The Whisper to Stand Firm - April 17th, 2011

Date: April 17th, 2011

Speaker: Pastor Kevin Snyder

Title: The Whisper to Stand Firm

Text: Acts 4:1 - 31, Acts 6:8 - 15, 8: 1 - 3

Introduction

Today is Palm Sunday. The beginning of what is called passion week. Later this week the sound ringing in the streets will not be “Hosanna” but “Crucify him!”

Jesus will be betrayed by one of his disciples.

He will be abandoned by the rest.
One will deny even knowing him out of the pressure of the moment.
He will be falsely accused.
He will be tried before a cowardly judge.
He will be beaten by the government soldiers.
He will be mocked and demeaned by the crowds.
He will be publicly put to death as an example to those who would follow him.

And yet knowing all this…

Jesus set his face on going to Jerusalem.
He chose the path of non-violence even though he could have called 10 legions of angels to rescue him.
He never retaliated but trusted himself to the plan and purposes of God.
Took the way of the cross to forgive us…to put a halt in the never-ending cycle of violence in our world…to demonstrate that love sacrifices and costs.

And Christ-followers around the world have shared in the suffering of Christ.

This week in my LTG (Life Transformation Group) we were reading Mark 13.

In that chapter Jesus tells his disciples:

“You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogue. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them…All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”(Mark 13: 9,13)

In the book of Acts, we see what Jesus warned his disciples take place.

The happy days of the church experienced in ch. 1 – 3 come to an end. The potlucks, and coffee fellowships, and light-hearted fun suddenly takes a serious twist.

Persecution breaks out.

1st there is threats and intimidation.

The Sanhedrin threatens the apostles and tells them to not speak anymore in Jesus name - “or else.”

And Peter who had failed the test of intimidation 2x before, this time finds his feet.

Acts 4:19,20

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

But soon it moves from intimidation to actual physical persecution.

In Acts 6 we hear how some people get upset and stir up others and they secretly persuade people to bring up accusations and stir up the crowd.
In Acts 7 we hear these people become so infuriated that they become a mob and they publicly stone Stephen while the leaders stand by and allow it to happen.

By chapter 9 we see the persecution go to another level.

Saul goes and gets letters from the governing authorities authorizing him to find and imprison Christians. It moves to state sponsored persecution.

If we were to put the persecution in levels that we see happen from Acts 4 – 9 perhaps these would reflect the levels.

Stage 0: Public favour (Acts 2:47)

Stage 1: Public ridicule (Acts 4:2,3)

Stage 2: Intimidation & Threats (Acts 6: 9 - 13)

Stage 3: Antagonistic mobs (state turns blind eye)(Acts 7:54 – 8: 3

Stage 4: State-sponsored persecution (Acts 9: 1,2)

And the church enters into “the sufferings of Christ”.

The church experiences the ridicule, the abuse, the persecution because of it’s connection to and faith in J.C. It shares the persecution because it bears the name of Jesus.

Application:

Now for us in North America we are fortunate.

On this persecution scale for the most part we run somewhere between Stage 0 & Stage 1.

We experience critics and accusers.
Family members mock perhaps your beliefs.
University professors perhaps belittle your convictions.
Classmates snicker at your choices & you become the piñata for their ridicule.
When others go wild after games you go home.
When they party you sit alone.
When they drink you sit with a coke.
You become the piñata of ridicule for being “goody-two shoes”

For the most part we don’t face physical pain or social & economic ostracism for our faith…

We don’t have a sword to our chest, but we know the pressure to deny and disassociate ourselves from Jesus.

We know what it feels like to be Peter around the fire….asked or identified as one of Jesus followers…

But there are thousands of Christians around our world today who face Stage 2 – 4 persecution. Who literally know the cost of bearing Christ’s name.

Who can’t come on Sunday morning and rely on the words to be on screen.
Who can’t go home and access a Bible.
Who can’t openly come and worship on a Sunday morning without reprisal.
Who can’t get jobs because of their faith.
Who face physical persecution, prison, or even death because of their association to Jesus.

(One might ask how would we do if all these props were removed…if we had to rely on what we have put in our heart & memory…as many times as we sing the same choruses and songs could we do it without the words….did have that thot this morning…

It is in these days of sunshine that we need to prepare for hard times. Don’t spiritually waste the days when life is easy…time will come when you will need to rely on what you have put away.)

But few of us have faced Stage 2 – 4 persecution.

But that is not the norm in our world.

¾ of Christians live in the 3rd world often in anti-Christian environments

200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith
176,000 Christians will have been martyred from mid-2008 to mid-2009

According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith. David B. Barrett, Todd M. Johnson, and Peter F. Crossing in their 2009 report in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research (Vol. 33, No. 1: 32) estimate that approximately 176,000 Christians will have been martyred from mid-2008 to mid-2009. This, according to the authors, compares to 160,000 martyrs in mid-2000 and 34,400 at the beginning of the 20th century. If current trends continue, Barrett, Johnson and Crossing estimate that by 2025, an average of 210,000 Christians will be martyred annually.

