ACTS 4:23-31 - NOTICE THEIR THREATS

SERIES #6: Acts of the Apostles; Witnesses to Jerusalem [1-7]

TOPIC: Power; Church, Testimony, Witness

TITLE: NOTICE THEIR THREATS - Prerequisite for Speaking with Boldness!
TEXT: Acts 4: 29-30 [23-31]

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."

CONCISE OUTLINE
INQUIRY: How did the disciples react to the threat of persecution by the Jewish leaders?

I. THE THREAT MADE THEM PROCLAIM GOD … !

A. Their faith in God

1. Openly
2. Enthusiastically

II. THE THREAT MADE THEM PRAISE GOD … !

A. Loudly!
B. Unanimously!

III. THE THREAT MADE THEM PETITIONED GOD … !

A. Powerfully

TRUTH/CONTEXT: By now we should remember …

First that the Acts of the Apostles is outlined in chapter 1 verse 8 … and second that there are three themes revealed in its contents …

1. The preeminence of the Living Lord,
2. The prominence of the Holy Spirit, and
3. The power of the authentic church

We’ll be in Jerusalem through chapter 7; we’ll then enter Judea and Samaria until chapter 13, when we begin a journey to “the remotest part of the earth.”

Last week we saw that the authentic church can’t stop speaking about what is know to be true … unless it has allowed calluses to build up on its heart, or unless it, like the church in Laodicia, has lost its first love. [Revelation 2:4]

This week we’ll see how persecution results in a fearless voice, a unified voice, and a powerful voice all working together for God’s Glory.

EXPANDED OUTLINE
INQUIRY: How did the report of persecution by the Jewish leaders affect believers?

I. THE THREAT MADE THEM PROCLAIM GOD – Fearless Voice!

For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel. [27]

A. Jesus
B. By faith
C. Openly
D. Enthusiastically

1. Considered it an honor to suffer for His name
2. Unconcerned about the consequences
3. Hungered more

E. Didn’t suggest a retreat, criticize or question the apostle’s motives, suggest they go easy, stop going to the temple, propose appeasement, or send others so they could stay home.

II. THE THREAT MADE THEM PRAISE GOD – Unified Voice!

“And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord.” [24a]

A. When the disciples reported on the threat the combined response was unified. [24]
B. Praised God

1. Loudly
2. Unanimously
3. About

a) His creative POWER! [24]
b) About His providential care! [25,28]
c) About His word and its truth! [25,26]

C. Gave God the glory

1. … here called “Sovereign Lord” …
2. recognized He is greater than “nations … peoples … kings … and rulers” [despõtes]

III. THE THREAT MADE THEM PETITIONED GOD … Powerful Voice!

"And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." [29, 30]

A. As a result they prayed boldly to God …

1. to consider the threats of His enemies
2. to grant them all confidence to proclaim the Good News
3. to continue …

a. His healing … not just the flesh but the spirit.
b. His signs and wonders …

E. Notice the use of Scripture in their worship of God [24b,25b,26]
F. Notice they don’t hesitate to call a “spade” a spade [27,28]
G. Notice they don’t cower but rather

1. Requested God would humble His enemies and
2. make bold His witnesses. [29]

H. Notice they don’t ask for boldness selfishly but rather for the benefit of others and for the glory of God! [30]
I. And notice God answered their prayers and released them with power … but for many it meant dispersion, tribulation, and death! [31]
J. Notice the request is not for power to afflict God’s enemies with His wrath but rather to extend His mercy “through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” [30]

We should covet the same.

APPLICATION:

[COMMAND] During WWII the North African Campaign was in a mess and General Montgomery was sent to clean it up. I’m told his first order was as follows: “The orders of the Commander-in-Chief will no longer be open to interpretation ... just action.”

God will not bully or threaten those He has chosen. No gun will be put to their head; they will not be drug kicking and screaming into the streets.

We may choose to obey or disobey. Yet there are those who insist they’re obedi-ent and but clearly are not! Such is the problem of the twentieth century.

