ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Acts 6:15  And all who sat in the council looked intently at [Stephen], and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.  

I wonder what the face of an angel looks like. I wonder what it would be like to look at a person's face before me and think "Hey, that person's face looks like the face of an angel." It may be one of those things that you can't describe, but you'd know it if you saw it. You'd be looking at someone and know it. And interestingly, at least the way this is written in the book of Acts - it reads as if the entire council were looking intently at Stephen and all of them decided at the same time that his face was like the face of an angel. Interesting.

It's even more interesting when you know the context. The council was looking for a way to condemn Stephen and execute him - which they found and completed the execution just a few verses later. Stephen was an early disciple who was preaching and convincing people of the gospel. This frightened the council in Jerusalem so they instigated false witnesses against him. And they killed him. When they killed him, he spoke words of forgiveness - very similar to Jesus on the cross.

So perhaps the face of an angel has something to do with a quiet confidence (in the resurrection, no matter what happens) and a willingness to forgive no matter what happens. I wonder we could show the world the faces of angels today....

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Join us for worship this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.