The face like an angel

Acts 6: 

⁸And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

⁹Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

¹⁰And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

¹¹Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

¹²And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

¹³And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

¹⁴For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

¹⁵And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel

So often in this world we question “Why God did you allow such devastation?”  “Why should this person suffer and die?”  This a question brought so to the forefront of our minds as many have tried over the past three years to wonder why was Caylee Anthony’s death and why was she thrown into the woods wrapped in garbage bags?  This story of a little three year old riveted through the hearts of so many.  There are many such stories that happen every day and they all leave us to wonder, “why?”

The story of Stephen is just such a story.  Here was this young man full of faith and power proclaiming the name of Jesus.  His face like that of an angel.   Yet he was brought before the council.  With the boldness given him by Christ, he answered their questions with a sermon.  He told them of the story of the children of Israel from the beginning, briefly, succinctly.   He began with proclaiming who God was…Acts 7  ²And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

He continued through the sermon detailing how God had led His people through so many times  of storms; yet, God was in control.   (Read all of Acts 7) 

Then he rebuked them for their evil deeds and their failure to recognize the Messiah who had come, just like the way they had treated evilly the prophets of old who foretold of Christ.  They had chosen to worship idols instead. 

Acts 7:

⁴⁸Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

⁴⁹Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

⁵⁰Hath not my hand made all these things?

⁵¹Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

⁵²Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

⁵³Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

 

Then suddenly the crowd turned on him, this young preacher of Christ.  ⁵⁴When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

 

So what was the response of God to Stephen at that moment? 

⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

⁵⁶And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

The crowds response was then to stone Stephen.

⁵⁷Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

⁵⁸And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen

What was Stephen’s last words as he died? 

calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

⁶⁰And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Was not God on His throne that day?   What could possibly be His purpose? The beginning of Acts 8 gives us that clue.  

¹And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

²And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

How often in the following days and even his later days would he close his eyes and see this young preacher as he died pleading for his killers.  This was the first step of an awakening that would not be complete until the he confronts Christ on the road to Damascus.  Acts 9: 

¹And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

²And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

³And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

⁴And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

⁵And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

⁶And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

⁷And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

⁸And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

¹⁰And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

¹¹And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

¹²And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

¹³Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

¹⁴And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

¹⁵But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

¹⁶For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

¹⁸And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

So when Stephen died God was on His throne.  Only He knew that this would be a step in the road to Saul’s conversion to Christ and all the letters that Paul would write and all that Paul would do to the spread the Gospel of Christ.  Today when we look at the tragedies of life.  God is on His Throne.  As for Caylee, she is in God’s arms of love; just as Stephen was.  We may not understand; but we can trust the God who does.