Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A little later in the program, we'll tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's book, Diamonds in the Dark. But first, here's the message, courageous Christianity. Open God's word from Acts chapter four.
The church in the book of Acts is on fire. A blaze. by the Spirit of God, baptized with the Spirit and moving out and Thousands and thousands of people are coming to personal faith in Christ.
Now When the fire spreads, as it is spreading here in the book of Acts. You can count on the fact that Satan will show up. and try to snuff it out. Jesus said, I've come that you might have life and have it more abundantly. He went on to say that Satan comes to kill, to steal, and to destroy.
And so Satan shows up every time we show up with the gospel. And that's what we have here in Acts chapter 4.
Now, Peter and John and the others are going to be called into account and face. Persecution and opposition and resistance because of their bold. Proclamation of Jesus Christ. And as a result, they were told never to speak the name of Jesus again.
Now think about the stakes. of this situation. This is the earliest moments of the Christian faith. and church. Had Peter and John failed.
Had they refused, to stand. The Christian faith could have died in its infancy. But because these early believers were willing. to take whatever would come their way. Whether it was beating or suffering or persecution or even death.
Because they stood We can stand today. and proclaim Jesus Christ. Here's what happened beginning in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12. Mm-hmm.
Now when they saw They meaning the Sanhedrin, the religious crowd. Actually, Call them into account. And here's what they said. When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and common men, they were astonished. They were amazed, stunned, and they recognized: here's a key phrase.
that they had been with Jesus. These representative men. We were standing in the power and the authority of Jesus Christ. They had spent three years with him. Plus, they had now seen him after his death and resurrection, and they knew.
He was alive. They knew. that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus lives. And so they were bold in their faith. They were uneducated common men, but they had been with Jesus.
But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, that's the lame man who is healed, they had nothing to say in opposition. What could they say? Here's Visual evidence of the power of the name of Jesus. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another. They got together, they had a conference.
They said, how are we going to stop this? We thought we dealt with this two or three months ago when we killed Jesus. But now is coming back. And these guys remind us of Jesus. They're doing what Jesus did, they're changing lives.
What are we going to do? He said, we can't deny that a miracle has taken place. Verse 17, but in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. Peter and John would later say in defense We cannot help but speak of the things that we have seen. and heard.
We can't help it. We know that Jesus is Lord. And we will speak. Regardless of The consequences. This is the most Powerful and persuasive call for Christians to be courageous in our own generation.
Those of us who claim his name. and say that We are followers of Jesus who said, take up the cross and follow me. We know. That we must fight the good fight. of faith.
And regardless of what comes our way. that we will not flinch. In the fire. That we will not fail. in the call of Christ.
to proclaim the gospel to the world. It's impossible to follow Jesus with passion. and conviction. and not face resistance, opposition. And even persecution.
So this message is a call to courageous Christianity. for you and me to be courageous. The fact is, your faith will be put to the test. The faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted. And so, faith, real faith, will often face persecution.
So, that's the first thing I want you to hear. That's the first point of this message. Realize that persecution. Opposition is going to happen. It's going to happen if you take a stand.
For Christ. 2 Timothy 3, 12. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus. will suffer Persecution.
Now Most of us would have to say, living here in America and the freedoms that we have enjoyed through the years, that We have not experienced any real persecution. There are Christians This very day, who are dying for their faith in Jesus Christ, who are martyred for their faith. Or imprisoned for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we should always pray for the persecuted believers around the world, the persecuted church. Most of us have never experienced any real persecution, physical.
Persecution. But if you live a godly life in Jesus Christ, according to the scripture, You will suffer. opposition. and resistance. And if you're living for Jesus a godly life, you will be opposed.
Satan will rise up against you. And the forces of evil will attack you just as Peter and John were attacked. And people will try to intimidate you and shut you up and tell you that you can't speak, you can't say that. When you stand for The Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God.
Now, if you're not. suffering some experiencing some persecution slash opposition resistance. It's for one of two reasons. Either, number one, you've got your head down and you're in a holy hole, and you're not really standing for Christ openly. The other reason that people are silenced And don't therefore experience persecution in their life is because they're not living godly in Jesus Christ.
I mean, if I live a compromised life. If my life is just like the world, if I'm doing what the world does, if I'm doing what my friends do who don't know Christ, then certainly my lips are silenced and I have no real effectual witness for Christ and therefore no opposition. But I'm telling you, if you are a courageous, muscular Christian, there will be opposition. Listen to what Jesus said. And in fact, you could look it up yourself.
In John chapter 15, Verses 18 through 20. John 15. To twenty. Here's what our Lord said. If the world hates you, You know that it hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world. hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: a servant is not greater. than his master.
If they persecuted me, They will persecute. You.
So don't be surprised. Don't be stunned. If the world hates you. If the world calls you fringe or fanatical, Don't be surprised if people tell you you're crazy because you are a follower of Jesus. Don't be intimidated by the lies of Satan.
Expect Expect Opposition. It's the way we win and overcome. and so expected. But realize in expecting it and embracing it, And enduring it. that ultimately The victory is ours.
We know we win. When you read the Revelation, the last book in the Bible, you read as John looks up into heaven in chapter 7 of Revelation, verse 9, it says, After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number. Of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palm branches in their hands. That's Victory Day. But be ready.
because the trial will come. The test will come. The difficulty, maybe even danger. Will come. It may be something as simple as your own family.
excluding you. Because you're now a follower of Jesus. That hurts. That's tough. It may be that you get passed over.
For that promotion, it worked because you're a well-known believer in Christ. You're considered friends, you're considered. fanatical and You're put out maybe in your own neighborhood that You're not included. I don't know what it may be, but the question is: are you? Inhibited and intimidated by that, or are you inhabited by the power and the passion of Jesus Christ and propelled to get stronger and more muscular in your faith?
That's the challenge that is before us, regardless. Of the trials that we face. Maybe it's a physical trial, suffering of some kind. You're battling cancer or some illness. Yet Jesus said, Blessed are you when you are persecuted.
And when you suffer. And when people say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, this is in the Beatitudes, chapter 5 of Matthew, say all kinds of stuff about you falsely for my sake. He said, rejoice. Have a party. Celebrate.
Because great is your reward. Just as they persecuted the prophets before you. They will persecute You. You see, the thing is, they reminded people of Jesus. What put people off?
and still does today, is when we remind them of Jesus.
So maybe this would be a good point place to just stop and Ask you and me, all of us, to search our own hearts. Do we remind people of Jesus?
Now do we represent Jesus well? With our words, with our witness. With our lives. Do does anybody Does anybody say about you when they're having a conversation? You know that guy, that gal.
She must be a Christian. Because she's like Jesus. She reminds me of what? Jesus was one. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message: Courageous Christianity.
If you're walking through a tough season, Diamonds in the Dark is a message you need to hear. In this honest and hope-filled book, Dr. Graham shows you how God uses grief, war, Loss and hardship to reveal spiritual treasures you'd never discover otherwise. We want to send you Diamonds in the Dark as a thanks for your gift of $10 or more. Call now to request your copy?
Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. Or text the word DIAMOND to 59-789. Don't let stress rob you of peace. It is possible to break the destructive grip of stress on your life and enjoy the peace and abundance God desires for you.
That's what Dr. Graham helps you do in his booklet, Breaking Free from Stress. We'll send you a digital download of Breaking Free from Stress when you sign up for email updates from PowerPoint today. Just go to PowerPoint.org slash stress and sign up today.
Now let's get back to today's message. courageous Christianity. The second thing is refuse to be ashamed. Refuse to be ashamed. When Peter and John were threatened, They were bold.
The key word in this passage is boldness. I love that word. Boldness. Because of their boldness, they were not ashamed.
Now, boldness. is not the same as brashness. Boldness is not arrogance. Boldness is holy and humble. It's a holy boldness.
that we have in Christ. Let me tell you something. I mean, it's not getting in people's face, it's getting in people's heart for the love of Christ. That's boldness. is standing even if you have to stand alone and taking your stand.
Graciously and effectively In Jesus' name. That's boldness. is taking a stand. In Christ. Boldness is not human courage.
Peter had tried human courage. Remember in the garden? when he pulled out the sword and whacked off the ear of the servant of the high priest. He he He was courageous at that point, but... But Jesus rebuked him.
Because that was just brashness, not boldness. That was craziness, not courage. And Later on, he failed miserably because his courage failed. Human courage ultimately failed. We admire courage, whether it is in wartime, those who serve our country.
We admire the courage of people who brave up against cancer or disease of some kind. We admire human courage. It's certainly something we should cultivate. But ultimately, all of us run out of our own courage. And so we need something more, and that is courage in Christ, and to be not ashamed of the gospel.
as we live the Christian life. And the key here, the key here. is that these men were just common Ordinary men. They took note of them even though they were, you read that, they were unschooled and uneducated. And they weren't stupid.
They were bright, and in fact, you could even say brilliant. These men were apostles and authors of scripture, and so they were very bright. But when these religious types, when they realized they weren't seminarians, they weren't. Trained in the rabbinical schools. They were not religious professionals.
They were just common, ordinary men. John was a man's man. He was called the son of thunder. Peter was a fisherman, bold and brash at times, but ultimately, under the power and the authority of Christ, he became such an effective servant of the Lord. And these two men, Common ordinary men.
We're so powerful because They've been with Jesus.
Now There are many people today. who won't listen to Jack Graham. religious professionals of any kind. They see me as getting paid for what I do. I'm talking about people who don't know Jesus.
But they see you As a friend. or a follower of Christ who lives your faith. and has an influence on their lives. that is greater than, quote, religious professionals. You can reach people that those of us who are ministers could never reach.
I can't be your witness for you. You can't do your witnessing for me. All of us are called. To use our influence for the gospel of Christ to share Jesus Christ.
So how do you have this boldness? Number one, it's a vital personal relationship with Jesus. Have you been with Jesus? Do you know him? Are you a follower?
You see, a lot of people who say they've been with Jesus, that they know Jesus, it's a borrowed faith. When I say borrowed faith, what I mean by that, you borrowed it from your family. Or you borrowed it from your church. Or you borrowed it from your pastor. Or you borrowed it from grandma.
But it's not your faith. They had been with Jesus. They knew Jesus. They had experienced him. And a born-again faith is a bold faith.
Have you been born again? Too many people have a cultural Christianity. That's increasingly more difficult as the culture is being captivated by Satan and his forces. But that's why we have thousands and thousands of people who say they're Christians, but only show up at church, at funerals, and weddings, and maybe Easter and Christmas. Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
Secondly, be full of the Holy Spirit. You'll read Throughout the book of Acts, that they were filled again and again. There was one Big baptism of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, but we're not trying to repeat Pentecost any more than we would try to repeat. Calvary or Bethlehem. Pentecost happened as an event when the third person of the Trinity arrived to live and dwell his church, his people.
But now, while we are not baptized by the Spirit again and again, we are to be filled with the Spirit daily. And the Holy Spirit gives us holy boldness. The Spirit of Christ who lives within us fuels us and fires us. And if you want to keep going and keep glowing for Christ, if you want to keep the fire burning in your soul, then ask the Spirit of God to fill you daily. Which means to control you.
To be filled with the Spirit means to be controlled. By Jesus. To be infilled and infused and inhabited. By Jesus. So be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Have a vital personal relationship with Jesus, prayer. You'll discover that when Peter and John were let go, Threatened and told never to speak in the name of Jesus, what did they do? They went running to the church. That's what we ought to do, this is why we need the church. Because we're swimming with the sharks out there.
