Episode 10.5: Responding to Tragedy: The Resilience of Faith
Responding to Tragedy: The Resilience of Faith | FOUND & REFINED Podcast
In Episode 10.5 of FOUND & REFINED, Amy LeSage shares a heartfelt message inspired by the recent tragic event involving Charlie Kirk. Drawing parallels between the biblical story of Stephen in Acts and modern-day challenges, Amy emphasizes the power and resilience of faith. Through detailed scripture readings—supported by the use of online references for further exploration—she highlights the importance of unity and perseverance among Christians, and how adversities can lead to spiritual growth and the spread of the gospel. Join Amy as she navigates through these difficult emotions and finds hope in the enduring strength of Christian faith.
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00:00 Introduction and Purpose
00:34 Charlie Kirk Incident
02:14 Biblical Parallel: The Story of Stephen
04:43 Gamaliel's Warning and Its Implications
07:16 The Aftermath of Stephen's Death
10:47 Call to Action for Christians
16:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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TRANSCRIPT - EP. 10.5
Hi guys. I am Amy LeSage. Welcome to FOUND & REFINED. Thank you for joining me today. This is like episode 10.5.
Um, I don't want to. I didn't wanna, I don't wanna even really speak about this. I'm just feeling, um, strongly like I have to, and I don't do anything I don't want to do unless I feel like it's coming from the Holy Spirit. So that's what's backing this right now. Um, Charlie Kirk, and I'm only gonna speak about him for the small, little, little second. I don't follow Charlie Kirk I don't follow him. Um, he has come up on a couple of my feeds sometimes and grabbed my attention as a strong Christian man who puts God and family. Um. At the top, and I find that to be an exceptional thing. Beyond that, I don't really listen, but when it's about family or God, he has grabbed my attention in those ways.
It is obviously everyone you know what? You know what's sad? It's not everybody. It's devastating what happened to him, and it would be devastating to happen to anybody. I don't care who you are. That's not how we settle things. That's not how we deal with things. That's not how we deal with disagreements is we just like off the person.
That's not what we do here in the United States of America. What is going on? It's just disgusting. My heart breaks for those kids, my heart breaks for his wife. And it just makes me upset that there's someone out there that would think this was the right thing to do. It's upsetting. It's hard to wrap my brain around.
And not even one person, but I know that there's multiple people backing it because he's hurt people's feelings and whatever politically. I wanna bring it to the religious point. This whole time... and I've told you before, I don't, I don't know the Bible from cover to cover, but I have been reading it and I have been taking in a lot.
For whatever reason, the story of Steven in Acts is continually coming into my brain just on repeat, and I can't really get rid of it. It's just this pull to talk about it. Now, I do know the story of Steven because I read Acts not that long ago, and I remember being like, oh my gosh, they, you know, they wrongfully accused this man of something he didn't do in order to get rid of him, in order to have him killed, um, because they disagreed with him.
You know, I couldn't shake it, couldn't shake the thought. So I got back in acts and just started thinking, I remembered that there was, and see, this is, this is 'cause I'm not a theologian. So I didn't remember the exact order, but I remember that there was somebody who stood up somewhere around this, time, um, and said, don't, I would advise against, um, killing
I thought it was Steven, but it's not. It was in, let me just, I feel like I'm being, I feel like I'm being, I'm gonna, I'm gonna literally read this to you because I've been doing research and the point is strong. Stay with me on this. Okay. There's, there's a point to it, so please try and stay with me here.
Okay, so “The apostles who…” have been arrested for preaching in Jesus' name “…were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. We gave you strict orders not to teach in this” area. (Acts 5:27 NIV)
So they're being, uh, pretty much prosecuted for this, right?
And the apostles are like, we're gonna keep teaching, we're gonna keep doing what God tells us to do. We're “obeying God rather than human beings” (Acts 5:29) So, we're not listening to that. We're gonna still do what we're supposed to do.
When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put the apostles to death for saying that, for going up against 'em. “But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the San, in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do with these men. Some time ago Theudas
(Guys, I don't know?!?) appeared claiming to be somebody and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas and Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed and all his followers were scattered.
Therefore, in the present case, I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (Acts 5:34-39 NIV)
He huge. Who wants, who wants to do that? A little further down.
The Apostles end up choosing Stephen “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 6:5) His job was to feed and take care of the people because the Apostles couldn't do all of that work, so they needed to appoint someone. That was Steven. Now Stephen, verse eight of Chapter six "now, Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
Opposition arose, however, from members of the synagogue,... and they began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against the wisdom the spirit gave him as he spoke." Steven was then wrongfully accused of something and was put to death. They ended up stoning Steven. They killed him. Stay with me on this.
