Sunday 3rd May, 5th Sunday of Easter (4th after Easter)

Our reading from Acts today (we’re still in Easter season) records the death of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. In Luke’s story, Stephen forms an important link between the ministries of Jesus and Paul. Stephen is a man full of the Spirit and wisdom, chosen to be one of the first deacons (6:5); God uses him to perform miracles (6:8), and gives him words of power and authority when he is put on trial (7:1-53). Finally, he is granted a vision of the risen Jesus standing at the right hand of God (7:55-56).

Stephen is a model of discipleship, but his faithfulness brings him nothing but trouble. In fact, it provokes a backlash which scatters the church in terror out from Jerusalem as Saul unleashes a brutal persecution (8:1-3). Sometimes the reward for faithfulness does not look much like ‘success’.

And yet… It’s only because of the persecution that the gospel spreads to Samaria, to Ethiopia, and ultimately to the ends of the earth. And the very man who holds the coats at Stephen’s lynching – Saul – eventually becomes Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Sometimes things seem to be going all the wrong way, our attempts to be faithful make life harder, not easier, and it can be tempting just to chuck it all in. But Stephen’s story tells us that the fruit of faithfulness may not be seen in the life of the one who is faithful, but in those around them. We may not see what God is doing, but others will, and one day we will too.

Every blessing
Roger