Walking With Christ

⚓ Floatie:  Stephen’s Witness

Acts 7:54–60  (54)Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.  (55)But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  (56)And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”  (57)But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.  (58)Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him.  And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.  (59)And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  (60)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.(ESV)

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✒️ Forge:  The First Martyr

Stephen’s sermon traced Israel’s history of rejecting God’s messengers, climaxing in their rejection of Christ.  His vision and testimony enraged the council, but his eyes were fixed not on stones but on the throne.

• Jesus promised:  “Blessed are you when others revile you… Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5:11–12)(ESV).
• Stephen’s vision fulfills Daniel’s prophecy:  “Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man… to him was given dominion” (Daniel 7:13–14)(ESV).
• His prayer mirrors Christ’s:  “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34) and “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46)(ESV).

The Son of Man, usually pictured as seated, now stands to receive His servant.

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⚒️ Anvil:  The Challenge of Witness Under Fire

Stephen’s name means “crown,” and his death shows the cost of the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).  The challenge is this:  will we witness when it costs us everything?

Most of us will not face stones, but we may face rejection, ridicule, or loss.  Do we remain silent when boldness may bring pain?  Stephen shows that the Spirit gives power even to die with Christ’s mercy on our lips.

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🔥 Ember:  A Word for Today

Notice Saul standing nearby, approving.  Stephen’s death planted a seed that would later bear fruit in Paul’s conversion.  Our witness in suffering may not soften hearts immediately, but God can turn persecutors into apostles through faithful testimony.

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🌿 Covenant Triumph:  The Lord Receives His Own

Stephen “fell asleep”—a covenant phrase that softens death’s sting (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14).  The Church’s first martyr was not abandoned but welcomed.  The vision of Christ enthroned, the Spirit’s sustaining power, and the Father’s promise of resurrection stand as eternal assurance:  no stone can silence the witness of God’s people.

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[⚓ Floatie] [✒️ Forge] [⚒️ Anvil] [🔥 Ember] [🌿 Covenant Triumph]
This post follows the Forge Baseline Rule—layered truth for the discerning remnant.