Alright. Fast forward after Steven was killed.
Everyone “…except the apostles scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourn deeply for him.” (Acts 8:1-2) “Those who had been scattered… (Here it is, guys, stay with me) …those who had been scattered, preached the word wherever they went.” (Acts 8:4) People were miraculously transformed through the Holy Spirit, and by hearing the gospel. This death of a wonderful man who did nothing wrong to deserve being killed.
I'm gonna read you what it says here, just stick with me please.
‘In acts. The events following Steven's Execution provide a powerful confirmation of Gamaliel's warning a divine movement cannot be stopped. He cautions that if the Apostles movement is from God, the Sanhedrin will not be able to overthrow them, and in trying to do so, they may even be found fighting against God.
What happened after Stephen's death? The execution of Stephen Marks a turning point in the book of Acts. Unlike the apostles who were released, Stephen was stoned to death after his controversial sermon. However, the persecution that followed did not destroy the Christian movement. Instead, here it is, it achieved the opposite, fulfilling Jesus's command to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem. Persecution drove expansion.
The believers, with the exception of the apostles, were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. The scattering, spread the gospel. Those who were forced to flee went everywhere preaching the word. This included Philip preaching to samaritans, this was a ministry that would likely have been confined to Jerusalem otherwise.’ (Online Reference)
The connection in my head, okay, this is where I was like, there is a connection here, and I remember making it while I was reading through Acts. ‘The connection between Gamelial warning and Steven's death. Steven's death was a catalyst that directly illustrated the truth of Gamaliel counsel. The Jewish authorities having ignored Gamelial cautious advice, were now actively fighting against God by executing Steven and persecuting his followers.
The movement did not come to nothing. Despite the violent persecution, the Jesus movement did not die out. Instead, it was strengthened and expanded Geographically, the persecution proved to be a divine tool for the growth of the church. Rather than its destruction. The authorities lost control.
Their actions paradoxically accomplished what the apostles themselves had not yet done on a widespread scale. They broke the church out of its Jerusalem base and sent missionaries throughout the region. This proved Gamaliel right. You cannot stop something that is from God.’ (Online Reference)
The death of Charlie Kirk cannot kill Christianity ever, ever, ever. It has to burn a fire inside of Christians to continue talking about it We have learned in the Bible, this is the living word. This goes on. It makes sense. It works in so many scenarios that are true today that were true almost 2000 years ago. This was written like 1900 years ago, Acts was written. And this can be true for today. Switch some of the people around.
The idea, the underlining message is the same.
What the devil means for evil cannot break us.
For a moment I was like. Ooh, that's scary.
And then I was like, no way.
This has to make us stronger.
As a people, as Christians, it has to.
You cannot stop something that's from God. You can't.
Charlie Kirk, Charlie Kirk Charlie Kirk He fought for a lot of things.
But the one I'm supporting and the one I'm backing, and the one I'm talking about is Christianity and God.
It says, honestly, Steven, hold on. I gotta find it.
‘Steven's giftings extended beyond the administrative rule as he performed great wonders and sign among the people. He also engaged in powerful debates with members of various synagogues, proving them unable to stand against the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke. This led to the false accusation and why he was, why he was killed.’ (Online Reference)
They were mad. They were mad,
so they killed him.
The similarities are there. And the message of hope and perseverance and that God ultimately wins every battle is there. I know there's a lot of people hurting and confused and, um, you know, I, I can't, I can't speak to that. But what I feel the spirit putting heavily on my heart is the story about Steven and what happened afterwards.
It was a pivotal moment. It was a huge moment where Christianity broke out of Jerusalem and was spread further.
What they intended backfired.
Here's what it says, the stoning of Stephen. “When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.
He continued to talk about God. Here's what it says, but Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to the heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Look, he said, I see heaven open and the son of man standing at the right hand of God at this they covered their ears and yelled at the top of their voices.
They all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Then he fell on his knees and cried out. Lord, do not hold the sin against them. When he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:54-60 NIV) “On that day, a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” (Acts 8:1)
If in fact, which we most likely. So sadly we won't, like we, we won't know this crime of Charlie Kirk was done for a religious reason.
Then they are now actively fighting against God.
We need to stick together as Christians. We need to rise above in these moments and pray for his family.
Sad.
And continue to spread the gospel.
‘Philip left went to Samaria and he preached the word to the Samaritans and an Ethiopian eunuch, a ministry that would have likely been confined to Jerusalem otherwise.’ (Online Reference)
Let the word spread!
It's time for Christians to stand up for what we know is true and right. Don't let something like this, a tragic, horrible event, make you back down from that.
I'm thinking that's what the message is here.
I'm gonna leave you with that.
Until next time. Bye.