Festival of St. Stephen, Martyr
Posted on December 26, 2023 by under
Scripture: 1 John 1:1-7 (NKJV)
1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Devotion
By God’s grace and power the saints before us confessed the truth of His Gospel. The blessed people who were there for our Lord’s nativity affirmed what He was doing in those events. The saints and martyrs of the early Church continued to affirm God’s promises fulfilled.
St. Stephen witnessed the powerful work of God in the early days of the New Testament Church. He confessed the truth and light that was passed on to him from the time of the Old Testament and through the Apostles. The proud and blasphemous hypocrites who imagined that they were God’s people hated the truth of the Gospel. They rejected the Son and resisted the Holy Spirit. But even as they tried to kill the faithful messengers of God, they were still scattered and afflicted in the ages to come. They experienced the consequences of their faithlessness.
Those who reject Jesus Christ and His holy Gospel are liars if they say they believe God. The Father Almighty made Himself known in the holy Son who came to us at Christmas, died on the cross, and rose on Easter! True life and blessings only come from this truth that is passed on to us in His holy Christian Church.
Collect: Grant, O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of Thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of Thy first martyr, Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to Thee, O Blessed Jesus, Who standest at the right hand of God to succor all those that suffer for Thee, our only Mediator and Advocate, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that the new Birth of Thine Only-Begotten Son in the flesh may set us free who are held in the old bondage under the yoke of sin; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
