Acts 7:54-8:3 | Imitating Jesusনমুনা

Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr. Yet don’t miss what happened: Stephen sees the glory of God. “Look,” he says. “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” And this gives us hope today. As Willie James Jennings says, “God fills Stephen and will face death with him. This will always be the case for believers.”

As we’ve seen throughout Acts, Jesus sends his Spirit to be with his followers. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is with us today. Even in the face of suffering and violence. Even in the midst of evil. Even in death. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the Holy Spirit. After all, the Spirit is invisible and gets compared to wind and breath and doves. But even if we forget him, he does not forget us. Jesus sends us his Spirit to be near us, but also to help us live like him.

Jesus sends his Spirit to be with you. Forever. Christ on the throne. His Spirit with you. When you know that, you can face anything. Stephen did. So can you.