Wednesday, May 15, 2019

A Bold Witness for Christ

Whenever I look back over the history of a church that has stood for Christ for many years, I’m intensely interested in why and how.  And I’m always looking for the signs that mark the health of a church.  Those signs can be summed-up in one phrase:  Bold Witness. 
When a church is an organization it will die like any other man-made thing.  But when a church is a sold-out for Christ body it will grow, and thrive, and stand as a beacon of the Gospel.  But that will only last so long as it keeps that mission of being a bold witness for Christ on the front burner!
The question we want to look at this morning is:  How can the church be a bold-witness for Christ.  Here are 8 reasons why witness becomes bold:
1.           Faith in God Alone

But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.  Acts 4:4

To believe, in the language of the Bible, is to trust-in, rely-on, and cling-to.  This refers to Christ-followers taking God at his Word that He would save them.  The church was growing rapidly, despite the possible consequences of being arrested and even put to death.  The Gospel message of Christ birthed faith in the hearts of those who heard the witness of the disciples. 
Genuine faith knows no crippling fear.  This was the beginning of persecution that resulted in incredible growth.  The Pharisees and ruling elders were trying to stamp out this upstart bunch of Christians, but it was like pouring water on a grease fire…persecution only produced more courageous faith and growth.
[iii]When people have faith in only God and will do nothing more than love all people with a heart that wants to see heaven overflow with every human soul, witness becomes bold, because faith requires sharing.  The church body, or member, that will not share that faith will have that faith shrink to nothing!
John Wesley’s famous statement about spreading the Gospel message is iconic to Methodists…or at least it used to be back in the day when Methodists cared deeply about winning souls.  When you place your faith in a building, organization, another human being, or even yourself (as our culture seems to have perfected), that faith will wither, fade and disappear altogether.  But simple, undiluted faith in Almighty God will move the mountains.
A second reason the disciples’ witness was bold is that they were:
2.           Filled with the Spirit

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them… Acts 4:8a

Many people are afraid of the very idea of being Spirit-filled, but it’s really strange to me that anyone who has accepted Christ as Savior would feel that way.  Perhaps it’s because of the excessive dwelling on this by some groups. 
But friendship with God means His presence is going to dwell in you.  And it’s not so much that God takes-over your life against your will.  Being filled with the Spirit is more about surrendering that life.  It’s not how much of the Spirit you can get inside of you…it’s all about how much of YOU does the Spirit have?  If you want your witness to be bold for Christ, give Him complete control of you!  Be filled with the Spirit of God!
3.           Nothing but Truth

Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.  Acts 4:10

Peter’s response to the Pharisee’s question was so different than just a few weeks prior when he had sworn three times he didn’t even know Jesus just to save his own hide.  Peter’s weak faith had become strong, and just couldn’t be silent any more.  If you want your witness bold, you must commit to truth!
4.           Exclusive in an Inclusive Culture

There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

Now this is a deal-breaker for most people (including a lot of Methodists).  Peter’s flat statement, NO OTHER NAME means just what it sounds like.  There is no power to save us from our sins in Allah, or Krishna, or Buddha, or any group denying the triune oneness of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Spirit.
Salvation does not come from political programs in Washington, educating our children beyond their ability, math geniuses, social engineers or cloning Albert Einstein.  Salvation is only by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Now, that’s exceedingly politically-incorrect in a culture that wants everything valued equally and without question.  But, friends, how can we value empty-headedness that winds up in Hell?  To be a bold witness, you must settle in your heart and mind that Christ alone can take people to heaven.
When Lazarus died, Jesus told Martha he would rise again.  She said, sure, in the resurrection.  Jesus replied to the grieving sister:  I AM the resurrection…[1]  Those words “I am” have a familiar sound, don’t they?  In the original language it is ego emi, the intensive, it is I…no one else! 
Friends, if you miss it at this point you have no witness, bold or otherwise.  Jesus, and Jesus ONLY is Lord.  Inclusiveness may get you a gold star from Washington, or a kudos on Facebook, but Heaven will be shedding tears over your apostasy. 
A bold witness for Christ is a Christ-only witness.

