30 Days - Day 15

Day 15

Acts 7:59-60

59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Do you have any “final requests”?

As we looked at verse 59 yesterday we saw Stephen’s habit of prayer that in every circumstance he sought God and submitted himself to Him. But today let’s look at Stephen’s requests. What was most on Stephen’s heart as he faced death and brought these “final requests”.

Just recently in a sermon that we were listening to, the pastor was speaking of a friend and fellow pastor, who in answer to the question “hey, where are you going?” will always answer (no matter his current destination) “I’m going to heaven!”. Really though what a great thing to know! Where am I going? Ultimately, I am going to heaven, and ready or not I could go any minute Jesus chooses. I very much doubt that as Stephen woke that morning and went out to his duties as a servant in the church that he knew that he would be going to heaven that day. But now, as he sees heaven opened and the stones begin to fall the first of His requests comes to his lips: “Jesus receive my spirit”. Stephen knew that he was going home! He simply looks to Jesus to welcome him into heaven. He knows where he is going and he has no fear. He knows to be absent from the body is to be present with Jesus. This is no agonizing cry or pleading. This is more a statement of faith. He has confidence in Jesus and his prayer is testimony to all those present not only of his hope and faith, but in the faithfulness of Jesus and his joy in Him. Heaven was not just an idea or concept to Stephen, it was home.

Stephen’s second request probably came as a shock to those hurling stones. For those of us that know Jesus, however, it does not, because it mirrors Christ’s words on the cross. “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” The verse records that he said it in a loud voice! He wanted to make sure they could hear what he was saying. He wanted to make sure that they understood his heart. He says it from his knees. He is pleading for these people. This cry, unlike the first, is pleading. It is pleading to God for these people. For Stephen it had never been about winning theological arguments. It had never been about pride or zealous self-righteousness. It was about serving others and making sure that people heard the good news about Christ. So, with his dying breaths he prays for these people, that they might have the same assurance, understanding and joy that he has, even at the point of death. He understands where he is going and he understands the path they they are on, and this greatly affects the last requests on his lips.

Finally, we notice that this is as much a prayer of forgiveness as it is “final requests”. He shows his heart towards these people. He holds no ill will. He realizes that they have not such much opposed him as they have opposed God and themselves. After all it was never Stephen’s message. It was God’s message. It was never Stephen’s work. It was God’s work. Stephen was simply the ambassador. He was the servant, empowered by the Master with the message and the marching orders. He holds nothing against these men and the injustice they perpetrate on him, but forgives and prays for them.

Prayer Requests Day 15

1) Jim as he prepares to preach on Sunday
2) Student Bible Study - day and time that will be best for those God will bring, people to be a part of the study, outreach to students, open doors in the university and/or dorms, prepared hearts, response to God's word
3) Young family Bible study - for at least 1 person (or a family) to begin with, for prepared open interested hearts, open doors, establishment of a regular study
4) Yvonne Brewer- wisdom whether or not to continue language study at the University or whether time would be more wisely spent elsewhere.
5) Nathan & Dawn Detweiler - for their deputation and preparation to join the work & team