Don’t Flinch

DON’T FLINCH

Acts 20:27

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A pastor was walking down the street when he saw 12 young boys gathered around a dog. Worried that the boys might hurt the dog, he went over and asked, “What are you doing with that dog?”

2. One of the boys replied, “It’s a stray dog; we all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So whoever can tell the biggest lie will get to keep the dog.”

3. The pastor was shocked; “You boys shouldn’t be having a contest telling lies! Don’t you know it’s a sin to lie? Why, when I was your age, I never told a lie!”

4. The smallest boy shook his head and said, “That was a whopper! Ok, I guess we’ll have to give YOU the dog!”

B. TEXT Acts 20:27, “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.”

C. THESIS

1. How many times has John Wayne, in his movies, gotten nose to nose (and eyeball to eyeball) with some forceful opponent – and after half-a-minute of them exchanging fiery daggers – his opponent flinches and breaks off his determined opposition. John Wayne had won the contest of wills! Sometimes victory is won by being brave one more minute than your opponent!

2. DEFINITION: “FLINCH”

a. To wince involuntarily, as from surprise or pain.

b. To recoil, as from something unpleasant or painful, because of pain or fear.

3. We’re going to look at 3 reasons why we shouldn’t flinch and the application of the oath “The Fellowship of the Unashamed” to our lives.

I. 3 CAUSES WE SHOULDN’T FLINCH ABOUT

There are 3 causes we shouldn’t flinch about; 1). to stand up for the truth; 2). about declaring what God’s Word says; and 3). we shouldn’t flinch from our allegiance to Jesus.

A. NOT FLINCH TO STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH

1. The Lord Jesus told Paul he would testify of Him in Rome, implying it would be before Caesar (Acts 23:11).

2. Paul was later arrested and taken to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. Paul tells the story to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:16-17; “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.”

3. Paul was intimidated by the power and threat of Caesar, but he prayed for boldness to speak the truth. In the end, he didn’t flinch from declaring the whole truth of God.

4. We are called to speak the truth regardless of whether it’s popular or convenient.

B. NOT FLINCH FROM DECLARING THE WORD OF GOD

1. Jeremiah lived in a time where the kings and religious leaders didn’t want to listen to God. Jeremiah said that the false prophets “lied about the Lord” (5:12). God said they “dress[ed] the wound of my people as though it were not serious” (8:11) and that Israel has “refused to listen” to the Lord (13:11c). It was a dangerous time to be a prophet or a believer who was willing to speak out.

2. Jeremiah decided he would keep his mouth shut and not tell what God was saying, but the more he tried, the more God’s Spirit burned within him. Jeremiah said...

3. But if I say, “I will not mention His word or speak anymore in His name,” His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jer. 20:9).

4. Thank God for true men & women of God who are so full of God’s Spirit that they can’t help but speak out for God! God MUST have earthly witnesses; but will WE be one of them?

5. A later King, Jehoiakim, burned Jeremiah’s prophecies one line at a time as he listened to them. He imprisoned Jeremiah, but then called Jeremiah to him and asked, “Is there any word from the Lord?” “Yes,” Jeremiah replied, “you will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon” (37:17).

6. Jeremiah was faithful to hold to the Word of the Lord and not tell the king what he wanted to hear. There are many “men-pleasers” today in the ranks of ministry. Some have thought to rewrite the Bible to fit modern societal values.

7. But God said to Moses, “See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it” Dt. 12:32, 4:2. Prov. 30:6 says, “Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Rev. 22:19 warns, “if anyone takes words away from this...prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City.”