August 25, 2024 "Sometimes We Must Stand Alone"

Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15; John 6:60-67; Matthew 7:13-16      

Good morning, Strangers Rest. The title of my message this morning is, “Sometimes We Must Stand Alone.” The eleventh chapter of Hebrews records those of the Old Testament who walked with God in faith. It records both men and women who withstood opposition in order to walk with God without compromise. I want to read what is recorded in Hebrews 11:35. It says, “Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.” After detailing a list of those who walked by faith this verse says something that is striking. It says, “….Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.” This verse says that some were tortured and instead of ending their torture and accepting deliverance by giving in and doing what was being demanded of them, they chose death, knowing that they would receive a better resurrection by standing firm on their beliefs. They believed serving the one true God and being tortured for their beliefs was better than denying their faith and living. How many of us can make this same statement?

I have been here now for almost five months as your interim pastor and I know that the honeymoon phrase has ended. Since entering these doors my only desire has been to fulfill God’s will and do whatever I can to help this Church prepare for its future. Although we do not know at this point what that future holds or how much longer I will be with you, I have been led to spend my remaining time here speaking to the hearts of those of you who has an ear to hear. When Jesus spoke to John about the seven Churches which John recorded in the book of Revelation, He ended His review of each Church with, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:29) In several instances He added a phrase “…to him who overcomes…” followed by what they would receive if they overcame. So beginning this morning I will be speaking to those of you who desires to hear what the Spirit is saying to this Church. And just so you know, when you have an ear to hear, you do not get offended when you hear the word, even if it stings, because you know that when acted upon it perfects us – it makes us better. So again, I will be speaking to those of you who have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to Strangers Rest.

Since I have been here the one biblical truth that I have talked about again and again is our freewill, our ability to make choices. God has given His children freewill because He wants us to love Him enough to choose Him and His ways – even in the midst of intense pressure to do otherwise. And because we have freewill and He does not control what we do, we can choose to follow God – our Heavenly Father – and His Word, or we can choose not to follow God and His Word. Remember the admonition that Joshua gave to the children of Israel in Joshua 24:14-15 just before he died. He said, “Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! (15) And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15)

Joshua’s message to the children of Israel was simple: you will either choose to serve God or you will choose to serve yourself. And this is another message that we see here: if some of the children of Israel chose to serve the gods of the Amorites, they would be at odds with those who chose to serve the God of their fathers. When you read what Joshua told the Children of Israel on His deathbed, he was asking them to make a choice. He was not trying to make them choose how he had chosen, he wanted them to choose for themselves what they were going to do. He told them the two choices they had: to serve the God that brought them out of Egypt or the gods their fathers served in the land they were now dwelling. He finished by telling them that regardless of the choice they made, he and his house would serve the Lord. Joshua told them that his family was willing to stand alone with God if they made the wrong choice. He let them know that their final choice would not change the decision that he and his family had made. They were willing to stand alone.

Today, the odds are that whenever we choose God, we are going to be at odds with some of our brothers and sisters in Christ. And please understand Strangers Rest that this is not just a problem in this Church, it is a problem in most Churches because of our individual kingdom building thinking. I am in charge of my little kingdom and it is my way or the highway and God’s plans are not even a consideration. How many decisions have been made in Churches without even a prayer going forward asking God what He wants done? How many votes have been taken in Churches where the majority rules even though the majority were not in line with God’s will? Do you see the problem here? When the majority voting is not praying and seeking God’s will, what are the chances that the majority will get it right? Trust me when I tell you they won’t!

Sometimes we must stand alone and when it comes to Church folks, sometimes we will stand alone because of the silent majority. What do I mean by this? When the majority that knows what should be done are silent, then the minority who are making the wrong decision will be allowed to continue down that wrong path. Sometimes the majority is silent because they just don’t care enough to deal with the hassle. Sometimes they are silent because the minority voices are just so loud that they believe if they are quiet and do not say anything the loud minority will eventually shut up and sit down. Whatever the reason, when the majority is silent the minority rules. And when this happens and you choose to speak up, even though the majority agrees with your position, you are left standing alone trying to do the right thing because they remain silent. It is okay when the majority is silent when they are wrong and not following God, but in a lot of Churches this is not the case. But here is the thing, this has been going on since Jesus walked the earth? Did you know that Jesus did a teaching once and a majority of His disciples were so offended that they stopped following Him?