Were I chosen to write the epitaph for the church of this century, I would write:

GREAT PROCLAMATION;
PROCLAMATION UNPROCLAIMED

The POWER of the church (for certain THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH) was reflected in the events that followed:

1. Immediate answer to prayer … [4:31]
2. Community … [4:32-35]
3. Barnabas … [4:36,37]
4. Ananias & Sapphira [5:1-16]
5. Followed by more persecution [5:17ff.]

CHALLENGE: The AUTHENTIC but contemporary church should expect, if it has committed itself into His hands, to be …

1. shaken
2. filled and
3. made bold.

[ARMY] A few years ago the U.S. Army unveiled a new recruitment slogan recently. The “Be All You Can Be” line, a cultural icon since the 1980s, was re-tired and replaced with “An Army of One.”

According to reports, the Army hopes the slogan will appeal to a genera-tion less attracted to military service than its predecessors.

Paul says the church has had that slogan for 2,000 years …

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:4-6

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:31

Thus we know and proclaim, “I am an army of One in Christ Jesus … undefeated and unbeatable; overcoming and victorious!”

Acts, Christianity, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons, Sermons Series

ACTS 4:19-20 [13-22]: Whether It Is Right!

SERIES #6: Acts of the Apostles; Witnesses to Jerusalem [1-7]

TOPIC: Boldness (testimony); apologetics, authenticity, experience, faith, reality
TITLE: WHETHER IT IS RIGHT: We are compelled to speak out following an experience with God!

TEXT: Acts 4:19-20 [13-22]

TRUTH/CONTEXT: If you take your relationship with God seriously you’ve spoken about that relationship to others; if you’ve spoken often, you’ve been in the apostles’ place on more than one occasion.

Our text is …

But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we can’t stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."

• And so it should be when we have knowledge of the Truth (haven’t we been set free by it).
• The apostles’ boldness confounds their accusers; after all they’re just lay people … uneducated.
• Those dealing with lies often use intimidation to silence their enemies, not to bring light into the darkness but to perpetuate the darkness and prevent the Light!
• Sadly, their intimidation often raises doubt, even in the mind of a believer.
• Yet when something is known with certainty, nothing can changes the fact or truth; like the apostles … “we can’t stop.”
• The apostles and the lame man knew what they had seen and heard and nothing would silence them.

You would agree with me that the disciples in the book of Acts had a real experience with God, wouldn’t you? You would also agree that that experience gave them boldness, wouldn’t you?

[REALITY] A friend and I were discussing something on TV the other day … they hadn’t seen what I had seen on the clip. There was no replaying it. (“Who’s telling the truth, you or my lying eyes?”) I personally knew what I had seen and heard but I quickly realized it was fruitless to push the fact be-cause the other party clearly had not seen and had not heard what I had heard.

The disciples, therefore the Church, are still in Jerusalem … they have yet to move their witness to Judea and Samaria (beginning at chapter 8) … the rest of the world must wait until chapter 13 ... which is the overview of the book.

We’ve also highlighted what we believe are the three major themes of the book.

1. Preeminence of the Living Lord!
2. Prominence of the Holy Spirit!
3. Power of the Authentic Church!
   

OPTION: Read the passage [4:13-22] while allowing for commentary …

Verse 13– "Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and under-stood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and be-gan to recognize them as having been with Jesus."

Notice: we don’t have to be ANYTHING or know ANYBODY in order to be a confident witness of the Living Lord and effect on people – notice the preeminence of the Living Lord and the potential for power in the authentic Church.
Notice also: the authentic Church is clearly recognized as having been with Jesus … it demonstrates Holy Spirit power.

Verse 14 – "And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply."

Notice: facts are not easily denied, even by the corrupt … especially miracu-lous facts.

Verses 15-18 – "But when they had ordered them to go aside out of the Council, they began to confer with one another, saying, ‘What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any man in this name.’ And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.”

