He Still Forgives

Acts 7:54-60

54 Now when they heard this, they were infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one mind. 58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

Pray

Intro

When I tink about forgiveness, my wife immediately comes to mind. I remember one time she let me get a nice calendar and I was pumped to fill it in. BTW I love a good calendar. Anyway, I get home and fill it in with all of these important dates and events. Caroline looks through it the next day to find that I had written Every LSU game (times and Location), Mom’s Dad’s and Sister’s birthday, my dentist appointment that was 3 months away, Even Josiah Booker’s birthday. She looks at me and says “December 16th and February 3rd seems to be missing.” Context… December 16th is our anniversary and February 3rd is Caroline’s Birthday. Moral of the story… thank God for forgiveness.

In Acts 7, Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, boldly proclaimed that Jesus is the Messiah. The religious leaders were enraged. They covered their ears, shouted at the top of their lungs, and rushed him. They dragged him outside the city and began to stone him.

Now imagine the scene: the mob screaming, stones flying, Stephen collapsing under the blows. And yet, at that very moment, Scripture says Stephen looked up and saw heaven open. He saw Jesus—not sitting, but standing at the right hand of God, as if to welcome His servant home.

And with his last breath, Stephen prayed words that still echo through eternity:

“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60)

That is forgiveness. Not when it’s easy. Not when it’s deserved. But in the middle of injustice, betrayal, and pain—Stephen chose to forgive.

1) Forgiveness Happens When Your Focus Is On Jesus

How could Stephen forgive in that moment? It wasn’t because he was strong enough or good enough. His ability to forgive came from his focus. His eyes weren’t on the stones, or the men throwing them, but on Jesus standing in glory.

And the same is true for us. When we fix our eyes on the offense, bitterness grows. The wound gets deeper. But when we fix our eyes on Jesus, forgiveness flows. Forgiveness is not about how strong we are—it’s about how present Jesus is in our vision.

2) Forgiveness Is Your Testimony

Stephen’s prayer of forgiveness did more than free his own heart—it became a testimony. Because standing in that crowd that day was a young man named Saul. Saul held the coats of those who killed Stephen. He approved of his death.

But years later, that same Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He became Paul—the greatest missionary the church has ever known.

Do you think Saul ever forgot Stephen’s last words? I don’t. I believe that prayer planted a seed. A seed of grace that God watered and grew into Paul’s ministry.

Here’s the truth: your act of forgiveness might be the very thing God uses to open the door for someone else’s salvation. Forgiveness isn’t just personal—it’s evangelism. It’s a witness of the gospel to a watching world.

Matthew 18:21-22

21 Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.

In other words—forgive without limit. Forgiveness is not about keeping score. It’s about keeping your heart free. Stephen wasn’t counting offenses. He was living in the endless forgiveness Jesus commanded.

What Is Forgiveness

Now, let’s be clear about what forgiveness is and what it is not:

Forgiveness is not minimizing the offense. The pain is real. The wound is real. Forgiveness doesn’t say, “It’s fine.” It says, “It hurt, but I won’t let it control me.”

Forgiveness is not reconciliation. Reconciliation takes two. Forgiveness takes one. You can forgive even if the relationship never looks the same.

Forgiveness is not fair. But neither was the cross. Forgiveness is releasing the debt and placing justice in God’s hands.

The Cost of Unforgiveness

Why is this so important? Because unforgiveness is poison. It’s like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die.

It doesn’t destroy them—it destroys you. It corrodes your soul, steals your joy, and clouds your vision. How many of us know what it’s like to be at a family gathering, a birthday, or a holiday, and the very mention of a name pulls the joy right out of the room? That’s unforgiveness at work.

*Testimony about unforgiveness

How do we forgive

First, pray for them. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” At first, prayer may feel impossible—maybe even fake. But as you pray, your heart begins to shift. Prayer softens what bitterness has hardened.

Second, bless them. Instead of rehearsing curses under your breath, choose to speak life. Choose words that build up instead of tear down. When you bless someone who has hurt you, you are releasing their hold on your heart.

Third, do good for them. Romans 12:20 says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” In other words, let your forgiveness show up in action. Forgiveness isn’t just a feeling—it’s obedience. It’s saying, “I will not return evil for evil. I will overcome evil with good.”

He Still Forgives

Here’s the key: you can’t give what you haven’t received. Stephen could forgive because he had experienced the forgiveness of Jesus.

Joyce Meyer once said the only reason she could forgive her abusive father was because she had first received God’s forgiveness for her own sin. The same is true for us. When you grasp the depth of God’s mercy toward you, forgiveness begins to flow toward others.

*Erika Kirk Forgiveness Story