Although not everyone will be given a holy vision of heaven like Stephen testified about, any one of us is able to make heaven a visible reality, anywhere and everywhere. Each of us is given a choice. Be like Christ and let the Kingdom of God be seen through you. Or be like the ones that covered their ears and picked up stones.
When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. - Acts 7:54-60 -
Gregory Hansen writes, “If the second chapter of Acts portrays the best response ever given to someone’s first sermon, here Steven receives the worst response imaginable to what was definitely his last.”
How did we get here so fast? One minute everyone is filled with the Spirit. The next, stones are being thrown. A little backstory might be helpful. Peter and the other apostles have been imprisoned and beaten by the temple authorities for preaching their message that Jesus is the Messiah. Like I said last week, this was dangerous on many fronts. Despite the threats, thousands were being converted and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. These first Christians will sell all their possessions and hold all in a common purse with the community of believers. One such person was Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Stephen was distributing food to the faithful when he was confronted by a jealous faction among the Jews in Jerusalem. Similar to Jesus’ story, they accuse Stephen of blasphemy. They even instigate false witnesses against him. In return, Stephen gives a scathing rebuttal to their false charges with an exegetical exhortation of Israel’s history of persecuting prophets. As you might imagine, this does not go over very well. And Stephen, like Jesus, is dragged outside the city and executed. As a result, he becomes the church’s first martyr. Now, the word martyr is a transliteration of the Greek word meaning “witness.” Thus, to be a martyr is to “bear witness,” which in this case is to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus as the Messiah. Like Peter before him, Stephen’s story begins constructing the model of the church today. We are called to be martyrs, to bear witness to Christ, even if it kills us. How much of this is true with this church today? We gather to worship Christ, to learn how to be like him, and love like him, in the world. But what happens when we leave here, when the camera’s off and we get on with life? Are we going out in the world bearing witness in such a way that people can clearly see the resurrected Christ? Do we threaten the ways of the world, by living life as Jesus taught? Brian Prior asks, “If someone were to stop at a gas station and ask where your church was, how would the gas station attendant answer?” Would the attendant look at them blankly? Give a vague answer? Or say, “Oh, that church! That’s the church where this, this, and this happens!” If I asked you what our church mission is you could probably tell me that it is to love God, love others and serve both. But is that really our reality? Is it truly ingrain into the very flesh of this sacred body? We must ask this question often to make sure that we are making love a habitual practice until this vision is our reality. As I am learning every day, there are people out there looking for what the world cannot offer. They are looking for what only Christ can give. And they’re watching us to see if we will show him to them. We must be mindful of our actions because they know a hypocrite when they see one. If we profess God’s redeeming love without proving it in our actions, what good is the gospel worth? In the midst of being murdered for his faith, Stephen’s words became his actions. Again like Jesus, he prayed for the forgiveness of those who were killing him. Although his testimony may not have stopped or converted those throwing the stones, it was able to transform the life of Saul who was there – watching. Hearing Stephen’s testimony, and witnessing his faith, a seed was planted within Saul. It was only a matter of time for God to transform this persecutor into an Apostle. Saul would become Paul who would go on to bear witness to Christ with his life, his letters, and in his own martyrdom. Both Stephen and Paul will proclaim the good news – just like Jesus did – with every fiber of their being. As Paul wrote, “I am crucified with Christ; It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). On this pilgrimage of life, as we move closer and closer to God’s heart, we must never forget that we are Easter people – called to live out our life in Christlikeness even in the face of death. We must live every day dying to ourselves and living into Christ. This is our proclamation.
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As Easter people we know that not even death can stop God from doing what God does best – resurrecting the world with unconditional love. If we are to take the name Christian, then we must allow Christ to come alive in and through us, by being little Christ’s who resurrect God’s love in every nook and cranny of life. Remember what I said last week? The church isn’t a static building or institution. It’s a living, breathing, thriving organism made up of ordinary saints like you and me. We are living seeds, rising yeast, bright shining lights. Our faith must be alive and active with the power of Christ who called us to bear good fruit. Such a faith implies living every moment, every breath, as the manifestation of God’s love. We can enter every space, big and small, proclaiming Christ’s holy name; using our minds and hearts, and our entire bodies and actions in imitation of the resurrected One who is alive in us and all around us. As part of Christ’s body, we have the energy of the Holy Spirit, and all its intensity and strength. Our daily focus must be on increasing and strengthening that Spirit in all the ways we love and serve. Wherever the Holy Spirit is present, Christ is there. Just the same, whenever love is present, we know Christ is there. When peace is present, or joy, compassion or hospitality Christ is there. Whenever and wherever we practice his way of love, Christ comes alive. Therefore, we have no greater testimony to God’s glory than being a living incarnation of God’s love right here in this space we call Anamesa. Although not everyone will be given a holy vision of heaven like Stephen testified about, any one of us is able to make heaven a visible reality, anywhere and everywhere. Each of us is given a choice. Be like Christ and let the Kingdom of God be seen through you. Or be like the ones that covered their ears and picked up stones. Trust me when I say, there are enough churches out there claiming to follow Christ while manifesting bigotry, hate, inequality, and judgment on their neighbors. There are too many modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees who are so focused on the law that they ignore the spirit by which it was given. What the world needs now are people and communities to embrace what Peter describes as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:19). Everyday folks like you and me, who are willing to build up God’s kingdom with integrity, kindness, and genuineness. People who are willing to pick up where Jesus left off. People who are willing to stand in the center of life heralding the good news with our entire being. People who right wrongs, share blessings, and love and forgive those who throw stones. God needs people who will create communities of peace in Christ’s name. We believe that we are those people. Easter people. Therefore, let us go out in the world living out this reality and truth celebrating the resurrection by sharing life together in all its messiness. With Christ and through Christ we are one voice, one heart, one body that loves God, loves others, and serves both. Work Cited Ashley, Danáe M. Our Particular Community. episcopalchurch.org on May 14, 2017 (Accessed on May 4, 2023) Bartlett, David L. and Barbara Brown Taylor, eds. Feasting on the Word, Year A. Vol 2. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2010). Butterworth, Susan. All We Need. episcopalchurch.org on April 30, 2023 (Accessed on May 5, 2023).
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