I See Jesus – Lessons on Spiritual Vision from the Life of Stephen

Trevor S Ferguson

November 11, 2017

Acts 6:1-10 (KJV)
¹  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
²  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
³  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
⁴  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
⁵  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
⁶  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
⁷  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
⁸  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
⁹  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
¹⁰  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

Acts 7:54-60 (KJV)
⁵⁴  When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
⁵⁵  But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
⁵⁶  And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
⁵⁷  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
⁵⁸  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
⁵⁹  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
⁶⁰  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

INTRODUCTION

The ability to see is probably the most important of our five senses. One source suggests that we perceive 80% of all sensory impressions by our sight. While the eyes can compensate for loss of many aspects other senses, it is difficult for the other senses to compensate for loss of vision.

As is the case with physical vision, spiritual vision is critical to our Christian life. Spiritual vision in this context refers to our ability to see the things of God, and the way in which we interpret the things happening to us and the things happening around us, in relation to God and his actions. What we see, and how we view our situations and circumstances, will have profound effects on our outlook, our attitudes, and our levels of effectiveness.

Many Christians have poor spiritual vision. We often fail to see the hand of God in our circumstances, and at other times misinterpret the situation, concluding that God has given up on us, or that he has forsaken us. The situation is probably best illustrated with the case Elisha’s servant in 2^nd Kings 6. He saw with his physical eyes, all the armies of Syria which had come to capture Elisha, but could not see that the mountains were filled with horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. Naturally therefore, he was full of fear, thinking that they would be captured and perhaps killed by the Syrians. It was not until Elisha had prayed for God to open his spiritual eyes that he saw the horses and chariots of fire. Now that he had correct spiritual vision, his perspectives changed.

In a similar way, many of us a troubled and perplexed by the circumstances we have faced, or are currently facing in our lives. Poor spiritual vision causes us to live in fear and to adopt a negative and defeatist attitude. As a result, we are ill equipped to deal with the struggles of the Christian life and as such find little joy in serving God. Today, I want to encourage our hearts and share with us some insights from the life of Stephen, who in his moment of greatest crisis, saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. This spiritual vision helped him to face martyrdom with amazing peace and Christian grace, to the extent of praying for his attackers, even in the face of death! I believe that reflections of the life of Stephen will therefore produce practical insights that can guide us in our walk with Christ and in our ministry endeavors.

EXPOSITION

Let us get to the lessons to be learnt from this text. After reflecting on this passage of scripture for some time and seeking God’s insight into the passage, I have summarized my reflections into five lessons. These will serve as our focus today.

Lesson #1: You are not too anointed to serve tables. (In fact, this could be stated in the reverse - you do need to be anointed to serve tables!)

Stephen was one of the seven deacons chosen in Acts 6, when murmuring arose between the Grecian and Hebrew Christians. The problem was that the Grecian widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. The problem was brought to the attention of the apostles, who sought to correct this by appointing seven men, commonly known as the seven deacons, who were to give oversight to the distribution of food. The apostles themselves would focus on the ministry of the word and to prayer.

It is important to note the qualifications that the apostles listed in choosing these seven deacons. They were to be honest men, full of the Holy Ghost and full of wisdom. Stephen was additionally described as being full faith and of the Holy Ghost. Note also that their task was not to be in pulpit ministry, or to become well known, but to simply ensure that all the persons were fairly attended to during the sharing of meals. The point I would like to bring across is that although many of us may have a great level of anointing we should never consider ourselves as being too anointed to do the menial tasks in the church. Whatever we are asked to do let us do it as unto God. Regardless of what God has done through us in the past, or the number of spiritual gifts we possess we must be willing to respond to the call of God or to the recommendation of our leaders, and be willing to do the simple and non-glamourous task. If we can’t be faithful in the little things, we have in effect disqualified ourselves for the big things.  We are not too anointed to serve tables.

Lesson #2: Use your gifts, fulfil your ministry

This second lesson speaks to those of us who are often afraid to step up in ministry, despite that fact that they have been anointed and called of God. We see in verse 8, that Stephen did great wonders and miracles among the people. Again, the statement is prefixed by stating that he was full of faith and of power. We note that Stephens only appointment at that point was in the administrative role as supervisor over the distribution of meals. This however did not stop him from participating fully in ministry.

The bible does not provide full details with regards to the context under which Stephen operated, what we know is that he was able, he was willing, he was available, and God used him. There are many people today, who have the anointing of God on their lives, but are afraid and unwilling to make themselves available to God. Some may contend that they are not appointed as ministers and therefore are unwilling to make themselves available. Today God is challenging you to come out from under the shadows, allow the anointing that God has placed on your life to come to the fore and watch God work. He will accomplish great things through you if you will make yourself available to Him! Use your gift; fulfil your ministry!

Lesson #3: Study the word, defend the faith

For persons who have been involved in ministry for some time, it is well known that once you step up and step out for God, you will face opposition. Stephen had to face that opposition head on. As soon as God started to work through him, the opposition arose. The scripture said that members of the synagogue of the Libertines, the Cyrenians and the Alexandrians began to dispute with Stephen. They stirred up the people, possibly bribing some to tell lies against Stephen and eventually had him arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. They thought they had him, but God was with him. The scripture says that when they looked upon him and saw his face, his face shone like that of an angel.