The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.  Acts 4:13

Peter and John’s bold witness before the Jewish council should be our evangelism methodology…first you do good stuff for people in need, which will get you in trouble, and then you have the perfect platform to tell the truth.
The key to  the Pharisees’ amazement was because the disciples had spent 3½ years with Jesus.  They didn’t need seminary training or other human guides; they had God covering every bone of their bodies.
Sticking with the Gospel as our mission (like the disciples did) will confound the so-called wise.  It will stymie and silence the powerful.  Christ’s work done in Christ’s way will be its own validation.  It will be a bold witness.
6.           Refuse to be Silent

 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?  We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”  Acts 4:20

The Pharisees and Sadducees had issued a threat to the disciples to keep Jesus locked in a trunk…don’t even mention his name!  But Peter asked them a question in return that no religious leader could answer without convicting himself.  They asked if the elders were more important than JHWH.  And then they told them to hang their threat on their ears…they could not obey even if they were frightened to death; Christ had made them bold witnesses, and there was no turning-back. 
The key to Peter’s turn-around from unbelief to strong faith was the prayer response of the whole church.  These believers may not have been pedigreed with college or seminary degrees, but whenever something was going on, they knew it was time to drop to their knees and put it all on the line with prayers delivered to the throne!
This was a courageous move by Peter, undergirded by the prayer of the church.  Peter’s faith had grown by tremendous leaps and bounds in the few weeks since he’d denied he even knew Jesus.  He put that faith to the test with the kind of boldness only a fool, or man possessing great faith can muster.  And when faith marries bold courage, Christ is always honored.  And Christ, in turn, will always vindicate righteous faith!  Let your faith in Christ make you a bold witness, even in the face of threats!
7.           Ready to Deny Self

And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.  Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.  Then they preached the word of God with boldness.  All the believers were united in heart and mind.  Acts 4:29-32                                                  

When the rest of the disciples heard what had happened to Peter and John they took right to prayer.  They prayed for boldness, and the place shook with the Spirit’s approval.  And then they did the very thing Peter and John had been beaten for, they preached Jesus boldly.
Once again the key to the disciples’ faith was a lifestyle of prayer and unity.  And their unity in the mission was so strong that they were willing to deny themselves everything, including their lives if called upon, simply for the privilege of serving Jesus. 
Some people misunderstand the concept of unity in a church body.  It isn’t all the people thinking exactly the same, so there are no disagreements.  Unity is all about cooperating to BE the people of God who proclaim the message.  You can have all the love-fests you want, but if you don’t even try to win your community to Christ, you’d do well to call yourself Rotary or Lions Club.  The church is all about being a mighty bold witness for the name of Jesus Christ.
8.           Confident of the Resurrection

The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.  Acts 4:33

 Despite the possible consequences of being arrested and even put to death, the message of Christ birthed faith in the hearts of those who heard the Gospel.  Faith knows no crippling fear. 
This was the beginning of persecution that resulted in incredible growth.  The Pharisees and ruling elders were trying to stamp out this upstart bunch of Christians, but it was like pouring water on a grease fire…persecution only produced more courageous faith and growth.
Peter, the apostle who denied faith in Christ in the cold, darkness outside of Pilate’s house while Jesus was being unfairly beaten, tried, and illegally-convicted by a kangaroo court, more than turned it around.  He was so bold to proclaim Christ it got him in trouble over and over, until finally he was crucified.  When it came time to be put on his cross, he begged to be turned upside down, declaring he wasn’t even worthy to be killed right-side-up.
These early believers, and many to follow through history took heart and served their Lord.  And that is what their testimony calls us to do in this current tumult of our days. 
I want to revisit with you what I told you last November when we were in a season of prayer for the vote of General Conference 2019, that we must also take heart; Christ is in your heart, and He will not abandon us.
I asked you then an important question then:  what will happen after the vote
Then I asked you what I called a more important question: what will you DO after the vote?  
The possibilities I offered were these: 
·      We can take our ball and go home…let this church fall apart on its foundations.
·      We can sit and wait for the wave of the powerful to overwhelm whatever is left of this denomination, until they kill it altogether, and just shake our heads.
·      We can take heart and serve the Lord with gladness
There is a great illustration of this in the story of Shawshank Redemption.[2]  Two men, Andy Dufrene and Red Redding are imprisoned, and bond over nearly 20 years.  The warden is an evil man, while the two prisoners act with common decency.  At every turn the warden does what he can to beat-down all the prisoners, breaking their spirits. 
The ordeal nearly robs Andy of all hope, but in the final minutes of the movie he turns to Red and says:  I guess it all comes down to a small choice; you either have to get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’!
In February our delegates to the General Conference took a bold witness step.  They stood on the side of Biblical marriage and sexual relationships.  That, my friends is the same as the church praying for Peter and John while they faced the Pharisees.  They got busy living a bold witness! 
If I had the right as pastor to commission you in your next steps as a church, here is what I would say:  Get busy living!
With bold faith and unending courage, take heart, take responsibility, and serve the Lord with gladness; serve Him with a bold witness for Christ!
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Let the church say “Amen”!

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[1] John 11:25
[2] 1994, Columbia Pictures


[i] All Scripture quoted is from The New Living Translation (unless otherwise stated)  Title Image:  Pixabay.com
[iii] John Wesley (public domain) via Wikimedia Commons

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