Saint Stephan

December 26, 2024

Broadcast

                             Saint Stephan
                             Acts 7:59-60
                              12/26/2024


        59   And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
             ``Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.''
        60   And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud
             voice, ``Lord, do not hold this sin against
             them.'' And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
             (ESV)

        Yesterday we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior,
   Jesus Christ.  With rapt attention, we listened to the angel
   choir sing ``Glory to God in the highest,'' and contemplated that
   the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Coming to faith in
   Christ Jesus, holding to Him as our redeemer from sin, death, and
   the power of the devil, comes with a price.  The second day of
   Christmas is the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr of the
   Christian Church.  Stephen, who was one of the deacons appointed
   by the apostles to assist with caring for the Church, was a holy
   and upright man.  He dared to proclaim the truth of salvation by
   grace through faith for the sake of Christ, even before the
   Sanhedrin.  For speaking the truth, Stephen was taken outside the
   walls of Jerusalem and stoned to death.

        Saint Luke recorded the last moments of Stephen's life.
        ``And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
        `Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'  And falling to his
        knees he cried out with a loud voice, `Lord, do not
        hold this sin against them.' And when he had said this,
        he fell asleep.''


        There is a cost of discipleship, a cost of being in the
   world but not of the world, a cost for trusting in Christ Jesus
   alone.  Whereas we will, more than likely, not be stoned for our
   faith, yet we will constantly be asked to defend our faith.
   Saint Stephen serves as an example of one for whom Christ Jesus
   is the most important.  He also serves as an example of one who
   forgives even as he has been forgiven for the sake of Christ.
   May our Lord grant us faith like that of Saint Stephen, that we
   be faithful to Christ Jesus no matter the cost.  Amen.