David Bahn – Reflections

Acts 6:8-15

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

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In his initial encounter with Nathaniel Jesus told him that he would see the angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man. The language recalls Jacob’s dream of a stairway to heaven with angels traveling up and down on it. Jesus is the Son of Man, and the means by which angelic beings make their way to and from the throne of God in our behalf. Because of Christ’s righteousness the angels perfect obedience to God accrues to our favor.

But here we have a different spin on things: Stephen, one of the first deacons begins ministering among the people with signs and wonders.  Now it’s not only the Apostles’ prerogative to heal or in other ways display the power of God. Even though he was not one of the twelve, he is doing signs and wonders. When he is challenged in the face of this he displays wisdom and the Spirit is strongly present in him.

There is a growing understanding that the ministry of the Gospel, and the Mission of God is not to be relegated to one class of people. Here it is clear that the Apostles are not the only ones able to bear witness; and as we’ll soon learn, give up their life for the Gospel’s sake. The ministry for which Diane works and with whom we are in New York this week (PLI) is engaged in “helping pastors, spouses, and key leaders, put the extraordinary mission of God into the hands of ordinary people.” So it should be; this is the work of God not man (cf. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%204:7&version=ESV).

You may well say that Stephen is no ordinary man. Surely that is true. He was one of seven. But on the other hand, his extraordinary character is really a manifestation of God’s grace and goodness in Christ. His access to God and even the Holy Spirit himself is only through Jesus’ righteousness. Stephen is about to meet his end, stoned by an angry crowd, the first Christian martyr. He will ascend to the presence of God by means of Jesus Christ. All this is from God, and by his grace.

If today I am going to have any impact on my world, it will be by the grace of God at work in me. God has descended to us in Jesus Christ, we ascend to him by means of Jesus Christ. I’m wondering how I might be an angel (messenger!) of God today – an extraordinary privilege, given by the grace of God.