HOW TO SHUT UP GOSPEL CRITICS
Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, April 4, 1999, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia:
HOW TO SHUT UP GOSPEL CRITICS
By Michael D. O’Neal……Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church…… Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Acts 4:1-14
Text: Acts 4:14
Acts 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Introduction: Today we are celebrating the climax of the gospel: the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. If there were no resurrection of our Lord, there would be no sufficiency to His atoning sacrifice. The resurrection proves the acceptability before God the Father of the sacrifice of the sinless Savior, His only begotten Son.
In our scripture reading, we find that some religious people were upset because of the preaching of the resurrection of Christ:
Acts 4:1-2 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
There will always be those unbelievers who mock and scoff at the blessed gospel of Christ, but there is a way to muffle them, perhaps even MUZZLE them, if you will. The power of the risen Son of God healed the man in our chapter today. In spite of those who denied Christ had risen, it was the risen Christ whose power was displayed in the lame man who was healed. Even today, as we display that same power in our lives before men, we may shut the mouths of gospel critics.
I. A SUPERNATURAL DELIVERANCE HELPS SHUT THE MOUTHS OF GOSPEL CRITICS
Acts 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
A. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from ANXIETY to ASSURANCE
B. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from SIN TO SANCTIFICATION
C. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from the BOTTLE to the BIBLE
D. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from HELL’S ways to HIS ways
E. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from HOPELESSNESS to HAPPINESS
F. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from PROFANITY to PRAISE
G. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from shouting for SATAN to shouting for the SAVIOR
H. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from singing about JUNK to singing about JESUS
I. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from SMOKING POT to SAYING PRAYERS
J. The living, risen Lord has delivered us from throwing PARTIES to throwing PRAYER MEETINGS GLORY TO GOD FOR THE POWER OF THE RISEN LORD!!!!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
II. SOUND DOCTRINE HELPS SHUT THE MOUTHS OF GOSPEL CRITICS
Titus 1:7-11 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
A. The saints need to hear the word
B. The saints need to heed the word
C. The saints need to hide the word
* Memorize it
* Hide it in our hearts – Ps. 119:11
D. The saints need to hold the word
E. The saints need to herald the word
III. SANCTIFIED DISCUSSIONS HELP SHUT THE MOUTHS OF GOSPEL CRITICS
Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
A. A refusal to be critical helps
* Of your preacher
* Of your church
* Of other Christians
* Try to bring a good report as often as possible
B. A right word for the occasion helps
* A word in due season
* A word of encouragement
* A word of comfort
* A word of rebuke
* A word of instruction
C. A return to HOLY talking helps
* Clean
* Humble
* Honest
* Praising
IV. SAINTLY DEEDS HELP SHUT THE MOUTHS OF GOSPEL CRITICS
1 Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
A. Practicing holiness
B. Paying our debts
C. Praying for our enemies
D. Pursuing the lost
E. Persisting in our service
F. Preferring one another in love