According To Luke: Going Public

According To Luke: Going Public

Opening Illustration:

Last Saturday, I performed a wedding in Mobile. It was a beautiful venue. The weather was perfect. Crystal blue skies. There was a small pond where the ceremony was delivered. The pond was in the background and there was a beautiful barn in the foreground. Everyone came dressed to the nines, smiles on their faces. Finally, at 4 p.m. the weddings started. It was a small wedding party, just one best man and one bridesmaid. Everyone was seated properly and the father walked his daughter down the aisle. Who gives this woman to be married to this man in holy matrimony? 

I have done a lot of weddings over the years. Weddings are great because it gives the bride and groom and opportunity to express their love, expose their feelings, and exercise that connection publicly. Oddly this one was slightly different than all the others. Normally I conduct the service and deliver the vows to have them repeated one to the other. Not this one. Ryan and Amanda had their own vows that they wanted to say to each other. Vows directly from their hearts. They did not have microphones so they had to speak up. Boy did they. They practically shouted their vows at each other. They were so proud to proclaim their love for one another. 

They promised love.

They promised faithfulness.

They promised, no matter what, that they were going to take this adventure of life together. 

After they said their vows, they exchanged rings.  

Do you know what happened next? I said these words…

Amanda and Ryan, by the power vested in me by the great state of Alabama and with God's guidance and approval, I now pronounce you husband and wife. What God has put together, let no man put asunder.

Then Ryan did this. He planted one. It was great. Very romantic. 

That’s why people love weddings. They see people who stand unashamed of one another publicly. They are not afraid to show their affection. They want others to see what has happened. 

In many ways, the expression of love in a wedding is very similar to the expression of love we see between Jesus and the church. Jesus publicly professed His love for us on the cross. Now, He asks for those who love Him, to make it public. Much in the same way that Ryan and Amanda took their love public for all to see. 

Friends, remember, our love of Christ should be expressed, exposed, and exercised publicly.

Our Love of Christ Should Be Expressed, Exposed, and Exercised Publicly!

Background and Context:

This morning we are back in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus has just encouraged His followers not to be afraid of those who come against them. He says not to even fear those who intend to kill the body. Rather, we should fear God who has the power to destroy both the body and the Spirit. Jesus then reminds them that they are loved. They are adored. They are called. Sure, we should respect God in the same way that we respect and fear our earthly fathers. Yet, Jesus reminds us that God loves us even more than our earthly dads. God has professed His love for us, now Jesus wants us to take the love we have for Him public. So let’s read from Luke 12:8-10.

Scripture:

Luke 12:8-10 ESV

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

How Should We Take Christ Public?

I. Boldly vs. 8

Luke 12:8 ESV

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God…

Illustration:

As a preacher, I am always reading or trying to find inspiring stories of men who preached the word of God. I want to preach boldly and unapologetically like them. I have always found men like Jonathan Edwards, DL Moody, and Charles Spurgeon inspirational. The other day I ran across a story about Peter Cartwright. Peter Cartwright was known for his uncompromising preaching. However, one day when the President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, "Old rough and ready," came to Cartwright’s church, the elders warned the Pastor not to offend the President. In those days, the President had great power to influence a denomination for good or bad. Content, that their Pastor would not say anything to discredit their church, the elders retired to the back of the sanctuary.

When Cartwright got up to speak, the first words out of his mouth were, "I understand that President Andrew Jackson is here this morning. I have been requested to be very guarded in my remarks. Let me say this: "Andrew Jackson will go to hell if doesn’t repent of his sin!" The entire congregation gasped with shock at Cartwright’s boldness. How could this young preacher dare to offend the tough old general in public, they wondered.

After the service, everyone wondered how the President would respond to Cartwright. When Andrew Jackson met the preacher at the door he looked at him in the eye and said, "Sir, If I had a regiment of men like you, I could conquer the world!" When we appreciate the power of the word of God and the Holy Spirit speaking from the lips of people with conviction we will make eternal differences.

Point:

That’s the kind of boldness, thats the kind of stand that Jesus is talking about here in verse 8. The Greek word for “acknowledge” is ὁμολογέω. It is pronounced ho-mo-lo-ge’-ō. It is where we get our English word “homily”. When you read the Scripture in the Greek, you realize that Jesus is saying far more than the word that was translated into English. So, what does it mean to acknowledge Jesus before men?

Acknowledging Christ Is A…

A. Concession

First it means to concede. That’s right, when you confess Christ to men, you have waved the white flag. You are admitting that you are no longer going to challenge His authority over your life. You have finally given up. 

B. Confession

Next, and this is a bit odd, it also means an admission of guilt. The other day my boys asked me to tell them stories about my childhood. They enjoy laughing at the rather embarrassing tales of my more youthful days. I made lots and lots of mistakes back in those days. They laughed and laughed at me and all the strange situations that I found myself in. Jack, my middle child, asked “Daddy, did all of that really happen? Did you really get into that much trouble as a kid?” The answer was “sadly…yes”. I was acknowledging to my kids my own failures in life, the times where I fell short, and missed the mark. When we stand before others and confess Christ, we are not telling them how great we are, because we are not great. We are really saying how great He is. 

