John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

 

The same people that had Jesus crucified, stoned Stephen to death. Stephen was a follower of Jesus and a true, born-again believer. Stephen was one of the first Christians. The definition of a Christian is a Christ follower; one who strives to be like Christ.

 

We don’t know too much about Stephen’s life prior to his Salvation. Nor do we know when he was born again or if he ever saw Jesus or heard Him preach. What we do know is that he lived his born-again life as a true, follower of Christ.

 

Like Jesus, Stephen was a man of great faith, filled with the Holy Spirit and performed Miracles among the people. And Stephen, full of faith the Power, did great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8) And immediately, coming up from the water, He (Jesus) saw the Heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. (Mark 1:10)

 

Jesus set the example as He preached the Truth of the Gospel and stood up to the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Sanhedrin and called them out! The following is just a sampling of Jesus’ Words to them: But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisee, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the Prophets and adorn the monuments of the Righteous, and say, "If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets. Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the Prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your father's guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of Hell? (Matthew 23) For this, Jesus was arrested, beaten, and crucified.

 

Like Jesus, Stephen called out these same men! You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the Prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of Angels and have not kept it.” (Acts 7:51-53) For this, Stephen was arrested and stoned to death.

 

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher and to remind us of what He said. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:26) This is the Promise that governed Stephen’s life.

 

I hope you can see the parallel between Jesus and Stephen. The evidence is valid. Just imagine what the Church would look like if it was full of people like Stephen. Also, what would America look like? It’s time for every Christian to become a Stephen. Stand up! Speak the Truth! Have no fear! Remember the Words of Jesus and repeat them!

 

Now is the time because God is about to…...….turn the tide

 

Not backing down!         Doreen

 

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