#9Plain Preaching,
Persecution, Glory
"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart,
but
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#9Plain Preaching, Persecution, Glory "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, but |
and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God." Acts 7:54-55 |
| STEPHEN, known as the first Christian martyr, was being stoned by the congregation to whom he had been preaching. He related the history of the hardness of the heart of Israel, and in closing he said, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which 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." That preaching was too plain and too convicting for the people to receive it, so they decided they would just kill the messenger. The Jews were filled with godless hatred, but Stephen was filled with the Holy Ghost. They were willing to do the stoning and Stephen was perfectly willing to be stoned; they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears that they might not hear him, but Stephen was praying, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." They ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him, but Stephen looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. It is better to be stoned for the Name of the Lord Jesus than it is to be with the whole crowd and do the stoning because of the hatred for the Name. It is better to die, seeing Jesus, than it is to live and have no part nor lot with Him.
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ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR Evangelist and Pastor, Dr. Marvin Lewis
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