Sermon of the Week, Pastor Kevin Smith Wanted: Courageous Christian Men

I need you to lean in for just a moment, because we’re standing on holy ground today. The Book says—in Acts, Chapter 4, verses 10 and 11—that this Jesus, whom you crucified, God raised up! And He is the stone that the builders rejected—but hallelujah! —He became the chief cornerstone!

They looked at Him and saw no value. They tossed Him aside like rubble on the job site. But what the world threw away, heaven anointed! What the council condemned, God crowned! Isn’t it just like our God to turn a rejected stone into the Rock of Ages?

Now Peter and John—oh, those brothers weren’t soft. They didn’t tremble or shuffle their feet. No! They stood toe-to-toe with power, unshaken, unapologetic, and on fire with the Holy Ghost. They opened their mouths and declared Jesus Christ—the Risen One—as the only name by which we must be saved.

That’s the kind of witness we need today! Not timid saints hiding in shadows, but bold believers walking in daylight! We don’t need more opinions; we need conviction. We don’t need more platforms; we need power.

So, I’ve got one question for you, church: Will you stand on the Stone that the world rejected? Because that Stone is now the foundation. And if you're going to build your life, build it on Christ—solid, unmovable, eternal!

Each month, Elder Tolliver offers a spiritually encouraging book to help you in your walk with Christ for any size donation. Please go to biblicaltalks.com website to take advantage of this opportunity. 

Chapters

• 0:37 Welcome to Biblical Talks
• 3:01 Faith Produces Courageous Men
• 21:36 Filled with the Spirit for Bold Witness
• 33:21 Faithful to the Gospel Message
• 40:15 Ordinary Men Living with Jesus
• 48:17 God Uses Ordinary Men for His Glory

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:19

Welcome to Biblical Talks. Sermon of the Week. Saints, I need you to lean in for just a moment, because we're standing on holy ground today. The book of Acts says in chapter 4, verse 10 and 11 says this that Jesus, whom you crucified, god raised up, and he is the stone that the builders rejected Hallelujah. But he became the chief cornerstone. They looked at him and saw no value. They tossed him aside like rubber on the job site. But what the world threw away, having anointedointed, what the councils condemned, god crowned. And that's just like our God. That's how he works To turn a rejected stone into the rock of ages.

Speaker 1: 1:14

Now, in the book of Acts, peter and John, let's understand something those brothers were not soft. They didn't tremble or shuffle their feet. They went toe to toe with power, unshaken, unapologetic and on fire with the Holy Ghost. They opened their mouth and declared Jesus Christ the risen one as the only name by which we must be saved. That's the kind of witness we need today, not timid saints hiding in the shadows, but bold believers walking in the daylight. We don't need more opinions, we need conviction. We don't need more platforms, we need power. So I got one question for the church of Jesus Christ. Today Will you stand on the stone that the world rejected? Because the stone is now the foundation and if you're going to build your life, build it on Christ Solid, unremovable, eternal. Today we have Pastor Kevin Smith preaching a sermon called Wanted, courageous Christian Men.

Speaker 2: 2:37

Acts, chapter 4, verses 5 through 13,. Then we'll jump down to verses 19 and 20. Acts, chapter 4, beginning at verse 5. On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem with Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all who were of the high priest family. When they had set them in the mist, they inquired by what power or by what name do you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, rulers of the people and elders, if we have been 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. Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Wow, verse 19. They're threatened, verse 18,. First of all. So they call them in charge of not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Now, verse 19. 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 the word of the Lord. Please be seated. Thank you, praise team. Once again, beautiful music.

Speaker 2: 5:01

I'm going to give you a bunch of scenarios, brothers. A bunch of scenarios, brothers, a bunch of scenarios. People are talking about these exciting things they did over the weekend at work. They look at you. What do you say? Do you tell them about how God blessed you at church? You're a teenage, young man. You're with your friends who are talking about their non-biblical sexual ideas and conquests. They look at you. What do you say? Do you tell them what the Bible says or do you make up your own stories? Or, even worse, do you participate? You're a husband and father and you sense God is giving you the opportunity to start your own business or take another job, but it's risky. What do you do? What do you do? What do you do? What do you do? Again, husbands and fathers, god wants you to lead your family spiritually. Do you abdicate to your wife because she knows the Bible better than you? How about this?

Speaker 2: 6:20

You see someone or someone's being mistreated at school, at work or even in our city. You're right there, you're seeing it. Do you look the other way or do you seek to protect and defend them? How about this one? I'm trying to find you. I'm just looking. I don't know. Maybe you're teaching a Sunday school class or leading a Bible study and you realize the text you are sharing will speak to the sin of a person or persons in that group. Do you skip it? Gloss over it, because they will, or others will say you're targeting them. Welcome to my world.

Speaker 2: 7:08

By the way, to follow Jesus takes courage. It's risky, but there is no courage without fear. Fear of loss is human, yet the gospel is meant to produce courageous Christian men. God doesn't expect us to make ourselves courageous, but he calls us to trust in him. Courage comes by faith in the Lord, not in ourselves or our natural abilities, and so I say to you today that such men are greatly needed and wanted. Now, where are we in this text.

Speaker 2: 8:00

You're familiar with this passage so I'm not going to be able to point too much. But you know, pentecost has happened way back in chapter 2. The Spirit is poured out on the church in Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified, and now the apostles Peter and John are being called on the carpet, having been used by Christ to heal a man who had been unable to walk since birth for 40 years. They are arrested. They are put in jail until the next day, because the arrest took place, I assume, late in the day and maybe the court officials had all gone home for dinner. So now it's morning and he must give an accounting. First of all, faith produces courageous men who can stand when opposed. Verses 5 through 7.

Speaker 2: 8:56

If you have it in front of you, look down and look at it, and I want you to notice, as you look down at the text, notice the list of the officers of the court before whom the apostles must give testimony. It's an impressive, impressive list, isn't it? I mean, think about it. I mean I'm not going to go through all who they are, but you get the idea here that you got Annas, the high priest, caiaphas, who was the former high priest, john and Alexander, who were evidently influential. John and Alexander, who were evidently influential, the high priest's family, so I guess they brought his wife and extended family members.

Speaker 2: 9:30

You've got to remember the guard who brought them in, who arrested them, was probably there as well, and so they're surrounded. They're surrounded by this court of Jewish officials and they must give testimony. Remember, jesus' crucifixion was likely only a month and a half past at this point. So these are the officials that killed him. These are likely members of the Sanhedrin, which is the 70. So you get the impression here that this is not a small group of people. This is a large crowd of people surrounding these two men. This is Jewish religious and governmental power at its apex, and none of them are happy. In their mind, though, they hold all the cards, they are the authority here. They flex their muscles a little bit by having them arrested. Now they are coming in for the kill, to crush this movement, this Jesus moment movement. Right now.

Speaker 2: 10:39

They asked the big question in verse seven. This is the big question here in this text by what power or by what name did you do this? That is the question. Two things I want you to notice, brothers, about this question. First of all, they are not concerned with the good work of healing that was done, even though it was a miracle. They're not concerned with that. You see, brother, you've got to understand all the good deeds that was done, even though it was a miracle, they're not concerned with that. You see, probably you can understand all the good deeds that you do. If you dig wells in Africa, if you feed the homeless, if you provide jobs for guys coming out of prison, if you give blankets, if you try to reform the criminal justice system, all the good that you do listen, there will be some in the world who will pat you on the back for it. There may be many. Your good works, man. People will go. Thank you so much. Is that enough?

Speaker 2: 11:47

We're told throughout the New Testament that we're to do good works. Let me give you one of my favorite passages Titus 2.14. Speaking of Jesus, who gave himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, who are note that big word zealous for good works. Zeal speaks of a burning desire or burning passion. And the grace of God listen, brothers, the grace of God in the gospel that attaches you to Jesus, attaches you to Jesus, should move in us. Is that motivating force that makes us want to do good? We have a, don't you A burning desire To be used by God To do good, not just random acts of goodness, but planned acts of goodness. I hope that's you, but is that all? Second thing I want you to notice then that was number one.

Speaker 2: 13:10

They weren't concerned about the good work. They were more concerned with how and why they did the good work. That was the issue for them, brothers, what power or by whose power and under whose authority name did you do this? Now, here's the ticket here. They already knew that the apostles did this in the name of Jesus. They already knew. That's why they were arrested. Chapter 3, go back and read it. They already knew. So why ask the question? See, brothers, they hope a night in jail would have cooled their zeal for Jesus. They were trying to ice them.

Speaker 2: 14:00

You know about that right football I mean american football if you're watching my family from england real football, when, a, when, a, when a team gets close to the somewhere close to the goal line, maybe 35 yards out, and it's fourth down. They know they can't get the first down, so they call in the kicker. Kicker comes in, he's got's got about a. You got to add a few yards. He's got about a 40-yarder. But that's kind of a chip shot for today's pro kicker. He can do that in his sleep almost. So he left.

Speaker 2: 14:34

So the team lines up and just before the ball is hiked, the other team calls timeout. I mean, they're all lined up and ready to go. The kicker's there, he's focused, he's doing this back and forth, he's ready to go and they go timeout. Then the kicker has to do something. He goes to the sidelines. Sometimes he's over there doing this, you know, stretching, trying to stay warm.

Speaker 2: 15:06

Right, they're icing him. See, what they're doing is they're hoping that that distraction and that stalling will cause him to lose focus, will cause him to think too long about what he's going to do. So when he gets out there, he flubs it. That's what's happening here. They're icing the apostles and it's an intimidation tactic. They're hoping now they would be too afraid to speak for Jesus. They just spent the night in jail thinking about what could happen to them and they're thinking that, oh gosh, now we got to. So let's ask him again by whose name?

Speaker 2: 16:09

Now, brothers, this is the nature of government or corporate power. Today, you can be Christians privately or even in church, but don't bring it into the community. Don't bring it into the workplace and certainly don't bring it into the community. Don't bring it into the workplace and certainly don't bring it into the government. This is more and more our American culture, isn't it? Sliding that way more and more.

Speaker 2: 16:38

Dr Boyce said it it may come a time when preaching the gospel is seen as a hate crime. Doing good is not the problem. And, by the way, who determines what is good? Right, that's for us. We know. No one gets angry if you feed the homeless, but when you say you did it in the name of Jesus, that's a different ballgame. Right, when you say it's for Jesus' sake. When they say, why are you here? I'm here with my company, we're doing this charitable work, but mostly I'm here because I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ and he calls us to kindness to those in need. Now it becomes an issue. Now it becomes an issue, and even that may be a little easy, just a little. But what if you're in a place where Christ is not welcome and you're doing good? I'm talking about in America. Now you know the bland bland the freedom of religion. What do you say? I love what they said in chapter three.

Speaker 2: 18:09

After they healed the man, the people gathered around them. In verse 16 they said said, how did you? They're looking at? Peter says why are you looking at us? Is this by some virtue in us? This man has been healed, he said. And it is his name. By faith in his name, jesus, this man has been made strong, whom you see and know. And the faith that is through Jesus has given this man this perfect health in the presence of you all. Listen to that. By faith in Jesus, by faith in his name, that's what gives us courage, brothers. It's faith in his name, not your name, not my name. I'm from New City Church. Who cares? I want to New City Church. Who cares? I want to know too, and whose name did you do it?

Speaker 2: 19:05

Courage comes because we know faith in his name produces works, and even sometimes miraculous works. We know, brothers, don't? We know that God responds to faith. He responds to those who trust in him, who value him above all things, and trust in him. Something about faith just moves our God's heart. We say he. We're saying when you say you have faith in God, you're saying he's great, you're saying he's able. You're saying he's able, you're saying you trust him.

Speaker 2: 19:42

Hebrews 11, 6. And without faith, it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. We draw near to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, through faith in the work of Christ for us, not because we're good, but because he's good. We draw near to God through faith in him and in that same moment, we know that he rewards those who seek him. That gives courage. God rewards seeking faith. Do you know that, brothers? So take heart. Even in the face of opposition, speak the truth. Second, faith produces courageous spirit. This is the key statement, a key statement in this passage. It's verse 8.

Speaker 2: 20:53

Then Peter, filled with the Spirit, said wow, some of us are naturally outspoken, even when we shouldn't speak about the things we're speaking about. Some of us are more introverted and we will not normally volunteer any information about anything. Some of us are non-confrontational. But see, those are all natural temperament issues. What we have here is not natural, it's supernatural. It's the Spirit of God at work. Brothers, don't look at Peter. Look at what the Spirit is doing. Look at what Christ is doing through them. This is what this is about. It's acts of the Holy Spirit. It's acts of Jesus Christ, small acts of the apostles, romans 8-9.

Speaker 2: 21:56

Just in case you're not sure about this, brothers Romans 8, 9, you, whoever, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you, watch this. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. If you are a Christian, if you are a disciple of Jesus, brothers, believe it. You have the Spirit. The Spirit is in you and you are in Christ, meaning you are able to grow in your ability to be ruled by the Spirit rather than your sinful, selfish desires of your flesh. You are able. You have what you need In you for God to change you. Do you believe that? Do you believe that the Spirit of God can override your temperament? Or are you using your temperament as an excuse? I can't witness because I'm introverted. Who cares? You are in Christ. The Spirit of God is in you. Never surrender to your temperament, never make excuses, but that's how my family was or how my daddy was. Who cares? You are in Christ. You are a new creation. That's what I care about and you should too.

Speaker 2: 23:30

I'm perfect. Example Example number one I hate public speaking. At Temple University I almost failed public speaking Because I got froze up, I got iced. I froze up in front of people. I hate speaking in front of people, but put this in my hand and the Spirit of God takes over. I'm not. I'm still nervous, but I'm not scared. Don't, let, don't, don't, don't. Surrender to how you think you are. Be what God has made you Now.

Speaker 2: 24:17

Now listen. What does it mean? Peter was filled with the Spirit. We already saw in Acts, chapter 2, that he'd been given the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. So what does it mean? That he was filled? What is this? Well, the filling of the Spirit means the Spirit, when needed, gives his people extra ability to speak or do for Christ and his kingdom as we depend on him.

Speaker 2: 24:45

I've experienced I'm not trying to make myself the example, please. I'm just trying to give examples, please. I'm messed up too. I'll tell you the truth. How many times I step into this pulpit and I've been sick, I mean just feeling, or just depressed down, beat down, can't even sing from the pew there, how many times. And then I step up here and the Spirit comes. How many times? And then I step up here and the Spirit comes. Maybe you don't know it, but I know it. I hope you know it. I hope it's obvious. That's not just me, that's you. His Spirit will fill you for the task that God lays before you. I can't do it. Okay, maybe you can, but I know who can.

Speaker 2: 25:46

Peter, who denied the Lord when faced with public pressure, is now unable to speak before the very powers that had crucified the Lord. You don't think that's God that had crucified the Lord. You don't think that's God. You don't think that's the Lord standing up in him. There's no way. Was he scared? I'm sure his heart was thumping, but courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is not giving in to the fear.

Speaker 2: 26:16

Joe Rigney in his book Courage how the gospel Creates Christian Fortitude this won't be on the screen, he says. Courage always appears in the face of real danger. No fear, no courage. It's when you're scared. It's when you're scared of loss. You're scared of embarrassment. This is America. They probably won't kill us, right, probably won't kill us, but they'll make you feel bad. They'll make you feel stupid. They'll deny you that promotion. You may even lose your job.

Speaker 2: 27:08

Fear is real and so is courage, and so is courage when we prayerfully, by faith, living lives to honor Jesus by following his word. We are in the place where his spirit can fill us when we need him. Did you hear what I just said? Let me back up and say it again we are prayerfully, by faith, living lives to honor Jesus. Yes, we fail, but we're living lives. That's our goal. Living lives to honor Jesus, following his word. That means we're in the word, in that place of humility and service and being available to God. We are in the place where his spirit can fill us when we need him. He isn't likely to fill you if you're keeping him like this. I mean he can I don't know, the Lord knows, but I'm just trying to tell you that's not the likely place you need to be if you want to be filled by the Spirit.

Speaker 2: 28:06

To be filled by the Spirit is to be submitted to the Lord and saying this is me, here I am, take me and use me for your glory. Every day, do you get? I want to challenge you with all my heart that every day you wake up, say to the Lord I'm yours, do with me what you will. My tongue, my hands, my feet, I'm yours. I hope you'll pray that, because if you don't, brothers, so often we just get in. We, you know, we got that brain right Work, focus, focus, focus. If the first focus is Jesus, it helps us. It helps us all right. If the first focus is Lord. Thank you for another day. Allow me, will you use me today? Because that's what it's about, right. We're Christians. It's about him. It's about being at his disposal're Christians. It's about him, about being at his disposal every day. It's about getting glory to him. It's about walking worthy of the name of Christ, as Paul tells us in Ephesians, chapter 4. That's what it's about, right. That's what makes us tick to glorify the name. It's not a walk of perfection.

Speaker 2: 29:18

The apostles had moments of failure too. Notice what happened to paul and barnabas. They split up. Notice what happened as peter confronts paul. I mean paul confronts peter. You know all these things happened. The apostles were not perfect men, but they were at the lord's disposal here. They were at the Spirit's disposal and they're standing before these people and the Spirit comes with power to fill them to speak. He speaks with courage because he trusted in the name of Jesus. Notice what happens when they return to the church to tell them what happened.

Speaker 2: 29:59

I told you to keep your finger in that chapter. I hope you got it before you. Here's what happens they leave here and they go back to the church. I'm jumping ahead. I want you to know this. They go back to the church and they tell them what happened. This is down in the same chapter, beginning in verse 23. I'll just read a couple verses. When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard it that's the whole group they lifted their voices together to God and said sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. I'm not going to read all the rest of that, but you read it for yourself.

Speaker 2: 30:31

They go to prayer. Why? Because they're scared. They go to prayer and notice what they start with God is in control. Brothers, when you're scared, when the fear grabs you, when you're afraid and you're nervous about standing for Jesus in some way and you're trembling because you know there might be loss, listen, the Spirit will fill you as you cry out for help. I like to say it like this Lord, send reinforcements. Now notice if you were to drop down to verse 29 to 31,.

Speaker 2: 31:15

Here's how they finished the prayer. And now, lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant, jesus. And when they prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken and they were all watch this, all filled with the Holy Spirit, and continue to speak the word of God with boldness. It's right there. I need this, you need this. Fellas. Fellas, will you start praying today? Don't miss, if you can help it, pray every day. Lord, fill me with your spirit for your purposes that I may speak forth and live forth the glory of Jesus standing upon the gospel and his truth. I gotta ask you a question the glory of Jesus standing upon the gospel and his truth. I got to ask you a question Are you at the Lord's disposal?

Speaker 2: 32:28

Third, faith produces courageous men who are faithful to the gospel. I mean, maybe that goes without saying here, but I got to point it out. I mean it's beautiful. Verses 8 through 12 here Peter stands up, he's filled and he begins to speak. Listen, bro. Before the gospel is bad, before the gospel is good news, it's bad news. You have to grasp the bad news if you're truly going to be overwhelmed by the good news of the gospel that's redundant, I know. To be overwhelmed by the good news of the gospel, that's redundant, I know. See, you can start by telling people that God loves them, no problem. But if you never get to why that is strange if you never get to the fact that they don't deserve it, if you never get to the point in saying divine justice, then the gospel that you're sharing will lose some of its impact.

Speaker 2: 33:19

As a matter of fact, sometimes I think we are encouraging a sense of entitlement from God rather than a sense of humble reverence and awe at Christ's sacrifice. We got people who think that God owes them in the church. They get up mad when God don't do what they pray. That you, you mad because God didn't answer your prayer with the word you wanted to hear. So that means you think he owes you. That's not reference, it's something else and you fill in the blank.

Speaker 2: 34:01

But I want you to notice something here too. Luke records this in chapter 3. Not only was this man they healed lame. That would have been enough. Luke says he was lame from birth Demonstrates the magnitude of the miracle. Right, it's undeniable. They say that. They admit that the leaders admit. Right, it's undeniable. They say that, they admit that, the leaders admit that it's undeniable. You see, good deeds done by God bear his fingerprint. But you know what's going on here.

Speaker 2: 34:39

The lameness of this man from birth is also the spiritual condition of all of us. We're all lame from birth, brothers, unable to help or heal ourselves, unable to save ourselves. Jesus in the gospel reveals our lameness and that makes us uncomfortable, even angry and hostile. That's what was happening with the religious leaders. You see, in the face of the name of Jesus, they were helpless, they were frustrated already, and now here he comes again. We thought he was dead, they felt impotent, they felt impotent, and that is the religious leaders and authorities today who are not walking with Christ.

Speaker 2: 35:37

Lameness, and nobody likes to be shown to be lame. But once we surrender to Jesus and his love, his mastery, we realize that it was good that we saw how weak and lame and beggarly we were. It's a good thing when you recognize that's called being poor in spirit. It's a good thing, brothers, when you recognize how messed up you are, how weak you truly are. It's a good thing for you to recognize that you're lame. It's a good thing for you to recognize that you're lame. It's a good thing because you'll call out for the healer. Have you grasped this truth for yourself? Because that's where courage will begin.

Speaker 2: 36:18

Peter, by faith, entrusted his faith to the Lord and goes right in for the hard truth. This man was healed by the name of Jesus, the same Jesus you rejected and crucified, but raised from the dead. And you can find salvation in no one else in all of creation other than in the name of Jesus. That's paraphrased, but that's what he said to him. Boom Ow.

Speaker 2: 36:44

By calling him Christ, peter was saying he was the Messiah and that you rejected and killed. That's bad news. They needed to hear it so they could repent of their sins, and that is why all humanity needs salvation and a Savior, because we've all killed Jesus. It's our sins, the sins of the world, that took him to the cross. And God is holy and sin repulses him. It breaks his law, which reflects his character, and it's not good for humanity. It says we will not have you to rule over us. Sin says you will not run my life, I'm going to do it my way. That's what sin says. And the gospel confronts us with God's holiness and our foulness, but then it says here is Jesus, the son of God. Come to save you from God's justice and your foulness.

Speaker 2: 37:45

We're often nervous and even afraid to speak to people about Jesus when all they can say to us is leave me alone. How much more if they're openly antagonistic. Did Peter and John have a death wish? They wanted to be martyred for the faith. Ha ha, kill me for Jesus. There have been people like that for the faith. Ha ha, kill me for Jesus. There have been people like that, by the way, even today. No, that's not what was going on.

Speaker 2: 38:16

Gk Chesterton said it so wonderfully Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live, taken the form of a readiness to die. Man, I love that guy. He's dead, but I love him. A strong desire to live, taken the form of a readiness to die, that's what Peter is exhibiting. He wanted to live, but he also found something worth dying for, something, bruce, worth taking a risk for, and so he's able to preach the gospel, the bad news and the good news. He was able to bring it down, bring it down clear, and he didn't let anybody escape. Well, I'm going to end with this real quick. Faith, lastly, produces courageous, ordinary men who live in the presence of Jesus. Verse 13 is a beautiful passage.

