A STEADFAST CHURCH
ACTS 7:54 – ACTS 8:4
AS I WAS PREPARING FOR TODAYS MESSAGE I CAME ACROSS AN ILLUSTRATION THAT I FOUND TO BE QUITE INTERESTING, AND APPROPRIATE FOR TODAY’S WORLD.
A MAN WHO WAS TAKING A TOUR OF MILITARY CHAPELS, SAID THAT ONE PROBLEM THEY WERE FACING WAS HAVING A CHAPEL THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE ALL FAITHS.
ONE CHAPEL THOUGHT THEY HAD THE ANSWER, BY HAVING A MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENT BY WHICH A CROSS COULD BE TURNED AROUND TO SERVE AS A CRUCIFIX, THE ALTAR COULD BE MOVED FORWARD OR BACKWARD, AND THE WHOLE WORSHIP SENTER COULD BE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER CENTERING ON THE STAR OF DAVID. HIS GUIDE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT HIS CHAPEL AND STATED, “NOW WE HAVE AN ADJUSTABLE CROSS AND A MOVABLE ALTAR.”
THE ROUTE OF MANY CHURCHES TODAY IS THAT OF THE ADJUSTABLE CROSS AND THE MOVABLE ALTAR. IT IS TOTALLY UNBIBLICAL BUT THAT IS THE DIRECTION THEY ARE TAKING. IN LUKE 9:23 JESUS MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THERE CAN BE NO ADJUSTABLE CROSS.
LUKE 9:23: 23THEN HE SAID TO ALL OF THEM, “IF ANYONE WANTS TO FOLLOW ME, HE MUST SAY NO TO HIMSELF. HE MUST PICK UP HIS CROSS EVERY DAY AND FOLLOW ME.
OTHER CHAPELS, IN AN EFFORT TO GAIN UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE, HAVE GONE THE ROUTE OF REMOVING ANYTHING OF RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE, SO THAT PEOPLE OF ANY FAITH MAY USE THE ROOM WITHOUT DISTRACTION. THE IDEA IS THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE A CHURCH WITH NO RELIGION, RATHER THAN ONE WITH TOO MUCH OF ONE BELIEF AND NOT ENOUGH OF THE OTHER.
THE CHURCH HAS FACED OPPOSITION AND PERSECUTION RIGHT FROM IT’S BEGINNING IN THE BOOK OF ACTS AND WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO BE EXEMPT FROM IT IN THE 21ST CENTURY. PERSECUTION CAME FROM THE SAME SOURCES THEN AS IT DID NOW, SOME FROM OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, MUCH MORE FROM THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE TIME.
HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT THE CHURCH HAS BEEN BUILT ON THE BLOOD OF MARTYRS. THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE SO COMMITTED TO THE LORD AND SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS, THAT TO THEM , DEATH WAS NOT TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY. STEPHEN WOULD BE AT THE HEAD OF THIS LIST OF PEOPLE.
OUR WORD “MARTYR” IS A TRANSLITERATION OF THE GREEK WORD FOR “WITNESS.” BY THEIR LIVES AND BY THEIR DEATHS, THE MARTYRS HAVE BORNE WITNESS FOR JESUS CHRIST. STEPHEN’S DEATH IS THE ONLY DEATH SCENE AND MARTYRDOM DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, EXCEPT FOR THAT OF JESUS CHRIST.
THE MARTYR’S TEACH US THAT THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH FOR AN ADJUSTABLE CROSS OR A MOVABLE ALTAR. THE CHURCH OF THE 21ST CENTURY MUST BE STEADFAST ON MATTERS OF FAITH. IT MUST STAND ON THE WORLD OF GOD.
EPHESIANS 4:14-15:
14WE WILL NO LONGER BE BABIES IN THE FAITH. WE WON’T BE LIKE SHIPS TOSSED AROUND BY THE WAVES. WE WON’T BE BLOWN HERE AND THERE BY EVERY NEW TEACHING. WE WON’T BE BLOWN AROUND BY THE CLEVERNESS AND TRICKS OF PEOPLE WHO TRY TO HIDE THEIR EVIL PLANS. 15INSTEAD, WE WILL SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE. WE WILL GROW UP INTO CHRIST IN EVERY WAY.
