A Glimpse of Glory

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by: Timothy Vazquez

11/05/2020

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Acts 7:60 (NLT) Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen, one of the seven men that were chosen to run the food program to provide for the widows of the church, was the first martyr of the church. He had gotten into a discussion with some men of a certain synagogue and since they couldn't match up with the message of Jesus that he was sharing with them, they got angry with him. They began to lie and encourage others to lie as well, saying that Stephen was speaking against Moses and blaspheming God. They grabbed him and brought him to the Sanhedrin, which was the religious supreme court of the Jewish people. They also brought along false witnesses to testify against him. After hearing all of the accusations, a member of the Sanhedrin asked Stephen if the charges were true. Instead of a yes or no answer, everyone, including the court, began to hear a history of the Jewish people, starting from the time of Abraham. It was quite an amazing story and everyone was transfixed listening to it...until Stephen began to let them know about their own rebellion, which included betraying and murdering Jesus. At that moment, everyone became furious and grabbed Stephen, dragged him outside of the city and began to stone him. It is then that we read the incredible scripture verses above.

How did Stephen put up with all of this without being afraid? How did he handle all of this without righteous indignation or without hatred in his heart for the people that falsely accused him and who were now in the process of ending his life? In verse fifty-five of chapter seven, we read the following: "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God..."  The answer to all of our questions as to why Stephen was not only able to withstand the fury of this mob and have no fear whatsoever is that he was full of the Holy Spirit and that he saw the glory of God. If you are filled to the full with the Holy Spirit and you have the incredible joy of seeing the glory of the Lord, then there is nothing in all the world that will rock your world, even if a mob was in the process of stoning you to death. That is how all of the Christian martyrs faced their accusers and their torturous deaths. When you are filled with the fullness of God and you see His glory, there is nothing on earth that makes it worth it to stay here. Our relationship with God transcends all bad circumstances and situations, giving us the mindset that what we endure here on earth is light and momentary (2 Corinthians 4:17) compared to the glory that awaits us.

Stephen had absolutely no bitterness in his heart. On the contrary, he was concerned for the very people who were murdering him. We, on the other hand, get upset and angry at people for the slightest things and usually feel like getting revenge. Oh, to be filled to the full with the Holy Spirit and to get a glimpse of God's glory so that we can be just like Jesus as Stephen so obviously was! Let's seek the Lord with all of our hearts and let's ask Him to fill us continuously with His Holy Spirit. I believe that we will then get a glimpse of heaven and of the glory of God and we will be forever changed!

Pastor Joey Vazquez

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Acts 7:60 (NLT) Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen, one of the seven men that were chosen to run the food program to provide for the widows of the church, was the first martyr of the church. He had gotten into a discussion with some men of a certain synagogue and since they couldn't match up with the message of Jesus that he was sharing with them, they got angry with him. They began to lie and encourage others to lie as well, saying that Stephen was speaking against Moses and blaspheming God. They grabbed him and brought him to the Sanhedrin, which was the religious supreme court of the Jewish people. They also brought along false witnesses to testify against him. After hearing all of the accusations, a member of the Sanhedrin asked Stephen if the charges were true. Instead of a yes or no answer, everyone, including the court, began to hear a history of the Jewish people, starting from the time of Abraham. It was quite an amazing story and everyone was transfixed listening to it...until Stephen began to let them know about their own rebellion, which included betraying and murdering Jesus. At that moment, everyone became furious and grabbed Stephen, dragged him outside of the city and began to stone him. It is then that we read the incredible scripture verses above.

How did Stephen put up with all of this without being afraid? How did he handle all of this without righteous indignation or without hatred in his heart for the people that falsely accused him and who were now in the process of ending his life? In verse fifty-five of chapter seven, we read the following: "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God..."  The answer to all of our questions as to why Stephen was not only able to withstand the fury of this mob and have no fear whatsoever is that he was full of the Holy Spirit and that he saw the glory of God. If you are filled to the full with the Holy Spirit and you have the incredible joy of seeing the glory of the Lord, then there is nothing in all the world that will rock your world, even if a mob was in the process of stoning you to death. That is how all of the Christian martyrs faced their accusers and their torturous deaths. When you are filled with the fullness of God and you see His glory, there is nothing on earth that makes it worth it to stay here. Our relationship with God transcends all bad circumstances and situations, giving us the mindset that what we endure here on earth is light and momentary (2 Corinthians 4:17) compared to the glory that awaits us.

Stephen had absolutely no bitterness in his heart. On the contrary, he was concerned for the very people who were murdering him. We, on the other hand, get upset and angry at people for the slightest things and usually feel like getting revenge. Oh, to be filled to the full with the Holy Spirit and to get a glimpse of God's glory so that we can be just like Jesus as Stephen so obviously was! Let's seek the Lord with all of our hearts and let's ask Him to fill us continuously with His Holy Spirit. I believe that we will then get a glimpse of heaven and of the glory of God and we will be forever changed!

Pastor Joey Vazquez

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