“Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some who belonged to the synagogue.., and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.’ And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
“And the high priest said, ‘Are these things so?’ And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham…
“‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered…’
“Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 6:8-7:2a,51-52,54-55
The heat in and around the early church smoldered and sparked and sometimes flamed. Burning words and hot threats from religious and civil leaders were meant to squelch the Spirit’s fire in Christ’s disciples, but the more they came, the wider the gospel spread. Heat always divides the pure from dross, seen in the telling contrasts between the petulance of Stephen’s instigators and his calm wisdom, their malicious deception and his veracity, their enraged attacks and his face like an angel. Abiding in the grace and power of the Lord gives steadiness in any storm.
When rabble rouses and antagonism stings and powers threaten, many cower, lose courage, or resolve, or faith altogether. But for the one filled with the Holy Spirit, increasing heat serves only to stoke the fire within. Opposition is opportunity. Vitriol is met with grace, lies with truth, ugliness with beauty. The key is to be tethered ahead of time to the anchor that is Christ, and to commit to His mission and work. If my identity is in anything or anyone else, heat will melt weak commitment. Secure in Christ, I can hold fast no matter the blast.
Where and how do I stand? How securely fixed is my heart on Christ and His gospel? What fear, or pride, or errant allegiances make me tremble and tempted to shrink back from acknowledging my Savior?
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.” ~George Keith (1787)
Lord, help me hold fast to You, and burn only with holy fire.
As the rain and snow 