“Christ’s Call to Courage” | Sunday Message

Hey there, thanks for listening to the Greg Laurie part just a ministry supported by harvest partners on Greg Laurie encouraging you if you want to find out more about harvest ministries. To learn more about how to become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org. Let's pray together. Father, we are glad to be here with your people and I know that there are some folks here watching that could use some encouragement. They're afraid they're filled with anxiety right now and we pray as we look in your word that we will get that biblical perspective and understand that you are with us in whatever we are facing. So we commit this time a Bible study to you now in Jesus name we pray. Amen. You can always see that but today I want to talk to about Christ's call to courage and I meant to be looking at acts 23 so wanted to turn over there with me. Acts chapter 23 again the title is Christ's call to courage so just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it did.

We all survived a modern pandemic in our lifetime.

One of the most devastating of all time. We were just catching our breath and now it seems as though the world is on fire. We have this blistering attack on Ukraine by Russia under Pres. Putin. It's a powder keg that could literally threaten the whole world.

In this situation is escalated at an alarmingly fast pace of Russia entrenched in Ukraine now has threatened to use biological and chemical weapons. They've even threatened to use the nuclear option and some of warned about a potential world war three. I can't believe were talking about this right now. Last summer, talk like this was when I was in elementary school and it was a great conflict between the United States and then Soviet Union being led by Nikita Khrushchev and we were led by Pres. Kennedy. It's called the Cuban missile crisis were the Soviets of the Russians were putting their weapons over in Cuba, which is striking distance from America because of Florida. There, on the coast and so there was this big confrontation. There were headlines about a nuclear warming happening with these kids would literally what the bomb drills. We are told by her teacher that there's an atomic blast get under your chair or your desk like that wouldn't stop that all good were under the desk.

The whole thing is crazy and so there's a lot of anxiety in our country right now many are filled with stress, anxiety and fear because a covert inflation. This conflict in Ukraine. I read to the other date psychologists have now coined a new phrase called doomsday anxiety. What is doomsday anxiety, they say, quote it's a fear or worry about the end of the world are life as we know it. Symptoms include chronic nightmares and underlying feeling of fear and obsession with the news tombs scrolling through online media never done that.

Tombs scrolling is flipping through your newsfeed. Bad news, bad news, bad news, bad news and it's affecting people. So what are we doing how how we acknowledging that some people are just partying away spring break man party like it's 1999 Ms. Prince told us we shouldn't party like it's 1999.

We should pray like it's 2022. Because these are real problems.

So what do I bring this up because this could bring discouragement. This conferring fear. This can bring anxiety and you might be surprised to know you're not the first Christian to ever feel this way.

Even the great apostle Paul got down at times. So in this message. Looking to see what Jesus said and what Jesus did to revive Paul in this message. Now my last message of the book of acts. It was titled how to live a meaningful life.

We looked at Paul's farewell to the elders of Ephesus. He knew he would never see them again and among other things, he said. My hope is to finish my race with joy.

After that he loves them and he was staying with Philip the evangelist Philip had a friend known as activists. The prophet in arguments was a pretty dramatic guy. He wrapped himself up and he said this is what's going to happen you Paul if you get on the boat to go to Jerusalem you'll end up in prison.

Paul's like okay you can, of overdoing it a little bit but I get the message. Then Paul says to arguments these words, he says listen I am ready to die if necessary.

In Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ understand Paul is already been to heaven at this point, and many scholars believe it was probably after he was stoned after you preach not the kind of stoned and deliver deadly came back to life. We know at some point Paul went to Kevin he writes about in Corinthians were he was caught up in the third heaven and saw things that he cannot even describe.

Then he came back to work. So Paul is saying, glory he's not afraid to die even said that the believers in Philippi. I want to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, it's important for me to stay here with you.

So Paul wasn't afraid he wasn't afraid of suffering. He was then afraid even of death itself. How do you stop a man like that answer. You know, and thank God for its we need more men and women like that today. So now we find the apostle has been arrested just as active as the prophet had worn and he's in jail and so the story starts in next 23 starting in verse 10, there arose a loud outcry and the scribes of the Pharisees party arose and protested, saying we find no evil against this man, we get a Paul but of the spirit are an angel and spoken to him. Let us not fight against God. Another arose a great dissension in the commander, fearing that Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and taken by force from among them and bring them into the barracks. Verse 11. But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, be of good cheer. Paul, as you have tested fine for me in Jerusalem, you must also bear witness in room will start stop. The rather severe fall in prison again. Paul's middle name could have been trouble. There was never a dull day in the life of this man.

