Acts 7:60
Stephen asked God to forgive his murderers. Are you ready to forgive the people that hurt you?
“Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Acts 7:60
This verse describes the death of Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church. Stephen was chosen by the apostles to serve in the church.
- Acts 6:5-6: “And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.”
“Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’”
Stephen followed the example of his Master. Hanging on the cross, Jesus also cried out and prayed to His Father for forgiveness. Not for Himself, but for the people who wanted to kill Him. And so did Stephen in today’s verse. Jesus once told His followers to love their enemies, and to pray for them. Stephen prays for those who persecute him.
- Matthew 27:50: “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.”
- Matthew 5:44: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you;”
- Luke 23:34: “Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided His garments and cast lots.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:12-13: “And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat [exhort, encourage]. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.”
“And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
After Stephen forgave the people who were killing him, he ‘fell asleep’. He died. It is called ‘sleeping’, because of the resurrection. Those who believe in Jesus Christ will live. He will ‘wake them up’, as though they were asleep.
- Matthew 9:24: “He said to them, ‘Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him.”
- John 11:11: “These things He said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’”
- 1 Corinthians 15:6: “After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:17-21: “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”
Today’s lesson: Stephen is an example to us. He forgave the people who were killing him, just like his Master did. When people hurt you, are you willing to forgive them? If not, look at Jesus. He forgave His murderers. He wants to forgive you, and He wants to help you forgive others. Go to Him, and forgive others as the Father forgives you.