Verses 21-22 – "And when they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which they might punish them) on account of the people, be-cause they were all glorifying God for what had happened; for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed."

Notice: in spite of the facts, corrupt men will go on doing corrupt things.

Verse 19 – "But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;"

Notice: every man has two choices: either God’s way or man’s way … the Christian life is a road with a fork at every turn … fear prevents godly action [lures us down the wrong path], faith promotes godly action [luring us down the appropriate path] … a war of worldviews rages.

Verse 20 – "for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard."

Notice: genuine encounters with God always compels a public response … we cannot stop speaking” what we know to be true … believers are compelled to speak.

Notice: when the authentic believer experiences an act of God or God Himself with his own senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch, etc.) a GREAT thing is required to cause them to deny that experience.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How did they acquire the certainty and boldness they now demonstrate?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. BY HAVING A REAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD!”

A. What does “real” really mean
B. true; not nominally or apparently true (the real reason for an act)
C. existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or ficti-tious (a story taken from real life)
D. being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary (the events you will see in the film are real and not just made up)
E. being actually such; not merely so-called (a real victory)
F. genuine; not counterfeit, artificial, or imitation; authentic (a real an-tique; a real diamond; real silk)
G. unfeigned or sincere; not feigned (real sympathy; a real friend)

II. BY HAVING A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD!

A. Even if something is real or true, It must be personally real or true
B. An experience with God cannot be inherited, purchased, borrowed, adopted, or learned
C. It must be personal and personally acquired
D. And these three men qualified

III. BY HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF EXPERIENCES WITH GOD!

A. a nominal experience with God would result in a nominal salvation … the recipient of such an experience is claiming to have met a savior that is nominally Jesus, but not the real Jesus
B. an apparent experience with God requires an apparent rebirth … the recipient would apparently be on Glory Road … not appealing at all
C. a fictitious experience with God could only result from a fictitious Gospel … without the Good News there is no hope, without hope there is desperation … as many have learned to their detriment there is no satis-faction in fictitious living
D. an imaginary experience with God is a denial of Christ’s atoning blood-sacrifice … since there is no remission of sin with imaginary blood there can be no be no setting free from sin and death
E. a so-called experience with God would mean a so-called victory over sin … we’d remain in our sins and my so-called preaching would be vain
F. an artificial or imitation experience with God could only hold an artifi-cial promise for the masses … what person would give their wife or mother artificial flowers on their death bed … the world is on its death bed; what father or grandfather would make imitation promises to their grandkids
G. a feigned experience with God would necessitate a feigned forgiveness of sin … there is no feigning forgiveness of sin
H. And all are without the boldness exhibited by the three men in our text.

APPLICATION: No one knowingly receives or endures abuse or persecution for a lie; reality brings with it the courage to speak of that reality …

• Peter and John wouldn’t speak boldly of an imaginary Jesus!
• They wouldn’t jeopardize their well-being over a fictitious salvation!
• They wouldn’t risk their lives for an apparent justification!
• They wouldn’t boldly preach a so-called Gospel in the presence of people they knew!

Nor could I feign a sermon for an imitation deity!

We are warned about the last days …

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Matthew 7:22-24

This is one of my great concerns; there are those who either have had no real ex-perience with God or those who’ve concocted an experience with God.

Neither can boldly proclaim the truths concerning the faith; the former don’t care, the latter can only pretend.

No one knowingly receives or endures abuse or persecution for a lie.

Reality brings the courage to speak of that reality (and bear the consequences) …

• Peter and John wouldn’t speak boldly of an imaginary Jesus!
• They wouldn’t jeopardize their well-being over a fictitious salvation!
• They wouldn’t risk their lives for an apparent justification!
• They wouldn’t boldly preach a so-called Gospel in the presence of people they knew!

Nor could I feign a sermon for an imitation deity!

It is commonly believed one of the richest mission fields in the Western World is in our churches on Sunday morning.

I pray you will examine yourself …

• Is your experience with God as real as the apostles?
• Is your experience a truly personal one?
• Do you understand the implications of a feigned relationship?

