249
THE KING’S BUSINESS
in their power to keep from being con vinced. There, was a wonderful unanimity in their attack upon Stephen. Each one that resisted the truth encouraged the other to resist the truth. There is nothing in all the world so mad and senseless as a mob. Stephen was pushed along but o f the city by the wild and angry mob. He was going exactly the same path that Jesus went to die, “ without the gate” (Heb. 13:12). We too, may have to tread that path some day if we remain loyal to Jesus. It is not a path to be dreaded, it is a blessed and a glorious path. Once .outside the gate the stones began to crush in upon him. Among the crowd- that looked on there was one espec ially delighted spectator of'the pitiless fury o f tile mob; that one was Saul of Tarsus. Gladly he kept the garments o f those who 'committed the murder, he heartily approved o f it and was a participant in it. But Saul o f Tarsus will never ^forget the scene; Stephen’s whole bearing and the words he uttered will prick him like a goad in his secret heart (Acts 26:14). Even though outwardly with a clear conscience, he goes pn from fury to fury murdering Christians (cf. ch. 8 :1 ; 9:1 f f ) , some day he too will become a Christian, but just now he is with the mob. Who can tell when we see a mob o f implacable enemies o f the Lord, who among them will some day be on the Lord’s side. v. 59. “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God (the Lord), and saying,' Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” While the mob raged and the stones fell,' Stephen simply prayed. And to whom did he pray? To Jesus. He had just seen Hint in heaven and knew that it was right to pray to Him. He recalled how Jesus Himself had prayed in dying, and how He had said to the Father, “ Father, into Thy hands I com mend my spirit,” so Stephen now said to Jesus, “ Receive my spirit.” There can be no possible question that that prayer was heard and that while Stephen’s body died and utterly crumbled into dust, Stephen’s spirit was taken1to b.e with Jesul5 in con-' stant blessedness (cf. Phil 1:23). v. 60. “And he kneeled down, and cried
birth through the Virgin Mary He became Man (John 1:14; 1 Tim. 2 :5 ), and. when He went back to heaven He'went back as “the Son of Man” as well as “the Son of God.” Stephen saw Jesus “standing at the right hand of God.” Usually Jesus is rep resented as sitting at the right hand o f God (Eph. 1 :20; Heb, 1:13). Why then do we here see Him standing? Doubtless He had risen to strengthen His faithful witness and to receive his spirit as it left his crushed form. vs. 57, 58. “ Then (But) they cried but with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran ( rushed) upon him With one accord , , and (add, they) cast -him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the'’young man’s feet (at the feet o f the young man ) , whose name was Saul (named Saul).” They could not deny the truth o f Stephen’s testi mony and they were not willing to receive it, so they went about to kill him, They were mad with rage, ';all the more mad because in their hearts they were convinced that they were wrong. When one hardens his heart against the truth and resists the Holy Ghost nothing will stay him and there is no telling into what enormities o f sin and crime he will rush forward. The one who hardens his heart against the truth and resists the Holy Ghost goes on from worse to worse and will through all eternity, and that is hell. They were bound not to be convinced; they would not listen; they “ stopped their ears.” How many there are doing that very thing today. Oftentimes they claim to be sincere seekers after the truth, but still they are unwill ing to listen to the truth that they do not wish to obey and deliberately stop their ears, they avoid the books that they fear would convince them, they avoid hearing the men who present the truth, or if they do go to hear them they hear them with a sneer and scorn. Oh! if these men had only listened, how different would have been their lives, and how different would have been their eternity. .And o h ! if men would only listen today to the truth, instead o f stopping their ears and doing everything
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker