This morning, I’d like us to consider the topic of "courage". Not merely courage in a general sense, as an admirable character quality, or as a moral virtue that we should seek to cultivate. But specifically, as an aspect of Christian faith. I’d like for us to consider what part courage plays in our daily lives as Christians. And then we’re going to look at how we can increase our courage; how we can live courageously to the glory of God, as did our teacher and lord, Jesus Christ.
First, let’s consider what we mean by "courage". It may sound strange to talk about courage being a part of our "daily" lives as followers of Christ, because we tend to equate courage with heroism - firefighters running into a burning building; soldiers preparing for battle; police arresting an armed criminal. Or we think of extreme sports like bungee jumping, or free climbing; activities that involve a great deal of risk to one’s health. In short, we think of courage as something extraordinary, something unusual; something people are called upon to exhibit only in dangerous, life-threatening situations. But most of the time, we don’t think we need it. Most of the time, we view our lives as being governed by more mundane character qualities, like honesty, and integrity, and faithfulness. We just don’t see "courage" coming into play very often. But that point of view is mistaken. Courage is not the same thing as heroism. Courage is not just for extreme situations. In fact, courage is basic to the exercise of every other virtue.
Take honesty, for example. Why do people lie? Why are we often tempted to shade the truth; to evade, to make excuses, to cover up? Why don’t we just state the truth, clearly and completely? Often, it’s because we fear the consequences. We’re afraid of what people might think. Or we’re afraid of losing something - money; our hopes for a promotion at work, our reputation, our mate’s trust and confidence, the respect of our family members, our position as a deacon at church. And so we fail to be completely honest, because we lack courage. Confession, as they say, is good for the soul, but it can be bad for the reputation.
Or take generosity - freely giving to the church, or using your financial resources to meet the needs of others who are less fortunate. Why is real generosity relatively rare, even among Christians? It’s not necessarily due to greed. Often, it’s because people are afraid of not having enough for their own needs. They fear becoming destitute and having to depend on others. "What if I lose my job? What if my 401K loses value? What if my company goes bankrupt?" And so, instead of trusting God for their future and giving generously, they hold tightly onto everything they get. They hoard, and store away, and save far above what is really necessary. They may do it under the guise of "prudence" and "responsibility," but often it’s really just fear. They lack the courage to depend completely on God for their financial well-being, and so they seek to accumulate enough money and possessions so that they don’t have to.
Virtually any character quality could be cited as an example - a lack of diligence could be due to a fear of failure. An unwillingness to bear witness to others of the gospel of Jesus Christ can result from a fear of rejection, a fear of looking foolish. A refusal to serve others with our time and talents may stem from a fear of being taken advantage of and exploited. I could go on, but you get the point. Courage is foundational to virtually every virtue. So much so that it’s really impossible to mature in Christ without it. It’s impossible to consistently live in obedience to Christ, and to have fellowship with him, and please him, as long as we’re dominated by fear instead of courage. And that’s why this topic is so important, so central to our daily lives as followers of Christ. Without courage, all of our other virtues will be weak and easily compromised. They’ll fade away at the slightest challenge. In order for us to be strong, God-honoring disciples, we must exercise courage. Courage to trust. Courage to obey. Courage to follow.
If that’s so, then it would help if God would give us some examples so that we could see what courage looks like, what it is we’re supposed to be imitating. And thankfully, he has. The greatest example of courage in the Bible is Christ going to the cross on our behalf; choosing to bear the wrath of God against sin in our place. But this morning I’ve chosen a different example, one that you may not be as familiar with.
[Read Daniel chapter 3]
This is really an amazing story, once you get past the names of the main characters. "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego," - names which have bedeviled generations of Sunday School children. These three men were Hebrew captives, men of royal or noble Israelite birth who had been taken from their homeland when Nebuchadnezzar defeated Judah in 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar brought them back to Babylon and trained them for three years in the language and culture of the Babylonians. Then he made them regional governors over his kingdom. So these were men in positions of great authority, and their refusal to worship the golden idol immediately become known to the whole kingdom. Their actions were interpreted by the king, as a direct challenge to his authority. But they stood firm, because they recognized an authority even higher than king Nebuchadnezzar - the God of the Hebrews; the one true God, Yahweh. Where did their courage come from? It came from their certainty that God had the power to deliver them.
"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, ’O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’" - Daniel 3:16-18
These three men understood that all human power is subordinate to God’s power. Nebuchadnezzar was as close as you could come to an absolute monarch. And still, his power was under the Lord’s control. Although Nebuchadnezzar didn’t realize it, he could do nothing to these men that God did not explicitly permit. Listen to Jesus’ response as he stands before Pontius Pilate:
"’Where do you come from?’ he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. ’Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said. ’Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’ Jesus answered, ’You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.’" - John 19:9-11
In other words, "Pilate, this power you think you have is all an illusion. God’s got you on a leash, and you don’t even know it." What’s the point? We can draw courage and strength from the knowledge that no one can harm us without God’s permission. God is able, whenever he wishes, to deliver us. His power is greater than any human being, no matter what position they may hold. His power is greater than any group of people, any multitude of people, no matter how numerous. God’s power is greater than any human organization, or government, or institution. His power exceeds even that of angels, and demons, and Satan himself. His power is above all, and over all. He is in control. He is sovereign over all things.
