司提反刚刚讲述了神对亚伯拉罕的应许。他解释了神如何与祂的百姓立约，并成就这个约（徒7:2-50）。然后他又控诉大祭司和其余的官长，说他们杀害了“那义者”耶稣基督。
司提反的境况在那一刻就变得恶化了。宗教统治者被激怒了。他们极其恼怒，把司提反拉到城外，用石头打他。
你是否经历过在看到别人正身处艰难时想到，“如果这种事发生在我身上，我真不知该怎么办”？在司提反的故事中有一个令人震惊和敬畏的场景。
他们逼问他的时候，司提反就明白神的大能与他同在。他看见天开了，他从神得了安慰。
当我们面临艰难危险，或者感觉整个世界都在和我们作对的时候，那其实是一个让我们经历到出人意外的平安的转机。这样的时刻可能会令人感到很艰难，但它同时也可能是一个靠近耶稣的机会。
人们说，在困难时期，最好的问题或许不是“主啊！为什么？”而是“主啊，你要启示我什么？”
神啊，求你帮助我把糟糕的日子或艰难的时刻看作是亲近你的机会。我经常陷入只关注自己的困境不能自拔。求你帮助我看见你的心意和作为，并忠心事奉，在所不辞。阿们。
使徒行传 7:51-60
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。
"Yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him." - Acts 7:57-58
Stephen had just spelled out the story of God’s promise to Abraham. He explained how God had made a covenant with his people and had fulfilled it (Acts 7:2-50). Then he charged the high priest and the rest of the ruling establishment with the murder of “the Righteous One,” Jesus Christ.
And at that moment Stephen’s day got much worse. The religious rulers were enraged. They were so angry that they dragged him out of the city and stoned him.
Have you ever seen someone going through a tough time and wondered, “I don’t know what I would do if that happened to me”? Here’s a wonder and awe moment in the story of Stephen.
As they pressed him, Stephen understood the power of God’s presence with him. He saw heaven open, and he found comfort.
When we face tough times or when it feels like the world is against us, that can actually be a moment when we can know the peace that surpasses all understanding. A time like that can be hard and trying, but it can also be an opportunity to draw close to Jesus.
People have said that perhaps the best question to ask in tough times is not so much “Why?” as “What are you revealing to me, God?”
O God, help me to see a bad day or a tough time as an opportunity to draw close to you. I often fall prey to focusing only on myself. Instead, help me to see you and to serve you faithfully. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
