Title: Stephen Was Filled with the Holy Spirit
Contents
Sunday, January 29th Sunday Worship <Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit> (Acts 7:54-60)
If you think about who is David in the Old Testament and who can be a role model in the New Testament, you can pay attention to Paul, who wrote the most, but his life is so rough that it is not easy to do so. But who did such a Paul see and his life changed? In today's Word, it can be said that he is Stephen. The only record about Stephen is today's words, but Paul was shocked by this appearance and perhaps became a man of faith like Stephen and became a person called Paul. A person who has studied Paul's theology all his life once said that all of Paul's sermons did not escape the last sermon that Stephen gave today, that is, Paul's teacher was Stephen. Paul, who preached numerous sermons and wrote epistles, and Stephen, where only the moment of death was recorded. But the person who heard this last sermon and lived like that was Paul. So, we should find a good Christian and have a role model who wants to believe in Jesus and live like that. And Stephen can be said to be a full-fledged Christian role model for that reason.
Verse 55 says that Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. When it comes to when Stephen first appeared, as the early church in Jerusalem was revived, when a large amount of donations were collected, there was no way to use it, so he began to help those in need among the church members. However, there was a complaint from one side that they only helped each other. It's true that you can't help if you don't know how to do it, but this was also a limitation. What I know is the people who have been with this earth for a long time. At the same time, the Hellenistic Jews and those who had not lived in this land for a long time all complained. So the Hebrew Jews elected 7 deacons from among the Hellenistic Jews, that is, the first 7 ordained deacons, and Stephen was among them. Among the seven, there was a person who became the head of a cult, but this person named Stephen is said to be full of the Holy Spirit. Then, what is the filling of the Holy Spirit?
Are you a person who is good at prayer, or is it someone who feels something tingling? In fact, such a thing does not appear in the Bible. However, it is said that the face is like an angel. If you are a Christian, you should have an angelic face like this. It is the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit that you are like an angel both on your face and on your heart. So Stephen can be said to be a true Christian.
If so, how could Stephen do that? Moreover, he was among those who wanted to kill him. But how could he have an angel-like face because he saw the sky. Because they saw God, not heaven.
Elisha, the enemy of Israel, who always stopped them, surrounded his house layer by layer in order to capture Elisha. Then Elisha's servant trembled with fear, and when Elisha opened his eyes, he showed him the heavenly host of angels, and his fear ceased. Stephen could have an angelic face because he looked up. Paul, shocked by this, also tells us to seek heaven in Colossians. It is difficult to laugh, but it is strange that when you look to God and look at the sky, you can be filled with the Holy Spirit, so Stephen is a type of a true Christian.
And in the words of Stephen at the last moment, he saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. This Son of Man is a nickname for Jesus. When Jesus called himself the Son of Man. But not one of them was called the Son of Man. Rather, they are demeaning them by saying that they are teachers. That's how I really know him. On the contrary, I, who know him by exaltation, do not know how to be exalted. But Stephen is the only one who calls Jesus the Son of Man. This Son of Man is the best name to come in the last days. And Stephen confesses that he is the only Son of Man.
How are you guys? Today we come to God to worship. But will God be the only one here? You may be in another church. But God has called me here today, and here he speaks to me. You must believe this. Even just thinking about Jesus, even seeing Stephen, it was not a waste of his own death. What confession do you have? Being a true Christian is the best. Here is the ultimate. God is here, and He saves me by this word. Stephen gave the best confession. Faith is like this. And this confession comes from the confession of the Son of Man. This confession comes when I believe that the Lord is my absolute sovereign. That is why we must be like Stephen. From this, the great work of God will come out.
We have come this far, but all of this is God's, so we confess to accept my soul. When someone sees a friend praying while wearing a seatbelt and asks how he prays for his seatbelt, he says, Receive my soul in an accident. When we sleep, we thank the day and pray for tomorrow, but it is said that the Israelites pray by entrusting their souls to God like this. We must learn this.
And as I die, my last words tell me not to ascribe this sin to them. Isn't this prayer similar to Jesus? Forgiveness is very difficult. But Stephen forgives them and asks them to forgive them. This was possible because Stephen himself was forgiven before God. Because I received the grace of apology and knew it. When I look at others, I have to think about whether I do not have such problems.
Faith is my relationship with God, and there is nothing to change or repent of. Who am I going to blame, blame, and check? So you shouldn't be condemning. Stephen is the best Christian. I pray that you will engrave the faith like Stephen in your heart.