Unapologetic

Many Christians on their way to Dr. Tony Evans is the Lord finds little use for followers who don't stand up for the gospel celebrating 40 years of faithfulness. This is the alternative Dr. Tony Abbott authored speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the urban alternative when we done something wrong. The right thing to do is to apologize. But when we done something right. Like confessing our allegiance to Christ, Dr. Evan says it's a different story. Today he explains what it means to be an unapologetic Christian loyalty Christ even when it cuts across the grain of our culture. Let's turn to Matthew 10 as he begins living in a day of no shame in being publicly prorated. It should be clear today that Christians have lost the home field. We are the visiting team become crystal clear that whatever remnants of a Christian nation that we had no longer exists. Now we are at the stage where the one empty that was designed to hold the line crumbles to and so I want to call on me. You and us to make the decision to be unapologetic Christians because that is what's needed today.

This is not a day for Christianity like Jesus says in verse 32. Everyone who confesses me before men, I will also confess before my father was in, but who ever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my father who is in heaven. He brings up the issue of confession not talking to non-Christians when he talks about confession and denial start into his so-called followers to confess means to publicly identify with. We live in a day of no say you see things on television, you would never have thought you would see on television viewing online waves that you never thought you would hear you see parades that you would never thought you would see because there is no and I don't hear anybody apologize. In other words, what they're saying everybody else's adjust because this is the way it is.

Jesus says I want you to confess me before men, the same way about a married person wears a wedding ring to give visual identification of a relationship and not a committed he saying don't take off the Christian ring when you go to work. Don't take off your Christian ring when you're in the neighborhood. Don't take off your Christian ring when you're around non-Christians to placate their rejection. If you confess me before men, why won't we do that so many of us because we like the fog spoken about in St. John chapter 12 verse 42 and 43 look at what it says.

Nevertheless, maybe even of the rumors believed in him. They became Christians, but because of the fallacies they were not confessing him for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue, for they love the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

He says no people outpace your field goal says they believe they can't say, but they didn't want to be rejected by people then want to lose their popularity didn't want to lose their public acceptance. Today we live in a world of political Christians. Christians who use politics and wrap that Christianity and the flag we live in a day of cultural Christians who wrap for Christianity in the subject of race rather than the primacy of Christ we live in a day of convenient Christians who want to use God for their blessing, but you don't want to represent him in the culture unless Lutheran Church Jesus says unless you confess me before men, he's talking about public identification notice. You must confess him not just his father but words saying God won't cut it. That's vague Christianity is, you must confess him Jesus Christ. Why because Jesus Christ has been assigned by the Trinity to represent the Godhead on earth in history you become a Christian by faith alone in Christ alone, apart from works. But once you become a Christian, you have not entered into the realm of discipleship.

The whole idea of following Christ is to be like you, attitudes and actions character and conduct. It means that your reflecting how he thinks reflecting what he says, reflecting how he feels because you becoming like him a disciple to become like his teacher Jesus sets the standard we emulate that standard in the culture the same way he reflected the standard of his father. We are to reflect the standard of our state so are you way confessing Christian meeting publicly identifiable before, maybe six, what's the issue. Of confession, the unsettled issue is the issue of the Lord ship issue of Lordship to show you what I mean from Romans chapter 10 he says in verse nine if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead will be say, but with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, but with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. So guess what he thought about you opening your mouth notice when you believe you are made righteous. You get saved in the way we use it. One way to have, but he says with your mouth that is, public identification is where you get deliverance, God through Christ will only join you in history. If you're not ashamed of you not apologetic about if you had behind the word God. So you have to deal with the inconvenience of Jesus. When a person joins the Army. It's free. You have to pay to join the Army but once you're in the Army as a whole. Another way of operating is not a civilian anymore. First of all, you easily identifiable based on the branch of service. We can look at your tire and maybe the Army Air Force. We can look at because you are publicly displayed where you this visible they have the rights over your life send you here to go to go there. They got to relocate here because they have become a part of your existence, you got in their free but once you get it. They become Lord and when you don't allow the services to become Lord you able to operate in the dinks program. God has many Christians on their way to heaven for a wall on earth because I don't want that. I want to pull a beautiful that one being the Army of the Lord functioning like a civilian. Ephesians 122 and 23, declares that all things have been placed on the Christ is to become fast.

Romans 1489 says, for if we live, we live for the Lord and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore whether we live or die. We although for to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be little both of the dead and the told you about the soldier who went to work. West permission from is superior to go to a wedding present.

Just got back about 10. He said but Sir a bit wedding doesn't begin till eight is that I heard you but you got to bed by 10, so does the will of the wedding was a pretty said no you in the Navy. I know the culture is pulling us this way and that way we come up with excuses for why we don't take our stand for Jesus Christ.

Crisis in the kingdom you belong to me. Now yes you are in the world and I don't expect you to be a hermit somewhere I expect you use your time and talents and your treasures in this world, under my authority and with full confession of me, the Lordship of Jesus Christ is over all of life is not a buffet you go to a buffet you choose.

I want this.

I don't want that to someone without knowing says no I'm Lord of all, there is no such thing as secular you change jobs during the new management what you do not all company was when you go to the new management now. We were transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of life you not under new management. Now, so we don't allow our sympathy to adjust God's standards. We don't allow our political allegiances to adjust our standards were not committed ultimately to a person or a party or a system recommended to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 210 and 11 makes it clear covering these go bow and every tongue is going to confess that Jesus is Lord, you can do it voluntarily now mandatorily later. Everybody is going to do that in his Lordship recognizes the unique Titus chapter 2 verse 13 says he is Savior and God. John 20 verse 28, the apostle says my Lord my God is the recognition that Jesus is not just some nice human figure that ought to be respected is the sum of the living God who want to be worshiped.

So where do we go from here.

Dr. Evans will come back with the answer for us when he continues her message shortly. Stay with us. There were times when I was overwhelmed with the burdens of life or what I didn't know that I can keep going.

Yet God would bring someone or something.

To speak words of encouragement to me during difficult times. Cost 2019 was one of those times when I lost my wife 40/49 years. How do you keep going during that season, one month after I lost my father, yet God provided string that I needed to keep proclaiming his word. During those difficult days and I'm very grateful 40 years we've seen this kind hand of fate on this ministry. When you consider all the challenges and difficulties along the way there's no doubt that the Lord has blessed our work here, which is only been possible because of the ongoing faithful support from listeners like you. Today's message simply titled unapologetic comes from Tony's brand-new teaching series divine reset look at how to respond to God's reminders to focus on the truly important to leave the past behind and live a life consistent with your identity in Christ you discover ways to develop a better focus on God enabling you to enjoy his presence while living your life free from cultural and worldly confusion and for a limited time. We are also including a bonus of Tony's popular booklet winning your spiritual battles.

This practical resource offers down-to-earth guidance on using the tools and tactics.

God is provided giving you victory over the spiritual challenges in your life will send you all 10 messages in the divine reset series and the winning your spiritual battles booklet is or thank you gift when you make a contribution to help support Tony's ministry. This offer is only available for a few more days, so visit us right away@tonyevans.org or call our 24 hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 for details before time runs out. I'll have her contact information again for you after part two of today's lesson and this makes it clear that you know when God is alive when it's fathers all the way to Dr. Tony heaven says that what becomes of the next generation of men depends on what happens with this kind of man can write down with the help of the Tony Evans training centers three course called kingdom man guilty to see past the bony images of manhood society surrounds us with and become the loving leader and a white family wouldn't want as with all of our courses. There is an in-depth study material. You can work through at your own pace. Lots of exclusive content from Tony tightly focused Q&A videos and online form, you can collaborate with other students. It's almost like having a seminary on your smart phone, check out the free course called kingdom man, and the growing list of other subjects waiting for you visit Tony heaven's.org today link to the Tony Evans training center opposition to Christ must be reflected on the Christ. As we grow in our relationship with Christ.

So how do you know whether you have made the Lordship decision you know that Luke 646. He says this. How do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say how to use the term and you call me Lord and then you telling me you doing some opposite to what I say. I say this about a man saying something else.

I say this about a woman you say some else confidence about marriage you say something else. I say this about finances say some say what say you keep coming up with all the stuff you say and mingle.

