Bold Witness
Notes
Transcript
Handout
During the Reformation, Martin Luther took a courageous stand against the Church’s corruption by posting his 95 Theses. His beliefs were widely unpopular, leading to excommunication. Yet, Luther’s bold testimony ignited a movement that redefined Christianity. His example teaches us that boldly proclaiming what we believe, even when it’s unpopular, can inspire others and lead to a significant transformation in the faith community and beyond.
During this time ~ and since, this act by Luther has been viewed by most as a “Rebellion” against the Catholic Church. This was not the case at all. Luther had no intention of leaving the Roman Catholic faith, rather, his passion was to restore integrity to the church. His 95 Theses were not a declaration of revolt, but rather that of “come, let us reason together…” This was a common practice of the time to post one’s grievances publicly to allow all parties to “reason together.” He wished for civil and Godly discourse, he got excommunicated and thus created the Lutheran Church. This was by no means a public rebellion, rather a call for the restoration of holiness before God in His Church.
He is fortunate that he was merely excommunicated rather than executed as not unheard of for those who opposed the church.
The Power of Testimony
The Power of Testimony
We, like Luther stand in a time where the holiness of God has been under attack. Not just in society but in the church as well. Social Media is filled with “Progressive Pastors” who are adulterating “God’s love” as not only ‘acceptance’ of those things that Scripture blatantly describes as “abominations,” but castigating any ~ especially those of faith who disagree with their positions.
We are in perilous times. We have all of the signs of the end of the age. I have had my FaceBook feed filled with posts about a guy named “Abdullah Hashim” who is proclaiming himself as “the long awaited Savior of Mankind.” He also proclaims himself as the “rightful pope.” Now that Pope Francis has passed, we will have another pope in waiting as the conclave will commence shortly. We have wars in the Middle East, Ukraine - other conflicts always arising around the world.
President Trump ~ love him or hate him is not making friends around the world. His economic and immigration policies could fix the nation or cause us to self-destruct ~ which many around the world are hoping will happen.
These are the times that appear to be prophesied as the “end times.” I know. We’ve heard that before. We have the makings of a one-world government in the making, false prophets and anti-christs popping up and proclaiming “evil as good and good as evil,” wars and rumors of wars, pestilences, diseases in diverse places. Weird weather patterns. All things that are mentioned to tell us to make ourselves ready. Jesus, the Christ, The True Messiah, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is returning soon.
So where does that leave us?
The Church today has been neutered by its’ own lack of Holiness, its’ apathy, its’ horrible attempts at “relevance” to today’s society. We have engaged in “seeker friendly” endeavors with the only real motivation being to gain more attenders while failing in our one and only mission. That to “make disciples of all the world…”
We have failed our Risen Lord individually and corporately and now is the time for the Church to repent and return to our First Love, the Lord, Jesus Christ. We need to regain our passion for Christ, our love for one another and our love for the world because, we have forgotten, “For God so loved the world…”
1. Boldness in Obedience
1. Boldness in Obedience
So, where do we start? The early Church. What better example? Jesus had ascended to the Father, He had given the Holy Spirit and commissioned them to “go into all the world…” So, not knowing any better, they did. ~ in most cases at great peril to themselves and to those that they loved, because Holiness and Godliness is NEVER popular.
In many cases then, and I venture to guess soon enough for us, popularity will yield to legal issues as well. ~ In many places that is already very true.
I think it best to let us know up front what we are in for…
Acts 5:27-29
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,
28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
You have to understand, Peter and the Apostles were preaching Jesus. No problems right? Well, you may be wondering what got them to this point…
Funny story…
First, at the beginning of the chapter something happened to Ananias and Sapphira…
Then, as one may imagine, well let’s read :
Acts 5:11-16
11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.
13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
So, people were getting healed, people were getting saved, people really liked the Apostles…
What could go wrong?
Well, not everyone was happy…
Let’s read on in
Acts 5:17-26
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy
18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
Now, that’s a problem. You think we’ve got an “illegal detention” problem today? Well…
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,
20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”
21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
Now, this part of the story is a bit triggering to me. As an officer, highly trained in security practices, working in a maximum security prison, “escapes” tend to get me going. I mean, I’m heading to get geared up and go find me someone! So, they were supposed to be in a jail cell, but…
they were in the temple preaching!
As a trained professional, this is not a great “escape plan....” You know where they are going to look first!
Acts 5:22-26
22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,
23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.”
24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.
25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
So here they are, busted out of prison, preaching in the temple, and they get busted again!
Acts 5:28-29
28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
2. Boldness Empowered by the Spirit
2. Boldness Empowered by the Spirit
I don’t know, but this kind of harassment could be discouraging to some. But Peter, doubles down. WE aren’t obeying man, we are obeying God! But, that wasn’t enough for dear ole’ Pete! He steps it up even more!
Acts 5:30-32
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Let’s really get what got into Peter.
Jesus was raised from the dead.
He came and restored Peter and loved him like he had never been loved before.
Peter heard the Words of Jesus and watched every single one of them come to pass.
He was there as Jesus was Glorified ~ even if Peter was a bit of a knucklehead.
He was there when Lazarus was raised from the dead.
He was there when Jesus ascended to Heaven.
He was there when the Holy Spirit was poured out.
He was just a simple fisherman, filled with the Holy Spirit and preaches his first message and 5000 people are saved.
He gets arrested and angels bust him out of prison.
I think he has some reason to be a little bold! But man!
30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
3. Boldness in Hope of Return
3. Boldness in Hope of Return
Peter ~ and the Apostles understood the risks. They watched as Jesus was scourged. They watched as the people chose Barrabbas. They watched as the Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the Cross. They watched Him bleed and die. They knew the cost. It wasn’t lost on them.
When Jesus took the bread and wine, and said, “This is my body, this is my blood…” and then said, “Do This!” ~ They knew that this wasn’t just dinner He was talking about. It was all of it. Living and dying ~ maybe horribly. But they also knew now, that there was more! Much more!
Revelation 1:7-8
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
He is coming again. It may be sooner than we think. How will he find His Church? With empty lamps? Asleep? Indifferent to the world around us? Or rising up, being the people of God that He has called us to be. Doing the work that He has called us to do.
We have a job to do. I can’t fix immigration, the economy, the war in Ukraine, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, but I can preach the Good News of Jesus to those who I come in contact with today and tomorrow, and onward.
Aren’t God’s promises forever?
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
He is with us! Jesus even reiterated that same message in the Great Commission:
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
It takes courage to stand up and be counted, but it takes more courage to keep standing up after you have been counted.
Anonymous
The stories of past courage . . . can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.
John F. Kennedy
Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. —G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
Gilbert Keith Chesterton (Poet and Essayist)