C. Compulsion

Lastly, this word ho-mo-lo-ge’-ō means to speak out freely. Men, why do you wear a wedding ring? Women, why do you get mad at your husbands for not wearing their wedding ring? Guys we wear our wedding ring to tell other women, at least symbolically, that we are off the market. Don’t bother hitting on me ladies, I am a taken man and here is the proof. Ladies, you get angry at your husbands if they don’t wear their ring because it tells you, at least symbolically, that they want to keep your marriage under wraps. Ladies and gentlemen, we are to speak openly, aggressively, and consistently about our Jesus. We should feel compelled to share our testimonies. Oh boy, let me tell you that I love talking about my wife. She is the most beautiful woman to me and I am so thankful that I get to live life with her. She is the most important earthly relationship I have, even more important than my parents, my kids, and even my beloved church. As happy as I am to talk about her, I am more inclined to talk about my Jesus. We don’t just worship Him, praise Him, celebrate Him, but we communicate Him boldly no matter the situation because we are under compulsion to do so. 

2 Corinthians 3:12 ESV

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold…

How Should We Take Christ Public?

I. Boldly vs. 8

II. Quickly vs. 8-9 

Luke 12:8-9 ESV

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

Point:

Friends, what is your most valuable earthly commodity? Is it your home? Maybe a piece of land? A condo or hunting property? Could it be a classic car? A diamond ring that has been passed down for generations? A stock portfolio? What is it? What is the most valuable thing in your life right now? 

I believe that the most valuable thing in our lives cannot be held in our hands. It has no odor. No taste. No physical properties. It does exist and we can perceive its existence but if I asked you describe it, you might struggle. What is our most precious resource?

Time! Friends, the most valuable commodity in your life is not in your wallet, but what you wear on your wrist. Time is fleeting and we can never get it back. Once its gone, there is no way to recoup it. Understanding this, we better be using our time wisely, making the most of every moment. 

Point:

As Jesus says these words, there is a clear understanding that His followers need to be about the business of building God’s Kingdom. 

Point:

Our Lord Jesus referenced this same concern when He said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4, NKJV).

Jesus points to an end, a point at which the opportunity will pass. There is a definite point at which our opportunity for reaching the world will cease – the second coming of Christ.

Point:

Some people feel that our history will go on forever, that life will continue and the sun will come up every morning. They believe that history is cyclical. However, I believe Scripture teaches that history is linear. History is headed somewhere! Someday there will be a grand conclusion.

There are other ways in which the opportunity will pass. No one is promised another day of life. Every day on this earth thousands of people die and, unfortunately, as far as we know, thousands die without Christ. With all of our resources and technical abilities, there are still hundreds of people groups and millions of persons who have yet to hear the Gospel message of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unless someone intervenes, they will die without ever having heard the life-saving, eternity-shaping Good News.

James 4:14 ESV

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

How Should We Take Christ Public?

I. Boldly vs. 8

II. Quickly vs. 8-9 

III. Creatively vs. 8-10

Luke 12:8-10 ESV

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Point:

Our world is a very complex place. Complex people with a vast array of problems. How do we bring Christ to such a lost world? How do we bring Christ to so many different types of people? I say you do it creatively. Paul even addressed this issue when he said in I Corinthians 9:19-23,

I Corinthians 9:19-23 ESV

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Paul did not sacrifice the quality of the message, rather he tailor made the message to meet different people in different ways. 

Point:

We still do this today. We are seeking new and creative ways to speak the truth of the Gospel to a mixture of people groups. You don’t share Christ the same way in Alaska as you do in Miami. You don’t share the Gospel in Vermont the same way you do in Paris. Different people. Different cultures. Different modes. One message. 

Illustration:

How many of you have heard the name Billy Bob Barnett? Most have not I guess. He is the owner of Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest Honky Tonk. Mr. Barnett had a conversion experience. He accepted Christ and felt compelled to use his new found faith in a creative way. So, he opened up his large honky tonk on Sunday mornings for church services. Cowboys from all over the area came to hear the Gospel, to worship, and yes to enjoy the built in rodeo arena. The movement started and was dubbed “Cowboy Church”. Today, there are more than 200 Cowboy Churches stretching from Texas, to Canada, and Mexico. It is estimated that some 200,000 people engage in Cowboy Church each Sunday. Thousands of people have come to Christ because one man decided to do something unique and different. 

Check this out! (Play Cowboy Church Video)

Point:

So, what creative ways can we share Christ? What creative ways are we engaging our community for Christ?

Be bold, act quickly, and let’s use our talents and gifts to see others come to Christ. 

Turn This Information Into Action!