Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Are You like Stephen or Judas?

Are you like Stephen or Judas? Are you like Stephen who was not afraid to share his faith, and not ashamed of his saviour, or like Judas who was disappointed in Jesus and sold him out. There are two types of Christians, Stephens, and Judas's, who are you. Acts chapter 7 tells the story of Stephen's death. During Jesus's life the pharisees plotted against him, and they do the same against the early church, "so they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin" Acts ch6 v 12. In Chapter 7 Stephen is before the Sanhedrin, and on trial, so he gives a speech. He retells the Jewish history, and then attacks the Sanhedrin saying they killed the prophets, and they killed Jesus, so they started yelling with their hands over their ears, (when I read that I always imagine a bunch of kids with their hands over their ears yelling "lalalalala I can't hear you!). Then the dragged him out to stone him, and all the while Stephen looked up to Heaven and saw Jesus. Stephen was not a worldly man. He was not afraid of his faith even though he knew it could get him killed. He was not afraid of the Sanhedrin, and not afraid to call them out on the wrongs they did. And while he was dying he "looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God" Acts ch7 v55. Judas sold a treasure for a small fortune, and Stephen gave up a life for a new one. Stephen was not afraid, and all his life he was a 'godly man full of the holy spirit", and up to his death all he could think about was his saviour. Who are you? Are you like Stephen who is not afraid to say what he believes, or are you like Judas who hides in the back, and focuses on the world and what little it can offer.

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