Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Why are people ashamed of the Gospel of CHRIST?
• Because they love the world
• They want to be popular
• They want to be accepted by peers
• They don’t want to be considered narrow minded
• They want to be in the majority
• They want to blend in
What was the mindset of the early church?
• Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
• Acts 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
What was the mindset of the early church?
• Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.
• Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Don’t be Ashamed to suffer
• 1 Peter 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
• 1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Don’t be Ashamed to proclaim the gospel!
• Romans 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
• Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
• Romans 1:17 For in it is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Don’t be ashamed to proclaim!• Romans 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in
Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense: and whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.
• Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Mark 8:35-38• For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but
whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own life?
• Or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Don’t be ashamed
• Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city.
• 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Tertullian
• “We multiply whenever we are mown down by you; the blood of Christians is seed”
• The early Christians were willing to die rather than deny their Lord!
• What about you and I?
A challenge for this week
• I will not be ashamed to speak for Jesus.
• I will invite a family/friend to a bible study.
• I will call those who I did not see at worship.
• I will talk with a complete stranger about the gospel.