CONSIDER THESE GREAT MEN OF THE FAITH.
JUSTIN MARTYR, ONE OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS, BEHEADED IN 165 A.D. SAID:
“THE MORE WE ARE PERSECUTED, THE MORE DO OTHERS IN INCREASING NUMBERS EMBRACE THE FAITH AND BECOME WORSHIPPERS OF GOD THROUGH THE NAME OF JESUS.”
IN THE LATE 1970’S MISSIOLOGISTS ESTIMATED A POPULATION OF 1,000,000 CHRISTIANS INSIDE CHINA. FIFTEEN YEARS LATER, AFTER SEVERE PERSECUTION BY THE COMMUNISTS, EXPERTS REPORT BETWEEN 30,000,000 AND 40,000,000 BELIEVERS.
THE GOSPEL HAS BEEN PRESENT IN KOREA FOR A LITTLE OVER 100 YEARS, YET THE CHRISTIAN POPULATION EXCEEDS 20% OF THE COUNTRY’S POPULATION. IT WAS STARTED BY A MISSIONARY NAMED ROBERT J THOMAS.
THOMAS WAS A WELSH MISSIONARY IN CHINA, AND LEARNED THAT THE KOREAN LANGUAGE WAS MUCH LIKE CHINESE, AND SO HE DECIDED TO TAKE SOME OF HIS LITERATURE TO KOREA.
AS THE SHIP HE WAS ON DREW NEAR SHORE A FIGHT BROKE OUT ON BOARD. ALL PASSENGERS WERE KILLED AND THE BOAT WAS BURNED. THOMAS STRUGGLED TO SHORE AND STAGGERED OUT OF THE WATER, HIS ARMS FILLED WITH BIBLES. HE WAS CLUBBED TO DEATH AS HE THRUST THEM INTO THE KOREAN’S HANDS.
THE DEATH OF STEPHEN AND THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH UNDER SAUL SPEAKS OF THE COURAGE THAT A STEADFAST CHURCH CAN HAVE WHILE IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL. IT IS HERE THAT WE LEARN NOT ONLY HOW TO LIVE, BUT ALSO HOW TO DIE FOR CHRIST.
CONTEXT:
THE CONTEXT FOR THIS PASSAGE IS ACTUALLY THE LAST FEW VERSES OF ACTS CHAPTER SIX AND ALL OF CHAPTER SEVEN. HERE WE READ OF THE PROGRESS OF STEPHEN’S MINISTRY, HIS ARREST AND TRIAL. STEPHEN’S TRAIL WILL TURN THE SANHEDRIN WHO IGNORE THE LAW OF THE LAND AND MURDER STEPHEN.
ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW THERE WAS TO BE A 24 HOUR PERIOD BETWEEN THE DEATH SENTENCE AND THE EXECUTION OF THAT SENTENCE. ALSO, THE JEWS HAD NO AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE ANYONE WITHOUT ROMAN CONSENT. THERE WAS NO WAITING PERIOD, NOR WERE THE ROMANS APPROACHED WITH REGARDS TO THE SENTENCE AGAINST STEPHEN. THIS WAS AN OLD-FASHINED LYNCH MOB.
STEPHEN WAS ONE OF THE ORDAINED “DEACONS” CHOSEN IN CHAPTER 6 BY THE CHURCH TO HELP THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS. STEPHEN’S MINISTRY WAS BLESSED BY GOD BUT HE ALSO DREW OPPOSITION FROM A GROUP CALLED THE “SYNAGOGUE OF FREE-MEN”, A GROUP WHOSE MEMBERSHIP WAS MADE UP OF FREE SLAVES.