Let’s look what is recorded in John chapter six. As John chapter six opens, we read that Jesus fed five thousand men. A conservative estimate would be closer to 10,000 if you include women and children. The next day, many of these people followed Jesus to Capernaum, hoping to be fed once again. But the food that they received, they couldn’t handle. Jesus told them that unlike the manna the Jews received during Moses’ time, He was the true bread of life and anyone who wanted eternal life, must eat His flesh and drink His blood. Some of His followers understood that He was saying: “You will have to trust Me and accept Me and no longer trust in Moses and the Law if you want to have eternal life.” Let’s read how Jesus’ disciples reacted to this in John 6:60-61: “(60) Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ (61) When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you?’” (John 6:60-61) Strangers Rest, this is how many of Jesus’ disciples reacted to the truth He was teaching. Are we not seeing this play out in the Church today when the truth of God’s Word is spoken? People getting offended because the truth of God’s Word attacks their long held beliefs and behaviors? Christians, have in the past, and will continue to get offended. Now let’s read what happened with verse 66. “(66) From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6:66)

I want you to see something. When Jesus made the statement that He was the bread of life and they would need to eat His flesh and drink His blood many of His disciples left Him based on what He said. Some of those that left Him were the same ones that He had sent out in Luke chapter ten. Those seventy other disciples that Jesus had sent out to the nations performed miracles like healing the sick and casting out devils. They knew Who Jesus was and yet when He made this one statement they were so offended at what He said that they turned from following Him. Now this is what I want you to see – they never asked Him to explain what He meant by the saying. They never asked for clarification to gain an understanding. No, they were offended and immediately left Him. Have you ever seen people who were offended at the Word? I am not talking about the people of the world; I am talking about those who profess that they are God’s people. How can God’s people be offended at His words? These were not sinners who became offended; they were Jesus’ followers, some of His disciples. They were the ones being trained to reach others for Christ. I warn you Strangers Rest, there are many Christians sitting in Churches around the world who have left Christ because His word offended them. The difference though is that they still come to His house every time the doors are open because they love the music and the fellowship. They love their positions and their influence. They love their church celebrity status. Sometimes they even like the preached word if it’s nice and encouraging. But even though they are in attendance, their hearts are far from Jesus. How many of you know the music, the fellowship, our positions, influence and celebrity status will not get us into heaven? It is our heart change, our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and accepting and believing His Word!

Now, I want you to see how Jesus responded to His disciples getting up and walking out after His teaching. “Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” (verse 67) As I have said, Jesus had more than twelve disciples. He had many but only the twelve, who are later called “apostles,” stayed with Him. Jesus looks at the twelve and asked them, “Are you going to walk away from truth, too?” Jesus was willing to complete the work His Father had given Him to do, even if He had to “stand alone” to do it. When Jesus asked the twelve this question it was Peter who responded with, “…..Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Peter spoke that there was no one else they could go to that had the words leading to eternal life. Although they might have been curious about what Jesus was saying, they were not offended.

Let’s look at what is recorded in Matthew 7:13-16. We are going to read it from the Amplified Bible. “(13) Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. (14) But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it. (15) Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (16) By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?’” (Matthew 7:13-16 AMP) The word narrow means “pent up, narrow, difficult to be entered.” It means that the way to heaven is “pent up, narrow, close.” In other words, to enter the narrow gate, a person must be born again. Once the narrow gate is found and we walk through it, we must walk the path laid out for us, which Jesus says will be difficult. Then He identifies those “in the Church” who will make walking the narrow path difficult – false prophets and/or false teachers. How do false teachers make walking the narrow path difficult? They teach doctrines that keep the Church on the wide path – the path that they were on before they accepted Jesus. Jesus says when it comes to false prophets and teachers, we must be willing to “stand alone” with truth and against their lies.

Now we are going to look at what it means to “stand alone” and we are going to do so by examining the word separate. In the Greek, it means “to separate locally.” It also means “to separate from or cast out of society as wicked and abominable, to excommunicate.” To be separate says a Christian will not have a fellowshipping lifestyle with anyone who is not standing on God’s Word. Keep this definition in mind as we look at this passage from Second Corinthians chapter six.

In Second Corinthians chapter six, we are going to read verses 14 through 18 and we are going to read it from the Amplified Bible. “(14) Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, and consistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (15) What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? (16) What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: I will dwell among them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) ‘So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,’ says the Lord, ‘And do not touch what is unclean; and I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor], (18) and I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Second Corinthians 6:14-18 AMP) 

You will notice that I have highlighted several words that stand in opposition to one another. Partnership between Righteousness and Lawlessness. Fellowship between Light and Darkness. Harmony between Christ and Beliel (Satan). Commonality between Believer and Unbeliever. Agreement between God and Idols. Each one of these communicates the same thing: being willing to “stand alone” for your faith and that is what we see when Paul says, “…consistent with your faith.” The Bible says in Romans 10:17 that our faith grows stronger the more we read the Bible, believe it and apply it in our lives. Strangers Rest, that’s why this passage is emphasizing that we should not constantly be around people whose values are not consistent with the values expressed in the Bible. They are a mismatched alliance for us. Paul was not saying that we could not have associates who were unbelievers because that is the only way they can be reached. What he is saying is that when it comes to how we are supposed to live, we must stand firm, even alone if necessary, for our faith.

