BOLD WAYS TO GIVE YOURSELF
Turn to Nehemiah 2
What comes to your mind when you think about boldness.
One story is told of a very bold woman.
An elderly lady was well-known in the community for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it.
She would stand on her front porch and shout
"PRAISE THE LORD!" Next door to her lived an atheist (didn’t believe in God) and he would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, "There ain’t no Lord!!"
Hard times set in on the lady, and so she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted "PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!"
The next morning the lady went out on her porch and found a large bag of groceries, she shouted, "PRAISE THE LORD." The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, "Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn’t." The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, "PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them. "
Now that lady was bold in her faith but their are many ways that we discover boldness in the Bible.
Think with me about
I. boldness as a Leader -
NehemiahGod takes someone willing to believe and He puts boldness into their bones and makes a leader out of them.
God calls people willing to lead and God gives them leadership ability.
In Nehemiah Chapter 2, Nehemiah was not the commander of a great army.
He was not a king. He did not start out as a governor...
but God took the boldness of Nehemiah ....willing to step out in boldness...and God used him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. To bring reform and restoration after the Babylonian captivity.
Nehemiah 2:1-6
1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before;
2 so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid,
3 but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"
4 The king said to me, "What is it you want?"
Then I prayed to the God of heaven,
5 and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?".... It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
V 1 tells us that Nehemiah was merely the cupbearer to the king.
He was not the brother or cousin or son...but the servant of the king. (BUT NEHEMIAH was bold.)
V 2 tells us that NEHEMIAH did something very bold ...it says that he displayed a sad heart before the king.
Now that was a no no that was a no can do..that was something that you could be severely punished for to be downtrodden in the presence of the king.
Remember that kings even went as far as to bring a jester ( a comedian if you will) into their court to
cheer the king.
But the burden of Nehemiah’s heart is great that he is boldly willing to display it before the king but also he will share his heartache when the king asks about it.
Here is the application for you and I if we will be bold enough to acknowledge that things are not right and that we want to see a change for the better ....
We have a HEAVENLY KING who will let us share our sadness or concern and then He will equip us with what we need to bring the change.
Nehemiah became a great leader of many people who would bring restoration to Jerusalem but only after He would boldly speak to the King.
Perhaps it is your marriage...
Perhaps it is your family...
A broken friendship....
You know it needs fixing and the Lord will lead you to do it if you boldly inquire of him.
Be bold as a leader who will bring the needed change.
We must lead this world to change from darkness to light. We can do it if we inquire of the king.
Be bold not only as a leader
but as a follower.
Perhaps you have heard the old saying
:lead, follow, or get out of the way?
Sometimes we need to lead but sometimes we need to FOLLOW.
II. Be bold as a follower - Just as the disciples as of Jesus were.
Look at John chapter 11
John chapter 11 tells us that Jesus dearly loved the two sisters Martha and Mary and their brother named Lazarus.
When Lazarus had become ill the sisters sent word to Jesus of Lazarus condition.
The Bible tells us that Jesus stayed two days in the place where He was when the word about Lazurus reached him and then look at v7 and watch very carefully as we reach v 16.
John 11:7-16
7 Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."
8"But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light.
10It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light."
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."
12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better."
13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,
15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
16 Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
The disciples look at Jesus in v 7 and say
"Jesus they nearly killed you last time we were in Judea...and you want to go back?"
Then Thomas speaks up with the boldness of a follower of Christ in v 16 and says
"let’s pack it up and move out and if Jesus gets killed ...we will die with him."
Now Dr. Harold Wilmington has said
"Thomas sure did not possess a whole lot of faith at this point in v 16"
but I believe Thomas possessed the boldness....
....to follow.... the one... He knew.... his life was meant to follow.
Let me ask you a question this morning....
Is it ever hard to follow Jesus?
When you go to the family reunion...or to the annual work Christmas party or when young teenagers go to a party on the weekend ....
and a whole bunch of the rest of the gang is getting drunker than a monkey....and loud...and they look at you and say
"what’s your story.... Are you square or something?"
You get made fun of for doing what is right.
You get laughed at or scorned.
Let me tell you if you are going to take a stand in this sinful world for the Lord Jesus Christ ...
It will require that you BOLDLY ..FOLLOW JESUS!
So the Bible gives to us the example of being a boldleader to bring change.
Being a bold follower to follow Christ ...even to death
III. But what about being a bold as a mover and a shaker.
We might use that sort of terminology to describe Someone who gets the job done.
Someone who soars into action.
Someone who makes solid but swift movement we call them a mover and a shaker.
The Apostle Paul was a mover and a shaker.
God moved him in ministry so may times...ol Paul’s ministry odometer had turned over at least twice I am certain.
Paul went on a missionary journey to here... and then to there and then ....the Lord said now Paul I’ve got work for you over here.
You may be moving to another ministry....
Now please understand something about being a bold mover and shaker for Jesus Christ.
Because God is moving you to another ministry DOES NOT necessarily mean you are leaving the one you are in.
Let me repeat that...
Because God is moving you to another ministry DOES NOT necessarily mean you are leaving the one you are in.
God may just be doing a Jabez in your life...
Enlarging your territory.... of ministry.
Be careful what you ask for when you ask God to enlarge your territory.
Just because God lead you to be A trustee this year is no reason for you to give up that Sunday School class God called you to teach.
Just because God called you to sing in the choir does not mean He has called you out of working with our children in the Children’s Church ministry.
As God moves you ...many times He is just enlarging your territory.
Paul was never instructed by God to cease his concern for the Corinthians...
God never told Paul to stop Caring about the Colossians.