Could this explain the lack of boldness in the Western Church today?

Acts, Christianity, Expository, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Sermons, Sermons Series

ACTS 4:1-12: Of Mice and Men

SERIES: #5 Acts of the Apostles – Witnessing to Jerusalem

TOPIC: Salvation; Boldness, Forgiveness, Power, Preeminence, Regeneration
TITLE: OF MICE AND MEN - And Their Greatest Laid Plans!
[John Steinbeck by way of Robert Burns' famous poem, To a Mouse, which is often quoted as: "The best-laid plans of mice and men go oft awry (or astray)."]

TEXT: Acts 4:12 (1-12)

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”

[E-MAIL] My first e-mail address was acts_412; I choose that address because of what this verse means to me personally.

You see because of my background I identified with Peter and Paul … you know “the Foot ‘n’ Mouth” twins.

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Series Reminders – A Book of three acts 1) Jerusalem [1-7], 2) Judea & Samaria [8-12], 3) remotest parts of the earth [13-28]; A Book of three themes 1) Preeminence 2) Prominence 3) Power of Authentic Church

Several things to notice …

• Notice the arrested; not only Peter and John were arrested but the healed man as well. [v. 10]
• Notice the reason; speaking to “the people” disturbed the authorities. [v.1]
• Notice the taboo;

the apostles were preaching “the resurrection (of) the dead”

the Sadducees did not believe in an afterlife. [vv.1, 2]

• Notice the power; “in Jesus.” [v.2]
• Notice the fruit; “men … five thousand.” [v.4]
• Notice the arrogance; “they began to inquire, ‘By what power, or in what name, have you done this?’” … no concern for the man or the miracle
• an acknowledgement the miracle took place. [v.7]
• Notice the preacher; … he’s the same one who denied Christ three times …
• Notice the answer; Peter’s third sermon in a few days [vv. 8-12; ]
• Notice the attitude; they were Spirit-filled but courteous, guided in truth and power
• Notice the apostle threw the issue back in the accusers laps …
• Notice Peter’s Sermon

1. “if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man”
2. “by this name … this man [was] healed.”
3. “let it be known to all of you, and all the people of Israel”
4. It was “this name”…

• “whom you crucified.”
• “whom God raised from the dead.”

• Draws from the OT: “He is the stone …”, notice the tense and the change to a definite pronoun

1. Psalm 118:22 –

[He is ] The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.

2. a known psalm
3. a temple song
4. written during temple construction
5. quoted 6x in New Testament …
6. 3x by Jesus Himself [cf. Mark:12:10; Luke 20:17]

• Notice; also that builders rejected, not merchants or artisans or farmers or shepherds … a clear slap at those responsible for building
• Notice: the punctuation ending verse 12! A mark to end all marks! “by which we must be saved”

Bottom-line –

1. the power that delivered the man from his affliction came not from man but from God … all agree because it was universally understood such power could only be from divine;
2. by definition, deliverance from sin and from hell requires an even greater power … that power is still ours! It comes with some stipulations - courtesy, honesty, etc.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What should be learned from the experience of Peter and John?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. WE SHOULD LEARN - WHEN GOD USES US AS HANDS OF HEALING

A. We might be apprehended for it
B. And we might be detained because of it
C. Whether legal and illegal

II. WE SHOULD LEARN - WHEN GOD USES US AS FEET TO THE LOST

A. We might be interrogated

1. We must be prepared to answer
2. We must use God’s Word to answer

B. And we might be persecuted

1. We must be prepared to respond
2. We must be prepared to suffer

III. WE SHOULD LEARN WHEN GOD USES US AS VOICES OF DECREE

A. We must nor fear to confirm

1. His calling
2. His decree

B. And must know who is to be proclaimed

1. There is “no one else”
2. There is “none other name”
3. “by which we must be saved”

APPLICATION: What can we expect in times like ours? Are our times that much different than the times of our text?