We're facing battles. And so we gather together to worship, to pray, to preach, to teach God's word. And so Peter and John went to the church. You can read all about it there in the end of Acts chapter 4. And the church was in a prayer meeting, and they had a prayer meeting, and they asked for the Spirit of God to revive them.
And they prayed. Guess what they prayed for? Guess what they prayed for when they were threatened within an inch of their lives? Guess what they prayed for? More boldness.
Not to give up, not to shut up. But more boldness. to keep proclaiming passionately. Hope in Christ. Prayer will do that for you.
Prayer will put passion in your life. Prayer will keep your fire burning. And if you pray for witness opportunities, if you pray for courage when it comes time to share your faith. God will give you the courage you need if you pray. Ask and it will be given to you.
That's a promise from Jesus.
So, if you say, well, I'm the silent type, I'm not an extrovert, I'm an introvert, you know, I don't know if I can be effective or not, let me remind you. of something very important. That A critic, a cynic, a skeptic has no argument. Against the power of Jesus Christ in your life because you've been changed. There is no greater witness than a testimony of a changed life.
There's no argument for that. They can tell you to shut up. But there's no argument. For what Christ has done for us. And then, one final thing: you want boldness?
Get the word of God in you. That's what they did. When you read the prayer here that they prayed when they prayed for boldness after they got back to the church, it's all full of the word of God. It's all full of the scripture, and they're just praying back the scripture. These people knew God's word.
They were growing in their faith. This is why you need to be in church. This is why you need to be with God's people. This is why you need to be growing in your faith. When you're growing, you're going.
Because you're buoyed up, you're built up in your faith, and you're strong, and you're muscular. What exercise is to the body, a Bible study, and spiritual growth is to your soul. You get the word of God, it will. Put steel in your backbone. Strength where there used to be a yellow stripe.
You get the word of God in you, and you will have a holy, humble boldness. that you didn't even know you had. And you'll never be a victim. but a victory. in the Lord Jesus Christ.
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message: courageous Christianity. Life doesn't always unfold the way we hope. There are setbacks, losses, and seasons that leave us asking: where is God in all of this? In his honest and encouraging book, Diamonds in the Dark, Dr. Graham shares how God is not absent in our pain, He is present.
and he is at work. This powerful resource walks you through some of life's hardest places to reveal spiritual treasures God plants along the way. If you or someone you love is facing grief, Fear or uncertainty. This message will help you find strength, clarity, and hope. right where you are.
And when you give a gift of $10 or more, we'll send you a copy of Diamonds in the Dark as our thanks. Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. Or just text Diamond to 59-789. And don't forget to visit jackgraham.org, where you can shop our e-store, give a gift online, or sign up for doctor Graham's free daily email devotional.
Our website again is jackgraham.org. And also, be sure to sign up for Dr. Graham's podcast, Bible, in a year. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? If you live a godly life in Christ, according to God's word, you will suffer opposition and resistance and maybe even persecution.
Satan will rise up against you and the forces of evil will attack you just as they attacked the Apostles Peter and John. And so maybe you're wondering, well, how would they attack me?
Well, they may try to intimidate you and shut you up and tell you you can't say this about Jesus or you can't talk. talk like that about God's Word. They'll try to stop you for standing up for truth and righteousness. But I want to give you a scripture that Jesus gave us in John 15, 18 to 20. Listen to this the next time you are intimidated or you're tempted to be quiet in the face of a world that needs to hear about Jesus.
Here's what Jesus said. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, But I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master.
If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.
So don't be surprised. Don't be stunned when the world hates you. Don't be intimidated by the lies of the enemy. God has promised that we win and will overcome the world. Our victory is in Christ.
Stand up for your faith. Be courageous in every circumstance in your life and watch God use you in a great way. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember, when you give a gift of $10 or more to PowerPoint, we'll send you Dr. Graham's book, Diamonds in the Dark, as our thanks.
Call 1-800-795-4627. That's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word DIAMOND to 59-789. And join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about how God can help you overcome evil with good.
That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.
