Title: Stephen, the face of an angel
Contents
William James, a professor at Harvard University, said, “People are happy because they are happy, and not because they are sad because they are sad, but because they are happy, they are happy and when they are sad, they are sad.”
Those who love God, who are called according to His purpose, believe that all things will work together for good, and if they give thanks and rejoice, a happy life will be opened. In today's text, we see a person who does not lose joy in any situation. That person is deacon Stephen. 6:15 “All those who sat in the council looked at Stephen and saw that his face was like that of an angel” How was the face of an angel possible even in the midst of death?
1. It will be different when you are filled with the Holy Spirit (55)
As Stephen's heart was filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, his face appeared in the form of grace, an angel.
Our mind is like a vessel, it depends on what we put in it. What do we fill our hearts with? Ephesians 5:18 says, “Do not get drunk, for this is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” It is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, the image of the Holy Spirit will naturally appear on your face. When you are drunk, you are drunk and debauched. Conversely, if you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs according to the Holy Spirit. Look into your hearts. What are you full of? If you are filled with worldly greed, please pour it out and fill it with the Holy Spirit. Then your expression and face will change.
2. It is different when we look to Jesus (55-56)
No matter how difficult our circumstances may be, it is no harder than Stephen. The enemy is lighting the fire of hatred and is looking at them, swearing and trying to stone them right away. But Stephen did not see such a present situation. “I lifted up my eyes and looked up to heaven, and looked up.” At that moment, he said he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. When we look at the present environment, we see that it is full of discouragement and dissatisfaction, resentment and anger, greed and envy.
But when I look to Jesus upward, when the light of Jesus shines on my heart, all adversity will go away and I will experience peace. Even if your environment is difficult, you are not in danger of dying right now like Stephen. Then, instead of looking at the present environment, look to Jesus.
3. It changes when you have a forgiving heart. (59-60)
That's a great step-by-step look. It is a beautiful image of a prayer to grant forgiveness to those enemies even in the face of death, with their skin ripped by the stones of hatred thrown by them, blood spurting from their heads and bodies, and broken bones. That's the face of Jesus. The great power of love that prayed for forgiveness of his enemies even in the last moments of suffering of death on the cross was present in Stephen. Forgive them, Father, because they do not know what they are doing.
When you have a heart of forgiveness, peace and joy with the power of God will appear on your face and you will be transformed into an angel's face. Because they do not know it, they do not feel hateful, but pity. Not because someone else did it well or because it was conditional. Like a king, you must forgive someone who owes you ten thousand talents. (Matthew 18: 21-35) If you do not forgive others, you will first become upset and appear on your face.
Jesus wants us to live happily and joyfully. To do that, we must fill our hearts with the Holy Spirit. Don't look at the world, but lift up your eyes and look at Jesus on the right. You must forgive others first.
So, let our faces appear in the form of angels and become channels of blessings that change the world.