Friday, June 3, 2016
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."
OUR DYING DAY
In Jesus' name, Amen.
It was Stephen's dying day. Do you think he knew that? Perhaps he guessed it when false witnesses were suborned to testify in court that he was speaking blaspheming against Moses and God, saying that Jesus would destroy the temple and change the customs of Moses. Those were some of the same accusations that had been brought by false witnesses against his Master Jesus, and that trial had led to Jesus' execution.
It was Stephen's dying day, and his killers were grinding their teeth in rage around him, but he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Looking heavenward, Stephen saw the glory of God, the heavens opened up, and Jesus standing powerful to help. When Stephen spoke of the comfort Jesus had given him in this vision, it precipitated his stoning. But he was ready, and fell asleep in Jesus, praying for his murderers, just as Jesus had for His.
April 18, 1521, was not Luther's dying day, but do you think he knew that? Luther later marveled that the Lord had given him such reckless courage to stand alone before world rulers at Worms, but he had already gazed steadfastly into the Spirit's Word, and it was "as though the heavens were opened up to him." He had come to know the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. In that Word He saw Jesus standing ready to help.
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!
