Scripture: Daniel 3:1-18
Title: “Will the Real Christian Please Stand Up?”
Introduction: There was a game show on the television many years ago called, “To Tell the Truth.” Three people would be questioned on the show by a panel of four people to determine who was really what they said they were. After the questioning was over the panel was to vote on who they thought was telling the truth. Each one of the three people gave answers to the panel and each one knew something about who they were supposed to be, but only ONE gave all the right answers. Sometimes the whole panel was fooled. Sometimes the panel picked out the right person.
Do you think the QUESTIONING PANEL of the WORLD knows what a “Real Christian” is supposed to be like?
The song, “Standing On The Promises” contains some very encouraging words I would like to use before I continue with the sermon.
“Standing on the promises of Christ my King, Thru eternal ages let His praises ring, Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing –
Standing on the promises that Cannot fail, When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, By the living Word of God I shall prevail, Standing on the Promises of God –
Standing on the promises I now can see, Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me; Standing in the liberty Where Christ makes free, Standing on the Promises of God,
Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord, Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord, Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword, Standing on the Promises of God –
Standing on the promises I cannot fail, Listing every moment to the Spirit’s call, Resting in my Savior, as my all in all, Standing on the Promises of God.”
We need to be STANDING on the PROMISES instead of just SITTING on the PREMISES.
I. TAKING A STAND. (The NEED is here RIGHT NOW!)
a. Never before in the HISTORY of our country has there been a time when Christians need to be TAKING A STAND for the things of God as they do now!
b. Every day of life is filled with the challenge of needing to take a stand – From the “Playground” to the “Workplace” and even into the homes all across this country.
c. Every VALUE that this country has been built on is under ATTACK by Satan’s forces.
d. I am moved by the quote of John Kennedy while he was president, “I make no easy decisions, all the easy ones are made before they reach my desk.”
e. Every good thing in our life is a PRODUCT of someone taking a STAND.
d. BAD THINGS in life are brought about by someone taking a STAND, even though, it may have been for something bad.
e. Right now we are dealing with things such as: Same Sex Marriages – The Teaching of Homosexual Lifestyles in our Schools – The Murdering of Unborn Babies – School Shootings – Aids – The Divorce Rate is at an Unbelievable High – and the list can go on and on.
f. All these bad things have come about because PEOPLE made a STAND! (Bad stand!)
II. PLACES WHERE A STAND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN.
a. WITNESSING – This is such a needy area. Jesus left these words for us just before He went back to Heaven, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
b. DISCIPLESHIP – If we do not make DISCIPLES for Christ eventually there will be no one to keep the Church going.
Again, Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
You will notice “Discipleship” comes from the word, “Discipline” which means: TRAINING – EDUCATING – WORK!
c. STEWARDSHIP – The only resource the Church has to keep it going FINANCIALLY is the Christians who ATTEND the church.
d. SPIRIT-FILLED and SPIRIT-LED Christians and Churches – We have gone too long having to ENDURE Man-Led – Logic-Led – Survey-Led which at their BEST are only Hit and Miss.
Jesus left us His EXAMPLE, “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (Luke 24:49)
(Romans 8:14) “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
(Isa. 10:27) “…the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”
e. As we ALLOW God to GUIDE and FILL us with His Holy Spirit we will see all these things falling into place.
f. The EARLY CHURCH began with a group of people that: Received the Word of God with GLADNESS – They continued STEADFASTLY – Their SOULS were STIRRED with REVERENCE for God – They SPENT TIME together SHARRING the MINISTRY – They were in ONE ACCORD – They continued WORRSHIPPING and PRAISING God.
g. This EARLY Church gained FAVOR with the people and the Lord ADDED souls to the Church.
Can you stand as a Christian for these things?
III. THE INGREDIENT NEEDED TO STAND FOR CHRIST.
TheQuality of being brave: the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action.
It takes COURAGE to stand up and be counted, but it takes more courage to KEEP STANDING up AFTER you have been counted.
a. Courage is the ingredient needed to STAND up as a CHRISTIAN for these things!
b. Moses FOUND the COURAGE he needed to defend one of his BRETHREN when he saw him being mistreated. (Ex. 2:11-12)
Something ROSE up inside his heart that CAUSED him to move.
c. Taking a Stand May Require You To Stand Alone. (Stephen stood up and did miracles and signs among the people. Acts 6:8-10)
d. Taking a Stand May Require You To Stand Against Error. (Daniel had to STAND against the decree of the King not to PRAY. Dan. 6:10)
e. Taking a Stand May Require You To Suffer. (Paul & Silas wound up in the inner most part of the prison fastened in the stocks because they stood up against the devil’s fortune teller. Acts 16:23)
f. Taking a Stand Will Always Leave A Lasting Impression. (When Jesus took His STAND here in this WORLD the world has never been the SAME. The CROSS is a CONSTANT reminder that Jesus came to this world and TOOK A STAND!)
CONCLUSION:
What is the largest problem facing the church of today?
Possible answers:
1. Is it a lack of belief in God? - No
2. Is it a lack of ability to do God’s work? - No
3. Is it a lack of people in God’s church? - No
1. The largest problem facing the church TODAY is a lack of courage to do that which God has called and enables us to do.
2. Why is courage the problem? Why do we need courage so badly?
3. Courage is the power that it takes to be a strong Christian and to build a strong church.
4. The problem arises when Christians and churches do not have the courage to follow God wherever He leads them. Thus they end up doing only what is safe and acceptable and go nowhere for God.
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much no suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory or defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Andrew Jackson said, “One man with courage makes a majority.”
What is God doing about all of this?
Does God ever speak to the hearts of His people to do something about this dangerous situation?
God is CALLING to each of us right now at this very moment to STAND UP and let the WORLD know which side we are standing on.
www.jhcarver@excite.com
