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[0:00] Now, friends tonight, there's some things I am ashamed of. I'm ashamed of some things.

[0:18] ! I must confess that sometimes I am ashamed to be an Australian.! I stepped off onto a plane that was heading back to Australia not that long ago and for some long while I hadn't heard Aussie accents. And I could hear some welcome Australian accents.

[0:44] I thought, oh, they're my fellow countrymen and countrywomen. And that was the first time in a long while I'd heard these Aussie voices, this Aussie accent. And as I listened, I heard a loud talking lady, yawning on, her voice was filled with profanities. And I must say that I was ashamed to be called an Australian man. To think that people could use such foul curse words and think nothing of it. To think that's the normal way of communicating as if I've got limited vocabulary. And Julie and I were listening to someone likewise. It's like every word was starting with the letter F. And at another time I saw another Australian man standing in this group of tourists. And he was flying the Australian flag on his T-shirt and loudly proclaiming that he was an Aussie. And his T-shirt message was about being an Australian and about beer. And again, I was ashamed to be called an Australian. To think that that's Australia.

[1:47] That's what Australia is all about. Boozy blokes. I'm ashamed to be an Australian when I think of such things as that. And shameful things, much more than that, are happening in our fair nation. Shameful things are happening in this nation of Australia. And people are accepting it all.

[2:05] In the name of the all-important supposed virtue of tolerance today. That tolerance is somehow more important than morality and truth. And Ephesians 5.11 tells us that we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather recrue them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprue them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

[2:45] Now I can tell you all kinds of shameful things and cover my message with all kinds of talk of sin and sinfulness. But I think you get the picture. And the Bible says we don't need to gloat and dwell over such things.

[2:57] The exceeding sinfulness of sin is just as exceeding and just as sinful and just as necessary that it needs to be reproved, rebuked. You know some Bible versions tone that down and weaken that. But the King James says, but rather reprove them. There is a sense of rebuking, of reproving, of withstanding, of condemning those things that are ashamed even to speak of. The shame of sin. I am talking about shame tonight. And of being not ashamed. Shame and of being not ashamed.

[3:37] There is a sinfulness of sin. And it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. These unfruitful works of darkness. We should rather reprove them. Yes, thank God, when Jesus comes into a life, He takes all the shame and guilt away. If you are here tonight and you are still carrying the weight of shame, you are still burdened down by the grief of your sin. Even though you are filled with a shame and a guilt.

[4:08] When Jesus comes into a life such as that, He takes all of the shame and guilt away. When the Lord Jesus came, this is what it says, this man receiveth sinners. This man receiveth sinners, it says. He still does today.

[4:25] And He takes you and your sin. And He takes the guilt and shame away. The Lord Jesus, when He received sinners, He well knew the pain of the shame, of the guilt. As prostitutes came, as notably sinful people came.

[4:44] Whether it was the religious that were just as sinful, if not more so. As they came in repentance to His feet, He took their shame away. So, if you are feeling like you are burdened down by shame tonight, there is one to whom you can come. You can take the shame and guilt away. So, there are some things I am ashamed of. I am ashamed of our fair nation. I am ashamed of Aussie culture, some of the time, as much as I am glad that we are in this nation. I am glad that we are here and not in some other place.

[5:16] By no means glad of that. And there are some things that I am not ashamed of. And you ought to, likewise, have a sense of being not ashamed of some key things that the Bible speaks of.

[5:31] And number one of five, we have a five point sermon tonight, so you have to try extra hard to remember this one. Number one, I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Not ashamed of the Gospel.

[5:43] Romans 1. Romans 1 is a familiar passage. Romans 1 verse 16. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1 to everyone that believe it.

[6:21] Paul says, I'm not ashamed of the Gospel. I want to urge you today that there's certainly one thing to not be ashamed of is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[6:32] I want to urge you to be not ashamed, to say no to sin and yes to God. Are we ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, Christian people tonight?

[6:45] Are we ashamed of it? We ought not to be. As Paul, we ought not to be ashamed. Paul says, I'm not ashamed. He says, why? Because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe it.

[6:59] The power of God. This was penned by a man who had been a dedicated persecutor and enemy of the Church. He'd been party to killing Christians with a passion, hating them, hunting them down, locking them up, causing great havoc to the Church of God.