HERE IS HOW EUGENE PETERSON DESCRIBED IT:
ACTS 6:8-15:
STEPHEN, BRIMMING WITH GOD’S GRACE AND ENERGY, WAS DOING WONDERFUL THINGS AMONG THE PEOPLE, UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS THAT GOD WAS AMONG THEM. BUT THEN SOME MEN FROM THE MEETING PLACE WHOSE MEMBERSHIP WAS MADE UP OF FREED SLAVES, CYRENIANS, ALEXANDRIANS, AND SOME OTHERS FROM CILICIA AND ASIA, WENT UP AGAINST HIM TRYING TO ARGUE HIM DOWN. BUT THEY WERE NO MATCH FOR HIS WISDOM AND SPIRIT WHEN HE SPOKE. 11 SO IN SECRET THEY BRIBED MEN TO LIE: “WE HEARD HIM CURSING MOSES AND GOD.”12–14 THAT STIRRED UP THE PEOPLE, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, AND RELIGION SCHOLARS. THEY GRABBED STEPHEN AND TOOK HIM BEFORE THE HIGH COUNCIL. THEY PUT FORWARD THEIR BRIBED WITNESSES TO TESTIFY: “THIS MAN TALKS NONSTOP AGAINST THIS HOLY PLACE AND GOD’S LAW. WE EVEN HEARD HIM SAY THAT JESUS OF NAZARETH WOULD TEAR THIS PLACE DOWN AND THROW OUT ALL THE CUSTOMS MOSES GAVE US.”15AS ALL THOSE WHO SAT ON THE HIGH COUNCIL LOOKED AT STEPHEN, THEY FOUND THEY COULDN’T TAKE THEIR EYES OFF HIM—HIS FACE WAS LIKE THE FACE OF AN ANGEL!
ACTS CHAPTER SEVEN RECOUNTS STEPHEN’S SPEECH TO THE COUNCIL. THIS SPEECH WAS DELIVERED WITH ALL THE ELEQUENCE OF A SKILLED ORATOR, BUT WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT STEPHEN WAS A LAYPERSON JUST LIKE YOU. THE SPEECH WAS ACTUALLY FOR THOSE WHO WOULD COME AFTER STEPHEN, AND FOR YOU AND ME, AS I BELIEVE THAT THE SANHEDRIN HAD ALREADY DETERMINED TO MAKE SOME FORM OF EXAMPLE OUT OF STEPHEN. HIS CLOSING STATEMENT WOULD DETERMINE THE SEVERITY OF HIS SENTENCE.
POINT ONE: THE TRIAL:
A) LET US FIRST LOOK AT TO WHOM STEPHEN ADDRESSES HIS REMARKS. THERE ARE THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO WHOM STEPHEN IS ADDRESSING:
1. THE SANHEDRIN: AT THIS TIME IT WOULD INCLUDE MANY OF THE MEN WHO HAD PUT JESUS TO DEATH. IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE GAMELIEL, NICODEMUS, AND JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, IF THEY STILL REMAINED PART OF IT AT THIS TIME.
2. TO ENCOURAGE THE JEWS OF THAT DAY.
3. HE SPOKE TO STIR OUR HEARTS AS WE FACE TRIALS TODAY.
B) NOTE THE SPIRIT WITH WHICH HE SPOKE:
1. WITH AFFECTION: STEPHEN SALUTED HIS JUDGES AND ACCUSERS, CALLING THEM “BRETHERN”.
2. WITH REVERENCE: HE DID NOT FORGET THE RESPECT DUE TO THE ELDERS OF HIS PEOPLE, AND ADDRESSED THEM RESPECTFULLY AS “FATHERS.”
A WRITER SAID “NO MAN EVER INJURES HIS CAUSE BY RENDERING HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE.”
3. WITH COURAGE: STEPHEN WAS NOT ASHAMED OF HIS FAITH NOR HIS GOD. HE COULD SAY AS PAUL WOULD LATER SAY:
ROMANS 1:16: 16I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOOD NEWS. IT IS GOD’S POWER. AND IT WILL SAVE EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES. IT IS MEANT FIRST FOR THE JEWS. IT IS MEANT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T JEWS.