We can expect when we approach life in that name …

1. Efforts to silence us! [v.1]
2. Efforts to stir-up those with an opposing worldview! [2]
3. Yet we should expect abundant fruit … if Christ is preached! [4]
4. Arrogant, intolerant, and hypocritical treatment by those who disagree! [7b]
5. Yet we should expect the same power in us if we will just “give heed to Him” [8a; also a theme of series message #4]

How are we to respond? Keep quiet and take the politically correct route or …

[NEW SHERIFF] The Six Shooter was an extremely popular western, broadcast on NBC radio from 1953-54. Jimmy Stewart starred as Britt Ponsett, a Texas plainsman who was know as The Six Shooter.

On one broadcast (“The New Sheriff”; 6/10/54) Britt called a bully’s bluff … even though his gun was several feet away on a dresser. In his signature style, Stewart (as Ponsett) told the tough he could draw his gun anytime he wanted. The surprised crook stammered, “B-b-b-but you a-a-a-ain’t got your six-shooter.” Ponsett stepped toward the thug and drawled, “Things might not work out the way you think they will.” The Six Shooter’s bold confidence made the two-bit thug turn and run.

[DUEL AT LOCKWOOD] From the same program a tee-aged killer went after The Six Shooter in a town called Lockwood … he bragged to everyone if he ran into Ponsett he’d kill him. Well Britt showed up one day and he heard the quiet gunman had come to town, so he sent a messenger to warn Ponsett he was on his way. Ponsett didn’t wait … he rode out on the trail and waited for the kid on the trail.

The gunman found Ponsett sitting on his horse waiting for him; he asked, “Who are you?” He said, “Britt Ponsett” and laid a shotgun over his saddle as the tough started to draw. And he drawled slowly, “Why are you stopping? Go ahead, draw!”

Fantasies concerning life and its living are common to all people … one of mine is stepping toward the next illogical, irrational, relativistic humanist or atheist and saying, “Things might not work out the way you think they will.”

Only in my vision the rascal doesn’t turn and run; instead he comes under conviction, drops to his knees and pleads of God’s forgiveness.

CHALLENGE: Clearly, there is a present need for more boldness amongst the Body of Christ. Jesus didn’t die in order for us to become doormats for every godless heathen we encounter. After all, Jesus was not always the easy-going man popular mythology pictures! [Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-17]

But I declare a truth to you; our fears are not due to obedience but disobedience … a greater fear of man than of God, a greater concern for the horizontal rather than the vertical.

I fear many of our brothers and sisters have become so fearful of the world and its minions they’ve been rendered stingerless in the battle for souls.

In spite of that we must also be …

1. Courteous! [8b]
2. Honest! [10]
3. Bold! [9,11]
4. Biblical! [11]
5. But powerful
6. And fearless! [12]

Somehow, we must train up men and women of greater courage Who will ignore political correctness and shun

• The lust of the flesh
• The lust of the eyes
• And the boastful pride of life

While we were yet sinners ...

Christianity, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

NUMBERS: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne, California, or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

6:23-27

INVOKING GOD'S NAME - Remembering the Lord's Blessing!

14:8-9

WORDS TO LIVE BY - Facing the Unknown with Emmanuel?

quick link: NUMBERS Seed Archive (INACTIVE AT THIS TIME)

Expository, Homiletics, Numbers,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

TOPICAL (A-Z) - Seed Archive

Culture

About 15 years ago, I wrote a quick note to myself in the form of a sermon seed for use sometime in the future. I don't recall what prompted it but it was out of my prophetic voice, I'm sure! At the time I wrote it, 9/11 and all of its baggage was still future.

TOPIC: Cultural decay; Sin, Worldviews

TITLE: A DYSFUNCTIONAL KINGDOM - Three Deadly Diseases

A kingdom without a king is just a land filled with people in search of a leader.

[VET] An acronym with many ties ... here it stands for Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, and Terrorism

TEXT: 1 John 2:15-16

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

TRUTH: Three contemporary social diseases which find their roots in "self" are having a horrible impact on Western Civilization.

