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anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 26 December 2025 – Like Christ Like Stephen

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TOPIC: Like Christ Like Stephen

READ: Acts 7:54-60 (NKJV)

  1. When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with [their] teeth.
  2. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
  3. and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
  4. Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
  5. and they cast [him] out of the city and stoned [him.] And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
  6. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on [God] and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
  7. Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

THE MESSAGE:

Saint Stephen is the first Christian martyr, according to the New Testament (see Acts 6 & 7). He is recorded as standing out from the others in faith, grace, spiritual power, and wisdom (Acts 6:5, 8, 10). Stephen truly knew Christ and the power of His resurrection and participated in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. (These were the words written by Paul in Colossians 3:10). Just as false accusations were brought against Jesus (Matt. 26:59-61; Mark 14:57-59), leading to His crucifixion, so too Stephen was falsely accused (Acts 6:11,13,14), and subsequently executed (Acts 7:58). Stephen prayed (Acts 7:60) as Jesus had done (Luke 23:34) for his persecutors to be forgiven. He also committed his soul into Christ’s keeping (Acts 7:59) as Jesus committed His spirit into the Father’s hands (Luke 23:46). He met his end courageously, as Jesus, his Master, did. Stephen imitated Christ to the letter, hence we can say of him, “Like Christ, like Stephen.”

Every Christian has been called to imitate Christ. After all, every Christian is a follower of Christ (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). As we continue in the celebration of Christmas, put your name in the blank space provided here and see whether it fits in like that of Stephen: “Like Christ like….” If it fits, praise God; and if not, pray to God passionately to be like Christ.

PRAYER: Father, I receive the power to be like Christ, Amen!

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