May 10, 2020 Text: Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60
Dear Friends in Christ,
How many of you like movie previews? They give brief snippets of scenes, which are supposed to give you an overview of the film. These previews have grown over the years. You can be 10 minutes late to the theatre and the previews are still playing. Convenient I guess for the perpetually tardy.
This morning our sermon text from Acts is the stoning of Stephen. It is not the whole story. For that you need to read all of Acts 6 and 7. We just get pieces in our text. We get scenes. We have highlights from the film.
This story has it all. Miraculous powers. Murderous threats that get carried out. Impassioned speech. A Christian man willing to stand for his faith. God is here, but what is He doing? This morning, we are going to take a moment to meditate on,
“SCENES OF GOD AT WORK”
As our focus on this story comes into view we see various ways that God is at work. The disciples are collecting food for the needy and working and praying and laying their hands upon co-workers in the Kingdom. Stephen is mentioned as “a man full of faith.”
This scene could be right out of our congregation. The Pastor preaches and prays and the congregants collect food for a local food pantry or do mission work in our community. Even in the mundane God is there.
The scene shifts to see God at work in marvelous ways. The action is ramping up as Stephen gives a speech. Again, only a part of his words are in our text. It may be hard to go back to the first time you heard this story concerning Stephen but what did you think would happen? Did you expect God, as some superhero, to swoop in and save Stephen from stoning? Did you want the happy ending?
God works in a way where the marvelous and the murderous are woven together with one another. Luke wants us to know that God works wonders in the suffering of this world.
Look carefully at the scene. When Stephen is dragged out and stoned how is he positioned? He falls to his knees. Is he falling because of the stoning or is he kneeling in reverence to God? The answer is yes to both. You would think there would be a difference between being knocked to the ground with stones and kneeling in prayer. But, according to Luke, sometimes they look the same.
As Stephen is dying he cries out. He is not screaming in pain. He is saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (7:60) He breathes his last and falls asleep. A moment that recalls Jesus’s words on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Even in this bloody scene with suffering and dying, God is still at work. Because Jesus entered into our world and suffered and died to take away our sin, Stephen can ask that these misguided humans be forgiven. Stephen knew that because of Jesus rising from the dead, sin and evil and death itself had been conquered. He met death willingly – who follows in his train?
What scene from your life has our Lord entered? For all of us it is this temporary annoyance we’ve lived under for almost two months. When things are out of our control, we get scared. Stones are coming at us – do this, don ‘t do this, wear a mask, stay away from your church, go to a store, keep a distance, work from home, school work online, but in all of this hasn’t it driven us to our knees? How many times in the last few months have you asked God for direction? Have you gone to Him to know if you are doing the right thing? Go out – stay home. Have mini services at church or not worry about it? Listen to the government or use your own common sense?
The thing to see in these scenes is that the Lord is there. He has kept you safe. He has kept many still working. He has allowed the church to survive through your prayers and offerings. You are nearing the end of your school year. You have food and clothing and a hot water heater that works. And you know from history that this is only temporary. The scenes from Stephen’s life encourage you to see God at work in your world.
Stephen wasn’t afraid. He was “a man full of faith.” He didn’t go looking to die, but he also didn’t shy away from the consequences of his words. God was at work in the world of Stephen and we remember him to this day.
God rules over all things and works in our world. He created us, claimed us as His own in Baptism, calls us to serve him in our various vocations, and promises to raise us up to live with Him in the new creation.
Will this scene we are living in have a happy ending for all of us? I can’t give that assurance. But know this – God is not distant from the world. His promises of life and salvation endure until the end. He works in the mundane and the marvelous and nothing – not even death – can separate us from His love and mercy. I’ve enjoyed these scenes of God at work . . . how about you? Amen.