I. VOYEURISM - "the lust of the eyes"

1. A person who derives sexual gratification from observing the naked bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret vantage point
2. An obsessive observer of sordid or sensational subjects

The modern addiction to the visual is symtomatic; TV, porn, entertainment, etc.

II. EXHIBITIONISM - "the lust of the flesh"

1. Extravagant and conspicuous behavior intended to attract attention to yourself
2. The perverse act of exposing and attracting attention to your own genitals

Britany Spears, Paris Hilton, rock musicians, politicians, even the mega-church and emergent movements are part of it.

III. TERRORISM - "the boastful pride of life"

1. The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes
2. The state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization
3. A method of governing or of resisting a government
   

Here our need to dominate rather than serve others is seen.

Easter

TITLE: FROM THE WOMB TO THE TOMB - An Empty Message!
TEXT: Various

FOUNDATION INQUIRY: Various

I. An Empty World! [John 3:16,17] ... a world without light!
II. An Empty Womb! [Luke 2:6,7] ... a Savior born!
III. An Empty Manger! [Mark 1:14,15] ... a child now a man!
IV. An Empty Colt! [Zechariah 9:9; John 12:14,15] ... a triumphal entry!
V. An Empty Cross! [John 19:31-38] ... a ransom paid! *
VI. An Empty Tomb! [John 20:1-10] ... a forerunner leaves!
VII. An Empty Church! [2 Thes. 2:1-3a; see also 1 Thes. 4:13-17 and also Rev.4-22] ... a raptured body!

[*CROSS] One significant difference between the Roman church and the protesting church is Jesus on the Cross! While there is nothing inherently wrong with the use of the Christ on the Cross as a symbol of one's faith (it's no worse than Jesus in the manger at Christmas time), yet it smacks of an incomplete view of the works of Jesus and diminishes His Second Coming!

Fear

TITLE: Redemption - How It Dispels Fear!*

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: From what fears are the redeemed freed?

I. We are Freed from the Fear of God - since He is reconciled! [Romans 5:10]
II. We are Freed from the Fear of Law - since it is satisfied! [Romans 3:21,22]
III. We are Freed from the Fear of Judgment - since it is past! [John 5:24]
IV. We are Freed from the Fear of Death - since it is vanquished! [1 Cor. 15:55-57]
V. We are Freed from the Fear of Hell - since it is conquered! [Hebrews 2:3]

[* From a message by Keith L Brooks; The King's Business (January 1922) p.40]


Wordless Book, The

[Editor's note: for those who aren't familiar with this book - it is a very old witnessing tool, used to share the gospel for well over two hundred years; each page is a different color, each color represents a different element of the Good News, some use more colors, some less, some use different colors, and some use different biblical text; it can be preached as one message with four or more points or a series, one message for each point.]

TITLE: The Whole Gospel and Nothing But the Gospel, So Help Me God!

[Editor's note: paraphrase of the vow made when a witness is sworn in by an American court]

I. Black: Sin [Romans 3:23]
II. Red: Blood of Christ/Cleansing [1 John 1:7b]
III. White: New Life [Ps. 51:7b]
III. Baptism [Acts 2:41]
IV. Green: Growth in Christ [2 Pet. 3:13]
V. Gold: Heaven [John 14:2]

Homiletics, Preaching, Sermons

NUMBERS 14:8-9 - Words to Live By!

TOPIC: Fear (of the Unknown); New Years, Rebellion, Unbelief
TITLE: WORDS TO LIVE BY - Facing the Unknown with Emmanuel?

TEXT:

"If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us - a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection [Lit. shadow ] has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."

TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: Each New Year I seem driven to take a hard look at what's behind and ahead ... you? I want to take a hard look at this New Year for a variety of reasons; some practical, some spiritual, but mostly in light of the proverb - "If you're not a part of the solution, you're a big part of the problem."

