"Lord … receive my spirit."
Acts 7:59
Are the words above some of the seven last words of Jesus upon the cross?
Yes … and no.
- In Luke 23:46, Jesus says, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
But that’s not what I quoted, today …
- Acts 7:59 talks about the very first Christian martyr: “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’
And lest you think that Stephen’s paraphrasing Jesus was a coincidence, the first martyr echoed Jesus once more. As “55Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God,” he said, “Lk23:46Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Wait, those were Jesus’ words on the cross. What Stephen said was, "60Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Hear the echo?)
Here’s the point …
Discipleship is conforming our lives to the pattern of Jesus. Wouldn’t you like to look so much like Jesus that even in your worst moments (like getting stoned to death), your life would wonderfully be an echo of his?!
Again, this is not an occasion for guilt! Some people hear stories of saints like Stephen and think, I could never be like that. Consequently, they give up. As Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never give up!”
Jesus is not dead. And the Living Savior can work his life into you – more and more fully – whenever, however, and wherever, you give him room.
This week, as Christ is crucified again in our commemorations, we are encouraged to crucify a little more of our sinful selves. Bit by bit. Day by day. It’s a journey that’ll never be complete. Therefore, don’t be discouraged. Rather, celebrate that Jesus is with you and in you today!
In Christ’s Love,
a guy who starts that journey
with Stephen’s words:
“Lord … receive my spirit”
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