[7:18] But one afternoon, he had an encounter on a road to the city of Damascus. He had a miraculous encounter with the risen Christ.

[7:29] And from that day forward, his life was completely transformed and turned around, completely changed. That's salvation. No longer did Paul persecute the Church, but he planted churches.

[7:44] No longer did Paul try to stop the Gospel, but rather to spread the Gospel. It was a total reversal, a total conversion. And at the moment of that conversion, he was changed until his death.

[8:00] The Apostle Paul, he lived a life completely, sold out for Jesus Christ, single-handedly, by the grace of God. He turned the entire Roman Empire right side up for the Kingdom of God.

[8:12] He made a dramatic impact on the world by God's grace. He was a hero of the faith, a champion for Christ, a mighty soldier of the cross.

[8:24] And he accomplished great things for the Kingdom of God. He said, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Are we ashamed of the Gospel of Christ?

[8:37] Truly, the Gospel is an exclusive message. It says, our Lord says, that I am the way, the truth, the life.

[8:47] No other way, no other truth, no other life than life and truth and the way that he is to heaven.

[8:57] An old preacher said this, why should anyone be ashamed of the Gospel? It has God as its source, Jesus Christ and his plan of salvation, its subject matter, the Holy Spirit as its revelator, the highest ideals as its philosophy of life, and heaven as its ultimate goal.

[9:22] To be ashamed of the Gospel is to be ashamed of God, of Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, the Gospel. Be not ashamed of the Gospel, number one.

[9:33] Number two, we ought not to be ashamed of being a Christian. Do not be ashamed of being a Christian. Are you ashamed? Let's be honest.

[9:46] Ashamed, what does it mean? It means to be unwilling or restrained because of fear of shame, ridicule, or disapproval. will we stand for Christ or not?

[10:01] Will we confess him courageously? Or will we be ashamed of him, of suffering for him? In 1 Peter 4, 16, it says, in the context of suffering, yet, if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.

[10:25] If you suffer for being a Christian, glorify God for that. You're privileged. It's a privilege for you. We think of brothers and sisters in other lands. It's a privilege for them.

[10:38] It's not easy, but it's a privilege for them. Glorify God. Being a Christian could cost you, it likely won't cost you much of this in Australia, but it could mean poverty for you, Revelation 2, verse 9.

[10:54] It could mean rejection for you, John 16, verse 2. It could mean public beatings for you, 2 Corinthians 11, 24. It could mean prison, Revelation 2, verse 10.

[11:08] It could mean martyrdom, John 16, verse 2. So, friends, be not ashamed of being a Christian, even if it means suffering for you.

[11:21] If we suffer as a Christian, let us not be ashamed. Paul says the same thing in 2 Timothy 1, verse 12. For this cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless, I am not ashamed.

[11:34] I suffer these things, nevertheless, I am not ashamed. What of you tonight? It's a good time to take stock and think, what if I was in first century Jerusalem?

[11:52] What if I was in the time of the Roman Emperor's where it meant death to fail to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, but rather you acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Lord?

[12:06] What if for you, you're in Communist China or Vietnam, Korea, Russia?

[12:17] What if you're in these places where the rubber really hits the road? and it means you lose your livelihood, you lose your home, you lose your family, you lose your life.

[12:32] I suffer these things, nevertheless, I am not ashamed. Paul spoke from experience. There was a loyalty there, there was a love there that went beyond convenience and comfort.

[12:43] What of your loyalty to him? What of your loyalty to Christ tonight? Are you ashamed of his gospel? Are you ashamed of him and of his words? Not ashamed, not ashamed of the gospel, not ashamed of being a Christian.

[13:01] Thirdly, not ashamed of Jesus Christ. Christian, don't be ashamed of Jesus Christ. Mark 8, 34 through 38. Mark 8, 34 through 38.

[13:15] The Lord Jesus, when he had called the people unto him, with his disciples also, he said unto them, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

[13:33] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it. But whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospels, the same shall save it.

[13:49] For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

[14:03] Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, ashamed of me and of my and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation of him shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with the holy angels.

[14:26] Do not be ashamed of Jesus Christ. Do not be ashamed of him. How can anyone be ashamed of this one, the one who the angels adore, the one who left heaven's glory and came cloaked in human flesh to bear our sin and the cross for us, the one who has the supreme authority, he is the absolute authority.

[14:56] How can we be ashamed of him? It's likely there will be a whole lot of people ashamed when Jesus comes. When Jesus comes.

[15:07] In 1 John 2 verse 28 it says, And now little children abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

[15:21] Abide in him. When he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

[15:33] What is your relationship with Jesus Christ? Is he someone kind of on the periphery, kind of you have passing token thoughts of, or is he your Lord?

[15:46] Your Lord. Are you ashamed of him? Are you ashamed of him? In the second part, he says, not just ashamed of me, but ashamed of my words.

[15:58] Jesus. So, we've seen, just to recap, I've got to refresh myself here, we've seen that we should not be ashamed of the gospel, number one.

[16:08] We should not be ashamed of being a Christian, number two. We should not be ashamed, what was the third one? Of Jesus Christ, number three.

[16:22] And fourthly, we should not be ashamed of his word, of his word. The Lord Jesus says, of people who shall be ashamed of me and of my words. Christians do not be ashamed of his word.

[16:36] We should not be ashamed of his word, we should love it, we should treasure it, we should seek after it as fine gold, as honey from the honeycomb.

[16:50] 2 Timothy 2.15 it says, study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of truth.

[17:04] Be a workman of the word, be someone who is a workman, that this is your occupation, that you're occupied with this, that you have a work, and it's the working of the word, it's the word working in you, so that you need not be ashamed.

[17:24] You're going to study to be approved, you're going to study to show that you've got God's approval. Some people are ashamed of the Bible, and they're ashamed to be seen reading it.

[17:37] No wonder we're in such trouble on planet earth today, when the Bible is abandoned, on some dusty bookshelf. No wonder people are giving him to seducing spirits.

[17:51] Why? Because they stop giving him to the Bible. They must give him to the Bible, and they will be guarded from seducing spirits.

[18:02] In 1 Timothy 4, 1 it says, Now the spirit speaketh expressly. This is expressly spoken. That's something to take heed of. that in the latter times, now you can't get any latter than right now.

[18:16] This is the latterest time that there is. Well, they might get latter tomorrow, but in the latter times, this is the latter times, I would put it to you tonight, in the sense that this is the latest space of time that there is.

[18:31] In the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving him to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Doctrines of devils. teachings that are demonic, devilish, that are going to give heed to seducing spirits.

[18:48] How do we guard ourselves in a time such as this? Take heed to God's word. Take heed of his message. This is his truth for us. He hasn't changed it.

[18:59] It's still as read. Take it as read. Don't be ashamed of his words. The Holy Bible, I heard a wise woman say to me this afternoon, the Holy Bible is meant for our protection, correction and direction.

[19:15] Our protection, correction and direction. The Bible. Do not be ashamed of his words. And lastly, not ashamed of your testimony. Not ashamed of your testimony.

[19:26] Christian, don't be ashamed of your testimony. How is your testimony tonight? Your testimony is different from my testimony.

[19:38] You have your own unique testimony. It's like the Lord, as he touched Paul on that road, we see through Acts, Paul recounted his testimony a number of times.

[19:48] He was glad to tell the testimony, he was glad to testify of what God had done in his life. And we ought not likewise to be ashamed of our testimony.

[20:00] God's done a work in you. And it's still present tense. It's still happening. It's still that your life is being transformed by his grace, day by day, still.

[20:14] Don't be ashamed of your testimony, Christian, tonight. Paul wrote to Timothy, 2 Timothy 1 verse 8, he says, Timothy, don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

[20:27] Paul urges Timothy that he shared in, if need be, the sufferings of the gospel. The testimony of your life might mean suffering for you.

[20:43] I'm not here to tell you you're going to get your best life now. The best life is hereafter. But thank God, God helps us in the life now. He helps you bear that cross if it be his will for you.

[20:58] He helps you to go through those testing things that will face you. And the gospel itself might be suffering for you.

[21:09] The suffering of the gospel. What sent John to Patmos? He was sent there for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1 verse 9.

[21:20] In Revelation it tells of those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ, they'll receive persecution in the last days. Revelation 12 verse 17. The ones who have got a testimony are going to go through some testing of that testimony.

[21:36] So how is your testimony? Are you going to stand and testify? I urge you today to be a courageous Christian, to be bold for Christ, to be bold even if it hurts, even if it costs you, even if it causes you hurt, even if you lose the understanding of loved ones, of family.

