Would you turn with me to John
19. I've entitled this message. From cowardice. To courage. I think you see why I'm entitled
it after I read our text tonight. We're going to be looking at
Hebrews chapter 11, and I've entitled the message The Works
of Not Working. The Works of Not Working, and
I want to remind you that our midweek service this week will
be Thursday. We'll bring in the new year together. John chapter 19, I'd like to
begin reading in verse 30. When Jesus, therefore, had received
the vinegar, he said, It is finished. And he bowed his head and gave
up the ghost. Now look in verse 38. Our Lord had been hanging from
the cross, dead, and we read in the previous verses that water
and blood flowed from his side, verse 38. And after this, Joseph
of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might
take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him leave. He
came, therefore, and took the body of Jesus. This is the man
who took the Lord's body from off the cross after his death.
And there came also Nicodemus. which at the first came to Jesus
by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh
and aloes, about a hundred pound weight, very costly. Then took they the body of Jesus,
and wound it in linen cloth with the spices, as the manner of
the Jews is to bury. Now, in the place where he was
crucified, there was a garden. And in the garden, a new sepulcher,
wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus, therefore,
because of the Jews' preparation day. For the sepulcher was nigh
at hand. It was close to where our Lord
was crucified. From cowardice to courage. Now, when Paul declares the gospel
in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, remember, he says, Moreover,
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel. He says it's how
that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures.
And he was buried. and rose again the third day
according to the scriptures. Now when Paul defines the gospel
he talks about the burial of Christ. You know the fact that
he was buried tells us he was dead and he was buried and He
was buried according to how the Old Testament scripture said
he would be buried. Remember in Isaiah chapter 53,
where it says, he made his grave with the wicked and with the
rich in his death, and he was buried in a rich man's tomb. As a matter of fact, he's given
a very royal burial. You know, the disciples couldn't
have afforded to do what Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus did. They wouldn't have had this kind
of money to give him this royal burial. But God the Father is
going to make sure his son gets a proper burial. And so he uses
these two men. These two men are given this
high honor. Can you imagine what honor is
bestowed upon these men that they're allowed to be the ones
to bury the Lord of Glory? I can't think of a higher honor. And yet these two men begin as
cowards. You picked that up when I read
that passage of scripture regarding Joseph of Arimathea. that he
was a secret disciple of Christ. He didn't come out. He was a
secret disciple of Christ because of fear of the Jews. You see,
it would have cost this man his job. It would have cost this
man his reputation if he would have been an out and out follower
of the Lord Jesus Christ. So before the death of Christ,
he was a secret disciple of Christ. He was a coward. That's all you
can call it. And what is said about Nicodemus?
He is the one who at first came to Jesus by night. He came at a time when no one
else would know about it. You see, if he would have come
during the day, he was a member of the Sanhedrin. He would have
been in trouble. So he came to Christ by night
where nobody would find out about it to talk to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now Joseph is the one who took
the Lord's body down from the cross. And I love the care they
gave to the Lord's body. I mean they gave him a costly
and expensive funeral. Now what about these men? Joseph
of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Now really we know more about
Nicodemus because of him coming to the Lord by night and that
message he heard in John chapter 3. Remember the way he came to
the Lord by night? And said, Master, he had referred
to the Lord as a teacher. He didn't understand his need
of a Savior. He just saw him as a teacher,
Master. We know that thou art come from God because nobody
can do what you do. The miracles that you do have
said God be with you. And the Lord says. You must be born again. You know
nothing. You talk about your knowledge.
You don't know a thing. You need to be born from above.
You need God to do something for you. You know nothing. And then we read that glorious
message in John, chapter three. Now, evidently, it had some effect
on Nicodemus. Look in John, chapter seven. John, chapter seven. Verse 45, Then came the officers
to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said unto him, Why have
you not brought him? The officers answered, Never
man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees,
Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers of the
Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not
the law are cursed, Nicodemus saith unto them. He that came
to Jesus by night, being one of them, Does not our law judge
any man before it hear him and know what he doeth? They answered
and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look,
for out of Galilee arises no prophet. And every man went to
his own house. Now, this is not exactly a bold
confession of Christ, is it? But obviously, he is now sympathetic
toward the cause of Christ. He tries in his own way to defend
Christ. Now, he's going to come out and
be involved in his burial. And this is when it's really
going to cost him. But he's at first comes to Christ by night.
But now he is a bold confessor of Christ. And he lays it all
on the line to bury the Lord Jesus Christ. He wasn't like
those fellows who believed on Christ, but wouldn't confess
him because they love the praise of men more than the praise of
God. No, he now confesses the Lord Jesus Christ. What about
Joseph? Matthew 27, his name is mentioned
in every one of these accounts. Matthew 27. Verse. 57. When the even was come, there
came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself
was Jesus' disciple. Wouldn't it be better to be Jesus'
disciple, who also was a rich man, than it is to be a rich
man who also was Jesus' disciple? No doubt it would. Now since John tells us he was
a secret disciple, some may say he had no true grace. But just
as all that glitters is not gold, all that is dull is not dross. There may be gold underneath
the dullness And sometimes the workings of grace begin very
small as they did in Joseph of Arimathea, but they are true
and real nonetheless. Now, Mark tells us about this
man, Joseph of Arimathea, that he was an honorable counselor
and a good man and a just by which I think he was a believer.
Now, he's not going to remain a secret disciple. As a matter
of fact, Mark says that he comes in Mark 15, 43 and boldly and
the word means with courage, which courage with courage came
and craved the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. But at first, he's
a secret disciple for fear of the Jews. Now, these two men
are the men the Lord uses to bury the body of his precious
son, men who started out in cowardice. Scripture points that out. Nicodemus
came by night and Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple because
of fear of the Jews. But upon the death of Christ,
they become bold confessors of the faith. Now, both of these
men could be justly criticized, but remember this. We're all works in progress. And just as we could truly criticize
them, they could truly criticize us, couldn't they? For many reasons. The Lord will make them both,
though, confessors of the faith. No doubt, like Timothy, their
natural disposition was timid. That's why Paul said to Timothy,
don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Timothy was timid. He said, God
has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and
a sound mind. Timothy was overcome with fear.
But the Lord gave him grace to be a confessor of the faith. Now, I hope that this message
will encourage us To be confessors of Christ, these men went from
cowards. To courageous confessors of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now. There is a type of faith. That is not saving faith. You can possess it. You can hear
the truth and you can say, I believe that. I agree with that. I think it's what the scripture
teaches. I believe that. You can have a faith like that
that is not saving faith. Let me show you this in John
chapter 12. Would you turn with me there? Verse 42. Never the less. Among the chief
rulers also. Many believed on him. But, because of the Pharisees,
they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise
of God. Now, these men had a type of
faith. It says they believed. That same kind of faith that
James speaks of, the devils had. You believe there's one God,
you do well. The devils believe the same thing
and they tremble. They have a type of faith, a
type of belief, but it's not saving faith. Look over in John
chapter two. Verse 23. Now, when he was in Jerusalem
at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name. Now, that's a pretty high recommendation,
isn't it? That's pretty good resume. Many
believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did.
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them. They believed in him,
but he wouldn't commit himself to them. And that's the same
word, believe. Jesus didn't believe in them because he knew all men
and he needed nothing. And he should testify of man
for he knew what was in man. Now, they had a type of faith. But the Lord wouldn't commit
himself to it because it was not saving faith. Now, you know
what that makes me ask? What is saving faith? I want
to know if I have saving faith. I want to know if I really believe,
because I read these examples in the scripture of these people
who believe they gave a sin. They said, I agree with that.
I won't deny that. That's what I believe the Bible actually
teaches. They believe, but their belief wouldn't cause them to
confess Christ. Now, understand this. In true
saving faith, there are two things that are always accompanying
it. Two things. First, there's committal. And then there's confession. In true saving faith, these things
are always with it. First, there is committal. And
second, there is confession. And if these things are absent,
saving faith is absent. It's just talk. It's just a mental
agreement. But it's not that gift of God,
the gift of God's grace. So I want to see if I have this
Now, first, in true saving faith, there is a committal. Paul said in 2 Timothy 1, 12,
I know whom I have believed, and I'm persuaded that he's able
to keep that which I have what? Committed. Committed to him against
that day. Now, here is commitment. You
know, when we think of the word commitment, we think, well, that
means I'm I'm committed. I'm wholehearted, 100 percent
in this thing. I mean, I'm I'm not a part timer.
I'm not half hearted about this. I'm wholeheartedly committed.
But that's not really what this is talking about when it's talking
about the commitment that's involved in true saving faith. Here is
saving faith. Here is committal. All of my
hope. is found in these words, it is
finished. I am relying on that. I have no plan B. I have no contingency
plans I'm relying on Him accomplishing my salvation with no contribution
from me. I have committed all my salvation
to that, that He finished the work, and that everything God
requires of me, I have when He said, is finished. He said in John chapter 17, verse
four, I finished the work that thou gavest me to do. Now, all
my eggs are in that basket. That's where I hang my hope.
If it's not finished, I'll be damned. Because all of my eggs are in
this one basket. He finished the work the father
gave him to do. Now listen to me real carefully. The only hope that I have, and
this is what I'm saying, the only hope that I have is that
when Jesus Christ said, it is finished, I was saved. That is why in my heart, I hate
and despise that doctrine that says that Jesus Christ died for
everybody. And some of those people he died
for might wind up in hell if they don't do something to make
what he did work. The reason I despise that and hate that
is because you've taken away the only hope that I have that
that's so. The only hope that I have is
that when Jesus Christ said it is finished, my salvation was
accomplished. It's not by my works, but by
what he did. I've committed all my salvation
to that. By His grace, I refuse to look
anywhere else. Now, any belief, listen to me
real carefully, any belief in salvation by works in any way
is failure to commit. You see that? You only commit
the salvation of your soul to Him. when all other hopes are
taken away and your only hope is in it is finished. If you believe in salvation by
works, if you believe in salvation by free will, you don't believe
it is finished and you fail to commit. It's saying you have
some part, some control in this. Now, I believe Both Joseph and
Nicodemus were at the cross when our Lord was dying. They saw
him die and they heard his words from the cross and they heard
his words. It is finished. And they believed. Now, in true saving faith, there
is a committal. That's exactly what Paul meant
when he said, I know whom I have believed and I'm persuaded, I'm
convinced that he is able to keep that which I committed to
him against that day. Are you persuaded of that? Do
you believe that he is able to save you with no help from yourself? Do you believe that when he said
it is finished, your salvation was accomplished and that's all
your salvation? Here's. Here's my hope. He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him
freely give us all things. Hastily not. Here's my hope,
that because Christ died for me, God's going to freely give
me everything I need. Freely. Not because of anything
in me, but because Christ died. My hope is in the Lord Jesus. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. Action. Committal. David put it this way, although
my house be not so with God, yet hath he made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, and this is all my
salvation and all my desire, though he make it not to grow.
Committal. If what Jesus Christ the Lord
did on the cross is not enough to save me, I won't be saved.
All my hope is there. I don't have a plan B. Don't have a plan B. Commit. That's the first element of saving
faith. Anything else is just head knowledge. Anything else is just a sit to
some facts that you really don't understand and really don't believe.
If you really believe the gospel, you will commit the salvation
of your soul to Him. Also, in true saving faith, there
will be confession. And that's what these men did,
believing the gospel. They confessed Christ. That's
what they were doing when Nicodemus or when Joseph of Arimathea was
taking the body of the Lord down. He was confessing the Lord Jesus
Christ. When Nicodemus was coming, no longer at night, but in broad
day, when people knew what he was doing, knowing it was going
to cost him his job, here he is bringing the spices and the
costly linen. He's confessing the Lord Jesus
Christ. Wherever there is true faith,
wherever there's a committal of the soul to him, there is
a confessing of Jesus Christ. And understand this, there is
no salvation apart from confession. With the heart man believeth
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation." Confession. Now what is this thing of confession?
What does it mean when someone confesses the Lord Jesus Christ?
Now remember, there's no salvation apart from confession. That's
clear from the scriptures, isn't it? With the mouth, confession
is made unto salvation. What is this thing of confession? Now, when you confess something,
you say, guilty as charged. Isn't that what confession is?
Guilty as charged. I confess. This I confess unto
thee. that after the way which they
call heresy, so worship I, the God of my fathers, believing
all things which are written in the law and the prophets concerning
him. Now, what is it I'm confessing
to? Now, it's important for me and you
to understand that the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is offensive
to the natural man. You know that, don't you? We
read of the offense of the cross. You know, a lot of preachers preach the gospel in such a way
so as not to offend men. As a matter of fact, they won't
tell what they really believe. They'll cast it in words to keep
from offending, to keep people coming, to keep the money coming
and all that kind of stuff. They don't want to offend people,
but if I'm a true gospel preacher, I'm afraid of not offending people.