Everywhere he went. There was either a riot or revival, but of course he and the others turned their world upside down. But here he is now in this Roman dungeon and he was probably feeling discouraged and I think that's because of what Jesus said to him, in particular, so if you're discouraging you're frightened about your future right now. Hopefully these words of Jesus will bring comfort to you as well. We can verse 11 it says the following night the Lord stood by him. Maybe Paul and second-guess his decision.

I mean he's in shackles in jail. Maybe you thought all men. I should list the arguments I mean this is really a good thing this for God wants me to be so.

Jesus himself shows up. He doesn't even dispatch an angel. Jesus is a I am here right beside you. Everything changes when you become more aware of the fact that wherever you go.

Jesus is there with you is a God as a kid living in New Jersey and I have a little cowboy thing gone little cowboy hat and some Littles guns. You know, Guns and some walking on the streets. Firemen little Guns. These guys like hoodlums is what I would call them chemo, then what are you doing you will you and they took my guns for me and push me on the ground. So I went home and cried and then I saw my brother who was a lot bigger than me. I say we go back with me so we can get my guns back and so we I go walking on the street and I see these guys shooting my little Guns my brother standing with Pete. He walks over. I think he pushed one of them to the ground, took the guns back and I was so happy but here's my point. I a lot more courage to my big brother was with me.

So here's the point that I may give you wherever you go you love a lot more courage when you know Jesus Christ is with you standing by your side.

But then Jesus says, be of good cheer when an interesting thing to say no when someone is feeling down. It's not always the best thing this eight year of good cheer, or hey, you know, smile, I'll be happy you know you and think of them they gray skies are going to clear up put on a happy face.

They want to smack you may save you. Hey, keep your my wife's name out of your mouth. You know, wrong story okay to soon don't slap people just don't have a good idea but it doesn't make you happier when someone tells you to be happy that when you're down and someone says cheer up. It makes you even a little bit more miserable but actually Jesus was not seen cheer up to Paul, if you translate this word more accurately would be a Paul. Have courage.

Big difference from just cheering up to having Kurzweil what is courage. Courage is bravery, fortitude and courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, or the threat of death, and I don't think it necessarily comes naturally to a lot of people because were all afraid at times so we try to muster courage but to one person to find courage this way. Quote courage is fear that is set its prayers. I like that.

Mark Twain said courage is the mastery of fear not the absence of fear, so you might be afraid but you master your fair and it turns into courage. Those that service every day and law enforcement have courage when they put that uniform on its strap.

I met Sam Brown and they go out there representing us defending us that takes courage. Those that service in our military have that same courage to be willing to put everything on the line for us. I think of Pfc. Ross McGinnis.

I read about them in the newspaper. He was perched in the gunners hatch of a Humvee when a grenade whizzed past him into the truck carrying four of his fellow soldiers in a split second, McGinnis did the unthinkable.

Shouted a warning to the other soldiers and threw himself on the grenade he observed its full impact and tragically died but all four of those men survive. That was an act of amazing courage, and it happens every day. But there's different kinds of courage there is moral courage as well. The courage to stand up for what is true in a world that is filled with lies bread since it took courage for young Stephen to speak and to preach the gospel to those who are about to put him to death took courage for Daniel to pray when suddenly it was against the law to call on God. It took courage or Shadrach me shack in the Bendigo to not gobble for the golden image of King Nebuchadnezzar and we need that courage today to stand up.

Now listen, if you stand up for what is true. You might get canceled or worse, but we need more people to have that courage today.

It takes courage to honor the vows you made to your husband or wife to be, for better or for worse, for richer and for poor and sick descendent help to love and the terrors of death do us part both of the valves I used people write their own valves now and some of them get a little odd really, but you make the bow arm and to be with you for the rest of my life that takes courage to honor those wells but it also takes courage to remain sexually pure when you're a single person to avoid that temptation to capitulate to the others for the pressure of others, and so forth. But would we get this courage well now are going to find out because God wants to give you that courage is well. This particular phrase of Jesus, have courage is used multiple times.

He repeated this phrase in three different sets of circumstances number one. He said it to a man who was a paraplegic. In Matthew nine. This man was carried to Jesus and lay before Jesus looked at him and said, be of good courage, your sins are forgiven. The guy probably fallible. That's nice.