[21:58] Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Stand strong, courageous, be courageous. In Revelation 21 verse 8 we see a list of those sent to the lake of fire.

[22:11] Amongst them it talks of the fearful, cast into the lake of fire, along with the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the whoremongers, sorcerers, I idolatrous, liars, the fearful are turned into the lake of fire.

[22:31] The word fearful is used of the disciples in Matthew 8 26 when it says they became fearful during the storm and the Lord Jesus says why are you fearful, oh ye of little faith?

[22:45] God will give you the strength to have a faith that will go through the fire. God will give you a faith that will go through and be purified as gold. Do not be fearful but faithful.

[23:01] To be fearful is to lack faith in God. Why are you fearful are ye of little faith? The disciples in the storm, they didn't know. Their source of faith, their strength was there in the flesh, in the person of the Saviour.

[23:17] It's sin to be fearful. Let people know where you stand. It can be hard. I've experienced it personally in some measure.

[23:30] It can be a challenge. But will you cover your testimony as a light under a container that's hidden?

[23:44] Or will it be set on a hill that shines as a light to those around about? Will you let your light shine before men? Let people know where you stand.

[23:56] How is your testimony tonight? Only you can answer for yourself. I don't know how your testimony is tonight. Maybe you feel like you're scarcely even a Christian tonight. Well, it starts with a mustard seed of faith.

[24:11] It starts with the tiniest, weeniest, scarcely visible bit of faith that God grants to you. It starts with that speck of faith.

[24:25] You might think, I'm too sinful to be a Christian. I've got too much baggage. God wouldn't be interested in me.

[24:36] I've lived a life full of sin and never given him scarcely a thought. Why should God care about me? But he does. He does. God doesn't want you to leave it until your deathbed.

[24:49] Please, don't leave it till late. You may not get time on your deathbed. There's time here now, at this moment. A moment that could change your life for eternity. Not because of words I say, or words you repeat after me, or some kind of conjuring, or I can't sprinkle holy water over you today, or blow holy smoke over you, or say some magic words over you and make you a Christian tonight.

[25:16] But Jesus can save you. Jesus can save you. His arm is not shortened that it cannot save. His arm can extend to the furthest from him, to those in the deepest pit of sin and rejection of him.

[25:33] The Lord Jesus' arm is not shortened that it cannot save. He'll reach you wherever you're trying to hide from him. You cannot escape him.

[25:44] He'll hunt you down. And thank God you can have a testimony. It's simple faith. It's simple faith. It's simply as he reaches that hand that is not shortened that it cannot save.

[26:00] No matter how far away you seem to be from God, in simple faith, clasp that hand. Clasp that hand. Receive his saving grace tonight.

[26:14] How is your testimony today? Will you just go with the flow? Will you just blend in? I was a bit like that as a newish Christian.

[26:25] I was a bit of a chameleon. You just move with the crowd. Go with the flow kind of thing. You just fit in. Your testimony is weak as water if not nothing.

[26:41] Weak as water. We can be mistaken like that and just blend in with the culture with the philosophies and the thinking of the world. We can neglect our duty.

[26:52] We can be a kind of careless casual Christian. But what of your conscience? conscience? You will not have ease in your conscience and your spirit if you live a Christian life half-heartedly.

[27:08] There's really no such thing. You can't sit on the fence. Will you take a stand for Christ? Let's get rid of that paralysing fear that holds us back from being an out and out Christian.

[27:21] Let's decide tonight that I'm not going to be paralysed! as a Christian. I'm going to be mobilised when I see those who are within a heartbeat of help.

[27:34] I want to see them snatched. That God using me can save such that are far from him.

[27:46] You know, your heart beats over 100,000 times a day. One day it won't be 100,000 times. One day it's going to be maybe a few thousand short of that because it's over.

[28:01] One day as the Bible says it is appointed unto men once to die but after that the judgment we don't know there's no guarantee that you're going to make the 100,000 even today.

[28:14] One day your heart will beat no more unless the Lord takes us before that time. But it is appointed that there will be a time of reckoning.

