Be Not Ashamed

TEXTMark 8:38

INTRODUCTION:

A.      ASHAMED:  “Feeling humiliated or embarrassed, as from a sense of inadequacy or

          inferiority.

B.      SHAME:  “A painful feeling of lost the respect of others because of the improper

          behavior, incompetence, etc. of oneself or others … or capacity for such feelings.”

C.      JESUS HAS DONE NOTHING WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF.

D.      DOES JESUS HAVE CAUSE TO BE ASHAMED OF US?  I HOPE NOT.

I.      DON’T BE ASHAMED OF CHRIST (Mark 8:38).

A.      SOME WERE ASHAMED OF HIS BACKGROUND.

          1.       Isa. 53:1-3.  A carpenter’s son.

          2.       Homeless (Matt. 8:20).

B.      DESPISED AND REJECTED BECAUSE OF HIS TEACHING (John 6:6618:36).

C.      WE GLORY IN WEARING HIS NAME (1 Pet. 4:16Rom. 10:11).

D.      HIS EXAMPLE INSPIRES COURAGE, NOT SHAME (Phil. 1:20;  2 Tim. 1:12).

II.     DON’T BE ASHAMED OF HIS WORD (Mark 8:38).

A.      OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE WORD

          (John 17:17;  8:31-32;  James 1:21, 25;  Rom. 1:16).

B.      IT DOES NOT APPEAL TO THE WEALTHY OR INTELLECTUAL

          1.       Foolishness to the intellectual Greeks (1 Cor. 1:18,  22-23).

          2.       Annoying and intrusive to the sophisticated sinner (Eph. 4:17-19John 3:19-20).

C.      ITS BEAUTY AND POWER IS IN ITS SIMPLICITY (1 Cor. 24,  26-29).

D.      WE SHOULD BE EAGER TO TEACH IT TO OTHERS (Gal. 6:14Psa. 119:45-47).

III.    DON’T BE ASHAMED OF THE CHURCH BUILDING (1 Pet. 2:5).

A.      JEWS HAD NICE SYNAGOGUES &PAGANS HAD ELABORATE TEMPLES.

B.      EARLY CHRISTIANS MET IN A NUMBER OF PLACES.

          1.       Homes (Rom. 16:3-5Col. 4:15Philem. 1-2)

          2.       Rented Schools (Acts 19:9).

          3.       An undisclosed third story room (Acts 20:8-9).

          4.       The Temple (Acts 5:42) and various synagogues (Acts 19:8).

          5.       I have worshipped with the brethren just about everywhere – Odd-fellows,

                   Commercial Garage, Catholic Library, Schools, and Parks.

C.      WE ARE BLESSED WITH THIS “LITTLE” BUILDING.

D.      BUT WE MUST REMEMBER (Acts 7:48-5017:24).

E.      THE CHURCH IS GOD’S HOUSE (1 Pet. 2:51 Cor. 3:9).

          1.       Built on the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 2:23:11).

          2.       Built according to the blueprint (1 Cor. 3:102 Tim. 1:13-14).

          3.       It is his precious bride (Eph. 5:25), bought with a price (Acts 20:28).

IV.   DON’T BE ASHAMED OF THE BRETHREN (Heb. 2:11).

A.      PROPER ATTITUDE TOWARD SELF AND OTHERS (Rom. 12:316).

B.      DON’T BE ASHAMED OF THE POOR (James 2:1-9).

C.      THOSE WHO LEAD IN PUBLIC WORSHIP:

          1.       Preacher many not be sophisticated or eloquent (1 Cor. 4:9-132:1-5).

          2.       Psa. 95:1-2.  Song leader may not be the most skilled.

          3.       Others may be slow of speech.

D.      WHAT DOES GOD SEE AND HEAR (2 Cor. 8:12).

E.      THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL SERVICE? (vs. 5).

CONCLUSION:

A.      Phil. 1:20.  CHRISTIANS HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF (1 Pet. 4:16).

B.      WE OUGHT RATHER TO REJOICE (Phil. 4:4-5)