The Feast of Stephen the First Martyr
The Stoning of Stephen
Acts 6:8-10 & 7:54-59
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 rose up and disputed with Stephen.  But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.  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.  And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 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. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Saint Stephen
by Malcolm Guite

Witness for Jesus, man of fruitful blood,
Your martyrdom begins and stands for all.
They saw the stones, you saw the face of God,
And sowed a seed that blossomed in St. Paul.
When Saul departed breathing threats and slaughter
He had to pass through that Damascus gate
Where he had held the coats and heard the laughter
As Christ, alive in you, forgave his hate,
And showed him the same light you saw from heaven
And taught him, through his blindness, how to see;
Christ did not ask ‘Why were you stoning Stephen?’
But ‘Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
Each martyr after you adds to his story,
As clouds of witness shine through clouds of glory.

STEPHEN’S WITNESS

The abrupt transition from the celebration of Christmas Day to the celebration of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, seems jarring and unwarranted. Yet, the reality of persecution and martyrdom is inherent in the Incarnation. In fact, the early church fathers echoed the prayer of Polycarp (155 A.D.) as he was dying for his faith, “I give you thanks that you count me worthy to be numbered among your martyrs, sharing the cup of Christ and the resurrection to eternal life.”

Today’s artist, Peter Webb, catches the moment this young, Hellenized Jewish-Christian prepares himself for the stone’s attack, facing his impending death without fear or malice. Stephen’s stoning teaches us so many vital lessons. As Malcolm Guite states, “They saw the stones, you saw the face of God.” Stephen’s surrender of his fate to God, and God’s revelation of a standing Christ, waiting to receive Stephen after he met his horrible fate, assures us that God gives grace to face our impending death.

The meaning of “martyr” is “witness” and Stephen’s death became a life-giving witness to me following the murder of my son. I had been haunted by what our son faced as his life was taken. I struggled with resentment towards God for “abandoning” my son to his horrible death. It was only as I read the account of Stephen’s vision of God and the peace that was evident as he died that I was released from both the horrible images and resentment. I believe my son was carried into glory, through God’s grace, and perhaps he expressed the words of our song for today, “Lover of my soul, even unto death, With my every breath, I will love you.”

Persecution and martyrdom of Christians is increasing every year. In 2015, we experienced the most violent year for Christians in modern history, with at least 7,100 documented martyrs. In February of that year the world was shocked by the twenty-one Christian men, beheaded on a Libyan beach with the words, “Lord Jesus Christ,” on their lips. Twenty of these men were Egyptian believers. But one was not. This man from Ghana, upon witnessing the “immense faith” of the Egyptian believers, decided at that moment to become a follower of Christ. When the terrorists asked, “Do you reject Christ?”, he answered, “Their God is my God” and suffered the same fate.

My life intersected with these twenty-one faithful men in an unexpected way. Last year when my book, I Choose to Forgive was published in Arabic, I was given the opportunity to give copies of my journey of forgiveness to the families of these faithful men. Stephen’s example of grace and forgiveness as he prayed for his murderers continues to be a witness—in and through both my life and the lives of families of modern-day martyrs who were “counted worthy” by God to die for Him.

Today’s challenge is clear: are we living a life so totally surrendered to God that being killed for His sake would be a celebration of His glory?

Prayer
Grant, O Lord, that in all our sufferings here upon earth, for the testimony of that truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who stands at the right hand of God to succor all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate.
Amen.
From The Book of Common Prayer

Dianne B. Collard
Dianne B. Collard, Alumna Cook School of Intercultural Studies
Europe Ministries Director, A.C.T. International
Founder/Director of ArtsCharlotte