Taking a Stand
1. Welcome to FLC!
a. Acts 17:26-27 - “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the
whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they
should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find
him, though he is not far from each one of us.”
b. Your faith is about to be tested in ways you never imagined.
i. Up or down, survive or thrive?
ii. But you donʼt have to fall.
1. Romans 14:4 promises that God can keep you from falling.
c. G.K. Chesterton described the opposition you will face this way, “You are free in our time
to say that God doesnʼt exist. You are free to say that He exists and is evil. You may talk of
God as a mystification or metaphor. But if you speak of God as a thing like a tiger as a reason
for changing oneʼs conduct, then the modern world will stop you if it can. We are long past
talking about whether an unbeliever should be punished for being irreverent; it is now thought
irreverent to be a believer.
i. Professors will try to destroy your faith.
ii. Friends will try to manipulate you to be who you are not and do what you donʼt want to do.
iii. The pressures of life will try to distract you from the God you love.
iv.Fear, passivity, laziness and comfort zones will try to keep you from the life God has for
you.
d. Taking a stand in those situations will be hard but...
e. 2 Cor.4:17-18 reminds us that they are “light and momentary troubles” that “are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” And encourages us to “fix our eyes not
on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.”
f. Heb.12:1-2 tells us “since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw
off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith.”
g. If you will follow Him and take a stand for your beliefs you will flourish and grow here.
2. Taking a stand means supporting and demonstrating your core beliefs in your identity, speech
and actions even when those beliefs are opposed by the mainstream.
a. Neda Soltan, protesting the injustice of the Iranian elections earlier this year, was shot in the
chest, dying almost instantly. Caspian Makan, Nedaʼs fiance, later told the BBC that “Neda
had said that even if she lost her life and got a bullet in her heart, she would carry on.”
Coincidentally her name, Neda, means “voice” in Persian” and the stand she took for her
beliefs made her the continuing voice for the Iranian democracy movement.
b. Tank Man is the name he is remembered by and his identity remains a secret to this day. On
June 3rd, 1989, in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China, anywhere from 200 to over 2,000
Chinese college students were massacred for taking a stand for there freedom. Two days
later, as tanks were pouring into the city to secure it from further protests, Tank Man put
everything on the line, standing in the path of the oncoming tanks, halting their approach. The
stand he took for his beliefs continues to inspire millions around the globe.
3. Taking a stand for your beliefs means publicly defining yourself as a follower of Christ.
a. All this comes out of love.
i. What do you love, what are you passionate about?
ii. What if I didnʼt wear this ring or talk about Erin and Eliana?
1. I love them and am excited to publicly define myself as their husband and father.
2. Mt.12:34 - “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
iii. When I truly love God people around me wonʼt be able to miss it!
b. Taking a stand for God requires taking a risk and risks can be dangerous.
c. Tony Campolo described that danger, writing, “So many people tiptoe through life, so
carefully, to arrive, safely, at death.”
d. The Persian King Xerxes put it in perspective reminding us that, “Only by great risks can
great results be achieved.”
e. I want to encourage you to take risks by taking a stand for God here at FLC.
i. Get yourself into a situation where if God doesnʼt show up youʼre in trouble.
1. Remember David defeated Goliath, against all the odds.
f. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 tells us how to do that, saying, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the
faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”
4. Ephesians 6:10-14 tells us 3 times to take a stand.
a. Jude v.24 tells you he will keep you from falling and make you stand firm.
i. How does He keep you from falling and make you stand?
1. Philippians 1:27 - Tells us to stand firm with other believers.
2. You will grow so strong when you commit to a strong group of encouraging believers.
a. Connect, Bible Studies, Thursday night dinners, Retreats, the Snack Bar and Fun
activities.
3. Ezekiel 2:1-2 - Tells us His Holy Spiritʼs empowers us to stand.
b. 1 Peter 5:12 and Romans 5:2 tell us to take that stand in GRACE.
i. In Godʼs grace for you and also showing that grace to others.
ii. Romans 11:20 tell us to take that stand by FAITH.
1. We take a stand by faith, by living our lives, like Jesus described in Mt.7, based on the
foundation of the Truth of Godʼs Word.
2. Living like Godʼs Word is true requires consistent time with God.
a. We call that a daily Connect Time.
b. James 4:8 - “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”
3. In Isaiah Ch.7, Ahaz King of Judah was being attacked by an unparalleled army. He
and his people were full of fear but God promised them victory but reminded him, in
4. Is.7:9 - “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”
iii. Before I go any further...the goal is to take a stand but I know each of you and myself too,
will at times fall.
iv.He will always be there ready to forgive.
5. 1 Samuel 12:16 tells us that when we take a stand we will see God do a great thing.
a. I donʼt know what kind of stand God wants you to take but I know youʼll see Him do great
things when you take that stand.
b. Josh. 24:15, says “choose this day who you will follow.”
c. And 1 Kings 18:21, tells us, "If the LORD is God, follow him.”
d. I want to encourage you right now to decide to take a stand for Him.
i. If you fight to survive you donʼt always win but if you fight to win youʼll always survive.
ii. There are so many opportunities to take a stand right here at FLC. Here are just a
few:
1. You can start by publicly defining yourself as a Christ follower.
2. Just like Hedy, you can share Him with your friends and room mates.
3. Just like Leah, you can share Him in your Classrooms.
4. Just like Mark, Angie, Chris & Kayle, you can defend your faith in an open forum.
iii. Pr.28:1 - “the righteous are as bold as a lion.”
6. And before we close, if you donʼt yet know Him...
