When Stones Are Thrown

Act: 7:51-60- Speaks to us regarding  the stoning of the Deacon Stephen , one of the first Christian Martyrs  for His profession about the Lord  Jesus . 

The Deacon Stephen had been preaching about the Person of Jesus Christ to the Jews at Jerusalem, His message regarding our Lord angered the crowd. Enraged the crowd took up stones and began to violently pelt the Deacon with them.
As Stephan was struck by the hurled stones; battered and badly injured , his eyes instinctively lifted toward the Heavens and in his remaining moments upon the Earth ,  even as the stones rained down upon him  , he saw the Lord Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father,   and he tells those who throw the stones  that he sees Jesus ,which causes them to react  even worse  and  throw stones all the more.

Stones Thrown

When we profess Jesus, that we accept that He is God and our Savior , then Christians can  find selves ,at times ,the objects of  rebuke from the world and unfortunately even from some "professing" Christians ,   that is to say, stones are thrown .  

These stones that can be  hurled in our direction, are not just literal ones picked up from the earth, but the stones being cast at the Deacon Stephen ,  and our selves represent the hardened  carnal response of the world around us.  This has, and is  the way the world reacts when the person of Jesus Christ is truly given His place of prominence and the focus to our lives and  or ministries.

These stones can take many forms  as they are cast upon and at us. When ever we speak of Jesus or give Christ that place of prominence in our lives , when the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus. There will be a reaction by the carnal attitudes surrounding us which will  react badly and in some cases aggressively. Stephen's testimony regarding Jesus, challenged the religious leaders notion of how to relate to the great God.

Shown by the Spirit

Carnality  finds itself at odds with Jesus. The carnal nature within humanity  wants to believe  that it is  good enough that somehow its proformence  is alright, or that when Jesus is brought into the situation then  the carnality is convicted. 

It takes the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to our need for Jesus.

 "Why I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." 1Corinthians:12:3
  
The Holy Spirit will always speak to regarding Jesus, He is and always directs  us to the Son of God,  not to anything other but Jesus above all. This is what carnality has an issue with. Even carnality masked as piety will have at some point this reaction against the name of our Lord Jesus .  Jesus said, to a crowed of pious Jews who attempted to trap Him with a question  regarding the woman caught in adultery if she should be stoned to death, he answered them, and all of us,  "He that is without sin among you, let cast the him first stone"John:8:7  . This shows us that the ones casting stones at the Deacon Stephen were blind to their sins.


“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you"John:16:5-15

Refuge in Christ

 When Stephen preached about Jesus, it brought on the predictable reaction of the crowd and the stones were thrown. As those stones  came upon him, he had no place to go but to Jesus Himself, that is,  when in the midst of the stoning, in his dying moments Stephen  had no others place to go,  but he turned to our Lord trusting  even as the stones struck him.  

Even in the midst of it  Stephen surrendered all over to Jesus ;the entire situation even there in the midst of it. Stephen  waited upon Jesus , knowing that his death was at hand.

This shows Christians  we can refuge in Christ , give over what is happening in our lives no matter what befalls us , what ever it might be ,  we like Stephen , should keep trusting that  in the end what ever comes upon us, we need to seek our refuge in our Lord. Stephen looked to Jesus, he did not seek escape but sought his Lord, Jesus was his escape.   This speaks far beyond just  a violent reaction from the world at the mention of Christ, it is for us in any and all difficult situations. When we face hardship that seemed to be prolonged or sickness, whatever we face , when the stones of this life are hurled against us we should lift our eyes Heaven ward , and fix our gaze upon Jesus, trusting Him to give us refuge in the midst of the hardships which befall us.

For the Good

Stephen knew that  if what he faced meant his death, it would ultimately be for the good, his and for Christians down through the ages, for each of us  now and always,  to the very end of this world.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans:8:28

What Stephen recognized was that our Lord was in full control of everything whatever it might be. He may have even had Psalm 31 in mind, which is a "Messianic Psalm" , that is,  it looked ahead to Jesus' moments on the cross, accomplishing our salvation,  from which Jesus was not delivered,  but Jesus faced it trusting in His Father. Jesus knew His death had meaning and that  God the father could be trusted to cause the outcome to be for Jesus' glory and our redemption...Jesus sought refuge in His Father as the events on the day of crucifixion unfolded.

"In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me,

come quickly to my rescue;

be my rock of refuge,

a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,

for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Free me from the trap that is set for me,

for you are my refuge.

Into your hands I commit my spirit;

redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth"Psalm:31:1-5

Stephen understood that his life, every season, or times, was in the hands of God , all of his life and even the time of his death.

"But I trust in you, O Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”

All my times are in your hands;

deliver me from my enemies

and from those who pursue me" Psalm:31:14-15

Christ the Living Stone 

The stones that world  may throw our way  brings death,  and  death is what proceeds out of the carnal nature.  But God Himself has cast a Stone to all humanity,  to any and all who will but by grace receive it , this Stone is our Lord Jesus.

"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,

a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who trusts in him

will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected

has become the capstone, and,

“A stone that causes men to stumble

and a rock that makes them fall.^"

 1Peter:2:1-8

Jesus Standing for Stephen

Jesus stood as, the stones struck Stephen . Standing in the culture of that time was an act of respect , honor  and giving someone  undivided attention; this tells us that  Jesus was giving Stephen His attention and  honoring the sacrifice of laying down his  life for the cause of the Gospel. That is what Jesus was doing at that moment at the very throne of the Great God. Jesus  gave His  attention to Stephen,   and His attention is on you and all of His people  during our times of difficulties. What ever we face we are not alone, Jesus is in full control of what is taking place , His eyes are on  us He is standing for us.

  "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfast into Heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" Acts:7:55

Jesus stands for us in our test and difficulties , even when stones are thrown His attention is upon us, and He is for us ,even if  the situation results in our death , He will ultimately turn it for our good no matter when stones are thrown.In Jesus we  can find our refuge when stones are thrown.  Amen

 Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion

Washington, Pennsylvania

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington, Pa.and 1710 AM in Bentleyville , Pa. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com