Stephen is stoned to death.

Acts 20:24 (NIV)
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Acts 20:24 is the verse-of-the-day from Bible Gateway, reminding me of the ultimate purpose of this blog and the responsibility of every believer.

Reading this verse brought the Great Commission to mind. You remember Christ’s call to his disciples after his resurrection when he met with the 11 in Galilee – Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I find myself thinking of this charge more and more each day. I find myself wondering what more I can do to fulfill our Lord’s direction.

Even though I am not one of the original disciples, I am a follower of Jesus. It is therefore my responsibility as a Christian to share the Good News with everyone I come in contact with on a daily basis.

Most times I fail miserably.

When I fail, I ask myself, ‘Why?”

 

After all, the original spreaders of the Good News faced physical abuse, even death, for spreading the message of Jesus Christ. Acts 5:27-32, 40-42 (NIV) ²⁷ The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” ²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” ⁴⁰ His [Gamaliel – a Pharisee] speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.⁴¹ The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴² Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

One follower, Stephen, was the first man martyred for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His death is recorded in Acts 7:59-60 (NIV) ⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Interested in reading more about the events that precipitated the stoning? Read the speech Stephen made to the Sanhedrin prior to his death sentence. Find it in your Bible in Acts 7 or click here to read it online.

OK, I fail in most all aspects of spreading His message to those I meet. Time to change that. Time to follow Jesus’s advice and, and do as recorded in Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me…”

Now, my question to you - Do you spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If not, ask yourself today, why not?

May God bless you all every day in every way. Amen.