Fearless Witness for Christ

Today we’re picking up where we left off last week. In Luke chapter 12, straight from the teaching of Jesus to his disciples, we’re discussing… Christian faithfulness in the face of hypocritical religion and a hostile world, even with the prospect of persecution and death.

Luke 12:1–12 ESV

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Fearless Integrity in Christ (vv. 1-7)

The Disciple’s Conflict - Religious Hypocrisy

The Disciple’s Comfort - Fearing God, Who Judges Justly & Cares for His Own

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Fearless Witness for Christ (vv. 8-12)

The context is not caving to religious hypocrisy, despite their pressure on you. Acknowledging Christ is not fearing man but God, even though they have the power to put you to death, even though they will drag you before their religious authorities and their political authorities.

Surely we can’t miss that this is precisely what took place with Jesus. Jesus wasn’t mere talk. He submitted to the will of the Father, to the glory of God and the good of man.

So as we proceed onward with…

The Disciple’s Confession - Jesus Is the Savior

…we must not miss that the context is still the danger of hypocrisy and the reality of hostility (from both religiosity and worldliness).

Confess (or acknowledge) = (a Gk word that means) to profess publicly

We find here a convenient connection with our celebration this evening of believers’ baptism: Baptism is public proclamation of identification with Christ, an outward expression of what has taken place inwardly.

(However, it should be noted here that…) Confessing Christ is not a one-time public act but a way of life. In fact, the point is continuing to confess under duress, even when they pressure you to do otherwise.

Jesus knew the precise truth of which he spoke. Not only, as we mentioned, is this exactly what would take place in his own ministry for us—that he would not back down from the mission the Father had given him. But also this very thing began to immediately take in the earliest days of the birth of His Church. Luke records in Acts (chapter 4) how, after the Holy Spirit had come upon the Apostles and other disciples and a great stir erupted in Jerusalem by many putting their faith in Jesus (and the Holy Spirit performing miracles of healing through the Apostles—specifically noted is healing a man who was crippled from birth (ch. 3)—the Sanhedrin and even the High Priest bring Peter and John before them and try to intimidate them into being silent about Jesus. How well does that work?

Acts 4:19–20 ESV

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Back in Luke 12, as Jesus is instructing his disciples (with others undoubtedly listening in), the emphasis here is also on heralding, proclaiming, witnessing, testifying about Christ.

The picture is one of a two courts: one is an earthly court and the other a heavenly court. The question at stake is one of judgment. To be condemned by men is of little consequence. (This doesn’t deny the reality that it feels major to us at the time, but the point is to make the weighted comparison: see vv. 4-5.) Comparatively, then, we need not fear men because their judgment is of little consequence, but the righteous judgment of God should be our greatest concern.

In the context of the earthly court, then, for those who demonstrate their own faith by boldly testifying concerning the truth that Jesus is in fact the Messiah, the Savior humanity needs, and that he died for sin and rose again, for them there is a corresponding promise. Christ will be your advocate at the judgment seat of God (before the Holy angels). And this isn’t some kind of [fingers crossed], ooooh, I hope this is enough to secure my acquittal. No, Christ’s advocacy is perfectly complete and sufficient to guarantee that the Father will judge according to Christ’s defense of you. Because Jesus will in effect be saying, not their own work, but my work, secures their redemption. And the Father who judges justly, who himself planned the arrangement for Christ to be the rescuer of those who belong to him by faith, will judge us according to Christ’s righteousness and not according to our sin.

There is assurance, and therefore confidence, for the one who knows now that being in Christ guarantees our inheritance. Such a person can have fearless integrity and fearless witness in earthly courts.

The opposite is also true. (Now this is vv. 9&10.) Jesus gives a dramatic warning, followed by an explanation, concerning those who would deny him in the courts of men. Although they themselves have heard the testimony about Jesus (even the evidence of his very presence before their eyes in the current context), but are choosing to reject it. They prove themselves hypocrites concerning the truths of God. They deny the plain evidence of Christ’s fulfillment of OT promises. They prove about themselves that they fear man and love the world more than they fear God and love him. For such a one (who obstinately denies him), Jesus acts as not defense lawyer (not their advocate) but as prosecutor in the heavenly courts, at the judgment, of their guilt.

As I said, Jesus goes on to explain their ultimate rejection and denial of him as something worse than even mere words spoken against him personally at a given point in time. One might say something against the Savior at some point and still be forgiven, if they repent and believe, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven because they are stubbornly rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the one sent from the Father to be the promised messianic king, the Savior of the world.

The best understanding of this dynamic Jesus describes (denial, blasphemy of the Spirit) is almost certainly explained as “the totality of a person’s response to the Spirit, not just a moment in it” (Bock, 1141). The difference can be illustrated from the lives of two of the disciples: Peter’s denial vs Judas’s betrayal. Darrell Bock explains:

“Peter did deny Jesus publicly three times, but he regretted his act and responded later with numerous public declarations of Jesus. Judas denied Jesus through betrayal and was tormented by his decision. Nevertheless, Judas’s response was inadequate; rather than declaring Jesus, he committed suicide. Peter’s denial was one of nerve, which was later dramatically reversed. Judas’s denial was one of the heart. Thus Judas—not Peter—better illustrates this verse.” (1140)

The majority of the religious leaders are also emblematic of this fixed rejection (a life of denial). They are hypocrites who fear men. They love the world, not God. In fact, the context for them is one of attributing the Spirit’s evidence of who Jesus is to the power of Satan rather than God. In Matthew and Mark, this saying from Jesus about blasphemy of the Spirit comes in the context of the Beelzebub controversy, and in Luke we are not far removed from it either (11:14-16). But to limit blasphemy of the Spirit to only seeing Jesus’ work as coming from Satan seems to ignore the broader scope here in Luke, as well as in Matthew. Just before the statement that blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31-32), Jesus declares “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matt 12:30).

