Living 3-D

This week in our Sunday School lesson is about Stephen.  This is probably one of my favorite set of scriptures.  It's powerful on so many different levels.  At the same time so very simple.  My book talks about how Stephen lived in 3-D.  I had never thought about it this way but just love it.  It simply says..... "Stephen's testimony offers us a 3-D Christianity.  He shows us that following Jesus Christ involves three dimensions: information, transformation, and proclamation.  Stephen believed the good news about Christ (information), loved Christ (transformation), and preached Christ (proclamation).  Like wise, we have the opportunity to give our heads, hearts, and lips to the God who creates us and re-creates us."

So let's take a look at this.  If we go back to scripture and we look up in the book of Acts 6:5-7:60.  I am not going to post this entire passage but here is a link to Blue Letter Bible that might help if you need to link to it while we read and dig into the Word.

Acts 6:5-9 talks about Stephen and we see the first part of this 3-D living, he believed the good news about Christ (information).  He is described as full of Faith and of the Holy Spirit, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.  Stephen was someone who believed in who Christ was.  He had no reservations about Him.  He was a follower of Christ.

The second part of the 3-D talks about loving Christ (transformation).  You can't help but be transformed by the love of Christ.  Reading on in Acts 6:11-7:53 we see that Stephen is transformed.  His love for Christ is evident in his, what I would call, sermon.  He loves His Lord and will stand up for Him.  What power and confidence in the Lord.

The third part of the 3-D talks about preaching Christ (proclamation).  In these verses, Stephen stands and gives the scripture that those on the court.  They have heard it. They don't like it but they have heard it. He is bold. He is not sitting on the side lines and wondering what they are going to think about him when he is finished. He starts with Abraham and goes to present. He knows his history and his scripture. He doesn't back down. He stands firm.

So now, lets get a little personal.  This hit me square between the eyes as I was reading and studying this passage.  I have read this before. Like I said it is one of my favorites.  But looking at it in this light was new and fresh.  This 3-D is what I so desire.  I want all of it.  I have the "opportunity as it says to give my head, hearts and lips to the God who creates us and re-creates us".  What about you?  do you want to be a Stephen?  Do you want the "information", the "transformation", the "proclamation"?  I know I for sure do.  

For me, the key in this is his knowledge of the scripture and the history.  I want that so much.  I want scripture in my head and in my heart so that I can use my lips to share it.  I'm horrible at scripture memorization.  I can finish a verse. I can quote them but it's the "address" that escapes me.  I want to be able to give it so that I can turn and point to it. The other part of this is being in the Word.  I don't mean glancing over it and call it a quiet time.  I mean really digging and looking for those things that He has for me.  It's a powerful moment.  So, what about you.......Do you do well with scripture memorization? If you have to takes someone down "The Roman Road", could you do it? Do you know the address to many of the scriptures that we use? 

Tomorrow we will talk about the rest of this set of scripture.  It's just amazing!!!!!!