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Stephen - The First Martyr
by BJ Armstrong
The ascension of Jesus to heaven after His walk with His disciples
following His crucifixion and resurrection left a huge void in His
follower’s life. They had most certainly gotten use to being around
Jesus again, therefore, His ascension, while probably not as sorrowful as
His crucifixion, certainly left time for the Apostles to mourn again. They
would now have to go through this life alone, preaching the things that
Jesus had taught them; which meant they would suffer great persecution,
just as Jesus did, for the words which they preached. Interestingly
enough, it was not the great Peter who first suffered martyrdom. It wasn’t
John, the "disciple which [Jesus] loved who set the precedent of the
sacrifices required to follow Jesus. Rather, it was Stephen, a man not
mentioned before Acts 6, who faced this horrific destiny.
Not much is known about Stephen, but his commitment to Christ is made
evident by the persecution that he was willing to go through. Stephen was
a man who performed miracles among the people, and he did so in the name
of Jesus. The power that he had been given to him by God threatened those
who were the religious and political leaders of that time; which meant
that Stephen’s death was imminent.
Like Stephen, we do not measure ourselves by Peter, James, John, or
even Paul. We may have not all served God our entire lives, but that doesn’t
mean we do not have the same authority granted to the original twelve.
Like Stephen, we are called to devote our lives to Christ no matter how
severe of persecution that threatens us. As you read this week, notice
Stephen’s character, his faith, and his willingness to serve. God calls
all of us. Will you answer His call?
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