EARS TO HEAR
Mark 4:9
“Then Jesus said, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’"
There is an account in Acts 6:8-7:60 of the testimony of Stephen – a man who was full of God’s grace and power, full of the Holy Spirit and faith – and the reaction of those who heard it. Every time I read it I am amazed all over again. It says they covered their ears and began to yell as loud as they could! Sounds a bit childish, doesn’t it? And those who reacted that way were grown-up religious people – actually it was the Sanhedrin, the Jewish “supreme court.” They became so furious about what they were hearing that they physically grabbed Stephen, dragged him from the city, and stoned him to death.
What happened to Stephen is shocking to read and hard to understand. But let me suggest three things to keep in mind:
1. The truth about Jesus is very durable. Rocks won’t break it, lies won’t corrupt it, persecution can’t stop it, and its power to save remains intact.
2. Those who share it are eternally indestructible. What is sown perishable is raised imperishable, what is sown in dishonor is raised in glory, what is sown in weakness is raised in power. (SEE 1 Cor. 15:42-43). Those who are in Christ have already crossed over from death to life.
3. God’s Word always fulfills its purpose. God Himself promises: “I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isa. 55:11 NLT).
If you continue to read through the book of Acts you learn that it was because of Stephen’s testimony that the Gospel was quickly spread throughout the entire region and eventually throughout the entire Roman Empire!
Pastor Keith Andrews