Sin and human frailty give people short memories relative to historical hardship and experience.

The spies have returned and given their report; five to one against. That's the bottom-line. The people, blame God and want Moses and Aaron stoned. (Miriam? Is this a case of collective Chauvinism?)

In our effort see if we are a part of the solution or the problem we are going to do some roll play; God will play the part of Moses, Dan and I will play the parts of Joshua and Caleb, and ya'al will be the ten negative and the Hebrew children ... who wants to be Aaron.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: In the face of an enemy, what consequences arise from a lack of trust in God versus a blind trust in Him?

I. THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISTRUST ARE CLEARLY SEEN IN ITS ...

A. Leading to Behavior Based on Emotion [vv. 1-3, 10, 40-45]

B. Leading to a Fear of the Temporal [vv. 1-3, 9]

C. Leading to a Loss of Life

"What profit is it ..." [Luke 9:23-25]

D. Leading to an Injurious Relationship with Others
E. Every tribe and family suffered because of the unbelief of eight men!

II. THE CONSEQUENCES OF TRUST ARE CLEARLY SEEN IN ITS ...

A. Leading to Behavior Based on Humility and Wisdom [vv. 5, 20-21]

1. Giving Him recognition [v. 17]
2. Proclaiming His attributes [vv. 18, 19]

B. Leading to a Fear of God [Pro. 1:7]

Who should we fear ... ? [Matthew 10:28]

C. Leading to ...

1. An Extended Temporal Existence [vv. 24, 30, 36-37]
2. An Endless Eternal Existence [Luke 9:26]

D. Revealing ...

1. Apart from Him ... [John 15:5]
2. If you're not with Him, then He is not "Emmanuel" for you! [Num 14:42]

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: With this New Year before us, we are confronted with a challenge similar to that of the Hebrew children in the Wilderness.

In three short years we've had 9/11, the wars in Afghanistan and in Iraq, the Florida-four (four class four hurricanes in three months' time), the stress of Champaign 2004, and now the Christmas Tsunami.

What can we expect in the next year? Truthfully? We have no way of knowing, yet it is probable we can expect more of the same.

After all we still have the ongoing war in Iraq, the nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, and Syria's involvement in the insurgency; the surprising increase in anti-Americanism, Antisemitism, and anti-Christianism; mainland China and Taiwan, an phenomenal increase in ungodliness (pornography, sexual perversion, judicial activism, unresponsive elected officials, corruption, graft, greed, and pridefulness.

"So, pastor, that's your encouragement for the New Year?"

[ASSURANCE] Charles Ellis is a tremendous sports fan. He videotapes his favorites while he is away at work.

When it's time to sit in his easy chair and view the tape, he doesn't start at the beginning. Instead he fast-forwards to the end to discover who won. If his team lost he puts the tape away, but if his team won he'll rewind, get some snacks, and watch the whole thing.

Some have laughed at this. But he says, no matter how bad his team looks, he never worries … he knows the ending.

When it comes to our faith, we ought to have a VCR mentality: no matter how bad things look, we know how it ends. [adapted from Perfect Illustrations, p. 13]

[DAILY OBEDIENCE] When Anne Graham Lotz and her husband attend football games at the University of North Carolina, people cram the entrances and she can't see where she's going.

Her husband, at 6’7”, can see over the crowd, so he takes her hand and leads her to their seats. "The way I get from the car to my seat is just by holding his hand and following him closely through the crowd," she says.

She uses the same procedure with the Lord. “I just try to faithfully follow the Lord step by step and day by day,” she says. “Ten years from now, I just want to look back and know that to the best of my ability I have been obedient to God's call on my life.”

[Randy Bishop, “Just Give Me Jesus,” Christian Reader (September / October 2000), p. 25; via Perfect Illustrations, ibid. p. 62]

God has sent the church into the world to check it out, and her witnesses [Heb 12:1] have returned with their report on the enemy's strength and capability.

Where are you in this? In the 17% solution (1 in 6) or in the 83% problem (5 in 6)?

