I Am Not Ashamed
Apr-22-2018-AM-I-Am-Not-Ashamed.docxPosted by: craigaledbetter <craigaledbetter@...>
Standing on the Right Side of the Rock
(Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6-8)
April 22, 2018 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction (John 1:43; 10:27; 12:26; 13:36)
A. Every once in a while, in every person's life, big decisions are made that define them and their age
1. Sometimes it is whether to go to war against an oppressive dictator
2. Sometimes it is simply whether to get married or stay single
3. Sometimes it is whether to pack up and move country for a better life somewhere
B. Ireland is at one of those defining moments in its history – considering whether to remove the constitutional protection of the life of the unborn child
C. Many of our decisions in life turn out to be wrong, for which so many people carry shame and guilt and sorrow
D. But there are some decisions that brings NO shame, and carry NO guilt
E. Like the decision to follow Jesus
1. Joh 1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
2. Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
3. Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
4. Joh 13:36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
F. And like the decision to Stand for Life
II. Background (Isaiah 8:13-17; 28:16)
A. Sion was Jerusalem, long ago
B. Jerusalem was in a mess, spiritually, economically, and politically
C. In Isaiah's day, it was at a cross-road… it was facing the consequences for wrong decisions that the national leadership had made
D. And God described how He could change the outcome
1. Not with a great army, or with lightning from the sky
2. But with a ROCK, a stone, a boulder in the middle of the path that everyone would have to face and decide what to do with
3. Such a strange way to fix things
4. But God's ways are better than our ways
E. God describes it this way (Isaiah 8:13-17; 28:16)
1. I lay in Israel, a chief corner stone – a big important ROCK
2. He is elect – chosen – the Messiah
3. He is precious – to God
4. And anyone who believes on Him shall not be confounded (ruined)
5. Unto you that believe, He becomes precious
6. But unto the person that will NOT follow Him, nor obey Him:
a. He will be offensive – He will upset you, keep you up at night, make you angry
b. He will cause you to stumble and fall
c. It will be the worst day of your life when Jesus breaks you
F. How We Respond to the Truth About that Rock defines our lives, our society and our future
III. Message
A. What We Left Behind (1Peter 2:1)
1. As Christians, the moment we decided to follow Christ, we abandoned the mind-set and attitudes of…
a. Malice – the desire to get even – we leave that to God now (that takes 90% of all the pressure off of us now, praise God)!
b. Guile – lying – we are real, and painfully honest about ourselves
c. Hypocrisies – no double lives
d. Envies – we are content with what we have
e. Evil speakings – we don't tear down others
2. We left all that behind
B. But Why? Why would we put all that away?
1. What could possibly be good enough to keep me from being like everyone else around me that constantly does all the above?
2. Because we found something much better – THREE better things…
a. The sincere milk of the word of God
1) Not the dregs of drink and alcohol
2) Not the buzz of high caffeine energy drinks
3) But the healthy truths that are marvellously contained in this single Book of books
4) Truths that make us free (John 8:32)
b. The GRACE of the Lord Jesus towards us
1) It is God's kindness towards us
2) That kindness gives us a second chance, and a third and a fourth
3) It keeps picking us up when we fall
4) It fills us with Himself, when we are usually full of only ourselves
5) That grace is amazing, all sufficient, and life changing
6) If you would only TASTE of it
c. And, a Stone that changed us - a Rock can make all the difference in the world
d. So, what made the difference?
1) The Word of God
2) The Grace of God
3) And the Son of God
e. That's a pretty good swap out if you ask me!
C. As a Christian, Peter tells us, "I am not ashamed"
1. Of the Rock that Humbled Me and Saved Me (1Peter 1:23; 2:2-3)
a. Think of Peter, stubborn, hard headed
b. Religious, but lost
c. Until he stumbled upon a Rock that humbled him and broke him and made him a great example of faith and humility mixed with strength and character
d. There is no other way to be saved from your sin than to be exposed and humbled and caught by God
e. Most will end up in hell because they hate being humbled and proven wrong
f. Not a Christian! We finally admitted it!
g. And it saved us!
