The other day, I heard a radio DJ say, “If you had to choose among three items, onion rings, french fries, or tater tots, which would you choose?” I made my silent choice anticipating what I would receive for revealing something so personal. But there was no prize. The DJ was just curious. Pretty much fluff to kill 20 seconds before a commercial break, I thought.
But then yesterday I attended my daughter’s church, Transform Church. Pastor Mark was preaching on Acts 6-7 where Stephen gave a long (50 verses) re-cap of Israel’s history to a captive audience of members of the Sanhedrin. Naturally the Jewish religious leaders knew the history, but listened – some with mild interest, others with apathy, several with scrutiny.
Suddenly Stephen turned the spotlight on the religious leaders, when he said, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears. You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” Stephen was comparing the men to their ancestors who killed the prophets who proclaimed the coming of the Righteous One. Instantly, the religious leaders became like-minded – enraged!
They stopped up their ears, dragged Stephen out of the city and stoned him. While being stoned, Stephen looked up to heaven and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Just before he died, he did an amazing thing! He fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Right after talking about Stephen, Pastor Mark turned his attention to the time when prior to Stephen’s stoning, Jesus was crucified as recorded in Luke 23. This happened sometime between noon and 3:00pm on a cold day outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago.
Jesus spoke seven different times while hanging on a cross in excruciating pain. One of the incredible things He said was, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Pastor Mark elaborated a bit more, and then said, “I have three questions I want you to seriously consider: Ask yourself,
“Do I love God more than my own life?” What would my response be if I or a loved one were threatened with a tortuous death if we did not deny Jesus? Am I ready to pay the cost of Christianity?
“Do I forgive others who have wronged me?” Am I able to give them over to Jesus without harboring bitterness or anger? Afterall, Jesus has said, “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay!” Am I able to let it go?
“Do I have the same confidence in death as Stephen?” Instead of praying for deliverance or to be spared, can I say as Stephen said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Or the words of Jesus, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
I thought to myself, Now these are pertinent questions of substance! Certainly worthy of deep, honest, serious consideration.
These questions actually set my goal for this week’s blog, and that is to present the real threat some of us could possibly face in our future especially in light of the US bombing of Iran this past Saturday. Just saying, think about it!