Call me Lord, Lord, Lord, and don't do what I say I'm Lord that means you adjusted live in a world where Christians asking God to adjust so we can make folks happy and the coach sure we are to be sensitive sure we are to be kind and compassionate, loving, not do that is also not to do what he says but you do not do that by jettisoning truth to placate a society that is already rejected your sake.

But what you must understand is a simple principle is pointed out in St. John chapter 2 verses 24 to 25 says Jesus knew what was in man and he would not commit himself to them and is talking about those who believe they believed in him, so they became Christians, but he wouldn't commit himself to them because he knew what was in going to put it another way, Jesus doesn't have the same commitment equally to every Christian were all equal children, but he's not equally committed to every child because of you are ashamed of. It says he would not commit himself to even though they believed once you are willing to appropriately, lovingly, compassionately, but clearly he identified Jesus Christ will create an because there is the public denial of any will even happen. He says in your own family because when you want those who reject me will reject it happen work in the neighborhood still happen in the pool. The cost to take your stand on God's word to take your stand on Jesus is perspective on the issues of our day that so many are about to take your stand there will create a conflict, but then he goes on to say he cofounded life are starting to lose it, and with loss of life for my sake will find it. He says because you have been publicly identified with me, you lose in terms of what the deniers assay with them, but you just want with me in the life you lost, you find legibly questioned me that you will find it.

You will be more concerned about losing them, losing him if you want to build a tower verse 28 count the cost. Verse 29 laid the foundation of the building.

One of you want to calculate so you can finish it allows legal make fun of you are starting this man began to build and was not able to obtain those in the battle he sets out to meet another want to battle verse 31 is a strong enough you consider the cost when you building a building you consider the cost when you going to battle in the question you're asking is cannot finish what I just got remoulade Christians were bailing out on Jesus. You know what we barely know we haven't told the whole story. So with built-in suffering or difficulty problems they bail. The blessing part. Yes, the loft part two many comes with this concluding for this to in Luke 14. Therefore, verse 34.

Salt is good, but if even Saul has become with what will it be salted all season. It is useless even for the soil to apply its pronouns here, whereas is to hear many thoughts about, so that's no longer something is lost in space. Guess what is usually so soft is not something you have to always dominate, people anything.

I got a lot of useless Christians they go to church when push comes to shove, they did not be the get so compromised by the world and want to make the world happy.

They do it at my expense and I can use that want to satisfy the populace not represent me with clarity with compassion but with sincere confession says that useless to me. Is are you ready to confess we not talk about your belief in God we talking about the Lord Jesus. If you need a reminder of what Jesus Christ did for you never fully heard about or understood his sacrifice on your behalf. We encourage you to visit Tony up and's.org and click on the link that simply says Jesus there. Dr. Tony Evans lays out the essence of the good news. God is given to the world and what it means for you. When you accept and embrace it.

That's the Jesus link on the homepage of Tony Evans.org Tony will come back with a closing comment for today's message just a moment but first, what we been listening to today as part of his brand-new series called divine reset and for a limited time we are offering the full-length versions of all 10 lessons in this series on CD and digital download along with Tony's booklet winning your spiritual battles there yours as a thank you gift when you make a donation to help us continue this ministry to a world desperately in need of the good news of Jesus Christ. Call us right away at 1-800-800-3222 our resource Center never closes. Don't wait again, dial 1-800-800-3222 or visit Tony Avenue and's.org to make the arrangements while you're there, be sure to sign up for Tony's free weekly email devotional again that's Tony and's.org, you know, we don't expect much from newborn babies, but as they grow toward adulthood, they increasingly demonstrate more responsibility will next time Dr. Evans will explain that God expects the same type of spiritual growth in Christians right now though he's back to wrap up today's message is are designed to be scary is the nature of the raw, but they also designed to give you the thrill of a lifetime for about becoming a disciple and confessing Jesus Christ. But once you get a thrill because the life you thought you lose you get so is time to cast your vote when you take your stand so that God can do a divine reset in a culture of Christ be not come because without a divine reset. This nation is going to hell and back divine reset will start with this church, we're not perfect on the person you're not perfect. We have flaws.

That's why he created repentance so that we could get realigned and cast out the alternative with Dr. Tony have brought to you by the proven alternative celebrating 40 years of faithfulness, thanks to the generous contributions of listeners like you