That's what I'm afraid of. Now, I've said before, I don't
want to offend you by a rotten personality or being a jerk or
treating you in some terrible way. That's not, I don't want
that. But I fear preaching the gospel
in such a way that's not offensive to the natural man, because if
I do, I haven't preached the gospel. Paul spoke of the offense
of the cross. And if I identify with the message
of the cross, this world is going to find me offensive. Now, that's
just the fact of the matter. If I identify with the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the world will find me offensive. The gospel offends me. Now, you
think of our message, the message of the gospel. It offends men in this sense. It addresses men as sinners and
nothing more. That offends men's sense of personal
righteousness. It says you have no righteousness. The gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ offends men's sense of personal rights.
Everybody thinks, oh, I want my rights. I want my rights.
I want my rights. You have no rights. God is God. You're in his hand and he can
do with you whatever he's pleased to do. Now, that's the truth.
I'm telling you the truth. You had no right. You lost all
rights by your sin, by your fall. And you have no right. You're
in the hands of a sovereign God who can save you or damn you
as he pleases. Now, that's the truth. The gospel
offends men's sense of wisdom because it says you can't figure
this thing out. Salvation comes by revelation.
You can't figure it out. The only way you'll ever know
God is if he makes himself known. You'll never know him unless
he does. And men find this offensive. You mean all my studying and
digging and reading and I can't come know God through that? No,
you can't. You're totally dependent upon him. The gospel offends
men's love of self because it says, deny yourself. Take up your cross daily and
follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the world hates the gospel.
No question about that. Paul spoke of the offense of
the cross, like I said. Now, am I going to fail to identify
with the gospel in this world in order to get myself out of
trouble? If I do, that means I love the
praise of men more than the praise of God. That means I'm not confessing
the gospel. Now, what is confession? This
is what Joseph of Arimathea, this is what Nicodemus did that
they hadn't done. They had a type of faith, but
it was underneath. It was secret. But now they confess
the Lord Jesus Christ. What is this thing of confession?
Now, first of all, let me give you the exact meaning of the
word. It means literally when I confess
something, it means we speak the same thing. We speak the
same thing, it means agreement. Amos said, how can two walk together
except they be agreed? Now, if I confess Christ, that
means I'm in agreement. I'm in agreement with God. I'm
in agreement with his word. Now, the fact that I agree with
it doesn't authenticate it. If I say, well, I agree with
that. Well, it's true whether I agree with it or not. But still, I
agree with what God says about his word. Thou hast magnified
thy word above all thy name. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God. And it's profitable. You know
what? I agree. I agree. Now, if I don't agree, that doesn't
take away the truth of it. But still, I agree. I agree with
all my heart. The Bible is God's revelation
of himself. I agree. When the Bible tells
me who God is, absolutely sovereign in control of all things, the
God of the earth, the one who's the first cause behind everything,
the one who's holy, the one who's just, the one who's all powerful,
the one who's all wise, he is, as the scripture presents him,
that's who he is. I agree. I agree with everything God says
about himself, and I wouldn't change it if I were in my power.
I agree. I agree with what God says about
me. When the scripture says, God saw the wickedness of man
was great on the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil continually. I agree. When Paul said, I know
that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing. I say,
I agree. I agree with what God says about man completely evil.
I agree with what he says about me. I agree with what he says
about salvation, salvations of the Lord, election by the Father,
redemption by the Son, regeneration by the Holy Spirit. I agree. In salvation, there is an agreement. We agree with God. And, you know, in this confession,
there's always something public about it. It's not a private
agreement. If it goes no more than a private
agreement, it's not real. Turn with me to Matthew chapter
10. Verse 32. Whosoever, therefore, shall confess
me before men, Matthew 10, 32. Whosoever, therefore, shall confess
me before men, him will I confess also before my Father, which
is in heaven." Doesn't that thrill you to think of the Lord Jesus
Christ confessing your name before the Father? Oh, I want that,
don't you? I want Him to confess my name
before the Father. I'll tell you what, if I confess
Him before men, He'll confess me before His Father. But, verse
33, Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before
my Father, which is in heaven. Now, if I deny him, he'll deny
me. He says that. There's something
public about confession. And confession is not a grim
public acknowledgment because you've got no choice. I mean,
I kind of feel sorry for all these guys that You know, they
get caught up in some kind of scandal, and the public knows
about it, and then they confess it. I confess. I mean, it's reprehensible. The actions are reprehensible.
All the stuff we've had recently of all these celebrities, they
get caught in these bad things, and then they get out, and they
confess. Well, I confess. Now, it's not
a grim acknowledgment over something that you don't have any choice,
and you have to confess publicly, but it's something that you rejoice
in. I don't confess what I'm confessing simply because, well,
I see it's the truth and I got to. I rejoice in what I'm confessing. As a matter of fact, this is
actually translated in Hebrews 13, 17, the fruit of our lips
giving thanks. The word giving thanks is confessing,
giving thanks to his name. I give thanks that God is sovereign.
Aren't you glad? I give thanks that when Jesus
Christ, the Lord, bowed his head and said, it is finished. My
salvation was accomplished. I love this. I love the gospel
of the Lord. I give thanks for what I believe.
This is not something just that I read the books and see there
you have. OK, I got no choice. There it
is. No, I rejoice in this. Like our Lord rejoiced in spirit
saying, Father, I thank thee. that you hid these things from
the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes, even so, father,
for so it seemed good in thy sight. We give thanks. What empowered these men who
began as cowards? Joseph of Arimathea, secret disciple
for fear of the Jews. Nicodemus came to Christ by night. But all of a sudden they become
the bold confessors of Christ who God gives this honor to bury
His beloved Son. What happened? The death of Christ. That's what made them bold confessors. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, there's something about
His death when you understand it. When they heard the Lord
say, it is finished, I believe they understood what he's saying.
And they saw their salvation was in him. And if you ever see
that, it'll make you a confessor of Christ. When does a man confess
Christ? When he believes. When he believes. You know something somebody won't
confess, they don't believe. You know, what is it that a preacher
really believes? What he confesses publicly. Anything
else, he doesn't really believe. Only what he confesses publicly.
And if you believe the Gospel, you will confess publicly the
Lord Jesus and the salvation that's in Him. You become identified
with Him. You confess Him. Now, how do
I confess Christ? Let me close with these thoughts.
How do I confess Christ? I want to confess Christ. Don't
you want to be a confessor of the Lord Jesus Christ? I want
Him to be saying my name before the Father, don't you? Well,
first of all, I'll let you know what I'm going to say. It's nothing
I haven't said before. You confess him by believer's baptism. That's
what baptism is. It's confessing him. I'm confessing
when I'm baptized. I'm confessing that when he lived,
I lived. When he died, I died. When he was raised, I was raised. That's my only hope. I'm confessing
that that is my only hope. Identification with Him. And
I confess that. Now, beloved, if you've not confessed
Christ in Believer's Baptism, do it now. Don't wait for something
to happen. He says, do it now. Don't wait. Don't wait for experience. Don't
wait to get better. Don't wait till you understand more. Confess
Christ in believers baptism. There's no excuse not to. None
at all. Confess Him. And you know, I
can't really have any confidence in anybody until they confess
Christ in believers baptism. It's your confession of Him.
I confess Christ by identification with His people. Paul said to
Timothy, Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of
me, his prisoner, but you be a partaker of the afflictions
of the gospel according to the power of God. Now, I'm going
to identify with his gospel and with his people where he's confessed. That's who I want to be identified
with. You know, birds of a feather flock together, don't they? I
want to be identified with the people of God. And I was like
Moses, he chose, we're going to consider this tonight, he
chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than
to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. For he had respect
under the recompense of the reward. I'd rather suffer the reproach
of Christ than be identified with this world, wouldn't you?
I want to confess the Lord Jesus Christ. I confess Him by identification
with His people. And listen to this. I confess
Him by my life. Now, if you want to know whether
or not the Lord Jesus Christ is my all, whether He is my life,
you're not going to be able to figure it out by listening to
me preach. Not really. The person who knows
whether Christ is my all is this woman right here. She's the one
who knows. You see, I confess Christ by
my life, not just while I'm here, but my life, how I treat you,
how I do whatever it is I do. I confess Christ by my life or
I deny Christ by my life. You know, Paul spoke in Titus
of those people He said they profess that they know him, but
in works they deny him. Being abominable and disobedient
to every good work, reprobate. I confess him by my life. And I confess him by what I say.
I repent of dead works. And this is what I'm doing when
I'm baptized. I am abandoning every part of
salvation by works I reject. Publicly, I renounce it. I reject
it. I look to Christ only. Now, I
want to be a confessor of Christ, don't you? A confessor. Now, these men, they started
out so cowardly, just like me and you. You can identify with
them, can't you? But by the grace of God, they
confess the Lord Jesus Christ. And may you and I be just like
Joseph and Nicodemus. Let's break it.