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THE KING’S BUSINESS
possession o f his physical powers and men tal faculties. What did he see ? He -saw the “glory, o f God, and Jesus standing on the right hand o f God.” The question inev itably arises, did Stephen really see this? Did he really see the glory o f God? Did he really see Jesus standing on the right hand o f God? or was it only a subjective vision. The inspired record says that he really " saw the glory o f God, and Jesus standing on the right hand o f God,” there fore there is no doubt that he actually did. If I am fair and unprejudiced I must accept the testimony o f this wonderful _man which he was so soon to seal with, his own blood. The testimony o f one such man given under such circumstances to what he has actu ally seen outweighs with me the- specula tion o f a thousand agnostics as to what they do not know. Stephen is not the only one who has seen such things. (Isa. 6:1-3; Ex. 24:9-11; Ezek. 1:26-28; 2 Cor. 12:1-4). Very few men have seen the wonders o f the “ Farthest North,” but we who have not do not foolishly set up our ignorance against the knowledge o f those who have and go about with a superior and self-sat isfied air saying, “ I am an agnostic con cerning'these things.” Many great ques tions are settled by what Stephen saw that day and testified to before the stones began to crush in that devoted head. His testi- .mony settles the fact that there is a God, that God is in Heaven (that is God’s local habitation, though He is in a sense every where). It also settles the fact that He manifests Himself visibly to men, and that He has a glory that can be seen by those who have eyes open to see Him, It set tles the fact that Jesus is now in Heaven and that He is at the right hand o f God and that He is there as “the Son o f Man.” There are those who tell us that at His resurrection and ascension He ceases to be man, but here one who saw and knows tells us that He Ts A man now in the glory, a Divine man it is true, but nevertheless man. There are. doubtless many today who “ full o f the Holy Ghost” also get a sight o f God’s glory that fills the soul with rapture and the soul with peace, but not just such
resisted by his hearers led to his murder. But Stephen will have no less reward than Peter though the outcome o f the two ser mons were so utterly different. But even Stephen’s sermon was not without fruit. His sermon coupled., with his conduct and prayer led ultimately to the conversion of Saul o f Tarsus and-thus gave Paul to the church. Possibly as much was accomplished in the ultimate outcome by the conversion o f the one man as by the conversion o f the three thousand on the day o f Pentecost. But Stephen did not live to see it. The faithful worker from this incident may learn not to be discouraged even though his preaching seem to drive men mad instead of leading them to repentance. Ip the ulti mate putcome some o f them who gnash upon him with their teeth may accept the Saviour Whom he proclaims. As the wild mob surged about Stephen and gnashed upon him with their- teeth he did not lose his composure. The explanation df that is, that he was “ full o f the Holy Ghost.” The , Spirit-filled man will become calm under any and all circumstances (2 Tim. 1:7). The expression “ full o f the Holy Ghost” has a different significance than “filled with the Holy Ghost” (cf. Acts 2 :4 ; 4:8, 31). The latter expression describes the Holy Spirit coming upon one at a definite point of time and filling one for the time being with His glorious presence and power, but the expression full o f the Holy Spirit describes an abiding condition. Being “ full of the Holy Spirit” involved Stephen in inevitable conflict with men who were full of Satan. Being “ full o f the Holy Spirit” also led Stephen to look up rather , than around, “ he looked up steadfastly into Heaven,” he did not look at the angry mob but up toward God. The Spirit-filled man will always have an upward look and because he will always have an upward look he will always be calm. In that awful hour o f trial, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit and looked upward a won derful vision came to Stephen an d ' sus tained him. As he stretched his eager eyes heavenward heaven opened to him even while he was still in the flesh and in the full
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