Stephen knew his death was probable. Yet he testified of Jesus. He knew that those who listened hated him, yet he loved them anyway. For Stephen, death was only a transition to eternal life with Jesus. Stephen would be stoned to death, yet he knew more than those people who would stone him. Stephen knew that they had used a stone to seal away the body of Jesus, and that stone had been rolled away. Those stones meant to silence the Gospel, to seal it out of sight only made the Gospel grow. What stones do you face in your life? Have you ever been stuck between a rock and a hard place? Those stone will be rolled away and you will see Jesus. Remember, Stephen did not see Jesus sitting at the right side of God, He saw Jesus standing. A standing ovation for one who would place his trust unto death for Jesus. Those hard places in your life are only a transition and not an end.
“Stone’s Throw Away” by Andrus Blackwood and Company
“Arise My Love” by Newsong
“I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe