Ashamed of the Gospel

(This is a sermon from January of last year)

Read Acts 4:1-22

Before we start I would like to give you a brief idea of where we are heading this morning. We are going to look at the passage in Acts 4 in a verse by verse manner. Out of this I wish to draw a historical correlation between what Peter has done and what is happening now. Finally I wish to give an application for us all so that we in fact do not become like the recipients of Peter's message.

What may be said in the latter parts today may not be comfortable. Don't worry, it's not meant to be comfortable. I want to be clear, there is specific application out of this mornings words and I do not want you to miss it. I do not want to miss it. It makes me uncomfortable. It is through that, I hope to see action.

I would like to read to you a paraphrase of words from Timothy 1 and 2 by Steve Camp

Oh my son Timothy
I charge you in the sight of God
Preach the Word when it's convenient
Preach the Word when it's not

For there'll come a time when truth is compromised
There will be teaching for itching ears
But You - be sober in all things
But you - endure hardship for the King
But do the work of an evangelist

The idea of preaching in and out of season, convenient and not, the idea of the truth in face of popularity, these were real to Peter and John. They are real to us. I would like if you would put that in your back pocket, because we are going to be bouncing of that concept throughout the message.

Now to the text.

We see in the first three chapters of Acts the beginnings of the church. There is also something curiously missing. Opposition. Up until the fourth chapter the church enjoyed a brief time without persecution. This in itself , complete with the opposition that comes next, raises a parallel to today. We can learn much from how Peter and John stood in the face of the authorities. This transition from unchallenged growth to persecution is historic. It is a first for the early Christian church and it is mirrored throughout history. Lets look how Peter handled it.

Very quickly we see what the temple leaders problem is. They are disturbed by the teaching of the resurrection of the dead. They are disturbed that they were preaching in Christ. They want to shut Peter and John up. They seize them. I guess there is now opposition.

I want you to picture this. There is a semi circle of men seated. Seventy one men. Not any men. Men that were educated in the Torah. These were scholars. Leaders of the temple, priests, Sadducees, the high priest Annas, and the family of the high priest. This is what we call the Sanhedrin. Peter and John are standing in the center of this semi circle. They are looking back at the very men that judged Christ approximately two months ago.

The charge, "by what power or by what name have you done this?" Although the Sanhedrin is specifically disturbed by the resurrection of the dead they attack at a different point. At issue is the healing of the lame man from the beginning of chapter three. You remember, " walking and leaping and praising God"? We must note now that Peter responds filled with the Holy Spirit. Although he may be viewed in a James Dean rebel type light, this is not his demeanor. He is respectful. He addresses the rulers with respect. Much as now days in court we would respect the Judge by referring to him as 'your honour' Peter addresses them as rulers and elders.

In his address he immediately re-frames the question, and the reference to the healing changes from 'this' to 'this act of kindness.' And then quickly moves on to the stinger. He, in his first sentence, preaches Christ. Not only that he preaches resurrection. Now what is it that we said about the Sadducees? This is, as we saw at the beginning of the chapter, at the root of their problem.

Now we are starting to see a bit of the rebel. What Peter says is not the safe route. As one pastor has put it, if you were hoping to persuade these men in a manner that was comfortable, in a manner that was sensitive to them, you would not mention the resurrection of the dead. And surly not by mentioning it in reference to the one that they had put to death.

Now he not only states that, but he adds to the sting. Please turn to Psalm 118 at verse 21. Here we read:

"I will praise you,
For you have answered me,
And have become my salvation,

The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone."

Now please turn to Luke 20 verse 2

"Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?"

And again in Verse 17

Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

And back to our text Acts 4 verse 11

"This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone."

Wow. Same question to Christ by the same men. Same answer as Peter. Do you think they might be getting it yet?

One thing is sure now, they recognize who Peter and John are. They also recognize that they cannot argue with fact. The healed man is standing in their midst. They retreat into a closed meeting and discuss damage control. It is decided that if they cannot argue, they can at least gag. They threaten Peter and John in order to make them silent.

Peter and John answer again with respect. And decline. For the power of God is far more then these men. They cannot help but speak. They cannot help but provide the gospel in a manner that is uncomfortable to the audience. FOR THEY ARE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.

Here is where this gets uncomfortable. I would also like to note that I, myself, am uncomfortable with this.

We need to come up with an understanding of how this passage applies to us today.

When Peter preached in defiance of what his audience wanted to hear, he did so as the second in a long line of people. It was not new with Peter nor should it be for us. It is the very truth of the Gospel. At any point if not preached in its fullness, we do the Gospel, and our audience a disservice. At any point if the doctrine is not sound we do ourselves a disservice.

If what I say here is contrary to what you feel or believe then talk to me about it. Although I am open to discussion about this I do strongly feel that I am supported both biblically and historically. You see there are many, that go before, preaching the whole Gospel. There are many, that go before, that warned the consequences of not preaching the whole Gospel. There are many, that go before, that encouraged others to not be, ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.

Many over the centuries have stood in the pulpit ,and in groups, and in persecution. Many have stood fast. Many have preached the unadulterated Gospel. I take comfort in that fact. Although I am very sure that I am not as eloquent I still hope that this encourages you all to a deeper relationship with our Lord.