THIS IS THE KIND OF COURAGE WE NEED TO EXHIBIT IN THE WORLD TODAY.
C) THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOOK:
THIS IS THE LONGEST SPEECH RECORDED IN ACTS, AND STEPHEN INTENDED TO SHOW THAT THE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL WAS CONSISTENT WITH OLD TESTAAMENT REVELATION. HE GOES BACK TO THE TIME OF ABRAHAM AND TELLS THE STORY OF GOD’S WORK WITH ISTREAL TO THAT DAY.
IT CAN BE OUTLINES IN THIS WAY:
1. A HISTORICAL RETROSPECT: THIS IS THE AGE OF THE PATRIARCHS BEFORE MOSES OR THE AGE OF PROMISE (VV. 2-16).
2. THE AGE OF MOSES, OR THE AGE OF THE LAW (VV. 17-46)
3. THE AGE OF THE PROPHETS OR THE AGE OF THE TEMPLE (VV. 46-53)
D) THE RESULTS OF THE TRIAL:
THE ACTUAL CHARGES THAT WERE BROUGHT AGAINST STEPHEN ARE OF NO REAL IMPORTANCE AS THEY WERE FALSE IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT IS IMPORTANT ARE THE RESULTS THAT CAME FROM STEPHEN’S DEFENSE AGAINST THE CHARGES:
1. TO THOSE WHO HEARD HIM (THE SANHEDRIN) THERE WAS CONVICTION OF SIN AND GUILT. THESE MEN WERE CUT TO THE HEART, AND ANGERED, BECAUSE OF THEIR INABILITY TO DENY THE TRUTH OF STEPHEN’S CHARGES.
2. THEY FELT RAGE AGAINST STEPHEN. THIS WOULD RENDER THEM FROM A JEWISH GROUP FOLLOWING THE LAW TO A LYNCH MOB.
3. SETPHEN WOULD RECEIVE A VIOLENT DEATH AND A MARTYR’S CROWN.
4. THIS WOULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM AND THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.
POINT TWO: THE TURNING POINT:
STEPHEN’S STATEMENT AT THE END OF HIS TRIAL WAS THE TURNING POINT FOR THE SANHEDRIN. LISTEN TO THE WAY EUGENE PETERSON DESCRIBES IT IN THE MESSAGE:
ACTS 7:51-53:
“AND YOU CONTINUE, SO BULLHEADED! CALLUSES ON YOUR HEARTS, FLAPS ON YOUR EARS! DELIBERATELY IGNORING THE HOLY SPIRIT, YOU’RE JUST LIKE YOUR ANCESTORS. WAS THERE EVER A PROPHET WHO DIDN’T GET THE SAME TREATMENT? YOUR ANCESTORS KILLED ANYONE WHO DARED TALK ABOUT THE COMING OF THE JUST ONE. AND YOU’VE KEPT UP THE FAMILY TRADITION—TRAITORS AND MURDERERS, ALL OF YOU. YOU HAD GOD’S LAW HANDED TO YOU BY ANGELS—GIFT-WRAPPED!—AND YOU SQUANDERED IT!”
THEY TURNED FROM BEING A GROUP OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS INTO A SEETHING PACK OF ANIMALS JUST STRAINING TO BE TURNED LOOSE AGAINST THIS PRECIOUS PROPHET. THIS WAS INDEED A CASE OF MOB MENTALITY, EACH ONE BRINGING OUT THE WORST IN THE OTHER.
THEIR WOULD BE NO LISTENING TO THE MEDIATING VOICE OF GAMELIEL NOW. THEY WOULD GNASH THEIR TEETH AND HISS LOUDER SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE SWAYED BY THE STATEMENTS OF HERESY THAT STEPHEN WAS MAKING. IN FACT THEY DID NOT WANT TO HEAR FROM THIS MAN OF GOD ANY FURTHER, AS TO DO SO WOULD ONLY SERVE TO CONVICT THEM EVEN MORE OF WHAT THEY KNOW TO BE THE TRUTH.
