Sticks and Stones

Sticks and Stones

“When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭7:54‬

“Sticks and stones will break your bones, but names will never hurt me”

We used to say this repeatedly as a “come back” when someone would call us a derogatory name back when I was about 10 years old.  I learned to say it like it was an effective countermeasure against their insult. 

It was ineffective. 

Stephen spoke the truth to the Jewish leaders. He told them that their belief only in God and not the Spirit, was blasphemy.  The Sadducees and the Pharisees didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah, the One. It was the reason Jesus was killed.

Stephen and the other disciples were given the Holy Ghost from Jesus before He ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God. Stephen knew all-to-well how real it was. He was convinced and nothing was going to change his mind. He switched the roles in this encounter and became the judge and accuser and the Jewish leaders became the accused. 

Stephen compared the Jewish leaders to Gentiles who were uncircumcised in that they wouldn’t open their ears and hearts to the Gospel. 

Little did they know, this encounter would be the catalyst for the Gospel Message starting to spread throughout the world.  

The Jewish leaders were so angry at Stephens words, they drug him out into the street and stoned him to death. 

Stephen was a martyr. He believed so much in his faith, and in Jesus and in spreading the Gospel - that he would die for it. 

And he did. 

Stephen prayed before his death. The Bible tells a similar story in Stephens death, as it does with Jesus’s death.

Being offended is a choice. We are only offended if we let ourselves be offended. 

Stephen wasn’t offended because he believed so deeply in his faith in Jesus Christ. He knew Jesus was The Messiah. 

The Jewish leaders had no faith. Their belief was in themselves, and as men, their faith was weak. They believed that worshipping God had to go through them and in a temple they controlled. Their lack of faith let them become offended and angered. 

They were called names, 

“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭7:51‬

Stephen angered them by telling the truth. We’ve often heard the phrase “the truth hurts”, and in this case, it did. 

Stephen spoke to them and called them out for killing Jesus.  Stephen rebuked them and told them about their fathers actions with the prophets who prophesied the coming of Jesus. The ancestors of these leaders persecuted the ancient prophets. 

“Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭7:57-60‬

Remember this - being offended by someone is a choice. When our faith is strong, our hearts and minds are strong.  Being offended is the result of weak faith. 

Turn to Jesus when your faith becomes weak. Let your knowledge of what He can do, strengthen your faith in Him. He is our strength during times of weakness. 

Stephen let the stones break his physical body. The names didn’t kill Stephens faith. 

When Stephen died, His faith was so strong, he cried out to the Lord not to hold this against them. Even as Stephen died, his faith was so strong, he had forgiveness in his heart. 

Is your faith this strong?

“And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭7:60‬