Christ.
Jesus Christ himself preached in a manner that was not sensitive to the audience but was, the truth. Pure and simple.
Peter.
The first preacher of the Christian church. As we have shown this morning he made no attempt to shroud the Gospel. He was at the heart of the truth in the first sentence of his sermon.

Timothy.
Paul encouraged Timothy. First of all he encouraged Timothy to preach sound doctrine, and then later notes that there will be a time that men will not endure it. He then exhorts him again to keep at it.

Augustine.
In Sixth century Augustine spoke against Pelagius and the doctrine of salvation by works. Bringing to light much of the doctrine that was gripped by the reformation.

Luther.
The corruption of Luther's day was vast. The sale of indulgences and salvation partly by works was rampant. Luther stood fast against this bad doctrine.

Spurgeon.
Charles Spurgeon spoke against the candy coating of the Gospel. This for the purpose of not causing offense.

Authors and pastors today are renewing the call for sound doctrine. John MacArthur Jr. wrote a book curiously by the name "Ashamed of the Gospel" and a subtitle, "when the church becomes like the world"

We, as Christians are different, we are not to be like the world. We need to have sound doctrine. We need to be able to present it respectfully but without apology. We should not have to candy coat it. We should not have to market it. It should be presented with Christ in the forefront. Just as Peter did.

Is this truly what we desire? Is this what we expect? Is this what we do?

In the words of Spurgeon from over 100 years ago:

"Everywhere there is apathy. Nobody cares whether that which is preached is true or false. A sermon is a sermon whatever the subject; only the shorter it is the better."

How do we know when it is ear tickling? How do we discern when what we hear is true? What is the action we must take individually and corporately to insure against apathy? Well to answer this lets look again to the early church.

Acts 2:42
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostle's teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Do we emulate this?
Before we answer listen to another quote from Spurgeon:

" At a certain meeting of ministers and church officers, one after another doubted the value of prayer-meetings; all confessed that they had a very small attendance, and several acknowledged without the slightest compunction that they had quite given them up. What means this? Are churches in a right condition when they have only one meeting for prayer in a week, and that a mere skeleton?"

Where are we at with this? In Acts we read that they CONTINUALLY DEVOTED themselves. What does that mean? In a lifestyle where I think most of us could come up with the rank of, God, Family, Friends. Do we apply it? Most of us spend time in the following allotment, sleep, work, family, friends, church. And I am very guilty of this. I wouldn't doubt that work actually ranks above sleep and that if we discount TV hours, friends outrank family. In the light of this what does it mean "continually devoted?"

I can tell you with all certainty that if to you, it means coming to church on Sunday, you have missed the boat. Pastor George told us 2 weeks ago that a 20 minute sermon is woefully inadequate. Sunday morning is profoundly important and I would never want to remove that from our view. I am saying that if that is where it stops we are in trouble.

Many of you may be saying that you pray and read the bible regularly. This is good and important, but what about the fellowship? What about corporate prayer?

In the past while, I have seen, too many things, that point directly to the need for corporate prayer. At the AGM we heard from many diverse parts of the congregation, an expressed sadness that this, corporate prayer, is not happening. We have heard Pastor preach on this, for many weeks already, this month. Another member has posted a profound article, about the need for prayer on her Weblog. You know what? Starting on February 9 at 7:30 be here at the church. As my friend Pete Harms says, this is when the 'rubber meats the road.'

Of course prayer is a part of this. So is study. Bible study with fellow believers. And this is where we learn the sound doctrine in depth.

I would like to point out what a cohesive group, in my bible study means to me.

I know that I can call on Peter Harms and Kevin Greenshields to help with physical tasks, such as helping others move. I know them so well that I can and have promised their help before asking them.

I can count on Gerry Ewert for good council and advice in matters of business and ethics.

Scott Gilbreath is an inexhaustible resource when it comes to matters of doctrine and faith.
The women of the group all similarly have positive attributes, I am just amazingly unable to discuss them. (Being an insensitive man)

Also we have studied in depth, from what I remember, many sermons, many books, and at least 19 books out of the 66 in the canon. All this and I still am amazed at how little I know, and how much more there is to learn.

I cannot underscore the importance of this enough.

How Important is it? How important do the leaders of your church feel it is? I would like to say that everyone of the deacons from this church have a bible study group. Is it important? You bet it is.

We read in Psalm 1

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night."

Day and night people! Not just on Sunday. We read on in the rest of the Psalm to gain understanding that this is what roots the believer. It is also by definition what separates us from the ungodly.

Now what do we do?

We need more study leaders, and we need more attenders. Plain and simple. By rough calculation a full 75% of adult population in this congregation, do not go to a Bible Study. It is a sad number and woefully inadequate.

I am placing a call to those who are leaders. Yes you. I think you know who you are. I am calling you to form bible studies. I am calling all the adults to attend these studies. Yes all of you. And I am calling you to come to prayer meetings on Wednesday evening. What is more, and this is what counts. Do you hear your Lord calling you? Is he telling you, blessed is the man that meditates night and day.

So what have we learned? Peter was devoted to sound doctrine in the light of persecution. The church was devoted to prayer, study, fellowship, and the breaking of bread. Throughout history people have been similarly devoted.

We are, in the same manner, to be devoted.

Amen
Chris Klassen