THERE IS AN OLD SAYING WHICH STATES: “WHEN FACED WITH THE TRUTH, THOSE IN ERROR WILL EITHER ACCEPT THE MESSAGE OR SEEK TO SILENCE THE MESSENGER, EVEN PERMANENTLY.”
POINT THREE: STEPHEN’S EXECUTION:
STEPHEN, REALIZING THAT HIS FATE IS NOW SEALED, HAS A CALMNESS AND PEACE THAT ONLY THE HOLT SPIRIT CAN GIVE.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7:
6 DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT PRAY AND ASK GOD FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED, ALWAYS GIVING THANKS. 7 AND GOD’S PEACE, WHICH IS SO GREAT WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT, WILL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.
A PRISONER IS GIVEN A CHANCE TO CONFESS AND ASK FORGIVENESS OF HIS CRIME ON THE WAY TO THE EXECUTION SITE. THEY CAN THEY DIE WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE AND GAIN ACCEPTANCE IN THE WORLD TO COME.
STEPHEN’S STATEMENTS THOUGH ARE NOT A DECLARATION OF GUILT, BUT RATHER A STATEMENT FROM GOD VINDICATING HIM AND DECLARING STEPHEN’S INNOCENCE. HE IS ALLOWED TO SEE A VISION OF HEAVEN, WITH JESUS STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
THIS VISION IS UNIQUE FOR TWO REASONS.
1. OUTSIDE THE GOSPELS, THE TITLE “SON OF MAN” IS USED ONLY HERE AND IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. THIS IS IN FACT THE ONLY TIME IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT THIS TITLE IS SPOKEN OF BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN CHRIST?
SO WHAT IS SO UNIQUE ABOUT THIS TITLE? BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY USED BY CHRIST THE TERM, “SON OF MAN” POINTS US BACK TO THE ONE IN WHOM STEPHEN HAS PUT HIS HOPE. HE POINTS THE PEOPLE BACK TO JESUS’ INCARNATION, HIS SAVING FAITH AND RESURRECTION, TO HIS HEAVENLY EXALTATION, UNIVERSAL DOMINION, AND HIS GLORIOUS FUTURE REIGN.
2. NOTE THE FACT THAT HE SEES JESUS “STANDING” NEXT TO GOD.
ALL OTHER SCRIPTURE THAT I CAN THINK OF POINTS TO JESUS SITTING NEXT TO GOD ON THE RIGHT SIDE, MAKING INTERCESSION FOR US. PAUL TEACHES US IN ROMANS:
ROMANS 8:33-34:
33WHO CAN BRING ANY CHARGE AGAINST GOD’S CHOSEN ONES? GOD MAKES US RIGHT WITH HIMSELF. 34WHO CAN SENTENCE US TO DEATH? CHRIST JESUS IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD AND IS ALSO PRAYING FOR US. HE DIED. MORE THAN THAT, HE WAS RAISED TO LIFE.
THIS VISION THOUGH SHOWS JESUS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT AS HE IS STANDING. STEPHEN SAID:
ACTS 7: 55-56:
55 BUT STEPHEN WAS FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE LOOKED UP TO HEAVEN AND SAW THE GLORY OF GOD AND JESUS STANDING AT GOD’S RIGHT SIDE. 56 HE SAID, “LOOK! I SEE HEAVEN OPEN AND THE SON OF MAN STANDING AT GOD’S RIGHT SIDE.”
WHY THEN DID JESUS STAND IN THIS VISION?
1. HE DID IT TO WELCOME THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR IN HONOR. HE WAS STANDING FOR STEPHEN IN HEAVEN. AS STEPHEN STOOD FOR HIM IN THIS WORLD.
MATTHEW 18:18: 18 “I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THE THINGS YOU DON’T ALLOW ON EARTH WILL BE THE THINGS GOD DOES NOT ALLOW. AND THE THINGS YOU ALLOW ON EARTH WILL BE THE THINGS THAT GOD ALLOWS.
