Preparing a Place for Our Spirits

 John 14:1-7, Acts 7:55-60

Our John passage is read at many a funeral. In it Jesus assures the disciples that where he is going, to his Father’s house – many believe heaven, he will prepare a place for them. Thus, when we die Jesus has prepared many dwelling places. When Philip asks him to verify the way there, Jesus states one of his greatest “I am” statements. He says, “I am the Way.”

Remember last week we spoke of Jesus being the gate for his sheep – his people to come through. He states this again saying, “No one comes to the Father but through me.” He not only states that he is the way but the truth and the life also. He is the way then to eternal life. He is the way to the Father’s house. He will bring them there so that where he is they may be also.

In Acts we have the account of Stephen, one of the early converts of the disciples who shared this passage of hope. Stephen is known as the first Christian martyr. He gives a long sermon telling the truth about their Jewish ancestors who went their own way and didn’t follow the law. To this the crowd is enraged and stone him until he dies. Before they drag him out of the city, Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit and sees into heaven seeing the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. It is almost like a welcome to the place Jesus has prepared for us believers. When Stephen announces what he sees they cover their ears. Seeing it as blasphemy, they drag him out and begin to stone him.

Witnessing this is a man called Saul who goes from persecuting Christians at this event to further on having his own vision of Christ and becoming the greatest Christian missionary of all time.

While Stephen is being stoned, he asks Jesus to receive his spirit – for Christ to bring him into his Father’s house. This statement along with his next are similar to the ones Christ cried on the cross. These being: “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” and “Lord forgive them for they know not what to do.” After Stephen asks for forgiveness for the crowd stoning him, he dies.

Could we be like Christ and Stephen asking forgiveness for those who painfully kill us? Dealing with much less, can we struggle to forgive the person whose words or actions hurt us? Being filled with the Spirit like Stephen could grant us this power. At death’s door let us truly believe that Christ is waiting for us in a place he has prepared for us. Amen.

 

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