Sermon for the feast of St Stephen – 26th December 2021:ACTS 7: 51-60, MATTHEW 23:34-39,Galatians 2 16b- 20

Deacon Chris Saccali – St Paul’s Athens

 

STICKS AND STONES

Today is Boxing Day right?  When just to confuse things we don’t do any boxing but traditionally things were boxed up to be distributed to the poor. Today we celebrate Emmanuel in the Orthodox calendar and St Stephanos is celebrated tomorrow. For us, this the first Sunday of Christmas falls on St Stephen’s day this year. The famous carol Good King Wenceslas, that we sang at the beginning of this service, is sometimes only thing people know or remember on this festival. I have been fortunate enough to visit Prague and Wenceslas Square .And no I won’t start singing.

As a deacon this feast is close to my heart. Stephen is a role model for all deacons – a protipo. Let us remind ourselves on St Stephen’s day of his story and how he became the first Christian martyr- μαρτυρας –literally witness, we still use it in Modern Greek legal language.  We remember Stephen’s death as a witness to Christ, the Way, Truth and Life not on a cross but under a storm of stones and rocks( ελιθοβολουν).As we remember and relearn from Stephen’s story for our times, let us also consider it in light of the Christ child, whose birth we celebrated yesterday and the crucified Μessiah and in the context of the early church. Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York comments on the juxtaposition of these two great days and how they look forward to the cross.

In the early life of the Christian church all the followers of Jesus, not yet called Christians, attend the Temple. They are taught by the twelve Apostles, break bread and pray together. Those who own property and possessions sell what they have and everything is held for the good of all people according to their need. But it isn’t long before a dispute arises over the distribution of food. There were two groups of Jews in Jerusalem at the time those who had been born and raised there and spoke Aramaic and those who were known as Hellenists who spoke Greek as their first or second language and who were immigrants from neighbouring countries.

In this case, we hear about in Acts 6, the previous chapter it seems that that the Hellenist widows are not being given a fair share of food when it’s distributed. Anyone who has witnessed food distribution or participated in it at Church on the streets, a soup kitchen or a Refugee site knows unfairness leads to trouble and ill feeling for those in desperate circumstances.

Representatives of the Hellenists go to the twelve Apostles and report the unfairness so that it could be put right. The Apostles’ response, very reasonably, is to say they shouldn’t be distracted from their work and vocation of teaching, preaching and praying. So they suggest that the Hellenists appoint from among themselves seven men, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom Greek, to sort this issue out. This is when we meet Stephen for the first time. He and Philip were among the seven deacons appointed by the apostles. Diakono is to serve so they were servant ministers of the Church, Stephen was excited about his ministry, diakonia, Acts 6:8 Στεφανος δε πληρης χαριτος και δυναμεως εποιει τερατα και σημεια μεγαλα εν τω λαω.

He was fulfilling his potential and calling and it was attractive but the problem was his ministry also attracted the attention of Jews who didn’t like what he was doing. We may say problem when we mean persecution because we don’t like to think of good people being persecuted whereas there always has been persecution in the church. We might expect not to be persecuted for our faith or beliefs but persecution is certainly alive today. What we need to see is how God and his Spirit shines through this and Stephen’s vision of Christ granted to him.

Stephen was put on trial before the Sanhedrin where all sorts of false witnesses (there is that word again) were produced who attested that he was a blasphemer. And yet even as these accusations were levelled against him, St Luke tells us that Stephen sat there with the face of an angel. He was peaceful even in the face of condemnation. The other place in scripture where we hear of such a description is of the face of Moses after he had been in the presence of God.

In fact, when the high priest gives Stephen a chance to defend himself, what does Stephen do? He didn’t try and explain away the things he had said and done. No, he took the opportunity there and then to preach the gospel to the whole assembly of the Sanhedrin, starting with Abraham and the whole back story of the Israelites right down to Jesus. He places great emphasis on God’s constant generosity and faithfulness and how they kept receiving while rejecting God himself and the prophets he sent until they murdered the Messiah. This is what the passage we heard from Matthew’s gospel is saying.

Stephen didn’t pull any punches either, he tells the upper court that in rejecting Christ they are rejecting God as their forefathers did before them. I do urge you to reread Stephen’s whole speech in Acts 7 before the section we heard towards the end and think about how he witnesses with his deeds and words. Particularly, hear his words of forgiveness which so remind us of Christ’s words on the cross. Also, listen out for Saul, later known as the apostle Paul, and the part he played in encouraging the mob.

In next week’s sermon we will be considering John 1 and logos, the word. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me, goes the saying. I do not necessarily believe the truth of that playground retort. Words can be very powerful indeed to uplift, to comfort, to confront and to torment and to advocate for justice, truth and the Gospel. We need to choose our words carefully and pick our battles selectively knowing that Jesus has won the big battle over sin and death.

Christmas is not done and dusted yet that is actually a pun on the verb diakono minister from diaskonizo dust off; we are celebrating until Epiphany and have many days to look forward to and celebrate and remember this week. Some more sombre than others like the Holy innocents. We are a Christmas people -without the crib there would be no cross and resurrection and without them there would be no Christian martyrs.

Stephen reminds us that we need to be living as Christmas people not just for one day of the year and then cast the wrappers away but incarnationally. We are also shown dramatically with the mention of Saul what is a before and after life on earth and what it is to be touched by God’s grace which played such a role in the life and death of the two great followers of Christ reflecting the life of the early church.

We need to think of ourselves as witnesses and ambassadors for Christ as we go about our lives, online, on the phone and out in the world.  Poem page 50 by Patric Dickinson.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, Forgive us when these days our stones are cynicism  and indifference, ignorance and faint praise. Also, bigotry and fanaticism, narrow minds and closed hearts. Give us grace to build, not destroy, open heaven and bring your kingdom now. AMEN