Speaker 2: 39:28

Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished oh, what, what? And they recognized oh, I see that they had been with Jesus. Oh, boy Striking. Now these men actually live with Jesus. Okay, it could be they're saying that. Maybe they're saying, hey, I remember that guy. I don't think so, though. I think it was the character of these men and their background Common, ordinary men, uneducated, didn't go to seminary.

Speaker 2: 40:20

They were the hoi polloi, the commoners. The commoners, they were nobodies, people from the hood, people from rural areas. Their families weren't connected, there was no money in the family, they didn't have any pool, no juice. They were just ordinary folk, fishermen. A trader, a tax collector, a zealot who by any means necessary, get the Romans out. He was one of them too, peter and John, just fishermen. And he said and look how bold they are speaking to us. They're speaking to us like they got something. Boldness means confident. It means freedom in speech. They were not whispering or hemming and hawing or trying to make an excuse. They owned it. It's Jesus that did this. It's Jesus. I want you to know. It's Jesus. And it made an impression on that group. They thought it could intimidate them. But you can't intimidate men who trust in Jesus, because Jesus would not be intimidated by anybody.

Speaker 2: 41:40

The Spirit of God will fill you Because you live with Jesus. You are walking with Jesus. You are walking with Jesus, brothers, every day. Do you understand the Spirit of God, ministers, the presence of Jesus to you? You may not feel his presence all the time, but if you are in Christ, his presence is with you all the time. But if you are in Christ, his presence is with you all the time.

Speaker 2: 42:11

And when we open the word or when we pray, we are recognizing that presence. We are recognizing we are doing life with Jesus, we're giving ourselves to him, we're getting to know him better, because he knows you but you don't know him. So he's revealing himself through your life, through life circumstances that come your way, especially your heart, just by the way that come your way. Jesus is revealing himself to you as you trust him, as you open the word of God and you behold him, you say, oh, that's what you're like. I mean, I can pray this, I can trust you. See, that's how we're growing in our knowledge of Jesus. We're walking in his presence and he's going to shape you and mold your character. I didn't say you did it, I say he's doing it. The fruit of the Spirit is what he puts in us, but it's as we're available, as we're submitting, as we're saying Lord, do it. You're walking with him. Do you get it? Are you walking with the Lord? Is he real? It was the only real on Sunday morning in this service. Well, I got to quit, I got to end this. That clock is not right.

Speaker 2: 43:28

Jesus is looking for giants. He is not looking for giants, but ordinary men whom he will make into giants that he might get all the glory. Ordinary men, ordinary people, ordinary brothers, who say for Christ I'll live, for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Ordinary men saturated by the grace of God, who recognize that I have nothing, lord. I deserve nothing from you. But oh, I deserve nothing from you, but oh, I receive everything you want to give me. I receive it all. I have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In Christ I have his presence.

Speaker 2: 44:18

Dr Boyce said it so wonderfully the world thinks that it can stop a spiritual movement by threats, force, imprisonment and death. But it cannot. A good idea, especially a true spiritual idea, will always spread. They couldn't stop it and that's what happened. The Roman Empire was turned upside down. This little beginning, this small group of disciples in this city, became this movement that swept the entire Roman Empire and swept the entire world. That little brittle group right there of terrified disciples boom and they spread, and you're a proof of it Sitting right here.

Speaker 2: 45:05

Do you do what people expect you to do or do you do what Jesus empowers you to do? Brothers, there's a difference. Don't let the world dictate to you what it means to be a man. It will take courage to be men of God, men of his word. It takes courage to be men of God, men of his word. It takes courage to hold a biblical sexual living, to hold biblical views of gender, to hold to biblical views of family, to hold to biblical views of ethics, right and wrong, to hold to biblical truths about God, christ, salvation. It takes courage, brothers, to resist greed, suffers, ambition and lust. It even takes courage now to hold to a biblical view of the church and why we need her.

Speaker 2: 46:00

In all of these areas, you will face steep spiritual opposition from the enemy of your souls and sometimes even sadly, from people in the church.

Speaker 2: 46:11

But fear not, jesus is with you and he will give you the courage and the fortitude you need as you walk with him, because our weapons are mighty.

Speaker 2: 46:26

Paul said it best, 2 Corinthians 10.3. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. Nothing can stop the weapons of the word and spirit and love and the love of Christ that we fight with brothers. Nothing can stop the message of forgiveness and grace and mercy in the name of Jesus that we fight with brothers. Nothing can stop it. And mercy in the name of Jesus that we fight with brothers. Nothing can stop it. Ian Bounds has a book called Power Through Prayer and he says this I'm paraphrasing, I'm adding my own Kevin Smith thing to it the world is looking, the world and sometimes even the church are looking for better systems, better strategies, better programming, better AI, but God is looking for better men.

Speaker 2: 47:40

Men are God's method, but here's the truth he creates the better men by faith in his son. He makes better men. We don't make ourselves better, that's cosmetic. He moves in our hearts to make us better and we'll be better men for our families. Better men meaning men of God, men of courage, men who will stand on Christ, because it takes courage to be a father.

Speaker 2: 48:20

It takes courage to tell your children no. It takes courage to let them talk to you when they're being disrespectful, because you know they got something to say, because they're hurting. It takes courage to let them tell you and not blast out, to hold it. It takes courage to know who you are in Christ, to lead your family. To be called all kinds of names today, that's patriarchy. God called you to lead Whatever the world says. God called you to lead. If you have a family, he called you to lead Whatever the world says. God called you to lead If you have a family. He called you to lead with gentleness and respect and love, self-sacrificial love, according to the word of God.

Speaker 2: 49:20

But it takes courage. Will you call out to Jesus for the courage you need, father, help us, help us. It's so easy to give in today. It's always been easy, I guess. Father, the pressures of the world are real, misunderstandings of what it means to be a Christian held by people around us, real anger against Christ and the church, even real people have been hurt, real. But you still call us to follow and you knew it all would happen. And you show us in your word that it does happen, but you still call us to be men of courage, to walk with you in faith. So, lord, will you do it To my sons in the faith? Will you do it To my brothers in the faith? Will you do it To my fathers in the faith? Will you do it To my fathers in the faith? Will you do it? Give us courage In Jesus' name, amen.

Speaker 3: 50:35

Hello, my name is Michelle Tolliver and Biblical Talk's book offer for the month of October is Free at Last. The Gospel and the African American Experience by Dr Carl Ellis. The words of Martin Luther King Jr's I have a Dream speech have become enshrined in US history. But after the end of King's generation of leadership, what happened to the African American struggle for freedom? Like the ancient Israelites, the African American community has survived a 400-year collective trauma. What will it take for them to reach the promised land that King foresaw to be truly free at last?

Speaker 3: 51:09

In this classic historical and cultural study, Dr Carl Ellis offers an in-depth assessment of the state of the African American freedom and dignity, stressing how important it is for African Americans to reflect on their roots. He traces the growth of the black consciousness from days of slavery to the 1990s, noting especially the contributions of King and Malcolm X. Ellis examines elements of black culture and offers a distinctive perspective on how God is active in culture more broadly. Free at Last, concludes with a call for a new generation of jazz theologians and cultural prophets to revitalize the African American church and expand its cultural range. The book also includes a helpful glossary of people, events and terms. Ellis writes it is my prayer that the principles contained in this book will play a role in building bridges of understanding and facilitating reconciliation where there has been alienation For any amount of donation to Biblical Talks.

Speaker 3: 52:01

We will send you the book. Please go to biblicaltalkscom and click the Donate here tab. Thank you for listening to Biblical Talks. We will send you the book. Please go to BiblicalTalkscom and click the Donate here tab. Thank you for listening to Biblical Talks.