It’s often said that the best defense is an offense. I’m guessing that isn’t exactly what Stephen was thinking as he stood before the high priest and his council . . . that Stephen wasn’t concerned with tactics. Nevertheless, full of the Holy Spirit, Stephen came out swinging. False witnesses had laid the charges against Stephen . . . this man speaks against the temple . . . he opposes the law . . . he says the Man of Nazareth will destroy this place . . . and he claims that this Jesus will change the customs Moses delivered to us (Acts 6:13-14). “Are these things so?” Stephen is asked.

And Stephen turns the tables . . . he proceeds to remind them of a few things about Moses and about the temple . . . that their forefathers rejected Moses, not understanding that God was giving them salvation by his hand (7:25) . . . and that the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, but that heaven is His throne (7:48-49). And then Stephen, rather than backing off, brings his own accusations against his accusers. As to opposing the law, he concludes, you boast that you are circumcised in the flesh but you are uncircumcised in heart and ears and you always resist the Holy Spirit . . . you received the law as delivered by angels but you did not keep it (7:51-53).

What boldness! This man of full faith . . . full of wisdom . . . full of grace . . . full of power . . . full of the Spirit (6:3, 5, 8) . . . this man, when the going gets tough, stands fast and stands tall. What a demonstration of Spirit infused courage. Truly there’s something about the fire that reveals the reality of what powers a man. But as impressive as all this might be . . . as revealing as it is of the Spirit’s enabling in times of trial . . . for me, what’s even more impressive, are the words from Stephen’s lips as he was on the ground being pelted to death with stones.

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.   (Acts 7:59-60 ESV)

How much does Stephen sound like His Savior? A lot!

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified Him . . . And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” . . . Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this He breathed His last.    (Luke 23:33-34, 36 ESV)

And what’s stirring my soul is that, in such a situation as Stephen’s, there’s no more faking it . . . Christianese isn’t going to cut it . . . facades are gone. When the going gets tough the inner man is revealed . . . the source of power is apparent . . . what’s at the core of a person is evident.

Stephen was so Spirit-filled . . . so transformed by the renewing of his mind . . . so conformed to the image of God’s Son . . . that in his last moments, with his last breaths, he sounded so like His Savior.

A couple of weeks ago, a preacher at our church said that molten gold that has been purified is reflective . . . that you can tell how refined the gold is by the degree to which you can look into it and see your face. What did Jesus see as He looked back at Stephen as Stephen gazed into heaven and saw “the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (7:55-56)? As Stephen gazed into heaven and Jesus stood gazing back, did the Lamb see His own face in Stephen’s? And in His grace, did the Savior direct the Spirit to place His own words upon His faithful servant’s tongue?

When the going gets tough . . . the reality of the walk is revealed . . . the power of the Spirit is manifest . . . the likeness of Christ shines forth . . . and the grace of God is sufficient.

For His glory alone . . .