Stephen’s Witness: A Faithful God

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We’re thinking today about Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. He stood before some very powerful, very learned people, and he told them the truth. Not a watered-down, comfortable version of the truth, but the real, raw, uncomfortable truth.

And what was that truth? It was the story of God’s faithfulness. Stephen, he didn’t mince words. He started way back with Abraham, how God called him out, promised him a land, a nation. He walked through the generations – Isaac, Jacob, Joseph – reminding them, reminding us, how God was working, even when things looked bleak, even when they faced hardship. God was always faithful.

Think about that for a moment. In your own life, haven’t you seen that? Times when you felt lost, confused, maybe even abandoned? But looking back, can you see the hand of God at work? Can you see how He was guiding you, shaping you, even through the difficult times?

Stephen went on, he talked about Moses, how God delivered His people from slavery. He reminded them of the tabernacle, the temple – how God desired to dwell with His people. But Stephen also pointed out something crucial: God doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. He’s bigger than that. He’s everywhere. He’s in our hearts.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the rituals, in the traditions, that we forget the heart of it all. We forget that God desires a relationship with us. He wants us to know Him, to love Him, to let Him transform our lives from the inside out.

Stephen’s sermon wasn’t just a history lesson. It was a call to repentance. He challenged them, just as the Spirit challenges us today: “Are you resisting the Holy Spirit? Are you clinging to old ways, to traditions that no longer bring life?”

That’s a tough question, isn’t it? Are there things in our lives that we need to let go of? Old hurts, old habits, maybe even old beliefs that are holding us back from truly experiencing the fullness of God’s love?

Stephen’s story is a reminder that following Jesus isn’t always easy. It might even lead to persecution, to hardship. But even in the face of death, Stephen remained faithful. He looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God.

And that’s our hope, friends. That’s what sustains us. Knowing that even when things are difficult, God is with us. He’s walking alongside us. And one day, like Stephen, we too will see His glory.

So let’s take a moment now, in the quiet of our hearts, to reflect on these things. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to show us any areas in our lives where we need to let go, where we need to surrender to God’s will. And let’s thank Him for His faithfulness, for His love, for His constant presence in our lives.