Sermon Central
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Go, Stand, And Speak, Pt. 2 Series
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 8, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Acts Series: 25th Sermon--"Stand!" [The Courage of Our Witness]--Courage born of Compulsion, Consecration, and Compassion!
Go, Stand, and Speak, pt. 2
“Go” deals with the consistency of our witness
“Stand” deals with the courage of our witness
“Speak” deals with the communication of our witness
There is something we are privileged to be able to do/commanded to do, which even the angels cannot do.
v. 19 Angel had power to break them out of prison…so why didn’t he go to the temple and do his own speaking? Because a witness must have first-hand knowledge of something!/experienced something!
Angels cannot enjoy the thrill/joy/power of being saved! Angels can sing “Holy, Holy, Holy…”, but not “Jesus Paid it All, All to Him I Owe…”
All hail the power but not, Since Jesus came into my heart
How excellent is thy name but not, Amazing Grace, how sweet…
That’s why the angel delivered the message from God, I’ve set you free, but now YOU go, YOU stand, YOU speak…!
Last time we talked about our Going…the consistency of our witness.
Now, our Stand…the courage of our witness.
We are called to take the stand…we need to voluntarily take a stand!
It takes courage!
The angel told them to go witness to some men who had more than just the power to belittle them, but to beat them…and they did at the end of this chapter.
More than just the power to cuss them, but to kill them!
v. 33 thought about it!
None of that mattered to these apostles…they witnessed in the face of death!
Fear is the #1 reason we don’t witness. Fear of rejection/embarrassment/offending someone/being labeled as a fanatic/disappointment/fear of being asked a hard question/be made fun of…
Ill.—boy went off to logging camp for summer, was afraid they would make fun of him for being a Christian/asked pastor to pray/got back, pastor asked if they laughed, made fun of, rejected him for being a christian…/no pastor, they never found out!
God has no secret service!
He wants for us to send the message that we’re proud of Him, not ashamed of Him!
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
John 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
[Baptism is God’s method of making it public!]
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
[secret believers, like Nicodemus who came by night! Different than underground church where illegal…but what happens when found out?]
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Who do you want happy w/ you? Them, or God?
See v. 29
When it comes to witnessing, we are to be bold and courageous…not obnoxious or arrogant or holier than thou, but bold and courageous…take our stand! Make God happy, love Him more than ourselves!
3 things about our courage:
1. We need courage born of compulsion
Instinctive, an impulse, an urge we can’t help!
Look back at Acts 4:18-20
And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. [19] But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. [20] For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Peter says, we can’t help it…you’re asking us to stop something we cannot!
When you see a dog burying a bone, you don’t ask why, and you don’t try to stop him! He can’t help it!
Cat chasing mouse/me eating fried chicken!
Joke—atheist running from bear in woods/asked God to turn bear into a Christian/God said, ok, it’s done/man stopped/bear caught up, slapped him to ground/but God, you said you’d make him a Christian/I did/Bear folded his hands and said, TY Lord for the food I’m about to receive!
A believer should witness from instinct, by compulsion!
I’ve had the privilege of leading many to the Lord over the years. And it’s so wonderful to see them go out wanting to tell someone, first thing!
They weren’t a great Christian, hadn’t taken a soulwinning course! When I was saved I was 6, I couldn’t tell you what propitiation was…still can’t!