Stephens defense before that Sanhedrin was a lesson in Jewish history and stunning defense of the Christian faith. He took them step by step from God’s call of Abraham, through the influence of Joseph in delivering his family from famine, and the call of Moses in delivering the people from Egypt. He describes the setting up of the tabernacle in the wilderness and the eventual building of the temple by Solomon. He ends with the way Israel persecuted the prophets and laid the charge for the crucifixion of Jesus, squarely and the feet of the Jews. Of course, this made the Jews furious and eventually to him being stoned to death.

The point being made here is that Stephen had a tremendous command of the old testament scripture and was able to give a stout defense of the faith, based on his knowledge of the word of God. In a similar way, we must study the word of God so that we can defend the things that we believe. Note that this is not just my saying but is a requirement of the word of God. Peter charged us in 1^st Peter 3: 15 “… be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you …” 

Paul also charges us in 2^nd Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” It is critical that we put this in practice today. Few people have a good understanding of the things that we believe and what makes us different from other churches. If we do not take this seriously, the Pentecostal movement will begin to morph into something that is indistinguishable for the myriad church groups in operation today. Stephen died for truth, let us live and defend this truth or as Jude instructs us: “… earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”  Study the word. Defend the faith!

Lesson #4: Jesus stands with us in times of great opposition or adversity

This lesson is critical to the concept of spiritual vision outlined earlier. The word that struck me is that while the Jews were angry and gnashing their teeth at Stephen, he looked straight up into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. In the midst of this great opposition Stephen saw Jesus! The Jews were angry, but Stephen saw Jesus! Death might have been near, but Stephen saw Jesus! There was very little he could do to save himself, but Stephen saw Jesus!

What did this mean for Stephen? Firstly, it was an affirmation of his faith, the gospel he was speaking about was real, and not a figment of his imagination. Jesus was real, Jesus was alive, Jesus was in heaven and Jesus was in a position of prominence and power. With this vision of Jesus, the fury of the Jews did not matter, because Jesus was greater than the Jews and Stephen was on Jesus’ side. Secondly, it was an assurance of a heavenly home for Stephen. The Jews might have been in a rush to usher his life out, but Jesus was waiting to welcome him home!

Child of God, we do not need to fear death! As Paul remind us in 2^nd Corinthians 5:8 “… to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” So regardless of what men may want to do to us, we are safe in the arms of Jesus.

For us today, we need to know that as Jesus stood for Stephen, Jesus stands with us in times of great adversity and opposition. The problem is that often we do not see him. Why is this so? We usually focus on the problem and not on Jesus. But look at vs 55-56 again, while the Jews were angry and gnashing their teeth at him, Stephen looked steadfastly into heaven! Stephen saw Jesus because he looked for him! The song writer reminds us: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”  

Can you see Jesus today? Can you see him in the midst of your problems? Can you feel his presence in the midst of your pain? Look steadfastly up into heaven. As another song writer says: there is life for a look at the crucified one, there is life at this moment for thee … look, look, look and live! There is life at this moment for you. The writer to the Hebrews also advises us that “… unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” If we look, we will see him! If we see him our perspectives will change. Turn your eyes upon Jesus!

Lesson #5: Even in apparent defeat, our faith can have profound, long lasting effects

This last lesson is also important because sometimes our focus on earthly and immediate results causes us to misinterpret the effects of events and circumstances in our lives. Some may have concluded that Stephen’s life ended in defeat, because he paid the ultimate price for his faith. Contrary to what many of us would have expected, Jesus did not step in and destroy the Jews in Stephen’s defense. But in the broader scheme of things, Stephen’s death achieved much for the early church, and we today may still be reaping the benefits. It is heartwarming to note how similar to Jesus Stephen had become, so that like Jesus he prayed for forgiveness for his attackers even as his own life was being ushered out.

Additionally, a brief note in verse 58, points us to an important observer at the stoning of Stephen – the scripture says they laid their clothes at a young man’s feet whose name was Saul. Many believe that the testimony and martyrdom of Stephen had a profound effect on Saul, who later was to become the Apostle Paul. While Stephen was going out, God was paving the heart of a young man who had the training and passion to take this gospel to the whole world. We note also that at Jesus’ death on the cross, many thought that this was the end of the ministry of Jesus – here we are today, two thousand years later, celebrating Jesus. Do not be despondent because things did not work you the way you expected. God is working out all things for our good.     

CONCLUSION

So today, we have been challenged by the life of Stephen, to recognize that we are not too anointed to serve in the simple tasks; we need to use our gifts and fulfil our ministry; we must study the word and defend the faith; we must recognize that Jesus stands with us in times of great opposition and adversity and that even in apparent defeat our faith can have profound and long-lasting effects. I challenge everyone reading this blog, to apply these principles to your life. This will serve to strengthen our individual lives and will strengthen the church as we seek to impact the world for the cause of Christ.

If you are not yet saved, you have a great witness before you today. I implore you to put your trust in the God that Stephen so eloquently defended. As he stood for Stephen, he will stand for you too. Put your trust in Him today. God bless you! In Jesus name!