My sins are forgiven with others, wanting to get up and walk again and instinct start debating the religious leaders who can forgive sins but God alone. Jesus is ire what you're saying. Just so you know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins. I say that this man rise up and walk and then he looked it up, paraplegic, and he said, have courage, your sins are forgiven and the man got up and walked again so his forgiveness brought courage and sometimes we are crippled by our own sin. We've done something wrong. We've said something wrong and were paralyzed by we feel we can never recover from it. The devil is there exploiting the opportunity the accuser of the brethren as he is called in Scripture saying you're not worthy to talk to God. You shouldn't read your Bible, you shouldn't pray you shouldn't go to church year of failure and we have to not listen to that voice. The Bible says submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Listen, you might be disabled by your sin right now but you been forgiven by God and restored, so get up and walk. Get up and walk forward. Don't live in the past. Jesus put himself between that man and his sin. This second time used Jesus uses this phrase be of current good courage is with a woman who was struggling to reach him when there was a large crowd surrounding him and that she had a medical problem. She had spent all of her money on doctors benefited work, she reasoned, in her mind.

If I can touch the edge of his robe. I will be healed and so she reaches through and touches it boom she's healed right in that spot Jesus substances who touched me as I everyone touch to Jesus what you mean, who touched you. He says I perceive that power is gone out of me. So the crowd parts are that woman. Hey, but Jesus didn't want to rebuke her. He wanted to commend her then.

I love his words. He says, be of good courage, daughter, your faith is made you well. So forgiveness brings courage and power gives courage. Jesus came for this power harbors the power has gone out to me on the word use overpowers the same word used in acts 18 when it says you shall receive power Of the Holy Spirit is come upon you to be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The power of the Holy Spirit. That's why it's a good thing when you get up in the morning to say Lord fill me with the Holy Spirit is that will give you the courage you need more promise in acts 239. This promise of the Spirit's power is on to you. Your children all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God will call.

Listen to this God will give you what you mean when you need you might know someone who is suffering right now and you think yourself medical doctor told me I had cancer, or if I found out the loved one had died or if some other thing happened to me like that. I don't think I could handle it.

Listen to this God will give you what you need when you need it, not necessarily before, but never after. He will give you what you need that courage comes from him and it will come to you as well. But you must say Lord fill me with your spirit.

I need this courage. The third use of this phrase is something Jesus said to the disciples on the storm tossed Galilee there out there in the big storm comes in they start freaking out. They think they're going to die. And here comes Jesus walking to them on the water and they think it's a ghost.

The Bible says, which is kind of humorous to me. It's a ghost and it turns out it wasn't Casper.

It was Christ coming to them in their hour of crisis and what does Jesus say he says, be of good courage.

He put himself between them and the thing that frightened them a while ago I was walking with my granddaughter Allie and there's a some guy that has a dog off the leash and this is a pretty aggressive dog and he came out as barking, showing his teeth and immediately I stepped in front of her and push her behind me and I said to this guy in a very loving Christian way.

Put that dog on a leash right now and also he did everything was okay, but Allie was very scared.

Then afterwards, he said, thinking of receiving my life. Well think I saved her life will come. I just instinctively did what any normal parent would do, or grandparent. I put myself in in the way of danger if you will, but that's what Jesus is saying what said he puts himself in that place. You don't have to be afraid so. His forgiveness gives courage is power gives courage and finally his presence gives courage is a God reminded Paul that he was not alone. Verse 11. Again, says the Lord stood by him, even though the local Christians did not help them.

The Lord come to visit him later in his last epistle, Paul wrote, everyone has abandoned me. Have you ever felt that way so everyone is abandoned you, you feel as though your family is abandoned you. Your friends have abandoned you. Even your dog is abandoned you, your cat, even though you have a was never with you.

Cats abandon you.

The moment they come in your home they disappear for two weeks.

No explanation were of you been what you doing. But I digress I made you feel as though the Lord has abandoned you. Listen to this. It's not true.

God will never abandon us and I'll tell you why, because when Jesus hung on the cross.

You remember he gave seven significant statements. One of those statements was my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. That is the moment that most scholars believe that the sin of the world was placed upon Jesus and he was bearing it at our place. So in a sense, the father turned his face away from Christ. But listen Jesus was forsaken, so you might be forgiven. Jesus face the brunt of that sin for you became a substitute for every sin you and I have ever committed.

And because of that I will never be forsaken.

I will never be abandoned by God.

Jesus himself said I will never leave you or forsake you. So he saying this to Paul. I am with you.

Maybe I'm talking to somebody right now in a hospital room. I called a young man the other day at the sisters request. She said would you call my brother he's in the hospital. His vital organs are feeling.

We don't even know if you'll make it and he needs to get right with the Lord. I'm pretty reluctant to call people and someone else requested because I've done in the past, the Lancer and I'll say hi I'm Pastor Greg and I wanted to talk to, and the like. What I didn't want you to talk to me okay but in this case a young man was happy to talk to me and we discussed the situation a little bit and he said I feel like God has abandoned me as a bully has. He's with you in that room right now and you need to commit your life to Jesus Christ and he did that. I said call your sister and tell her what you did, so she read a text to my wife a little bit later and said my brother just called me and he said he feels Jesus is with them is been forgiven of his sins. And you know that's what the Lord can do in a hospital room he can come and change your heart. So if you're in a hospital room or rear you're in the jail. You're in the prison.

Better to be in a prison with Jesus and anywhere else.

Without him write better to be in a storm with Jesus than anywhere else.

Without him. Isaiah 43 says when you go through deep waters in great trouble God speaking.

I will be with you when you go through rivers of difficulty. You will not drown when you walk to the fire of oppression you will not be burned up in the flames will not consume you. I talked to a lady before our last service in she's one of the volunteers and help here at our church and does she said would you, but she told me about her because she said he's in prison right now any watches you all the time online and I said let's make a video for an subsea filming and I just said hey I want you to know that Jesus is with you right where you are and and I pray that when you get out of prison that you will honor and serve the Lord and find his plan for your life and it's just great to know that God can bring that hope sitting in our congregation right now is my my is my friend Michael frenzy and the Michael of course many of you know was once a member of the Colombo crime family.

He was ultimately going to probably become the dawn of the family. The Godfather and because he wouldn't rat anybody out. They sent him to prison and I and there in prison in solitary confinement on Michael King to put his faith in Jesus Christ and a guard gave him a Bible and they started reading it and then later when he got out. I'd never heard of before. Someone said there some guy who says he was in the Mafia was imprisoned and he wants to talk to you. I'm immediately concerned as it did he use the phrase wack at any point her sleeping with the fishes because I I've heard these things in movies I'd know you will. He's a Christian.

Then he wants to meet you I think of the Christian, you're in the mop you were never in the Mafia. Give me a break. And because guys make it up so I meet him and he's the real deal and if you Google his name you realize everything he tells you in the story is true, but God transformed him, but he was with them in the darkest of places, and wherever you are. Right now the Lord is with you if you put your faith in Jesus Christ right to know for the Bible says the Lord stood by him. It was a reminder to Paul that buddy. I know where you are okay. I haven't forgotten about you. I haven't abandoned you. I'm standing beside you right now you know sometimes we lose things I lose things all the time to ridiculous. I have this little thing called an air tag.

You know that is made by Apple so I put it in my wallet. I misplaced my wallet. Where is it so I go to find my whatever word it whatever you put it in for my wallet and it beats it's like 1 foot for me under my back like a brother to feel like an idiot goddess attack. If you will. That's far more sophisticated than that. He knows where you are at all times. The psalmist said if I go to the depths of hell you're there I go to the heights of heaven.

Your there were can I flee from your presence affected you should never want to flee from God's presence. You should rejoice that his presence is always with you that he is there with you as well and so the Lord comes to Paul and he gives him the comfort he needs. Here's the thing Paul did not know what was going on outside.

As it turns out there were 40 men who had taken an oath to not eat or drink until they killed Paul, you know, sometimes ignorance is bliss and I don't know what plots the devil is hats that might involve me or you. All I know is greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world right. I'm glad I don't know everything that everyone is ever said about me.

That doesn't agree with me you are at some issue or whatever it might be. I don't know all these things the Lord does Paul didn't know. But God gives us information when we need the information you know, the military has a term on a need to know basis, so maybe it's above your pay grade, so to speak, and you don't know all the intricacies of a particular battle plan. For instance, but they will tell who needs to know God gives us what we need to know on a need to know basis. But here's another thing I love about this, God still had a future for Paul it was and over again.

Verse 11. Be of good cheer. Paul, as you testified for me in Jerusalem, you must also bear witness at Rome's overlords and I know what you are and I have plans for you and I have a future for you. Now let's be honest, what was that future while he went to Rome, he appeared before Caesar and ultimately was beheaded. According to church tradition, not a very bright future. How does that work out. I think sometimes they think everything is going to work out perfectly and will tie a nice little bow on it and will say and they lived happily ever after, but the reality is life doesn't work that way does it. Here's my objective. My objective is to be faithful to what God has called me to do. My life is been given to me by God. Your life is been given to you by God my objective. Your objective our objective is to find the will of God and walk in it and be faithful because one day when I stand before Jesus, he will not say well done, good and successful servant he will say well done good and what faithful servant.

I suggest to you, there are some things that we would call a success today that may be looked back on later as a failure. I also suggest you. There are some things you might think is a is failure today that will be looked upon as a success later. You know, we don't know until a little time passes, but we need to focus on what God has set before us, and we should not put a period where God has put a, there was a future for Paul and there is a future for you.

One of my favorite verses I quoted so often.

I'm slightly obsessed with it is Jeremiah 2911 the Lord says I know the thoughts of the thing toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope like that for so much that when I gave my son Christopher a watch for his 21st birthday that I don't. I inscribed ever had it inscribed on the back of the watch. You probably know that my son tragically I went to be with the Lord of 14 years ago. He will guide we just celebrated what would've been his 47th birthday. They give me a little plastic bag after he died. And then it was his wallet. His keys in his watch and I took the watch on my holding my hand and he flipped it over and I saw that inscription. I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, not of evil give you future open. I thought where's the future for him. Where's the future for me. Then I just had to remind myself that it's not all about our life on earth. Our ultimate future is in heaven. That's where it is where it all comes together using the Christian is in a win-win situation because the live is Christ. Paul says I did die is gain. So that's the ultimate future, but I just want you to know God is a plan for you and your future as well, so be courageous. Let's review Paul realize he was not alone number two God beware Paul was that he was there with a number three God had a future for Paul. God is a future for you and he is a future. So don't be filled with fear and worry and anxiety. Be of good courage feel good cheer.

God is with you promising you a certain future. When I think of courage I can think of a greater example of it than Jesus Christ himself get moral courage. When he stood up for what was right and true and never for a moment, compromised his father's word.

He displayed Rob physical courage when he went to the cross and endured the eating endured the scourging endured the crucifixion and died there in our place. He withstood the withering criticisms of harsh treatment beating. He courageously bore all the sin of the world for us, so he is our example is the one to follow. Because Hebrews 12 says look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and now is sit down on the right hand of God. And then it goes on to say consider him that endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lets you become weary and discouraged in your soul, consider him. Remember Jesus you're wearing your discouraged your afraid. Remember Jesus keep your eyes on Jesus, you don't have to go through life afraid worry filled with anxiety. Jesus says, be of good courage, and don't be afraid to the cues you want Jesus to come into your life. That's of this courage comes from. I just blew in from Alabama and boy are my arms tired to do push okay that's a drum of the symbol by the Bush and I had to buy a ticket and then I had to go through security then I had to take the seat that was assigned to me and fly to my destination which is California. God has a destination for you. It's called heaven.

He's prepared a place for you, but you need your ticket is LK. How much is it because you couldn't afford it.

Good news, it's already been paid for. Jesus paid for your ticket if you will. When he died on the cross and shed his own blood, but you have to get the ticket now, in this case I I have it on my phone you know was in the paper ticket was there and I think the QR code may scan it and I get on the plane so it's there.

It's a gift from heaven for you what you needed to get is your own and ask Christ to come in your life and I am talking to somebody right now it is very afraid of their future and their very down of the very discouraged and they feel abandoned, but I want you to know that can all change literally in a moment they can change in an instant, no matter how young you are, or how old you are just the other day are pastor told me that we did the service for a lady that was in her late 90s and this lady came to our church and committed her life to Christ in her early 90s. That's just amazing because when you're that old you're pretty set in your ways. Okay. But God got a hold of her and now she's in heaven that so you might be in your 90s you might be nine wherever you are in life, you need Jesus in these here for you and he's ready to come into your life. So I would like to close of the prayer and give you an opportunity to ask Christ to come into your life so you don't have to be filled with fear. You don't have to be filled with anxiety. You can enter into this relationship with the God who loves you and has a plan and a purpose for your life. He's just a prayer away. The Bible says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved enough to call out to Jesus and asked for his help asked for his forgiveness. Take that lifeline if you will that's been dropped from heaven say Lord I believe in you and I accept your forgiveness and I turned from.

I said if you want to do that you can do it right now as we pray together. Let's all bow our heads and pray father I pray that you will speak to every person here every person that is listening or watching wherever they may be. If they don't know you yet. Help them to come to you right here right now pray this prayer after me if you want to go to heaven one day if you want your sin forgiven, if you want a second chance in life for this prayer with me now Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for me, and rose again from the dead. I turned from my sin.

Now when I choose to follow you from this moment forward.

Thank you for hearing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray. Everybody thinks or listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and to find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God