Seeing an Open Heaven
Acts 7:55-60
There seems to be more and more anti-Christian bias in the media, specifically, and in America in general. Last week was “Easter Sunday” and guess what the Denver Post had on their front page? “Welcome to Weed Country.”
Stephen is the first martyr of the Christian faith but when Stephen gets a view of heaven, opened up to him by His Savior, it gives him peace of mind, tremendous courage, and the spirit (mindset) to forgive his persecutors. Let’s take a closer look at Stephen…
STEPHEN WAS A GOOD MAN (Acts 6:3, 5-8):
He was among the men chosen by the church to serve (be deacons) the widows who were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. When the apostles give the church the qualifications for these men, we see that Stephen was a good man, a good Christian. Verse 3 – he had a good reputation; he was full of the Spirit; he was full of wisdom (see also verses 5 & 8). So, he dealt kindly and lovingly with non-Christians and Christians alike. We get the idea that he was loving and patient and kind.
FALSE ACCUSATIONS – 6:9-15:
As all Christian teachers, Stephen was looking to have a free, fair, honest, and honorable discussion in the synagogue about Jesus of Nazareth.
But these Jews were prejudiced against the message of Christianity. These Jews could not resist Stephen’s defense of the Gospel, so they had to resort to lies. That’s how Satan works. Jesus called him the “father of lies” in John 8:44 and that is Satan’s modus operandi. Lies. Lies. More lies.
The simplicity of Christianity is not clear to people who have stopped up their ears, stiffened their necks, and hardened their hearts. In an anti-Christian world, God’s message cannot find a home…
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STEPHEN IS ABUSED – 7:54-59:
These Jews got mad when Stephen told them they had killed the “Righteous One.” The NASV says they were “cut to the quick.” The verb comes from the word for “raw flesh.” Their emotions were raw with anger and they began gnashing on him with their teeth.
Once Stephen tells the Sanhedrin that it is through Jesus that the way to the Father is opened, they become even more enraged – verse 57. They cry out with a loud voice. They stop up their ears. Then they all rush at Stephen with complete unity – “with one impulse.”
They cast him out of the city. Then they began stoning him outside of Jerusalem.
SEEING AN OPEN HEAVEN – 7:59-60:
The problem for the Sanhedrin – and the problem for our non-Christian, even anti-Christian world today – is that once you’ve seen an open heaven, there is no turning back. Stephen had seen the way open to God and it was made available through Jesus Christ.
This gift from God gave Stephen peace of mind. He cried out and gave his spirit into the hands of Jesus – “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
This gift from God also gave Stephen undaunted courage. He did not give up his faith in Jesus and he did not change what he was preaching.
That leads me to the final result of this gift from God. It gave Stephen the ability to forgive his tormentors just as Jesus did while on the cross.
Seeing an open heaven gives us the power and grace to deal with an unchristian world.
–Paul Holland
