BENEFITS OF LIVING FOR JESUS
Acts 7:55-60
There is a price to pay for following Jesus. Jesus told us that “If any man would be my disciple he must take up his cross and follow Me.” In those days the cross indicated a huge price to pay. Many times, though, we look at the price that has to be paid and fail to realize that there are some even greater benefits to serving our Lord. I want to share with you “Four Benefits of Living for Jesus.”
Acts 7:55-60 55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. 58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.
1. BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD
Acts 7:55a But being full of the Holy Spirit
The Bible tells us that Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. We need to understand what the Bible is speaking of here.
** It is not speaking of:
A. Feeling the Holy Spirit working on you... This is what happens when God is drawing you to follow Him or to convict you of your sins. I imagine all of us have felt this happen.
B. Receiving the Holy Spirit.... This happens when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit comes to live in us.
** Being filled with the Spirit has to do with a person being empowered with the presence of God in such a way that is able to do the wondrous works of God.
Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1:8 “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
When a person is Filled with the Holy Spirit he becomes dynamic and confident and full of faith. It produces a feeling of euphoria and anticipation and an awe of God fills his very soul.
From time to time I have had people come up and talk to me about how they have never felt this “filling of the Holy Spirit.” This is a sad thing because this tells me that they have never stepped out in faith and served God the way He has commanded each of us to do.
You see, God pours out His Spirit on people to do His work.. You would not fill up the gas tank of an old junk car that doesn’t have a motor in it would you? It would be of no benefit.
The same is true of God; If you are unwilling to serve Him then it would be of no benefit to fill you with His Spirit.
2. SEEING THE GLORY OF GOD
Acts 7:55b he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God
The Lord did something very special for Stephen. Stephen was allowed to see the Glory of God. He was allowed to look into Heaven and view the majesty that surrounds the Heavenly Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. I believe this was a special reward for his faith and commitment to God.
**God not only promises us that we will get to behold His glory, but He also promises that we can share in that glory.
2 Timothy 4:8 Paul tells us that there is “laid up a Crown of Righteousness that the Lord will award on a special day to each of us who have loved His appearing.”
But it gets even better because Jesus promises us that we will also reign with Him
2 Tim 2:11-12 “It is a trustworthy statement: If we died with Him, then we shall also live with Him; and If we endure with Him, then we shall also reign with Him. But if we deny Him then He will deny us.”
Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the 1st Resurrection; over these death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”
How wonderful it is going to be when that final day comes and Jesus comes back to this earth in all His glory brings us home to be with Him. And how glorious it will be when the Righteous Judge will set things right in the world and He will vanquish all evil and His enemies shall be cast into the Lake of Fire.
If you are truly a child of His then you, too, will be there to see the Glory of God!!
3. EXPERIENCING THE PEACE OF GOD
Acts 7:56-58 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. 58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
You know it’s hard to imagine what Stephen was going through at that time. When Stephen came before the council the Bible says that “all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.” He was obviously experiencing the peace of God as seemingly the whole world was attacking him. He had this same peace as he kept on preaching and I believe that peace never left him as they dragged him out to kill him.
That peace comes from a close relationship with Jesus Christ and having faith that Jesus is in control. Notice that Stephen saw Jesus at “the right hand of God.” The right hand of the king was the place of absolute power. Stephen knew that no matter what happened Jesus was in control. That was the secret of how Stephen was at peace in the face of death.
That same peace is available to us today. We, too, face struggles in a cold, hard, cruel world. As Christians we often have to face various types of persecution. We experience pain and heartaches of many kinds. We often face financial difficulties and all of us face sickness and, ultimately, death. Sometimes the load gets so heavy that we feel we just can’t go on. That’s when we can turn our eyes upon Jesus and know that He is still in control and that He is still on the throne. And I want you to know tonight that If you will just keep your eyes on Jesus and trust Him then you, too, can experience the peace of God.
4. ENTERING THE REST OF GOD
Acts 7:59-60 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.
This is perhaps the greatest benefit of being a Christian, entering the rest of God. Notice in verse 60 it did not say that they killed him, though certainly they did. It did not say that he died, although in a physical sense he certainly did. The Bible says that in the midst of all the stones hitting him... in the middle of the pain and agony he must have felt........He fell asleep. That is what death is like for the Christian.
** I remember the night my Dad left this world. He was a strong man, a tough man, a giant in my eyes. He was one of what I call the “John Wayne generation of men”. Very stoic. Emotionally steady. No tears ever. No deep sentiment spoken. He knew Jesus Christ as His Savior, but he wasn’t a singing kind of guy, except in church. But the last 3 to 4 hours my Dad was alive, he lay there with his eyes closed singing all the hymns that were dear to him. My Dad fell asleep singing to Jesus and awakened in His very presence.
I want to ask you a question. Do you have that peace of God in your life today? Do you know without a doubt that when you close your eyes in death that you will wake up in Heaven with Jesus? If you don’t, then I would ask you to come right now and give your heart to Jesus.
