COURGE.
Introduction:
SELECTED SCRIPTURE
Courage is doing the right thing because our convictions won’t let us do anything else.
Doing something because it is the convenient thing to do is not courage. Doing something because everyone else is doing it is not courage. Doing something because it is the easiest thing for us to do; or produces the least amount of discomfort to us is not courage.
So today, we want to see what Biblical courage looks like and then we want to see if we have that quality in our Christian life.
#1 A PERSON WITH COURGE IS RESOLVED TO MEET DANGER HEAD ON WITHOUT RETREAT
LUKE 9:51
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
. I have to believe that Jesus was the most courageous person who ever lived. And it would seem logical if we are to follow Him that we too must have courage.
The Scripture says He “resolutely” set out for Jerusalem. He knew that by heading to Jerusalem that he was heading toward his death. He knew that His time on earth was coming soon to an end; He knew that before He could return to heaven that He must suffer and die and despite the danger He stayed the course.
We saw that two of the twelve spies were courageous. They saw giants in the land but they also saw a land flowing with milk and honey that God had given them. So they said: Let’s roll. Despite the danger they wanted to stay the course that God had set for them.
David didn’t want to retreat simply because some giant was making noise about what he was going to do to the Israelites. Instead David advanced against the mighty Goliath with just a sling shot and a few stones because God was on His side. David had the courage to stand up to Goliath.
#2 A person with courage recognizes God’s presence in whatever circumstance they find themselves in.
ACTS 16:22-30
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
Paul expelled an evil spirit from a slave girl who was a fortune teller and who earned her master a great sum of money. The owner got mad and brought him before the magistrate who had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in prison and shackled.
An earthquake occurred and the door of the cell was opened and Paul and Silas could have escaped but didn’t. The jailer thinking Paul and Silas had escaped was about ready to kill himself when Paul and Silas yelled stopped. As result of what he saw in these two men he asked to be saved. What keep Paul and Silas in prison? It was the presence of God that gave them the courage to stay there.
Three Jewish boys were thrown into the fiery furnace for not bowing down to the king. They had the courage not to bow down because they understood God’s presence was with them. In fact, the king says that he saw a fourth person in the furnace with them- it was the presence of God.
Noah keep on building the ark despite the fact it had never rained before and despite the harassment of those who mocked him for his actions. What gave him the courage to keep on building was the presence of God because the Bible says that he walked with God.
#3 A person with courage is obedient to God despite how difficult it might be to be obedient.
DANIEL 6:7-12
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
A law was issued that no one could pray to God. But notice that when Daniel learned about the law, he kept on being obedient to God despite the possibility that obedience might land him in the lion’s den.
Jesus the Bible says was obedient to the point of death and Paul commands us to have that same attitude in our own lives.
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
QUESTION
I wonder how many of us in this room would be obedient to God even to the point of death.
#4 A person with courage is a risk taker not a person who plays it safe.
Matthew 27:12-24
12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent; He knew that Jesus had not broken the law. But Pilate did not have the courage to stamp up to the crowd so he washes his hand of innocent blood. Pilot was playing it safe but in reality he was spineless; he lacked courage.
If you are a follower of Jesus there are going to be times that you can not play it safe. There are times you have to take the risk. There are times you have to go into the Promised Land even if there are giants in the land. There are times you are going to have to fight your giants even if all you have is a sling shot. Sometimes you have to build your ark even if it isn’t raining.
. Are you trying to play it safe tonight? Then you are not being the Christian God desires you to be. Will you commit tonight to add courage to your life? Let us pray!
