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Stephen came to the end of his Spirit-inspired
message, to the end of his sanctified life, to the end of his spectacular
ministry, to the end of his Spirit-directed pilgrimage on earth, triumphantly.
“Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right
Hand of God.” Nothing is so comforting to dying saints or so encouraging to
suffering saints as to see Jesus at the right Hand of God. In life, sanctified
Stephen saw the Lord strengthening and standing by him; at death, he saw the
Lord assuring him and standing to welcome him into heaven. Living, he saw the
Lord; dying, he saw the Lord. If this be our commitment while we live, it will
be our comfort when we die. In life, Stephen was faithful in living for and
defending the faith; at death, he was assured of a place and a prize in heaven.
As his spirit went to heaven to be with Christ whom he loved and served, his
body fell asleep, waiting to be raised on the day of resurrection. Though the
persecutors stoned him to death, he did not die in anger, agony or bitter
hatred, with a curse on his lips; he died praying for his persecutors, with
abiding peace and fullness of joy in his heart as he was received into heaven
by Jesus Christ, to share in heaven’s pleasures at God’s right Hand for
evermore.
“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right Hand of
God.” Stephen’s experience is proof that it is possible to be continually
full of the Holy Ghost (Acts 6:3,5,8; 7:55). “Full of the Holy Ghost”,
he was full of the love, the joy, the peace, the comfort, the counsel, the
wisdom, the holiness, the power and the unction of the Spirit. He “looked up
steadfastly into heaven” – his eyes and heart were lifted up to heaven,
where his only hope and confidence were placed. His affections had always been
set on things above and the glory of God had always been his goal. Looking up,
he saw Jesus in the highest splendour, majesty and greatness, standing, ready
to receive him. Nothing but the possession of Stephen’s virtues and devotion
can entitle us to his consolation and revelation. To enjoy a similar experience
of a glorious eternity, our affections and ambition, our whole heart and our
whole treasure must be in heaven. The Lord who had promised His presence was
with him at the critical hour of death. He saw his Saviour and Lord in heaven,
standing, ready to receive him into his eternal home.
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Stephen’s spirit
was immediately taken to heaven at death. The Scriptures make it abundantly
clear that the spirit immediately returns to God without waiting for the burial
of the body before ascending to heaven, the eternal home of the righteous
(Ecclesiastes 12:7; Philippians 1:21,23). “Therefore we are always
confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from
the Lord. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the
body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6,8).
“And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge.” This prayer, ‘Lord, forgive them,’
strikingly resembles the dying prayer of the Lord, Jesus. Only Christian faith,
Christ’s salvation in the heart with surpassing assurance and hope of heaven
will enable a man to utter such prayer in his dying moment. In answer to
Stephen’s prayer, the Lord granted Saul repentance, mercy, forgiveness,
salvation and grace to lead many souls to hope in Christ, holiness and heaven.
Stephen’s dying prayer reached Saul and he became an effective preacher of “the
faith which he once destroyed.”
Great study. I pray that we will passionately defend the gospel without favor even if it means we are killed by our persecutors like in the case of Stephen. When the roll is called up yonder I pray we will be there with all the saints and tell of how we overcame in Jesus' mighty name. Please watch the Bible Study here. The message starts at 42:40
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Alan Jackson - When The Roll Is Called Up Younder
God bless you as you listen!
-Charity
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