The Power of Grace

Stephan’s death in Acts 7 compares the lives of 2 men. As believers, we look at the life of Stephan and see a man that was faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ even unto death. Right before his death in verse 56, Stephan declares, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Stephan did not trade the glory of heaven for the security of this life. Instead, he counted the cost and willingly laid down his life for his Savior.

Two verses later in verse 58 we are introduced to Saul; the persecutor of Christians and I can’t help but be reminded of the cost of grace and the power that it has to cover sin. The man Saul who would later be called Paul understood the cost of grace. He had proudly stood at the death of Stephan and zealously persecuted Christians. It took an encounter with the risen Lord to change Saul to Paul. When Paul calls himself the chief sinner in 1 Timothy 1:15, he’s declaring the great cost it took to cover his sin.

May we never forget that the cost of our grace was on an old rugged cross where our Savior shed His blood for us so that one day soon, we will see the heavens opened and meet our Savior face to face.

Amber Clendenin