Stand Up & Speak Up
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Turn in your bibles to the book of 1 Kings, Chapter 18
Key Scripture: James 3:1 ¶ Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (NIV)
Point #200. Those who do not believe the Good News may not be as harmful as those who do believe and hold no passion to convince others.
According to Barna Research Group, www.barna.org
We ended 2003 as follows:
According to the most recent surveys:
Of all adults in the United States
99% believe that they will not go to hell when they die
84% say they are Christian
80% claim they have prayed to God
50% accept the bible as being true
40% report they attend church
38% have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus as savior
4% say they allow the bible to influence their daily decisions
Millions of Americans are spiritually satisfied while totally confused.
In the ongoing struggle for Freedom and American Independence, our nation continues to find heroes among our sons and daughters.
Men like Nathan Hale who on September 22, 1776, near what is now 66th Street and Third Ave. in New York City, faced hanging for treason against the British Crown. It is reported that he at 21 years of age, after being denied his last request for a bible, stood calm, facing eternity’s embrace and uttered his final words: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan Hale is a hero - a man who found a cause worth more dying for.
Point #250. Don’t be fooled, a person will not die for something which they are unwilling to live for.
Our continuing struggles to right the evident wrongs of life found women like Harriet Tubman, born a slave in 1820 on a plantation in Dorchester County Maryland. Escaping as a run away slave in 1849, she spent the next 16 years leading an underground effort to bring more than 300 slaves to freedom while she worked as a laundress, a scout, a spy and nurse for the Union Forces in South Carolina who gave her the name, General Tubman. At one point southern slave owners placed a $40,000 bounty on her head. Over 30 years after the war Congress passed a bill granting Harriet Tubman $20.00 per month federal pension for her services to the United States during the Civil War. Harriet died March 10, 1913 at age 93. Her works continue to outlive her earthly struggles
We can read of the exploits and triumphs of great men and women who faced seemingly insurmountable odds and did not faint in the moment. This does not mean that they did not have moments when they did struggle with fear and wrestle with the real lasting value of their efforts.
Why am I doing this?, is a question that needs to be answered early in the game.
Patrick Henry’s famous, “give me liberty or give me death” speech, also contained another quote that often describes our plight: Even “if we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest.” Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775
In the bible we find a hero who is hard questioning himself as to why he continues to fight. Of what use is it? Who cares anyway? In his moment this man struggles with seeing the big picture impact and is rather focused on his small picture perspective. This man: The Prophet Elijah
The Story of Elijah is found in: 1 Kings, Chapters 17 thru 19
1 Kings 18
21 ¶ Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.
22 Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
After Elijah had called fire down out of heaven and then prayed in rain and won the victory for God over all of the prophets of Baal and then killed them … he receives a messenger from Jezebel who says that Jezebel has sworn to kill Elijah before the next day’s end.
Elijah, a hero and champion of God, feeling alone, unappreciated and unsupported, runs for his life.
Elijah finds himself a ways out in the desert wilderness, alone and hiding in a cave, contemplating what had gotten him into this mess.
God speaks to Elijah: 1 Kings 19:13b … "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
In verse 14 Elijah answers:
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
In verse 18 God replies to Elijah’s comments:
18 “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
Rest assured that even though you may not see them, even though you may not know they are there, God has in reserve 7000 heroes and heroines who have not compromised their lives nor sold out their souls. 7000 who are committed to the cause and have pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.
In today’s terms Baal represents this world’s way of doing business. A system based on greed, pride and selfish appetites.
Many have not bowed down and many have not kissed up.
In today’s world if you won’t bow down or kiss up, you can be in for some tough and lonely times.
Doing the right thing is not always popular with the in-power crowd.
Just ask Nathan Hale, Harriet Tubman, Elijah or many or you.
However, to make your life really count, you must Find a cause worth dying for and pledge your life to it. There may be times when you think it’s just not worth it. Depending on what it is, you may be right.
If truly 99% of American adults believe they are right with God, but only 4% allow the Word of God to affect their daily life and decisions, 94% of Americans are not committed to their convictions. Still 4% of all Americans represents: 292,000,000 X .04 = 11,680,000 Christians in America committed to a biblical world view
What does it mean to have a biblical world view?
What is different about people who allow the bible to affect their daily lives and decisions? Just where do you think real heroes come from?
Allow me to encapsulate the very basic scriptures that should be at the foundation of a Christian’s world view.
I. Exodus 20
* The Ten Commandments
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. Do not create nor support any false representation of Me.
3. Do not use My Name for vain or unholy purposes.
4. Set aside one day each week to worship Me and rest in Me.
5. Show honor and respect to your Father and your Mother.
6. Do not commit murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. You shall not lie about other people.
10. Do not covet what belongs to others.
II. We Need More Heroes
Today more than ever, we need men and women who will stand up, not bow down, speak up, not kiss up, even against the odds and the popular vote. We need heroes.
III. What Does It Take To Be Hero Material?
A. A Conviction of Right and Wrong
B. A Passion That Demands Commitment
C. A Discipline To Stay and Stand, Even If You Stand Alone
But you won’t!
God has 7000
Or perhaps 11,680,000 who have not bowed down or kissed up.
Be one who stands up and speaks up.
So, in the end:
Find your cause
Pledge your life
Stand up, don’t bow down
Speak up don’t kiss up
This should move you into the front of the fight where heroes are discovered. Don’t worry, you won’t be alone!