“The concept that unites the three passages is the rejection of allegiance to Jesus, whether because one fears people’s response or one attributes Jesus’ work to Satan.” (Bock, 1143) Blasphemy of the Spirit, then, as we have seen, is best understood as an obstinate rejection, the “totality of a person’s response” to the Spirit’s testimony concerning Jesus. Once this testimony is permanently refused, there can be no forgiveness since God’s plan has been rejected.

But for those who place their faith not in themselves but in God… for those whose confident trust is in God through the work of Jesus Christ, forgiveness is assured, secure. And then the forthright demonstration of trusting God is to confess that Jesus is the Christ before men, no matter what they may do to you.

But the reality is that the truth we know and therefore confess doesn’t remove the heat, the pressure, of persecution (from religious hypocrites and their hostility, or hostility from those who are worldly). In fact, our faithfulness seem to only turns up the heat. So Jesus comforts his followers that they can have courage when brought before earthly courts because the indwelling Holy Spirit will teach the true believer the words to say at that time. That’s vv. 11&12.

The Disciple’s Courage - The Indwelling Holy Spirit

Jesus comforts his followers that they can have courage when brought before earthly courts because the indwelling Holy Spirit will teach the true believer the words to say at the very hour they need it.

“When” they bring you before the synagogues (where the Jewish religious authorities rule… the local courts) and even before the rulers and authorities (this is most likely a reference to Roman rule, Roman courts, where even harsher and greater punishments could be meted out). Not if… when. So they could anticipate standing before the courts of men bceause they have been declaring the truths concerning Jesus and doing good to men.

He tells them not to be anxious about specific details of how they should defend themselves or what they should say. The promise Jesus gives for their comfort and courage is that the Holy Spirit will provide them with what to say, he will guide them in replying to questioners.

Later, Jesus doubles down on this point. When He is describing to them some of the things concerning the eschatological end, Jesus says that for them something else will happen first:

Luke 21:12–13 ESV

But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

Luke 21:14–15 ESV

Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

The point, of course, is not to be lazy and uninformed. This is not an argument against being well-studied in the teachings and truth about Jesus. The “Inspiration [from the Spirit] does not… imply lack of general preparation or discipline in the subject about which one speaks; disciples memorized the sayings of their teachers in both Jewish and Greek culture, and Jesus’ disciples would know his teaching as well as being inspired by the Spirit.” -Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 12:12.

And Peter himself later speaks to this effect, that we should in fact be prepared with Gospel clarity:

1 Peter 3:14–16 ESV

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Peter’s goal seems to be to tell believers that they should in fact be prepared with a clear explanation of the gospel, which is in fact a rational explanation for our faith and the reason we live the way that we do.

So when Jesus tells them that persecution is coming, he doesn’t want them to fret in such a way that concerning themselves with the specifics of how they will answer should distract from faithful ministry every day. Don’t invest emotional energy nor even brain power into being anxious about persecution. Always be ready with the Gospel. Then when persecution comes, the Holy Spirit will give you not only the courage but the exact words to be true to Christ under pressure.

Whatever Jesus promises can be relied on.

Let’s go back to our example of what happens in Acts 4. Peter and John have been brought before the Jewish religious authorities, but this takes place before they are told to be silent and then Peter gave the previous answer we looked at. What I want to point out to you here, earlier in chapter 4, is exactly what Jesus promised: When asked, “By what power and by what name did you do this?” (4:7) …heal the man lame from birth (3:2ff.). Peter, Acts 4:8, “filled with the Holy Spirit” gives the following hard-hitting, God-glorifying, Gospel-crystallizing response:

Acts 4:8–12 ESV

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Where did Peter get the courage to speak like that, with that kind of respect and yet with boldness and directness, to the very ones who had the authority to make their lives miserable? The answer: the indwelling Spirit’s guidance and power giving him the very words to say at the moment of need.

Jesus kept every promise to his disciples. Jesus keeps all his promises to us even now. And Jesus will keep every promise he has made concerning the completion of all things.

Therefore we can have fearless integrity in Christ. And we can be fearless witness for Christ. We need not fear the conflict with those whose power is limited to this life. God holds authority over eternal life, and we can be confident that we are his, entrusting ourselves to a caring Father. With that comfort and assurance we can and must confess publicly, with our whole lives, that Jesus is Lord—the only Savior. And if that public confession leads to persecution, and it will, we need not fear the outcome from men nor even be anxious over the specifics of how we will answer, because the Holy Spirit Jesus gives to his people will grant us courage and guide us in boldly proclaiming the truth under such pressure.

When Peter and John were threatened and released, they went back to the church and told them all that had happened. Instead of quaking in fear, together they were united and committed themselves to the Lord in prayer. And their prayer can be ours in this day as well:

Acts 4:29 ESV

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

[Closing Prayer] Yes, Lord. Because of what Christ has already accomplished and what he has promised, we pray: Consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. And may we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Receive all the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. [c.f. 2 Pet. 3:18]

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