Jesus cries out on the cross, from Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? We know that horrific moment of despair is when Jesus takes on all of our sin and bears the wrath of God so that those of us who believe in Him, and call Him our Lord and Savior, are rescued from the death that we deserve. His death, however, is not the end of the story!
After His resurrection, Jesus appears to His disciples and many of His followers. In Mark 16:19 we read: 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
After our Lord of Lords and King of Kings is seated in His rightful place of authority, the church is born. His followers are filled with the Holy Spirit and the message of salvation and the kingdom of God begins. Yes, there are struggles. Yes, we sometimes wish the Christian life would be easier. But we have some powerful, spiritual enemies to fight during our commission here on earth. (Ephesians 6:12)
What fascinates me is the story of Stephen, the first of the Christian martyrs. In Acts 7:55-56 – But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” It’s as if Jesus, watching the story unfold, listening to Stephen testify so strongly about the truth of God’s redemption plan from the beginning, stands up to cheer him on! God is omniscient, He KNOWS how this will unfold. Yet he stands and locks eyes with Stephen. As a loving parent might lock eyes with their child at their first ball game… there is no feeling of being forsaken for Stephen.
If we are to follow Jesus… become more like Jesus… does that mean that Stephen got to stand and cheer on and welcome Philip when he was martyred? They did serve the widows together.
It makes me wonder about the last thing I will see as I leave this earth. I will be going to a new home. As I leave this one, who will be standing up, cheering me on and welcoming me? I have many Christian friends and family, both older and younger than me. Although age is no guarantee of the order in which we will leave this earth, I am both excited to see those who precede me as well as have the opportunity to greet those who will follow me into that glorious new home. I will get to enjoy their company forever.
So interesting that Stephen also prayed that the Lord not hold this sin against them. And Saul approved of the stoning. But God, converts Saul, he becomes Paul and begins a lifelong work to bring others into the kingdom. Then in Acts 21:8 we read that Paul actually stays at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. This is the same Philip that worked with Stephen and probably knew Saul/Paul was right there at the stoning of his friend.
Wow!!! Could I do that?
Those little tidbits of the early Church humble me greatly. Remembering what Jesus told us about prayer in Matthew 6:14 – 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Heavenly Father – I thank You for all you teach me and show me. I thank You for Your loving hand on me. I needed You – the bar of holiness was way too high for me on my own. Without Jesus, I had no chance to be in Your presence. Let me bask in Your love more deeply than ever before just to strengthen me to take the next right step and reflect Your glory. Amen.