How to meet opposition

How would you like people to think of you? If your obituary was limited to a single sentence what would you like it to say? Let’s look at a man in the Acts story by the name of Stephen. Those who read scripture know him as the one who gave a remarkable speech in the early days and was stoned to death as a result. Luke identifies him as “A man full of God’s grace and power” (Acts 6:8). Now that would be a wonderful way in which to be remembered.
       The story runs as follows: When the decision was made to select seven men to handle to distribution of food to the needy, Stephen was the first to be named. The essential requirement in the choice was that they be ”full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (v. 3).  As we go through the story leading to his stoning (the first 53 verses of chapter 7) we see every indication of this requirement — all the way from his mandatory appearance before the Sanhedrin where “his face was like the face of an angel” (6:15) to his last prayer when he was being stoned, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (7:60). It would be a great blessing if every church had at least one Stephen among their elders or deacons.
       Back to the story: The very evident presence of the Spirit in Stephen’s life is seen in the great wonders that he performed (v. 8) and of course that raised the ire of the religious elite. Remember that Stephen was telling Jewish members of a synagogue in Jerusalem that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. Hostile is the word that comes to mind, They couldn’t argue successfully against the “wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke” (v. 10) so the secretly persuaded some to bear false witness against him. False witness knows no boundaries when it comes to achieving their goal. It’s not unlike what happens in every governing body where concern for the welfare of the group is replaced by  benefit for the leadership. Truth is replaced by the rhetoric necessary to achieve or maintain dominance.
       Empowered by the Spirit, Stephen delivered what certainly is a most impressive speech on the history of the Jewish cause. His recital of events to which all could agree comes suddenly to an accusation against his audience; they had “betrayed and murdered” the very One for whom they were waiting. It all ended with the brutal stoning of this one so true to his convictions that in the process of dying he could cry out to God pleading that he not hold it against them (7:60). What Stephen did was remarkable, but what I would remind all of us is that apart from how it all started (they were to be “full of the Holy Spirit) it never could have ended as it did. Stephen is a shining example of the presence and the power of the Spirit in the life of the believer. We will probably never do what he did, but filled with the Spirit we will be ready to do what God does have for us to do. God enables us to accomplish exactly what he has in mind. He lays out his plan and empowers us to carry it out. Be Stephen!