2. Of the Foundation that I am built upon now (Isaiah 28:16; 1 Cor 3:11)
a. Unmoving foundation
b. Unchanging
c. I have been a Christian for 37 years now, going on 38, and I have not moved from religion to religion, from new doctrine to newer doctrine…
d. I was introduced to the Rock, and it is there that I stay! And everything I do now, I build upon HIM!
e. The sands of time shift; the storms blow; the earth moves; but the foundation remains sure
f. Luk 6:47,48 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
3. Of the Life of worship and praise that I live now (1Peter 2:5,9)
a. Lively stones – active, living, not dead or apathetic
1) A living dog, versus a lively dog
2) Same with Christians!
b. You and I are now a spiritual house of worship and praise
c. We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, where it is supposed to be normal to be worshiping, and singing and praising God!
d. Don't let the world around you shut you up!
e. Offer up the sacrifices of praise when you feel like quitting
f. Offer up the sacrifice of your life as a living sacrifice for use in God's kingdom
g. NEVER be ashamed of God's calling on your life
1) Of being a mother
2) Of being single
3) Of having to work a terrible job for a while
4) Of having to endure pain, or suffering for a season
h. Worship because of who Jesus is – full stop!
4. Of the perfect Laws that I live by now (1Peter 2:2,6-8)
a. The Scripture
b. Most may mock and reject and disobey the words of this Book… But not me!
c. Most stumble at the words, at the limits, at the commands
1) Find fault with everything
2) Jesus just is not amazing enough, or fashionable enough, or popular enough
3) His words are not about THEM and their happiness
4) No. These words expose sin, and honour God
5) And people stumble at that
6) People want Jesus to fix THIS kingdom, but Jesus talks about a whole other kingdom and tries to get people to enter into it!
d. I am not ashamed of any of the words of this Book, of any of its commands
e. Why? Because I know its author
f. And I know He is a whole lot smarter than I am
g. So I gladly do as it says because… I am not ashamed
5. Of the Decisions that I make as a Christian now (1Peter 2:9)
I have decided to do the hard things, like…
a. To no longer live for myself, but for the Lord Jesus
2Cor 5:14,15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he [Jesus] died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
b. To abandon the darkness of my old life (1Peter 2:9) – I constantly choose to run from it
c. To protect the weak (Rom 15:1) We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. THAT'S WHY I SPEND MY TIME TRYING TO CONVINCE OTHERS TO PROECT THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN
d. To endure the hardnesses on this side of the Stone (1Peter 4:12) – it may seem to be a whole lot easier back over on the other side, but it ain't!
e. And, To lose my life for others to gain (Philp 2:3,4)
6. Of all that I have left behind (1Peter 2:1)
a. The lying, the envies, the bitterness, the anger, the hypocrisies, the defeated life
b. Nah! I wouldn't go back if you paid me!
c. I don't miss any of it
7. Of the Battles that I face (1Peter 5:8-10)
a. We all have a deadly enemy
b. Our battles are Common to every believer – afflictions to different degrees
c. But they are okay with us because of what is ahead!
8. I definitely am not ashamed of all the good things that lay ahead
a. Spiritual, emotional growth (1Peter 2:2) that only comes by taking a right stand – only then does the word of God come alive – because you see it actually work in your life
b. Eternal glory (1Peter 5:10) – heaven!
c. It will be worth it all!
D. What Have We Come To?
1. One thing and one thing only
2. A Living Stone – the Lord Jesus Christ – NOT Peter
a. He is Someone that is plainly Rejected of men
b. But chosen, truly elected by God
c. And Precious!
3. And He Transforms Us into Lively Stones
a. Built up as a spiritual house
b. An holy priesthood
c. Offering up spiritual sacrifices
d. That are acceptable and pleasing to God – even though you and I are not Jews, nor Levites
4. But ONLY when we respond right!
IV. Conclusion
A. Respond by believing this word – the Gospel
1. Allow God to expose and humble you and brake you – convince you of sin and the consequences of it
2. Believe the bad news
3. So that you can believe the good news
a. That THAT Rock that breaks you, will also save you
b. He will change you into a choice generation
c. A priesthood of believers
d. A part of a holy nation of believers – maybe Ireland will never be a holy nation, but Bible believing Christians are
e. Peculiar
f. A praiser instead of a complainer
B. If you Reject the Stone…
1. You will only continue to stumble and fall
2. You will only be more and more confounded, deceived, and ruined
3. And ultimately will lose everything - being ground to powder (Matthew 21:42-44)
a. Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
b. Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
c. Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
C. What will you do with Jesus now?
1. Will you trust the Rock that broke you and humbled you and let Him save you and change you?
a. It does not matter how many times you have been baptized, or catechised, or how many churches you have joined or left
b. If you will, do it now!
2. If you HAVE trusted Jesus as the Rock, make sure you live Unashamed
a. Of the Rock that Humbled and Saved you
b. Of the Foundation that you are building your life upon now
c. Of the Life of worship and praise that you live now
d. Of the perfect Laws that you live by now
e. Of the Decisions that you make as a Christian now
f. Of all that you have left behind
g. Of the Battles that may have to face
h. And of all the good things that lay ahead
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