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.”
8. God’s Word is unchanging. What God has spoken, let no man/woman presume to alter. The Lord Jesus said, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” Mt. 5:18.
C. NOT FLINCH FROM ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS!
1. A Christian singer once wrote a song, “I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb.” Jesus should hold a higher place in our hearts than any other, because He’s paid the ultimate price for us. Jesus said we should love Him more than our families, in fact, if we don’t, it’s a form of idolatry to place any person above God Himself.
2. ILLUS. I’ve told the story of the 100 Chinese Bible school students who were caught by the Communists and forced to denounce Christ and stamp on the cross, or die by firing squad. The first 3 students DID denounce Christ, but the 4th, a young woman, refused to, kissed the cross, and went to her death. The remaining 96 students were encouraged to follow her example and all died for Christ!
3. May we set an example of ultimate allegiance to Jesus Christ!
II. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE UNASHAMED
A. THE STATEMENT/ POEM
1. “I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
2. My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
3. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.
4. My pace is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough. My companions few. My guide is reliable and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
5. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.
6. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give ’til I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear!”
B. WE DON’T FLINCH BECAUSE...
1. WE’RE NOT IN CHARGE, GOD IS. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.
2. WE’VE ALREADY COUNTED THE COST & ARE WILLING TO PAY IT. “I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.”
3. WE WON’T FEAR MAN, BUT ONLY GOD. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” Mt. 10:28. Wow, early believers would not worship any other god but the one true God. They feared nothing on this earth, not the king, not the fiery furnace, nothing more than they feared God.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: Guarding the Walls
1. In ancient China, the people desired security from the barbaric hordes to the north; so they built the great Chinese wall. It was so high they knew no one could climb over it and so thick that nothing could break it down. They settled back to enjoy their security.
2. During the first hundred years of the wall's existence, China was invaded three times. Not once did the barbaric hordes break down the wall or climb over the top. Each time they bribed a gatekeeper and then marched right through the gates.
3. The Chinese were so busy relying upon the walls of stone that they forgot to teach integrity to their children. Author unknown.
B. THE CALL
1. An American Pastor asked Joseph Sung (persecuted for 25 yrs in Romania) what he thought of Christianity in America. He hesitantly answered, "In America the key word is commitment."
2. The Pastor said, "That's true, so what." Then Joseph responded, "In Romania there is no word for "commitment" and we would use the word "Surrender" because it is a more accurate word to describe Christianity."
3. Then the America Pastor was confused and asked, "But what's the difference? Isn't it the same word as commitment?" And Joseph said, "No because when you make a commitment you are still in control, but when you surrender you are no longer in control. You Americans want to be in control of everything!”
4. Are YOU ready to let Jesus take control of your life? How many of you have “hesitated” about your Christian witness but are ready to fully surrender and put Jesus above all else?
5. PRAYER.
