What if you stood before a firing squad and the only way to avoid death was to deny your Lord?
Standing before the most powerful Jewish ruling body of the day, Stephen didn’t back down from speaking the truth about his Lord. Stephen undoubtedly felt the leaders’ anger intensify, and he knew that the penalty for speaking so-called blasphemy was stoning. Still, Stephen continued his overview of Israel’s history: he had a point to make about the hardheartedness of the Sanhedrin.
Stephen wasn’t intimidated by the Sanhedrin’s wrath, because he had the hope of heaven. In fact, right before the Jewish leaders ran at him, Stephen looked to the heavens and saw his Lord. As he “fell asleep,” Stephen’s martyrdom beautifully displayed his faith in Jesus and his hope of eternal life with his Lord.
What aspects of your life reveal your faith in Jesus and your hope of eternal life with Him?
And that’s the memo.
