Confidence Peace Mission Purpose

1/30/2016

Acts 6.15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. – St. Luke, the Physician

I love the book of Acts, the acts of the apostles – the things they did in the days of their early ministry when the Lord ascended and left them with His Spirit to shepherd the newborn Church. Talk about acts of daring do.

Of course, like their Master, Jesus, the apostles stirred up some negative response from those who were opposed to what they dared to do and say; religion is a funny creature: promising freedom and dealing viciously with any opposition. The ways of fallen religious men are oft dastardly-done.

So, it is no wonder that when the Apostles, Peter and his companions, were confronted with administrative issues in the newborn Church, they quickly got others involved to serve the needs of the crowds who seemed to be as focused on welfare, as faith. St. Stephen was one of those charged with administrative duties. Stephen was a godly man who took his duties seriously. So serious in fact, he wound up ruffling religious feathers that objected to the newborn Church and its deeds of daring do.

Stephen found himself under arrest by the religious right and harshly questioned about the Church and his faith in Jesus. Talk about furrowed eyebrows. In the pre-trial hearing, it is recorded that the rulers were looking at Stephen with harsh intent – intent, by whatever means, to stop him from speaking more of the nonsense (to them) he was spreading in Jerusalem and vicinity. What they expected was to see fear and cowardice; what they got was a man whose face looked that of an angel. Wazzat look like?

Angels are certainly not of this world. Angels, though creatures, are not to be trifled with because they are, powerfully, under orders from Master Jesus. To me, having a face like that of an angel, is to have a face of utter confidence, complete peace, and an expression of unwavering mission and purpose – whatever all that looks like. It was not what the Sanhedrin expected. Stephen was calm and unmoved.

That is the way we are to carry ourselves in this world as we carry out the mission of Master Jesus: confidence, peace, mission, and purpose; calm and unmoved. Setbacks do not matter; they are merely learning experiences. Opposition doesn’t matter – it is a sign of our effectiveness. The only failure is either disobedience or quitting – things angels dread to see in us.

Stephen may have sensed his goose was cooked but that didn’t stop him from doing what he did and saying what he said. The religious rulers needed Jesus as much as he did and he did his best to convince them of that. Sadly, a great man lost his life in the process. Like Stephen, we might end up that way as well, but let us pray, faithfully, that if that is the case, all our opponents see is an angelic like response from us as we serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Father, may I and we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of Jesus, [be] transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. Unmoved, and calm. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.  – amen.