Matthew 10:26–33

²⁶ “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 

³² “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, ³³ but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

If we’re honest, we all have to admit that there are times we have been afraid to speak the truth. What Jesus tells us in His Word, we are often afraid to bring into the light. We hear things in Church that we don’t whisper outside these walls, and we don’t dare shout from the housetops.

Jesus clearly says that nothing is covered or hidden that will not be revealed and known. But speaking the truth can still be hard. We don’t want to say something that will cause us to be criticized, ridiculed, and rejected. We don’t want to deal with the discomfort of knowing we have offended someone. We don’t want to be misrepresented as being hateful people. But every reason for not speaking has a common root – fear. But all those fears in the wrong things. We are fearing those who can kill the body but not the soul. Repent. Repent and stop fearing mere men, but fear God who can destroy both the soul and body in hell.

As I mentioned earlier, today is the 493^rd anniversary of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession which lays out a summary of what we believe, teach, and confess here at Christ the King. I want to give a very brief bit of history about that presentation before I apply the rest of this Gospel reading to you. I’m sorry if you don’t like history, but it will be helpful for you to hear it so you can boldly live out your faith in today’s culture.

In 1529, the army of Muslim Ottoman Empire was marching its way from Istanbul, Turkey into Europe and through the Holy Roman Empire. But the unusually rainy weather that year caused the Muslim invaders to stall out just south of Germany before they returned home. Emperor Charles V knew the armies would probably return, and he wanted unity in his empire so they could all fight against the Muslim armies together. This meant that Charles had to deal with the religious problem between the German territories who had been awakened by Luther’s proclamation of the Gospel on the one side and the Roman Church on the other side.

Charles called the Lutheran princes and officials from the Roman Church to meet in the city of Augsburg. When the Lutheran princes arrived, they were met with an order from Charles to participate in a festival called Corpus Christi. That festival of the church of Rome is where a priest or bishop would consecrate the elements of the Lord’s Supper, but then, rather than consuming it, the Bread would be placed in a golden box and paraded through the town so people could see the elements. The Roman church taught that simply seeing the Bread was a way for the people to commune. The whole thing flies in the face of what Jesus says about the Lord’s Supper. He says, “Take, eat,” not, “Take, walk behind, and look.”

The Lutherans were appalled at the situation. One of the Lutheran rulers stood before Charles and replied to this demand, “Before I would deny my Lord and Savior in this way, I would gladly kneel before you and have my head chopped off.” In other words, “No.” Charles could barely speak German, so he responded, “Nicht kopf ab. Nicht kopf ab.” Which is, “Not head off. Not head off.”

A few days later, at 3:00 PM on June 25^th of 1530, Charles, the Roman officials, and the Lutheran princes gathered to hear the doctrinal statement of the Lutherans which is the Augsburg Confession. In that document, the Lutherans wanted to show that they were not heretics but were faithfully preaching the doctrines of Scripture and traced their doctrine and practice back to the early years of the church. Crowds came to hear the confession; in fact, so many people gathered they couldn’t all fit in the castle. The windows were opened, and the document was read in its entirety. The voice reading it was so clear and articulate that it is recorded that thousands outside the castle were able to hear. And all the Lutherans stood as it was read.

By holding to that confession, the Lutheran princes were all risking their lands and lives, but they held firm to those Scriptural doctrines anyway. They spoke of God’s testimonies before kings and were not put to shame (Ps. 119:46). And they didn’t know how Charles, the head of the government, would respond. It was possible that they would all be executed, and their lands and people would be attacked by Charles’ armies. It was possible that Charles would agree with them. They didn’t know. They didn’t have control. All they could do was speak God’s testimonies and leave everything in His hands.

Ok. History lesson over.

Today, we don’t have control over the government. We don’t have control over the culture or the media. We don’t have control of the perception others have of us. So many things are outside our control, but that’s ok. It’s ok. Our confidence in confessing God’s testimonies is never based on having control or tax benefits or a favorable political or social environment. 

We can always speak God’s testimonies and not be put to shame. Yes, we might be mocked and ridiculed and labeled as ‘old-fashioned.’ Yes, we might be kicked to the side of the culture. Yes, we might even be persecuted by the government, society, and media. But that doesn’t matter because none of them have control over reality. They’ve never had that control, and they never will because their word didn’t create the heavens and the earth. Their word didn’t establish what is right and what is wrong. Their word doesn’t determine the truth. But God’s Word did and still does.

By God’s Word the heavens and the earth were made. By God’s Word, Christ was sent to be the Savior of sinners. By God’s Word, you have been called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified as the Church. By God’s Word, you are kept and sustained in the one true faith.

That is why we can confess God’s Word without fear. The worst anyone can do to us is merely kill our bodies; they cannot touch our souls (Mt. 10:28). The God who created the sparrows by His Word knows when one of them falls to the ground. And that same God is your heavenly Father who has numbered every hair on your head. That same God is the One who came to earth, took on flesh, shed His blood, and died for you. That same God is the One who inscribed your name in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world (Rev. 17:8).

Now, we might wish that God would send revival to our land. We might wish that God would send reformation to unite the scattered and divided Christians here on earth. We might wish that God would raise up another Luther or, like He did in our Old Testament reading (Neh. 8:1-2, 5-6, 9-12), another ruler like Nehemiah or another priest like Ezra who can restore the Word of God to our land and to the people around us. But God in His wisdom, which is greater than yours, hasn’t given one – at least, not yet. But God has raised up you. God has placed you in your family; in this congregation; in your workplace; in this city, state, and country to confess His testimonies, and you will not be put to shame.

So, dear saints, acknowledge Christ before men, and He also will acknowledge you before God the Father (Mt. 10:32).

And if you still fear to speak His testimonies and acknowledge Christ, if you aren’t sure how to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), here are some suggestions for overcoming that fear:

Start by being here at church for the services and Bible studies. Learn from God’s Word because that will help you grow in your faith. And, as you grow, you will be more equipped to confess.

Then, talk with your family after church. Talk about the hymns and the Scripture readings. Talk about what you leaned in Sunday school and the sermon. Discuss with your spouse, kids, and parents what God taught you and how He encouraged and blessed you through His Word. All of that is zero risk because you won’t be persecuted for doing that. It won’t put you or them in danger. Also, it is good practice for confessing the faith and speaking the truth of God’s testimonies to others.

If you’re already doing that, expand further out. Confess to friends and relatives that you are close to – people who are a little further out but you have a good, solid relationship with. If you mess up and say something that offends them, you have a better chance of getting another opportunity to confess better or more clearly. That is also low risk.

As you become more comfortable doing that, keep going. You will be better equipped to confess to people you are less familiar with and even to strangers. The more you confess, the better you get at it. And along the way, you will be building up and encouraging those around you to confess as well.

Dear saints, fear not. Confess God’s testimonies.

When time is no more and you stand before God, you will only have Him to answer to. Everything else will pass away. As many days as God gives to you, confess Him knowing that only God and His Word will stand. The world may try to shame us, but they don’t have any power. The power of men comes and goes. All flesh is like grass and eventually passes away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever (Is. 40:6, 8; 1 Pet. 1:24-25).

Dear Christian, Jesus is risen. We are going to win. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.