We are first introduced to Stephen in the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He is one of the seven men chosen by the Apostles to serve as deacons, assistants, in the early Church, and he is described as being, “a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.” We see that faith and reliance on the Holy Spirit demonstrated when Stephen, after performing many signs and wonders and debating with the Synagogue of Freedmen, is falsely accused and brought before the high priest. He reminds the people of Israel of all that God has done in their midst, beginning with the call of Abraham and ending with Solomon’s construction of the Temple (Acts 6:1 – 7:50). He goes on to enrage the people by comparing them to their ancestors who killed the prophets as they have now killed the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus.
In all this Stephen is imitating Jesus, who also broke open the scriptures for the people, and in doing so enraged them. Stephen’s imitation of Jesus continues as, after looking up to Heaven and seeing the glory of God he says, “Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7: 56), just as Jesus declared to Nathaniel, “Amen, amen I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1: 51). This declaration further angers the crowd and leads to Stephen’s being stoned to death. As he enters into his martyrdom, Stephen imitates Jesus one more time, echoing the trust, mercy, and compassion that Jesus showed from the cross. Stephen echoes Jesus’s words saying first, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit,” and then, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7: 59-60).
Stephen both lives and dies in imitation of Christ. He is able to do so because he is filled with the Holy Spirit and is confident in the Resurrection. Looking to Heaven moments before his death, he sees his resurrected Lord, now triumphant in glory, and knows that this same Jesus has promised eternal life to all who follow him.
Throughout Lent we have been following Jesus. We have tried to bear our crosses as he did, to walk the sorrowful path with discipline, trusting that our sacrifices, joined to those of Jesus are salvific and worth the cost. Now, like Stephen, we must turn our eyes to Heaven and behold of Lord triumphant. He has won the victory over sin and death, over our sin and our death and he invites us into that victory. A victory is cause for celebration, a reason to rejoice. So, this Easter let us celebrate and rejoice. The saints that have gone before us set an example of how to follow Jesus not just in suffering, but through suffering and death into the fulness of life. We have endured much in the season of suffering, of dying to ourselves. Now, having died to self, let us rejoice that Jesus lives in us.
Prose for the sake of Poetry 