I want to share with you a story that was recorded in the book of Galatians. Before we go there, I need to tell you the background story. In the fifteenth chapter of Acts, the following is recorded, “(1) And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ (2) Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question…. (4) And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. (5) But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.’ (6) Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.” (Acts 15:1-2, 4-6) There were Jewish Christians who made the “self-determination” that in order for the Gentiles to be “truly saved” they had to be circumcised. It became such an issue that Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to seek guidance from the Apostles. After much discussion they landed on the following decision: “(28) For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: (29) that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”  (Acts 15:28-29) 

Now keep in mind that Peter was in on this decision and Paul and Barnabas were present when the decision was made. Now let’s look at what happened when they were all present in Galatia. Galatians 2:11-14 records the following, “(11) Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; (12) for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. (13) And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. (14) But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?’” Peter, knowing the truth, freely ate with the Gentiles when the more strict Jews were not around. However, when some of the Jews arrived, he withdrew which I am sure made the Gentiles wonder what was going on. When Peter withdrew, Barnabas and a majority of the other Jews withdrew with him. Now this left Paul standing along. The majority knew the truth, but the minority (Peter) made the wrong decision and the majority followed him. Paul was left standing alone and he called Peter out to his face and corrected him before all. Today, we would say that Paul put Peter on “front street” – and rightfully so. This was the same Peter who had spent three and half years under the teachings of Jesus. This is the same Peter who, in Acts 2, delivered one of the most powerful messages about Jesus on the day of Pentecost that started the New Testament Church. After he finished delivering that message, verse 41 records “that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” (Acts 2:41). This is why, when Peter made this mistake and the majority followed him, Paul stood alone for the truth. Strangers Rest, this happens when we look to man to be the example as to how we are to live as a Christian and take our eyes off Jesus. Sometimes we must stand alone for the truth of God’s word!

When we choose to stand on God’s word, even if we are standing by ourselves, it might seem a little lonely. It is natural when we are standing on God’s word to want others to stand with us. It provides confirmation that we are on sure footing and that we are not the only one who believes as we do. However, that is not always possible and sometimes we might be the only one. But being “alone” for taking a stand for God does not mean we will be “lonely” in the sense of how we generally think about loneliness. And how do I know this? Jesus tells us so. Let’s read what He says in John 8:15-16 and 28-29. “(15) You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. (16) And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.….(28) Then Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. (29) And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.’” (John 8:15-16, 28-29) The word alone means “without companions.” We know that Jesus had companions – the twelve apostles – so, why does He say, “I am not alone?” He was saying because “I always do what My Father tells Me to do, when it comes to obeying Him, I “stand alone” with Him, but I am not alone.” Strangers Rest, when we stand on God’s Word, we may be without companions because we are “standing alone,” but like Jesus, our Father is with us. It reminds me of what David wrote in Psalm 23:4. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

I want you to see a “picture” of “standing alone” from our Lord and Savior. In John 16:32 and 33 we read the following: “(32) Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” Jesus told the disciples that they would be scattered, they would be like sheep running away from wolves and leave Him alone. I can see Him smile because He doesn’t hold it against them and says “But it’s all right. I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” And we see Jesus’ forgiveness of the disciples for deserting Him demonstrated in John 20 in His interactions with Peter. Now let’s finish with verse 33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:32-33) I believe that we sometimes see this verse as only saying that Jesus will give us peace knowing that in the world, we would have tribulation. But He is saying more than that. Remember in the previous verse He said He was not alone. Strangers Rest let’s get the full understanding of what Jesus said. As He was going through “His tribulation”, He had peace knowing that His Father was with Him. Here’s the understanding: when we are going through our tribulations, when we are “standing alone” for the gospel, we can have peace because we know that Jesus is with us!

I want to leave you this morning with the words Jesus said about standing alone. We sometimes read these verses and walk away with the wrong interpretation, but I hope to clarify them this morning. Jesus referenced that we must be ready to make the decision to stand alone at all times. This is what He said in Luke 14:26 and for clarification purposes I will again read it from the Amplified Bible. Jesus says, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] – he cannot be My disciple.” Jesus was not saying that in order to be His disciple we had to hate our loved ones. What He was saying is that He must come before everyone else. He must come first. In other words, if it comes down to believing something in order to please a family member we must willing to stand alone and be in opposition to them. If it comes down to taking a stand on God word when everyone else disagrees with you, we take the stand. We are respectful to those who disagree with us, but we do not back off what we know to be the truth of God’s word. Do you understand this? Jesus was telling us that if we are to be His disciples there will come a time when we must stand alone. And we see an example of this in Matthew 12 when Jesus was teaching and was told that His mother and brothers wanted to speak to Him. Let’s pick the record up with verse 47. “(47) Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You. (48) But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ (49) And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! (50) For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.’" (Matthew 12:47-50)

Strangers Rest, you are in the midst of a season where you will need to choose. There are many voices in this place saying many things, but the Spirit of God is trying to be heard over all of the noise. He is speaking to each and every one of us and He is giving us time to make our choice. God wants to do something special here; He wants to establish the direction of this Church. Since I have been here, you have had two other men of God come into this place and warned you that change is needed so that Strangers Rest is aligned with God and His Word. It’s not just me. You must ask yourself why God has been giving the same message repeatedly to you. Believe me or not, but when the other speakers came here I had no conversation with them about this Church. I had no influence on the message that God had put on their hearts. That was the Spirit of God. I hope, I pray, that you will begin to listen and heed His voice so that He can unleash His will and do something wonderful and special in this place. Are you willing to stand alone to make that happen?

Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.”  (Numbers 6:24-26)