"I WILL SPEAK"
John the Baptist spoke God’s Word before kings and he was beheaded for it. The faithful Christians during the 1500’s in the Holy Roman Empire spoke God’s Word before kings and they were declared heretics and outlaws on account of their confession; some of them were even burned at the stake. The apostle Paul spoke God’s Word before kings and he was thrown in prison, put on trial, there was a plot to take his life, and he was eventually executed because of his faith. Every prophet of Old Testament times and most of the apostles of the early Christian Church in New Testament times spoke God’s Word before kings. And some were stoned; some were beaten; some were imprisoned; some were tortured. But despite the dangers to their live and to the lives of their families, every one of these Christians was determined to put into practice what the author of Psalm 119 wrote in verse 46: “I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame.”
Many Christians throughout history spoke the Word of God before kings and rulers and authorities without fear, without hesitation, without regret. And sometimes they suffered for it. But the likelihood of punishment or rejection did not stop them from opening their mouths and relaying what the Bible clearly said. They were going to speak, come what may. They had to. And they had to not because they were forced to speak; they were compelled to speak. The faith that was working in their hearts through the Word prompted them to speak that Word to others. They couldn’t help it! It came bubbling out of them! It tumbled off their tongues! The gospel about Jesus Christ in the Word of God had saved them and so they could not possibly hold it back from others. Even if those others didn’t want to hear it. Even if those others were complete strangers at the time. Even if those others happened to be kings who had the ability to pronounce unspeakable judgments on whomever displeased them. “I will speak” was not just another phrase from just another psalm verse to them; it was a mindset of those Christians. It was an attitude of the heart that showed itself on the lips. “I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame.”
Is that your mindset? Is that the attitude of your heart that naturally reveals itself in your words? There’s no reason it shouldn’t be. You are a Christian just as those believers were in the past. You have been saved by the gospel of Christ just like those believers were in the past. Your heart is motivated by that love of the Lord just as those believers were in the past. And so have you determined in your own minds that “I will speak,” come what may? Regardless of the consequences? In spite of negative reactions? Have you unashamedly opened your mouth in every situation that presented an opportunity to share the gospel? Or have you backed down? Have you sometimes chickened out? Have you rested on your excuses instead of banking on God’s promises?
The other day my kids and I were sitting in our car in the parking lot of the grocery store as my wife picked up a few things inside. And as we were waiting a women walked up to my car door, introduced herself, and proceeded to show me some Jehovah’s Witnesses’ pamphlets. She said her memorized lines. She spoke about what she believed in and what her organization taught. And when I finally had a chance to speak I said, “I’m actually a Lutheran pastor so I don’t think I’ll be needing that material.” She thanked me, wished me a good day, and left. Now, was it wrong for me to say what I said? Was it sinful for me to gently send her away with my comments? No, the Lord doesn’t require me or anyone else to get into an extended conversation with every single person you see every single day. But as she walked away I did feel a little bit guilty. Because I thought to myself, “She does not know the gospel. She does not know the true Savior of her sins. Her mind has been engrained with lies. And I didn’t tell her about it. I didn’t warn her about the church to which she belongs. I didn’t give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work in her heart by sharing the gospel. I did not speak. I did not speak the Word of God to someone who had opened the door herself and needed to hear it...” I almost started up the vehicle to drive over to her and continue our conversation when she drove away. I had missed my chance. I had not taken advantage of the opportunity. And who knows if she will ever come into contact with the clear, unskewed, unpoliticized Word of God again. Maybe. But maybe not.
Think of how many opportunities you have missed in your life. Think of those instances in which you did not see that door opened; think of how many times you have ignored it. Think of how often you did not speak so that the result was the gospel was silenced and a lost heart remained in the dark. What were you doing? What were you thinking? What’s your excuse? Your excuse is probably the same kind of excuse that I would give - and it’s never a good one. There is never a good excuse for not speaking the Word of God to someone who needs to hear it.