[28:26] It's not going to be a balancing of all the good you've done versus all the bad you've done as if somehow I'm not as bad as the next guy or I've done a little bit of good in my life I've given to charity or the poor or I've done my good deed every day like a boy scout but no it's not a measuring of any good or any bad 2 Timothy 1 verse 7 it says for God has not given us a spirit of fear he's not given you a spirit of fear that's not come from God but of power and of love and of a sound mind that's the kind of spirit he's given you and it goes on verse 8 be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of

[29:33] God you never say be a partaker of the prosperity of the gospel he says be a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel of the suffering of the gospel it might cost you dearly but God has not given you the spirit of fear!

[29:53] of power and of love and we've been given a power to be his witnesses on this planet we've been given a love that casts out all fear we've been given a sound mind that we can testify the truth are you ashamed tonight Jesus was not ashamed of you I know that he humanly speaking he should be ashamed of me and of my sin yet he was willing to count himself with one of the transgressors he was willing to bear my sin in his own body on the tree all the foulest foulest of it the Lord Jesus was not ashamed of you he did not shy away from the cross for you in

[30:54] Isaiah 50 verse 6 to 7 it says I gave my back to the smithers and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting it goes on I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed Jesus bore the shame of your sin and mine and we can be as those in Hebrews 12 it says looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him enjoyed the cross despising the shame and it sat down at the right hand of the throne of God he enjoyed the cross despising the shame the curse of it more so the guilt the penalty of our very sin that due penalty that he bore for us he was not ashamed to carry the cross for you to be pierced for you to bleed and die and rise for you what about you are you ashamed of

[32:15] Jesus Christ in Acts 5 verse 41 it says the early church counted shame for his name as a badge of honour in Acts 5 41 they were sternly rebuked and punished and in verse 41 they left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name what about you about me the early Christians were unstoppable this message they had to communicate it yet today what are professing

[33:21] Christians today they are more ashamed of Christ than they are of sin millions of Christians professing Christians are missing out on that stand that they ought to take many Christians are missing out well you pay the price I'm not talking about earning your salvation or somehow that you're going to get some credit as a Christian who stands out from the crowd it's nothing of that there's no glory to you or to me but the glory is to him the glory is to him live your life to his glory be bold and stand in Philippians 1 Paul writes verse 20 in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness that

[34:23] Christ be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Romans 10 he says if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation for the scripture saith whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed!

[34:57] kill you that will be glory to die is gain to die is gain we've talked tonight about being ashamed of some things we could rightfully be ashamed of rightfully be ashamed of we should be ashamed of the godless direction of our nation no matter which political flavour is running the place we ought to be ashamed of the political and moral slide and decline of our nation into more and more gross sin and sinfulness the shocking vile state of Australia tonight and it's sick and getting sicker friends we ought to be ashamed of our Australia ashamed about sinful sinfulness that predominates the media the world that we live in the godless state of Christendom across the nation across the planet we ought to be ashamed of that tonight and friends but yeah we can only speak for each one of ourselves personally and you can only speak for yourself tonight will you be ashamed will you be ashamed of the gospel of

[36:11] Christ the power of God unto salvation will you be ashamed of it or will you be a declarer of the gospel will you take some effort to relay that message will you be ashamed of the gospel or will you be a messenger of it will you be ashamed of being a Christian such that you're kind of undercover you're kind of a covert Christian a secret agent Christian so someone who lives next to you would think oh he's not a Christian she's not a Christian you know you can tell by how they live are you a Christian who lives like it don't be ashamed of being a Christian don't be ashamed of being called a Bible basher don't be ashamed of Jesus Christ that you stand for him you love him you're his ambassador you're his disciple you're his follower do not be ashamed of

[37:13]  Jesus Christ do not be ashamed of his word that you love his word it's not something you kind of pay some token reference to when you get in a meeting or some spiritual mood but you love his word you treasure it and you want to feed yourself with it and lodge it in your brain in your memory in your mind as you meditate on it do not be ashamed of his word and do not be ashamed of your testimony your testimony is your testimony let it be a testimony that testifies to the glory of God such that your testimony is still happening it's not all about oh 30 years ago when I got saved blah blah blah and then you know I've just been stagnant ever since your testimony is now it's still happening so you still got a testimony and you still will have a testimony and your testimony will be a testimony for the glory of God as you live it friends do not be ashamed any of those any of those any of those any of those any of those any of those any of those