Jesus said; "If any man will come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me." None of us know what it will cost us to walk all the way with Christ. Stephen one of God's chosen leaders wasn't going to back down from living out a life for Christ with boldness and courage and faith to follow and serve his Lord Jesus Christ.
The Jews couldn't stand to hear the revelation truth about Christ. They wanted to put the death of Christ off as some weirdo act from a crazy man. Stephen declares as he looks into the heavens, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand."
They picked up stones and threw them at Stephen until he took his last breath. The last words of this great man of God was; "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He fell to his knees shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin." An with that, he died.
None of us ever know what kind of impact you and I have on people that are around us. This man's death would plant a seed into a life that would soon be turned upside down to do great things for God.
Saul was that man, who worked hard at persecuting Christians and was busy placing them in prison. But the death of Stephen would forever be etched in the memories of his mind.
Are you willing to truly walk the path Christ has set out for your life? Have you said; "It doesn't matter what my friends think of me at work, at school, in my family, in my social world. Stephen was willing to put his neck on the line for the sake of Christ who had changed his life.
Notice when he's at his last moment on this earth, he sees Christ in heaven, not sitting at the right hand of the father, but rather he sees Christ Standing at the right hand of God.
When you're under great pressure to be a light, a witness, an influence, a bold person for God, the Lord Jesus is standing up for you and I as well. Never back down from your faith in Christ. Ask yourself today; am I willing to put my neck on the line for the sake of the cross and my Lord Jesus Christ?
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