What that means for me personally is that God is actively sovereign over the circumstances of my life. No one can lay a finger on me unless God permits it for His own good purposes. And if He does allow harm to come to me, he will strengthen and support me in the midst of it so that it cannot overwhelm and crush me. God is my father, and he will take care of me.
The Bible passages which speak of God’s power and his ability to protect his children are so numerous that I can only select a small sample. But listen to these assurances from God’s Holy Word:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." - Psalm 46:1-3
"The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" - Psalm 118:6
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10
The application to us is pretty straightforward. Courage comes from the conviction that God is in control. Period. God loves me, and He is able to protect me. God cares for me, and He is able to take care of me. God has saved me from sin, and He is able to deliver me out of any conceivable danger.
Some of you this morning may feel that your courage is faltering. You may not be feeling too brave right now. You’re not ready to storm the castle and rescue the princess; you’re not ready to do battle against the forces of darkness. In fact, you’d be happy if the forces of darkness would take a vacation and leave you alone for a while. You’re battered, bruised, and bleeding. You want to retreat from the battlefield that your life has become. And I know what that’s like. I know what it’s like to think to yourself, "God must have made some mistake, because if he thought I was strong enough to handle this, he was wrong. I’m not strong enough. I’m not even close to strong enough. If I had a white flag, I’d be waving it. I don’t want to win anymore, I just want out. Out of this situation, out of this relationship, out of this life." I’ve been there. But we walk by faith, not by sight, and not by feelings. And God promises that He will never allow any trial into our lives that we - he and us together - can’t handle. Greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world. Listen to the words of Christ:
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
We can take courage in the knowledge that God is in control. He has not been defeated, he has not become distracted. He is sitting on the throne, he is sovereign over all the events of our lives, and He is wisely and lovingly and actively working out all things for our ultimate good and his ultimate glory. He doesn’t make mistakes; He can’t be beaten; His love never fails; and we belong to Him. Hallelujah!
However, as much of a blessing as it is to know that God can deliver us from trouble, we know that he doesn’t always do so. Ultimately God will rescue us from every danger, he will completely destroy sin and evil, and he will raise us up to live eternally with him, in perfect joy and peace. Yet, in this present world, as Jesus says, we will have tribulation - trials, suffering, tears, sorrow, struggle. We look forward to a very different world; one in which none of those things are even a memory. But that world is not this world. In this world, we have tribulation. Listen to the book of Hebrews, chapter 11. The author first lists all the giants of faith, people who saw God do great miracles and perform great acts of deliverance for his people.
"By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; . . . By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. . . . And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies." - Hebrews 11:29-34
Sounds good, doesn’t it? What a great and powerful God we have! But read a little further:
Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. . . These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." - Hebrews 11:35-40
Both of these groups were equally obedient, equally faithful, equally trusting. But one group experienced temporal deliverance, while the other did not. What does God have planned for you? Verses 29-34, or verses 35-40? I don’t know. He does what pleases Him, according to his wisdom, and understanding, and love. Sometimes we witness a powerful deliverance in this life, and sometimes we don’t. But my point is that it doesn’t matter. Regardless of how things turn out, we can still have courage. Why? Because, as Jesus tells us, he has overcome the world. Death is not the end. Jesus Christ has risen from the grave, he has defeated death, and we who trust in Him for forgiveness of sins will also be resurrected to eternal life. Our destiny is to be completely and eternally delivered from every form of suffering. And that is why Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were able to utter verse 18 of chapter 3, one of the most profound statements of faith in the Old Testament:
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’" - Daniel 3:17-18
In other words, Nebuchadnezzar, it doesn’t really matter. God is able to rescue us, and we hope and even expect that he will. But even if he doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. Do you hear that? It doesn’t matter if God rescues them from the fiery furnace. It doesn’t matter if God delivers us out of our painful circumstances. Because our faith isn’t founded on what we think God is going to do, or on what we hope he will do, in this world. Our faith is based on who God is. And we serve a God who is infinitely more powerful than any king. We serve a good whose wisdom and knowledge are infinitely higher than any human mind. And we know - we know - beyond any doubt, that he will always do what is right, and good, and best. So do your worst, king. Do your worst, world. Knock yourself out. Give me your best shot. But I’ve read the last chapter. And we win.
Some of you here this morning will experience deliverance in this life. A spouse will come to faith, or a loved one will be healed of an illness, or you will find a husband or wife. And some of you won’t. Why does God deliver some, and not others? Why does he heal some, and not others? Yes, ultimately, we will all be delivered, and all healed, but as for here and now, why the disparity? I don’t know. Perhaps some day we’ll understand. All I know is that we can’t force his hand; we can’t manipulate him to get what we want. We can pray, and God answers prayer, but he does so only according to his own good pleasure. But what I do know is that in the end, it doesn’t really matter. Our courage, and our strength, come not from what we hope God is going to do for us in this life. Our courage, and hope, and strength, come from who God is. And God is good (all the time). God is wise. God is holy. God is sovereign. And God is our faithful, loving Father. Take courage. In this world you will have tribulation. But Jesus Christ, our lord and savior, has overcome the world.
(For an .rtf file of this and other sermons, see www.journeychurchonline.org/messages.htm)
