Following Jesus

by Edwin Crozier

Text: Acts 7

I absolutely love Stephen's example. It seems to me that Stephen is set up in Acts as what it looks like to walk in Jesus' footsteps. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we all have to be executed in order to be faithful Christians. But Stephen takes up his cross, if you will, and follows Jesus right to death.

However, it is not so much the execution that presents Stephen as following in Jesus’s footsteps as how Stephen acts in the face of it. Stephen says two things at his death that mirror Jesus on the cross.

In Luke 23:46, Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (ESV). In Acts 7:59, Stephen similarly says, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (ESV). This statement suggests Stephen saw Jesus as God.

Then, in Luke 23:34, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (ESV). In Acts 23:60, Stephen says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (ESV). We probably see something here about praying to Jesus as God.

Like Jesus, Stephen trusts God with the outcome. His body and spirit belong to God. If God wants to let him die at the hands of those who would persecute and execute, that is God’s business. Stephen entrusts his spirit to the Lord. He also entrusts the outcome for the people executing him to the Lord. He doesn’t want them punished for this egregious sin against him. He wants them forgiven. Unlike Jesus, he can’t simply forgive them. But like Jesus, he prays that they will find forgiveness. No doubt, Jesus will do the right thing with each and every one of those who threw stones at Stephen.

And while we do not know what happened to most of those who stoned Stephen, we do know of one who will find forgiveness. His name is Saul, who will ultimately be better known as the apostle Paul.

Finally, though the statement that Stephen fell asleep uses a common New Testament euphemism for death, it hints at what comes next for Stephen. Because he walked in the footsteps of Jesus, being faithful unto death, we can expect this one who “fell asleep” to wake up in the resurrection and be with Jesus, who also awoke in resurrection.

May we too follow Jesus no matter the consequences. May we entrust our spirit to God. May we long for those who mistreat us to be forgiven. May we walk in the footsteps of our King.