And that’s sadly ironic if you think about it: because Jesus had every excuse not to do what he did for you. He was in heaven enjoying the glories of perfection; why would he bother coming down to a sin infested earth that his creatures had messed up? The vast majority didn’t like him, didn’t want him, didn’t listen to him. The pain Jesus ended up suffering was excruciating and hardly fair. The torture was unjust. And the sinful human beings of this earth weren’t worth that kind of sacrifice in the first place! And there was no obligation involved; no responsibility Jesus had towards us that he was forced to carry out. He had every excuse not to do what he did. But look at what he did anyway:
It was the morning of his death. And there our Savior stood before a king of sorts - Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in Jerusalem at the time. And Jesus was on trial. Pilate was trying to figure out why the Jews had brought one of their own to him so that he would “OK” the death penalty that they so badly wanted. And so after hearing the complaints of the Jewish crowds outside in the courtyard, Pilate went back inside the palace to where Jesus was standing and asked him, “‘What is it you have done?’ Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.’ ‘You are a king then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:35-37). Jesus didn’t have to speak to Pilate, of course. Jesus didn’t owe him one word. Pilate was a cowardly, guilt-ridden human being, king or not. Jesus did not have to stand there in front of him and answer his questions. Jesus didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to do. But he spoke anyway, patiently. He spoke truthfully. And after that brief conversation Pilate went back out to the crowds and tried to convince them that Jesus was not worthy of death. But without success. In fact, Pilate only succeeded into working the crowd into an even bigger frenzy. And so Pilate went back into speak to Jesus one more time. “‘Where do you come from?’ Pilate asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. ‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said. ‘Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’ Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above’” (John 19:9-11). Jesus was not about to back down. He was not about to remain silent. The truth needed to be heard. The Word of God needed to be proclaimed. Jesus was going to speak. Even to the one who had just scourged him, even to the king who would soon order his crucifixion to be carried out.
And Jesus spoke in front of that king for you. His words helped put Pilate into a situation that he could not seem to get out of. “If this man called Jesus claims to be a king, if he truly is a ruler of some kind,” Pilate must have been thinking, “and if these Jewish people hate him to such an extent that they might start a rebellion in this land that I am supposed to control, I don’t have a lot of options! This man may not be guilty of any obvious crime but what else am I supposed to do? An uproar in this land by this notorious nation could cost me my job! And I certainly cannot defy Caesar by letting a local “king” live among his own people! I have heard it from Jesus’ own mouth: he is a king and he has a kingdom. I’m going to have to give to the Jewish people what they demand and rid myself of this problem.” Jesus’ words helped lead Pilate to make the awful decision that God should be murdered. And Jesus knew it. He knew what was going to happen because of the words he spoke. He knew it was going to be painful. He knew he was going to suffer the torment of his Father’s wrath. But he went through with it anyway. He spoke to Pilate about the Truth. And he spoke to the High Priest the night before about the Truth. And he spoke to his disciples and the crowds and the Pharisees and the rich and the poor and the rulers and the slaves and the socialites and the outcasts for years about the Truth. Jesus spoke the law and the gospel to everyone at every opportunity. He said exactly what needed to be said. And he was killed for it.
And what Jesus said and what Jesus did and what Jesus had done to him are the “statutes” that the psalmist speaks about in Psalm 119. “I will speak of your statutes before kings.” I will speak of your testimonies, the things you have done that testify about you, and I will not be put to shame. I will speak of your life, your suffering, your sacrifice, your resurrection, your ascension, your rule, your power, your love, your peace, your comfort… I will speak of you to whoever is standing in front of me at the moment and I will not be put to shame. I might suffer; I might be rejected; I might even die; but I will speak.
“I will speak.” There is an assertive quality to those three simple words, isn’t there? “I will speak.” That is not just a possibility; it not merely something that is likely to happen; it will happen. And the author of Psalm 119 and John the Baptist and the reformers of the church in the 16th century and the apostle Paul and countless Christians throughout the history of this world made this their motto. They would speak. They would speak to kings if they had the chance. They would speak the gospel until the day they died.
Make this your motto. Determine that “I will speak” the gospel before kings and rulers and authorities if I have the chance I will speak to the convicts and the homeless and the hated if I have a chance. I will speak the gospel to all people until the day I die. I will invite. I will encourage. I will offer the clear and untainted words of God to those who don’t know what they are missing. I will do it often. I will do it now.” Because if not now, when? If not you, who? Who is going to tell those dying around you about their living Savior? Who is going to say what no one else will say? Who is going to speak when no one else but you knows the words?
People are dying. Not just physically, people are spiritually dying by the millions all around you! And that life-giving gospel in your heart is resting on your tongue. Open your mouth and let it out! If you don’t, the Lord will forgive you. If you do, the Lord will forgive those who hear that gospel. Knowing that incredible promise, the psalmist writes, “I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame.” This has always been the mission of the Church: to speak of the statutes of the Lord to the world. And it has always been the privilege of every Christian. You get to tell others about life itself. You get to invite others into heaven. You get to show others a God who loves them. Is there a better message to share with something than that? And so speak it! Speak it proudly, come what may! Your Savior wouldn’t want it any other way.
Amen.
“God, the blessed and only ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” - 1 Tim. 6:15-16
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