen. He does care intensely about the outcome of the debate. The first 53 verses of chapter 7 is Stephen making his case for the truth of the gospel. By that time most of us would be so invested in the argument as to be unable to even remember the perspective of anyone else. But Stephen manages to preserve his love and concern for others throughout the debate.
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them"; and when he said this, he fell asleep.
How does Stephen do it? How can we?
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
Stephen does not have to retreat into defensiveness. He doesn't need to protect himself because he has faith to believe that the Holy Spirit is with him giving him the words to say. It is a connection to God so profound even death holds no fear because God is so near to him.
"Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God."
This can be true for us as well if we simply learn to walk by the Spirit and to trust in him. We need to learn to trust even when we might be tempted to get emotionally involved and competitive. These are the times when we must make special effort to listen to the words that the Spirit has for us. Only if we do will we be able to say "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" no matter the circumstances.
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