Christianity, Homiletics, Numbers,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

JOB 14:14 - Between Heaven & Earth!

TOPIC: Coping; despair, endurance, light, patience, perseverance, purity, suffering, submission, trials
TITLE: BETWEEN HEAVEN & EARTH – Four Reasons for Our Sojourn!

TEXT:

If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait,
Until my change comes.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is the purpose for our protracted stay?

TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: Job may be the oldest book in the Bible. Chronologically, Job probably lived closer to the flood and creation than Moses (who wrote the first five books of the Old Testament); which means his understanding of God was at least as good as Moses, if not better!

The book has sweeping application ... we all reap heartache and toil in this life, thus a universal need exists among men. It's a reminder:

1. of man's inability to cope with suffering alone,
2. of man's inadequacy to earn approval through effort,
3. of man's impaired understanding of the things of God, as-well-as a reminder that ...
4. man's pride widens the gulf between himself and his God.

Man's word increases despair in the midst of need, God's word is a timely answer for every need; man’s word increases darkness, God's word is light.

Job's friends embody the widely accepted notion that struggle indicates something is wrong with the person or their life!

God answers the need of Job's heart, spreading light in the midst of his suffering.

Redeemed man is caught ...

• somewhere between heaven and earth,
• somewhere between the temporal and the eternal,
• somewhere between the natural and the supernatural

... still in this world but not of it ... and so the redeemed of God live by and on His grace, longing for certainty concerning an after-life. [cf. Philippians 1:21]

Man fears death because of uncertain future. When we cut down a tree, it may sprout again. When we're cut down, will we sprout again? If so, why doesn't God take us home at the time of our rebirth?

Job makes two points in v. 14: first, the promise of resurrection (he says: 'until my change comes,' in answer to his own question 'will he live again'); second, the purpose for our hiatus here ('all the days of my struggle / will wait').

Let's address the latter ...

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is the purpose for our protracted stay?

I. OUR STAY MAKES HEAVEN MORE HEAVENLY!

A. Nothing makes a time of rest as sweet as healthy toil
B. Nothing makes safety as desirable as exposure to threat
C. The polluted streams here only sweeten the promised nectar of glory
D. Our pock-marked paths pale in the radiance of heaven's golden highways and
E. Our battered armor only renders more wonderful the victory to come, when we are welcomed into the congregation of overcomers.

[GOLD] Purity comes with time and toil. The higher the quality of gold, the more
trying has been its journey. In the jewelry industry, worth is based on purity.

II. OUR STAY ALLOWS US TO EXPERIENCE FULL FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST!

Fellowship with Christ is so desirable the worst sorrow is a small price for procuring it. Our fellowship with Jesus would not be full or complete fellowship if we were not to tarry awhile.

He was baptized with a baptism of suffering among men (He bore our stripes); thus, we likewise must be baptized with tribulation, if we would share a sense of His kingdom. [cf. Philippians 1:29]

III. OUR STAY IS FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS!

Why would we want to enter heaven before our work is finished? It may be we're yet commissioned to bear the gospel-light to one who yet cowers in the midnight of their own wilderness.

IV. OUR STAY IS ALSO FOR GOD'S GLORY!

Paul said we are God's workmanship, in which, by our trials in service, He will be glorified ... that we hold out against the testing of our faith with joy is His glory.

[SPURGEON] "A tried saint, like a well-cut diamond, glitters much in the King's
crown." Nothing honors a man as much as the testing of his work. [cf. James
1]

I believe it is the Westminster Catechism which says, "The chief end of man is to glorify God."

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Each man must surrender his concerns to the glory of Jesus, and proclaim, "if lying in the dust of this age elevates my Lord by so much as a micron, let me remain choking and prostrate until the end." Or, "if living on earth forever would procure more glory for Him, then let it be my heaven to be excluded from heaven." [Charles Haddon Spurgeon, paraphrased]

Expository, Homiletics, Job 14:14,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons, Trials