Sown

Acts 7:54–60

“When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “LORD Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”

That escalated quickly. The Living Life writer reminds us that whilst St. Stephen “is full of the Holy Spirit,” this reveals that sometimes even “Spirit-filled preaching does not always result in the hearers responding with repentance.” But we are called to be faithful nevertheless and continue to sow the seeds of redemption and righteousness in Christ. The LORD told His disciples, “I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The person who loves her life will lose it, while the one who hates her life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves Me (John 12:24–26).” What happened to St. Stephen is literally dying to self for the sake of Christ and the Gospel, the Good News, the Best News of salvation and God’s reaching out to fallen humanity and rescuing us from the grave we have dug for ourselves. Perhaps Stephen’s death left a mark with the onlookers including a man who would travel the known world and spread the message of God’s undying love. St. Stephen was a grain that fell into the ground and died and produced many plants and much fruit. We are called to spread the same message, maybe the Living Life writer could’ve qualified that the result may not be immediate, because I believe God does not waste any life, any effort, every prayer of intercession, every witness, every drop of the blood of Christian martyrs, and every word spoken about His amazing love, awesome person, and glorious grace is counted towards His will, purpose, and desire to save many and bring us back into His arms, He said through the prophet Isaiah, “for just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands (Isaiah 55:10–12).” Friends, people “may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers” (Baxter). Let us die to ourselves in selfless prayers, and reach out to our loved ones and others. Holy Spirit may You empower us to become branches that bear much fruit for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.