A Few Words Before I GoShembull

Stephen’s last words were a prayer for his murderers

“And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:59-60)

Stephen was a follower of Jesus. He was known as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). But some people hated him. They could not argue with him because Stephen was led by the Holy Spirit. Therefore they set up false witnesses to have Stephen arrested.

In his defense speech, Stephen reminded the people how their forefathers often refused to listen to God. Then he claimed that his contemporaries did the same — or even worse — by rejecting Jesus, the Righteous One. This message made those in the council meeting so angry that they ran at Stephen, took him out of the city and stoned him to death.

Stephen’s last words are remarkably similar to Jesus’ words at the cross, during the last hours of His earthly life. Jesus prayed for the soldiers who crucified Him: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Several hours later, “Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46).

How could Stephen be so like Jesus? I think the answer is in Acts 7:55, “He, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Do you also “gaze at Jesus”? How does that influence your life?