Super-spiritual - Acts 6:1-8:1

“They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 6:5)
 
Stephen was so full of the Holy Spirit, so wise, so gifted, so brave, such a leader…that he was chosen for the super-spiritual ministry of serving, cooking, cleaning and helping people.  He was widely recognised as being full of God’s grace and power and able to perform signs and wonders.  But this guy was a bit too much like Jesus for comfort.  So the regime did the same to him as they did for Jesus – they killed him.  As they stoned him, Stephen looked up and saw Jesus, stood in heaven welcoming him home.
 
The mob looked to a zealous young Jewish lawyer called Saul, the one charged with the key task of stamping out the early church through terror and persecution.  So the early church did for Saul what Christians always do for their enemies: they started praying for him to experience LOVE’s blessing.  If you’re the number one enemy of the church, then watch out, they love you and they’re praying for you.  You’re about to receive a heap of LOVE. 
 
Let’s ask LOVE for the courage to follow Stephen’s example: to be full of the Holy Spirit and serve the church, and to fearlessly cling to our faith despite any amount of pressure to do otherwise.  Once again, we can also pray today for the persecuted church around the world.  You may feel uncomfortable about naming people who are hurting you in some way as your “enemy”, but in prayer ask LOVE for the help of his Spirit that you might be able to forgive and love that person.  Jesus did, Stephen did, and through LOVE’s presence and power with us by the Holy Spirt, so can we.
 
“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’  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.” (Acts 7:59-60)