Death of Stephen
And th«y atoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesno,
receive my spirit.” — Acts vii, 59.
Stephen was the first io die as a martyr in the cause of Christ; and he seems to have resembled the Saviour more than any that followed after. His very face appeared like the face of an angel. His irresistible wisdom in arguing with the Jews was very like Christ’s — his praying for his enemies with his dying breath nearly in the same words aef the Saviour, and his recommending his soul into the hands of the Lord Jesus, were in the same spirit of confidence as that in which Christ said: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” There cannot be a doubt that it was by looking unto Jesus that he became thus Christ-like; and the last Tiew which he got of Christ seems especiaW^ V>
] 82. SERMON xxvn.
have given him that heavenly composure in dying which it so much above nature.
Two things are to he noticed: — 1. That it was a sight oi Christ at the right hand of God. 2. That it was a sitof Christ standing there. Christ heing at the right hand of God is mentioned sixteen times in the Bihle; tlurteen tmm he is described as seated there; twice as heing there; M here only is he spoken of as standing. This appears to haye made a deep and liyely impression on the mind of Stephen, for he cries out: ‘’ Behold, I;see theheayens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God;* and then, with a sweet assurance that Christ’s hands en stretched out to receive him, he cried: ^’ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
DoctHne, — Since Christ is at the right hand of God, and since he rises up to receive the dying believer, bdieyen should commend their spirit to the Lord Jesus.
I. If Christ he at the right hand of God the believei’t 9in must be pardoned, so that he canpeacefulli, say: Lord JesuSf receive my spirit** If the grave had closed over the head of Christ for ever — if the stone had remained at the mouth of the sepulchre to this day — then we might well be in doubt whether he had suffered enough in the stead of siimers. ‘’ If Christ be not risen, your faith is vain — yon are yet in your sins.” But is it true that Christ is at the right hand of God? — then the stone has been rolled away from the sepulchre. God has let him go free from the curse that was laid on him. The justice of God is quite satisfied. If you saw a criminal put into prison, and the prison doors closed behind him, and if you never saw him come out again, then you might well believe that he was still lying in prison, and still enduring the just sentence of the law; but if you saw the prison doors fly open, and the prisoner going free — if you saw him walking at large in the streets — then you would know at once that he had satisfied the justice of his country — that he had suffered all that it was needful to suffer — that he had paid the uttermost farthing. So with the Lord Jesus; he was counted a criminal — the crimes of guilty sinners against God were all laid at his door, and he was condemned on account of them. He was hurried away to the death of the cross, and the gloomy prison-house of his rocky sepulchre — the stone was rolled to the mouth of the grave. If you never saw
SERMON xxyn. 163
him come out, then you might well believe that he was still enduring the just sentence of the law. But, lo! “he is risen, — he is not here” — “Christ is risen indeed.” God, who was his judge, hath raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places; so that you may be quite sure he has satisfied the justice of God. He has suffered everything that it was needful for him to suffer — be has paid the uttermost farthing. Now is there any of you hearing me, who cleaves to the Lord Jesus? is this the Saviour whom you take to be your surety? “Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee.” For if your surety is free, then you are free. It was this which gave such a tranquil peace to the dying Stephen. He had the same vile nature which you have — he had committed the same sins as you have — he had the same condemnation over him which you have; but when he saw Jesus Christ, whom he had taken as his surety, standing free at the right hand of God, then he felt that the condemnation had been already borne — that God’s anger was quite turned away from his soul; and thus being inwardly persuaded of pardon, he committed his spirit into the hand of Christ: ^’ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Oh! brethren, cleave to the same Lord Jesus — he is still as free as he was when Stephen died. He always will be free; death hath no more power over him; for he hath suffered all. Take him as your surety — cleave to him as your Saviour, and you may this day have the same peace that Stephen had, and may die with the same peaceful breast, saying: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
II. If Christ he at the right hand of God then the believer is accepted with God, and may peacefully say with Stephen: “Lord Jesus y receive my spirit”
The Son of God came to be a surety for men in two respects: — 1. In suffering the wrath which they deserved to suffer; and, 2. In rendering the obedience which men had neglected to render. If he stood as surety in suffering, then every dying sinner that cleaved to him was to be freed from the curse of God. If he stood as siurety in obejring, then he and every sinner that cleaved to him was to be rewarded with a place in glory. Now if Christ had not risen from the dead, then it would have been manifest that God had not accepted his obedience as worthy of etmial life. But if Christ is risen, and not only w>, W.
