Daily Devotion for December 26, 2005

Stephen

 

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  Acts 7:55 

 

“Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen.” So begins an old, traditional Christmas song/carol. For years, nobody I knew could tell me anything about the feast of Stephen. I now know!  I discovered it on my own from Acts, without “Googling for it.”

 

Stephen scored two firsts in the infant church. He was the first deacon chosen to serve the people so the apostles could focus on preaching and prayer. Then, Stephen was the first Christian martyr. The day after Christmas is his feast day.

 

Now why would we want to celebrate the death of a martyr with a feast on the day after we celebrate the birth of Christ? Three reasons come quickly to mind. First: Coming on the heels of the birth of Christ, we are reminded that our lives are fleeting moments upon this earth. Our earthly lives will end. Our bodies will fail. What then? Second: We are reminded that Jesus was born to die. All of what the prophets, sages, and teachers said and did would go for absolutely nothing if Jesus did not go through the entire Holy Week drama of betrayal, death, and resurrection. Without his death and resurrection, there is no salvation. Third: In Stephen’s vision, which sealed his death sentence, he saw “the glory of God, and Jesus, standing at the right hand of the Father.” St. Thomas Aquinas, whose Summa Theologica still stands as one of the most compelling Christian statements ever written, had a similar vision, and stopped writing. “After seeing God’s glory in Jesus, nothing I could ever say was of any importance anymore.”

 

We celebrate the life and death of the first Christian martyr today because it is a call to a holy life that will take us to this life’s end with the vision of Jesus calling us forward. May nothing in life deter us from responding to that call. Celebrate the feast of Stephen, and live the life of service and vision.

 

Prayer
Heavenly father – help me to always be looking to you and to see your glory as I give my life to you in service.  Amen

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
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