Paul moved from place to place doing ministry but as he did...He often went back and forth between those places the Lord had him serving.
Some of you say I feel like I’m stretched already in ministry.
Listen to what spiritual wisdom Paul spoke to us in Gal 6:9
The Bible says to us...
Galatians 6
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
BE BOLD in your service to the Lord
Be a MOVER from here to there but not leaving any task undone.
IV. Be not just a mover but be BOLD also...
as a SHAKER ACTS 4
The early Christians faced persecution and yet they did not cower ...they stood tall in boldness.
They were willing to go against the grain...willing to shake the place up...If that is what needed to be done.
When Jesus Christ was crucified the Earth shook...
If Christians began to speak up with boldness...Perhaps the Lord would shake our Earth again.
Look at how Peter & John spoke up with boldness...
Acts Chapter 4
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
16"What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. ....."Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.
17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.
20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Friends we cannot be afraid to shake things up.
If God’s purpose is that we shake things up.
A snow globe is nice but it can be a rather dull thing...until you do what?....(shake it up.)
You see if we want God to move across our county ....across this state and across our world... we need to be bold enough to let things get shaken up a bit.
There is a snow globe that has been passed from generation to generation in my family. Each mother would pass it down to her daughter.
It had a Little girl out playing and she was smiling and she had on a stocking cap and a scarf and mittens. She was a darling little girl and it was a precious darling heirloom.
When my niece Annistacia became 6 years old my sister decided it was time to pass it on to her. This precious snowglobe that had been in the family for many generations.
My sister sat down and told her daughter about how it had been given to her by grandma and how grandmas mom had given it to grandma.
Annie was enchanted by the globe and she handled it like it were the most valuable item in all the world. Annie would stare into the globe at the little girl and notice that she looked so happy but still something seemed to be missing.
Annie knew what was missing...it was the snow.
But the snow could only come if Annie would shake up the globe.
Dare she do it...Think of the risks....
What if she slipped and dropped it because of sweaty palms.
What if one of her younger sisters came running into the room an knocked it to the floor.
But without the snow...It just was not complete...and so she must take the risk of shaking it up.
A lot of us want God to do something power in our lives. Yet we just can’t trust ....that shaking it might require.
A life unshaken by God..... is a life that lacks the power and awesome work of God.
How much do desire to see God at work?
...Will you boldly let Him shake you up.
Shake you out of your comfort zone...?
Let me close by quickly mentioning
V. How to love boldly
John 3:16 really does say it all.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)
No greater love has anyone ever shown than when JESUS boldly went to the cross. To die for you.
John 15
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus is the ultimate example of how to love boldly.
There was a young boy who grew up in a small town.
He was a little awkward..
He wasn’t the sharpest one around...
He wasn’t the most handsome boy around.... as a matter of fact he was sometimes made fun of about his looks, his hair, and his being just a little slow.
But he was always one of the kindest hearted persons anyone could ever know.
Next door to that awkward funny looking boy lived the most beautiful girl in the whole county.
From the day she started Kindergarten she began catching the eye of all the boys.
She was the object of all school boys affection and then she was a charming cheer leader and in highschool she was always the homecoming and prom queen.
She was such a beautiful young woman.
Now through the course of all the years that awkward boy and that beautiful girl were friends. They laughed together. Ate lunch together at school. Sometimes sat on the bus on the way home.
There was always a friendship there but that’s all it was ...a gentle friendship.
At age 19 that beautiful girl was asked my the mayor of the towns son to be marry him.
Now the mayors son was a fine catch . He was attractive and handsome in every way.
Surely any girl would be glad to have a husband like this.
The beautiful girl who had grown into a beautiful woman agreed and soon they would wed.
On the day of the wedding the awkward boy was there seated in the church. The place was packed everyone from the town was there.
People from many other states that were family and friends had driven in and then the service began.
When the vows were being read it came to the place where that beautiful girl was to say I do. She felt faint, she felt weak and there was a pause and she felt all the sudden there was a hole inside of her as big as the size of Texas.
Then it happened...the awkward young man who had lived next door all those years and had been that kind hearted friend...stepped out of the congregation. He walked down the aisle and he said to the groom ...I am very sorry and I realize this may not be totally inappropriate but there is something I need to say.
The awkward young boy who had grown into somewhat of an awkward looking man..who was still kind of made fun of in the town by people...He turned to that beautiful bride and said I need to say this...I LOVE YOU!
SO the story goes that the awkward man would marry that beautiful woman.
What is the point you might ask?
Here it is.
The man though he was awkward and to many not excepted and even though he might be shunned by the crowd...even though he might be rejected he was compelled to let nothing stop the revealing of his love.
FRIENDS IT WAS NOTHING LESS THAN A BOLD MOVE.
Jesus though He knew many would reject it...though He knew the crowds would say ....your crazy...your a farce....Jesus BOLDLY would say...I must go to the cross....I must boldly communicate my love.
DO you know that Bold Love? That Jesus gave for you.
It is a different sort of love than that of a husband and wife ...
Even different from the way a mother loves their child....But it is the greatest kind of love...
It is God’s kind of love....
Found only in Jesus Christ.
Would you boldly step out this morning and say I do not know that love because I do not know Jesus but I want to.
Then to those who know Jesus .....will you Boldly communicate that love.
To neighbors who might reject it or scowl at you.
To students at school that might cut you out of their cliche or circle of friends
To people around you at work that might think you a little weird ...
But would you say ...I must...no matter what the cost I must Boldly speak of the Love of Jesus.
What bold move is the Lord calling you to make this morning.