184 SERMON XXTn.
if he be at the right hand of €bd, the place of highest glorf in heaven, where are pleasures for eyermore, then I am quite sure that €kpd is satisfied with Christ as a surety for maiL If you saw some peer of the realm sent away by the king upon a distant and haxardous undertaking, with the promise that, if he succeeded, he should be adranced to ths seat nearest the throne — if you never saw that peer retail to claim his reward, then you would say at once that he had failed in his undertaking. But if you saw him return, amid the applause of assembled multitudes, and if you saw him received into the palace of the king, and seated on the right hand of majesty, then you would say at once that he had succeeded in that which he undertook, and that the king upon the throne was well pleased with it.
Just so, dear brethren, if you had been in heaven on that most wonderful day that evei ^^) “which the Ohristiaa Sabbath is an ever- en during monument, when Christ ascended to his Father and our Father — had you seen the smile of ineffable complacency wherewith God received back into glory the surety of men, saving: “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee;” as iiP he said: “Never till this day did I see thee so worthy to be called my Son;” and again: “Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool” — had you seen all this, then you would have known how excellent the obedience of Christ is in the eyes of the Father. But all this obedience was endured, not for himself but as a surety for men. He was accepted himself before he left heaven. He was infinitely near and dear to the Father, and did not need to become man, to obey for himself. Everything that Jesus Christ did or suffered was as a surety in the stead of sinners. Do you take him for your surety? Do you cleave to the Lord Jesus, because you have nothing of your own to recommend you to God? Then look up with the eye of faith, and see him at the right hand of God. If you cleave to him, you are as much accepted with God as Christ is — you are as near to God as your surety is. Ah! it was this that gave the dying Stephen such calm tranquillity. He had the same vile nature that you have — he had as little obedience to God as you have — he was a naked sinner as you are; but he took the Lord Jesus to be his surety — the man in his stead; so that, when he saw him at the right hand of God, he felt that Christ was accepted, and that he, also, was accepted in the Beloved. And thus, being inwardly persuaded that in
•BiiMON xxvn, 185
St be had a safe waj to the Father, he cried, with r breath: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 1! trembling, naked sinner, cleave to the Lord Jesos. i as much offered to you as he was to Stephen. Take aa your surety — cleave to him as your Saviour, and you this day have the same sense of acceptance which len had, arifl you may die with the same sweetly con-J cry :«Wje808,Uven.y spirit.”
[. If Christ stands up to receive the dicing believer owes the believer great confidence so that he may ‘fully say: “Lord Jesus receive my spirit” hen believing souls seek for peace and joy in believing, do very generally confine their view to Christ upon arth. They remember him as the good Shepherd ng the lost sheep — they look to him sitting by the 3f Samaria — they remember him saying to the sick of alsy: “Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee;” tiey too seldom think of looking where Stephen looked where Jesus is now — at the right-hand of God. Now, lends, remember if you would be whole Christians, you look to a whole Christ; you must lift your eye from *oss to the throne, and you will find him the same Sain all — “the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.” e already observed, that wherever Christ is men- 1 as being at the right hand of God, he is spoken of as i there upon his throne; here, and here only, are we hat he is standing. In other places he is described joying his glory, and entered into his rest; but here described as risen from his throne, and standing at ght hand of God.
