司提反回应完他们的毁谤后，又指出过去很多先知都被逼迫和杀害——而这些控告者对耶稣做了同样的事。这时，人群变成愤怒的暴徒，他们把司提反拉到城外，开始用石头打他。
人群为何会变得如此残暴呢？当司提反说到他看见天开了，耶稣站在神的右边时，这意味着耶稣已经获得终极权柄。想要杀死耶稣的领袖们无法忍受听到这样的见证，所以他们急着杀人灭口。
司提反在遇难时，他祷告了。司提反和耶稣之间的连接是清晰而生动的。他的话听上去很像耶稣在十架上受难时说的话。（路 23:46；参诗 31:5）。
正因为司提反和耶稣之间的连接，司提反的见证又继续下去。一位殉道者的死使神的工作继续下去。
在这个故事的角落里我们遇到了另一个人，他的生命将要因着遇见耶稣而被改变。扫罗，一个年轻的领袖，他见证了这次殉道。将来有一天他会明白司提反的祷告：“主啊，不要将这罪归于他们。”就在那一天被神听见并回应了。
圣父，圣子和圣灵，感谢你在我受苦和遇到麻烦时与我同在——正如你与司提反同在。请帮助我像一个耶稣的门徒那样来祷告。阿们。
使徒行传 7:51-8:1a
51你们这硬着颈项、心与耳未受割礼的人，常时抗拒圣灵！你们的祖宗怎样，你们也怎样。
52哪一个先知不是你们祖宗逼迫呢？他们也把预先传说那义者要来的人杀了，如今你们又把那义者卖了、杀了。
53你们受了天使所传的律法，竟不遵守！”
54众人听见这话，就极其恼怒，向司提反咬牙切齿。
55但司提反被圣灵充满，定睛望天，看见神的荣耀，又看见耶稣站在神的右边，
56就说：“我看见天开了，人子站在神的右边！”
57众人大声喊叫，捂着耳朵，齐心拥上前去，
58把他推到城外，用石头打他。作见证的人把衣裳放在一个少年人名叫扫罗的脚前。
59他们正用石头打的时候，司提反呼吁主说：“求主耶稣接收我的灵魂！”
60又跪下大声喊着说：“主啊，不要将这罪归于他们！”说了这话就睡了。扫罗也喜悦他被害。
1从这日起，耶路撒冷的教会大遭逼迫。除了使徒以外，门徒都分散在犹太和撒马利亚各处。
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” — Acts 7:59-60
As Stephen finishes his defense against false accusations, he notes that many prophets in the past were persecuted and killed—and that his accusers did the same to Jesus. At this, the crowd becomes an angry mob that drags Stephen out of the city and begins to stone him.
Why does the crowd become so violent? When Stephen says he sees heaven open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, that means Jesus is in the place of ultimate authority. And the leaders who wanted Jesus dead and gone cannot bear to hear this testimony, so they rush to silence Stephen by killing him.
In the midst of his suffering, Stephen prays. The link between Stephen and Jesus is clear and dynamic. His words are similar to some words Jesus said while he was suffering on the cross (Luke 23:46; see Psalm 31:5).
And because of the link between Jesus and Stephen, the testimony of Stephen continues. A martyr’s death continues the work of God.
On the sidelines in this story we meet someone else whose life will be changed by an encounter with Jesus. Saul, a young leader who approves of this stoning, will one day understand how Stephen’s prayer, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them,” was answered that day.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for being with me in times of suffering and trouble—just as you were with Stephen. Help me also to pray as a disciple of Jesus. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
