Truth and Consequences

Acts 7

 ⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” ⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ 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. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

 ⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

 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.

I love people who tell it like it is. Stephen never pulled punches. He just got through giving a replay of Jewish History and then he opened up with all barrels. He definitely touched a nerve and the people on hand made Stephen pay for telling them the truth. 

In todays society, we shy away from telling the truth if we think its not popular. Politicians just tell us what we want to hear. If it's painful it's not going to be said. When a candidate does  speak the truth, he is open season for stoning. God rewards those who speak his truth. As Christians we need to share his truth with sensitivity BUT we still need to speak the truth. We can't worry about being politically correct or hurting someone's feelings. We need to speak the truth so people can be saved from eternal death. We need to save them and they need to know the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ. Sometimes sharing the truth will have consequences. Sometimes those consequences could even lead to death. But,  that death is only here on earth. The truth will always lead to life eternal.