2. DID HE STAND TO ASSUME THE POSTURE OF A WITNESS IN A HEAVENLY COURT PLEADING STEPHEN’S CASE?
3. WAS HE STANDING AS DANIEL SAW HIM IN DAN. 7:13-14, THE ANCIENT OF DAYS READY TO STEP INTO A JUDGMENT ROLE AGAINST ALL NATIONS WHO REJECTED HIM.
DANIEL 7:13-14:
13 “IN MY VISION AT NIGHT I SAW IN FRONT OF ME SOMEONE WHO LOOKED LIKE A HUMAN BEING COMING ON THE CLOUDS IN THE SKY. HE CAME NEAR GOD, WHO HAS BEEN ALIVE FOREVER, AND HE WAS LED TO GOD. 14 HE WAS GIVEN AUTHORITY, GLORY, AND THE STRENGTH OF A KING. PEOPLE OF EVERY TRIBE, NATION, AND LANGUAGE WILL SERVE HIM. HIS RULE WILL LAST FOREVER, AND HIS KINGDOM WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED.
POINT FOUR: STEPHEN’S DEATH:
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE HOMEGOING OF A SAINT IS SO SPECIAL, AND UNIQUE, THAT WE SHOULD DO AS MOSES IN FRONT OF THE BURNING BUSH, WHEN JESUS TOLD HIM TO REMOVE HIS SANDALS FOR HE WAS ON HOLY GROUND.
SUCH WAS THE CASE OF THE DEATH OF STEPHEN. ACCORDING TO JEWISH TRADITION THE VICTIM OF STONING WAS TO LIE ON HIS BACK, AS THE PAVING STONES HIT. STEPHEN HOWEVER WAS ON HIS KNEES PRAYING.
WHAT A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE ATTITUDE OF THE SANHEDRIN, WHO WERE JUST LIKE A PACK OF ENRAGED ANIMALS, AND STEPHEN WITH THE PEACE THAT ONLY GOD COULD GIVE.
STEPHEN’S PRAYER OFFERED TO HIS MURDERERS THAT DAY WAS A JEWISH PRAYER TAUGHT TO THEIR CHILDREN BEFORE BEDTIME, “FATHER, LAY NOT THIS SIN TO THEIR CHARGE.” WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO END EACH DAY, WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO END A LIFETIME – BY FORGIVING ALL WHO HAVE OFFENDED US.
SLEEP IS A COMMON TERM FOR THE DEATH OF A CHRISTIAN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. IT GIVES TO US THE KNOWLEDGE THAT DEATH FOR THE CHRISTIAN IS A TEMPORARY STATE, AND DOES NOT MEAN CESSATION OF AWARENESS OR EXISTENCE, FOR AS PAUL WILL LATER TEACH.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-3, 6-8:
WE KNOW THAT OUR BODY—THE TENT WE LIVE IN HERE ON EARTH—WILL BE DESTROYED. BUT WHEN THAT HAPPENS, GOD WILL HAVE A HOUSE FOR US. IT WILL NOT BE A HOUSE MADE BY HUMAN HANDS; INSTEAD, IT WILL BE A HOME IN HEAVEN THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. 2 BUT NOW WE GROAN IN THIS TENT. WE WANT GOD TO GIVE US OUR HEAVENLY HOME, 3 BECAUSE IT WILL CLOTHE US SO WE WILL NOT BE NAKED.
6 SO WE ALWAYS HAVE COURAGE. WE KNOW THAT WHILE WE LIVE IN THIS BODY, WE ARE AWAY FROM THE LORD. 7 WE LIVE BY WHAT WE BELIEVE, NOT BY WHAT WE CAN SEE. 8 SO I SAY THAT WE HAVE COURAGE. WE REALLY WANT TO BE AWAY FROM THIS BODY AND BE AT HOME WITH THE LORD.
THE GREEK WORD FOR CROWN IS “STEPHANOS” AND SOMEDAY STEPHEN WILL WEAR SUCH A CROWN. SOMEDAY ALL THOSE IN CHRIST WILL WEAR SUCH A CROWN.