He rises to intercede: “He is able to save to the nost all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever L to make intercession for them,” How often would a er be a castaway, if it were not for the great intercessor! often faith fails! — “flesh and heart faint and fail;” 3e here, Christ never fails. On the death-bed, often lind is taken off the Saviour, by pains of body, and ss of mind; but, oh! happy soul that has truly accepted t See here, he rises from his throne to pray for you, you cannot pray for yourself. Look up to him with e of faith, and cry: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He rises to defend. (L) The world is a sore enemy t believer — by temptation on the one hand) and it-
secution on the other. Oh! how hard -it Btriyes to cast? him down. Happy helieyer, you are safe in a dying hour! I St. Because the world cannot reach beyond death. The sneering tongue cannot spit its yenom beyond the gisTe. The stone of violence may kill the body, but it hath no moie that it can do. 2d. Even if it were possible that some arrow of the world might reach beyond the grave, Jesus halk risen up to defend. His everlasting arms are undemeatk the departing soul. (2.) The devil is a worse enemy in that hour. He stands close by the dying bed. He often molestSi but he cannot destroy, if you be cleaying to Jesus. Chiisk has all power in heaven and in earth, and he rises up to defend your soul. “Be not afraid,’* he says, “it is I.” Ah! dear brethren, cleaye to the Lord Jesus now, if yon would haye him to stand up for you in a dying hour — if you would cry with confidence:” Lord Jesus, receive my spirit*
3. He rises to receive the departing soul, Tina is the sweetest of all comforts to the godly. It is a sweet thought, that the holy angels are waiting to receive the believing soul. When Lazarus died, the good angels carried him into Abraham’s bosom. But, oh! it is sweeter far, to think that Jesus looks down upon the dying bed, and stands up to receive the soul that loves him.
Oh! dear brethren, he is the same kind Sayiour in deadi that he is through life. ( 1.) Once you lived without prayer — without God — without Christ, in the world; did Christ not stretch out the hands all the day, even then? (2.) Once you were lying under conyictions of sin; you felt yourself worthy of hell, and that God would be just if he never bad mercy on your soul; did not Christ draw near to your soul, saying: “Peace be unto you?” (3.) Again, you were groaning under the power of temptation, crying against indwelling sin: “O wretched man! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” did not Christ draw near and say: My grace is sufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in weakness?” (4.) Once more: you may yet groan undei the weight of dying agonies. The last enemy is death — it may be a hard struggle — it may be a dark valley; yet look where Stephen looked; and, lot Jesus is standing at the right hand of God, waiting to receive you to himself. Oh! sweet death, when God is with you, the Spirit within you, and Christ waiting to receive you. Behold! he stretches out his hands to receive your departing spirit. Breathe it into his hand, saying: “Jjord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
I. Learn that death is no death to the Christian:” He dst liyeth and believeth on me, shall never die.** It is imfy giving the soul into the hand of Christ. He knows its Talne; for he died for it.
2. Learn that to die is, to the believer, better than to live. If Christ rises up to receive the soul, then the soul goes to he with Jesus. But to he with Christ, is to he in glory; therefore it is far better. Oh! he willing, Christians, to he absent from the hody, and present with the Lord. There you shall he free from pain of persecuting stones — no more sneering, cruel friends — no more douhts about your soulno more sin within your heart. “Oh, that I had the wtngg of a dove, that I might flee alway and he at rest I”
3. Learn the dreadfulness of having no interest in Jesus Christ. You must die; and yet, how will you die, poor Christless soul? To whom will you commend your dving spirit? (1.) There will he no good angels waiting round your bed — no gentle hands of ministering spirits stretched out to receive your trembling soul. (2.) You will have no Christ rising up to receive you. You never washed in his blood — you would not come to him to have life; he often stretched out the hands, but you pushed them away; and now he will have no pity for you. (3.) You will hare no God — God will not be your God — he will not be your friend; you have always been his enemy. Your proud heart would not be reconciled to him; and now you will find him an enemy indeed.
Where will you go? Die you must. Your breath must cease. These eyes that look on me this day, must close in death — that heart you feel beating in your bosom, must cease to beat. And what will you do with your soul? — to whom will you commend it — a naked, guilty, shivering thing, with the wrath of God abiding on it? None of the angdis will dare to shelter it. No rocks, or caves, or mountains, can hide it. Hell itself will not be a hiding-place from the just wrath of God. Oh! be wise now: “Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?”
4. Learn, if you have lost any friends in Christ, to be comforted over them. It is true they are gone from you; bat remember they have gone into far tenderer hands. You stood up to bend over their dying body; but the Lord Jesus stood up to receive their undying soul. Your feeble, but affectionate hands, were stretched out to smooth their dying pillow; but the almighty hand of the S)aVlo]cc
1 8S SERMON XXTnT.
formed a sweeter, softer bed for their departing soal. Fol low their faith — look to the same Savioar; and when yoit come to die, you will use the same sweet words): Loid Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Si PeUir% JhmdM^ Aug, 13, 1837.