The Joyful Voice of Martyrs #2 – Stephen

Stoning of Stephen

When I think of martyrdom, the first person I think of is Stephen. Stephen, like  many early followers of Christ was being put on trial for preaching Jesus and mocking the religious establishment of the Pharisees. In Acts 7:1-50 Stephen gives an account throughout history of the scriptures concerning the ignorance of the Israelites and the religious leaders. He was even bold enough to blame them for being a crucial part of the crucifixion of Jesus. Read what Acts 7:51-53

51 “You stiff-necked ^(A) people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! ^(B) You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your forefathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? ^(C) They even killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers ^(D) you have now become. 53 You received the law under the direction of angels ^(E) and yet have not kept it.”

Cross references:

1. Acts 7:51 : Ex 32:9; Dt 10:16; Heb 3:13;
2. Acts 7:51 : Lv 26:41; Jr 4:4; 6:10; 9:26;
3. Acts 7:52 : 2Ch 36:16; Mt 5:12; 21:35; 23:31;, 37; 1Th 2:15;
4. Acts 7:52 : Ac 3:14; 5:28;
5. Acts 7:53 : Ac 7:38; Gl 3:19; Heb 2:2;

One thing I admire about Stephen is that he probably knew he was facing death by saying what he said but he said it anyways. How many times are we afraid to say what needs to be said? In the ministry I have been faced with a few times in which I either said what needed to be said no matter what the outcome and I stayed quiet. I have become more bold recently, but if you are going to be a leader, you must be bold in your beliefs. Stephen was bold, Stephen was murdered for it as we read on the chapter…

54 When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts ^[a] and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with ^[b] Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ^(A) and he said, 56 “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ^(B) 57 Then they screamed at the top of their voices, stopped their ears, and rushed together against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and began to stone ^(C) him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ^(D) 59 They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ^(E) 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ^(F) “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this, he fell asleep. ^[c]

hmmm….some good thoughts from the first Christian Martyr

The "True" Side Of Our Forefathers Not Being Taught

One thing that was addressed in the FRPC this week was the fact that the educational system has deleted any remarks, speeches, writings, etc. that mention anything about God made from our Forefathers. Students are being taught to only remember Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson who they (Secular Humanist) claim were deist anyways. How can American history be really taught without studying the inaugural addresses from Lincoln, Washington, and others? How can they not teach about the Declaration of Independence which refers to the Truth in God and our inalienable right from our Creator?

I realized how this impacted my studies in public schools when a quote from James Garfield (President # 20) was said:

James Garfield

Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. . . . If the next centennial does not find us a great nation . . . it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.
[James A. Garfield, The Works of James Abram Garfield, Burke Hinsdale, editor (Boston: James R. Osgood and Company, 1883), Vol. II, pp. 486, 489,A Century of Congress, July, 1877.]

We Christians have been responsible for the corruptness of the educational system, Congress, and the overall morality of America by not voting the right people into office. This quote and biography of James Garfield shocked me because I was required to do a report on him in school and the sources given to me to use had no mention of him actually being a minister! He wrote a letter in 1858 stating he had just finished a revival in which there were 34 converts and 31 baptisms. The secular humanist omit these writings because they ultimately know that they would give God and Christianity a stronghold in the young, shapeable minds of today’s youth and children. Pray for our children in school…Teach them the truth about religion in America. For an awesome website to get info on our Forefathers…click here.