Page 84 - Fundamentals Ebook Final

doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among
themselves.” “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are
doing.” Those are the words of a crucified man; to be able to say to
someone doing that, “Father, forgive them.” His last words are in
Luke 23:46, “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father,
into Thy hands I commit My spirit.’” This is a heart of forgiveness,
a heart trusting God with His last breath and with total surrender.

I want to go back to Stephen, a man full of wisdom, full of faith, full
of the Holy Spirit, full of grace, full of power, full of the life of the
Lord. You know the story of Stephen. He was sharing the word of
God and they didn’t receive it well. Acts 7:54-60, “Now when they
heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their
teeth at him, but being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into
heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right
hand of God; and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and
the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’

But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears, and they
rushed upon him with one impulse. And when they had driven him
out of the city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid aside
their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they went
on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit!’ And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud
voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said
this, he fell asleep.”

Do those words sound familiar? When Stephen was dying he said,
“Father, forgive them.” When Stephen was dying he said, “Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit.” Those were the words of a crucified man.
It sounds a lot like Jesus. When angry men are throwing stones at
you, you don’t say, “Father, forgive them.” You know the natural
heart like I know the natural heart. How could he do that? Was he
saying, “I’m a Christian and I’m supposed to turn the other cheek. I
better act like a Christian because I am a Christian.” That was not
possible.