In a few minutes Trish Raynard will come and turn these statistics into stories. People who suffer for their faith.

But regardless of the level of persecution…,

HOW DO WE DEVELOP STRENGTH& BOLDNESS?

Clues:

1. THEY SPENT TIME WITH JESUS

Acts 4:13 –

When 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

Part of their boldness could be attributed to the fact they had been with Jesus.

I love Matthew 22:16 (ESV)

And they sent i?their disciples to him, along with j?the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, k?we know that you are true and teach l?the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for m?you are not swayed by appearances

Jesus had courage….courage to speak the truth and not changeit, or soften it, or bend under pressure no matter who was listening.

We see that courage in the events of this passion week:

Jesus goes into the Temple and throws over the tables and chases people out with a whip.
He refuses to answer Pilate & Herod’s question even when they remind him they have the power to set him free or put him to death.
He has the courage to stick to the truth and loyalty to God even though he will pay for it with his life.

These disciples had courage because they had been exposed to it.They had hung around Jesus.

In 1 Peter 3: 14 – 15 we read:

But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

Courage comes as we learn to linger in the presence of Jesus

i.e.

Gethsemene – There we see Jesus wrestle. Struggle with God asking him to take this cup away from him. But Jesus prays it through. He settles it in his Spirit that not my will but thy will be done. The battle is decided in that time alone with God.

And Jesus comes out of the garden with such a determination, courage, fixed-heartedness, and respose .what could account for that?

Time spent with God in the Garden.

Lucado

“Would you be bold tomorrow? Then be with Jesus today. Be in his Word. Be with his people. Be in his presence. “

2nd strength builder:

2. PRAY FOR BOLDNESS

In Gethsemene Jesus told the disciples to pray.

Why?

So they wouldn’t “fall into temptation.” But they didn’t…they slept…and they did fall to temptation …they ran.

Ask God for boldness.

Acts 4:23 – 31

As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,

‘Why were the nations so angry?

Why did they waste their time with futile plans?

26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle;

the rulers gathered together

against the Lord

and against his Messiah.’?*?

27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 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.

I wonder if need to rethink our prayers.

Often our prayers are more for deliverance than for boldness.

If we are in a rather unspiritual workplace we pray God would pluck us out and put us in a spiritually nicer environment.
We often pray more for protection of our faith, than the boldness of our faith.
We pray for our kids spiritual protection more than we pray for their spiritual boldness…
Often we pray for God to change our circumstances, and make our life easier than we pray for God to change us in our circumstances and make us stronger.

i.e.

Muscles – have to push yourself….how make muscle grow…

We grow spiritual muscle in the tough times. God strengthens our fiber, our character, our fortitude in the tough times.

“What doesn’t break us, makes us.”

Given that I wonder if North America we need to change the direction of our prayers. I want to challenge us as we go through this Passion Week , when we see the courage and inner strength of Jesus , to pray that God would make us bold.

Instead of praying for God to deliver you from your circumstances and make your life easier….pray for God to strengthen you to match the pressure of your circumstances.

Might apply to your marriage –

Instead of praying “God deliver me from it…pray that God would enable you to be strong and love like Jesus in it.”
Instead of praying God deliver me from this sin-sick, oppressive workplace…pray God give me the strength to be your light in it.
Instead of praying God protect your kids at school….pray God make them strong and courageous at school.

i.e.

Fish at bottom of ocean – weight of water and not crushed

Why?

Because God has made them so that the internal pressure matches the external pressure of the water.

Make that our prayer:

“God give me the grace, and inner strength to match the outer pressures of this week.”

3. DON’T BAIL

Jesus prayed “Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will , but what you will.”

3x he prayed that.

He settled it there.

Fear of pain, and what was to come would not determine his course of action. He was going to see it through even to death on a cross.

Friends, sometimes we fail to grow stronger because we let fear take over. We bail.

Quote: Nothing good comes out of mediocrity.”

We develop our fiber by sticking to it…

CONCLUSION

How do we prepare for the hard times?

Spend time with Jesus today.
Change the direction of your prayers. Pray for courage and boldness.
Hang in there

Invite Trish to come and share…burden God has put on her heart. A way we can be inspired to live bolder and to help our brothers and sisters in Christ around theworld.

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The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 4:18-20

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 4:13

i Mark 2:18

j Mark 3:6; [Mark 8:15]

k [John 3:2]

l Acts 18:26; [Acts 13:10]

m See Acts 10:34

The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S. Mt 22:16

Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. 1 Pe 3:14-15

* Or his anointed one; or his Christ. Ps 2:1-2.

Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Ac 4:23-31