6th June 2021
Bad things happen to good people
Prayer
Holy God, I pause to acknowledge Your presence with me as I intentionally come before You today. Help me to be present in this worship…..to not simply read through quickly or whizz through the words and music, but to stop and to open my heart and ears to hear Your Word for me today. I pray for all those gathering around Your Word today, although in separate places, we are joined together through You. Help us each to see You more clearly, love You more dearly and follow You more nearly today and every day, Amen
Songsters Jesus thou art everything to me
Bible reading
Acts 6:8-7:1 8 Stephen, the man so full of faith and the Holy Spirit’s power, did spectacular miracles among the people.
9 But one day some of the men from the Jewish cult of “The Freedmen” started an argument with him, and they were soon joined by Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria in Egypt, and the Turkish provinces of Cilicia, and Asia Minor. 10 But none of them was able to stand against Stephen’s wisdom and spirit.
11 So they brought in some men to lie about him, claiming they had heard Stephen curse Moses, and even God.
12 This accusation roused the crowds to fury against Stephen, and the Jewish leaders[b] arrested him and brought him before the Council. 13 The lying witnesses testified again that Stephen was constantly speaking against the Temple and against the laws of Moses.
14 They declared, “We have heard him say that this fellow Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and throw out all of Moses’ laws.” 15 At this point everyone in the Council chamber saw Stephen’s face become as radiant as an angel’s!
7 Then the High Priest asked him, “Are these accusations true?”……
Acts 7:54-8:1
54 The Jewish leaders were stung to fury by Stephen’s accusation and ground their teeth in rage. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and Jesus the Messiah[e] standing beside God, at his right hand!”
57 Then they mobbed him, putting their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, 58 and dragged him out of the city to stone him. The official witnesses—the executioners—took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Paul.[f]
59 And as the murderous stones came hurtling at him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And he fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” and with that, he died.
8 Paul was in complete agreement with the killing of Stephen.
And a great wave of persecution of the believers began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria.
Laura Story - Blessings
Blessing
May you be rooted in God’s love and may you stand on His promises. May you know His presence ever near you. May you be given the eyes of faith to see beyond your current circumstances. May you be give then strength to place Your future days in God’s hands, resting in His love and trusting in His providential care.
Amen
Thank you for reading
Prepared by Majors Wayne & Rachel P
