That’s our man! Go get him, Jesus!

Monday 10-17-2016  Martínez, Argentina

Today we read: Job 1 – 2  and  Acts 6 - 7

S.  Acts 7:51-53 "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One — the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God's law, though you received it from the hands of angels." NLT

O.  Stephen has been falsely accused of blasphemy.  So the Sanhedrin was gathered to hear his defense. But Stephen did not say a single word in his defense. He launched into a detailed history of God’s dealing with their ancestors… to which they could all say, “Amen”.  By now I imagine his accusers were getting nervous. “Is this guy never going to get to the issue at hand?” Then suddenly he does get at the issue at hand, but not even attempting to clear his own name… he lashes out at his accusers and the whole Sanhedrin and puts them all on trial.  He calls them “stubborn, heathen at heart, deaf to the truth, forever resisting God’s Holy Spirit… betrayers and murderers of the very Messiah that God sent them… deliberately disobeying God’s law.”  That did it! They murdered him… while he cried out to God to forgive them. 

And a young, brilliant, upcoming Pharisee named Saul was in that crowd approving of what they were doing.  He did not throw stones, but took care of their coats while others did the dirty work. They did not stop hurling stones until Stephen’s voice was silenced and they were sure that his voice would never be heard again.

A.  But they were wrong.  Stephen’s voice was not silenced after all.  His vision of Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand and his pleading forgiveness for his murderers would be played over and over in the heart of Saul.  It drove him to extremes… searching for other followers of Jesus and throwing them into prison.  Single handed Saul was going to stamp out this heresy.  Fervor!  Enthusiasm!  Dedication!  This young Pharisee had it all.  God looked down and said to His Son… “That’s our man!  He can do it!  Go get him, Jesus!” 

P.  Lord Jesus, I want Your Father to able to say that about me.  Fervor!  Enthusiasm!  Dedication!  “Go get him, Jesus!”  I want to be one of Your Father’s chosen men.  I want to burn for You.  You hear my cry today.  You see my tears flowing like a river.  I want You to have all of me.  I want to capture Your message and carry it to the ends of the earth.  Just let me be Your man, Jesus.  Amen.

Ralph