Challenge to Courage — John Ridley

The Reverend John G. Ridley was given at the Central Baptist Church in Toowoomba. My final message is based on the last verse of that brief scripture that I read. I'm going to read the scripture in a moment.

The Warning Against Being Ashamed of Christ

I'm going to tell you what I entitle the message, Challenge to Courage, and his warning of the cost of cowardice. Now you've got the scripture, 38th verse of the 8th chapter of Mark. And remember, these words fell from sinless lips.

These words came from the ones who never sinned. Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the Holy Angel.

Courage in David, Grace Darling, and the Battlefield

Courage, wherever it is displayed, excites the praise and the admiration of the best of the human race. They, the soldiers of Saul's army, could never forget that remarkable sight. A little shepherd boy with a staff and a sleigh and a few stones, running up into the valley of Elah, to face that heavily mired giant Goliath.

And to overthrow him. Wonderful courage. They were to talk of it and to think of it, right down the centuries in Israel. Not only the shepherd boy, but many of you have shown courage too. I'd like to remind you of a fearful storm, that burst upon the coast of Old England, right up on the coast of Northumberland, in 1838.

Wild, horrific night. Flares went up from the ship in distress. Nothing could be done. But first thing in the bright, bleak morning, with the widows gassing the shore, the old lighthouse keeper looked out and saw, on the distant ragged rock, part of the ship's mast, driven into the rock.

And seven poor half-frozen people clinging to it. I can't possibly go, he said to his wife. I couldn't handle the lifeboat alone. In fact, it'd be no dad who mustn't go, she said. It's impossible. And suddenly, his daughter, a girl of about 19, said, Father, I'll go with you and handle the lifeboat.

Great, said the mother. If your father is down today, I'll hold you responsible for it. Father, she said, we must go then. I'll go with you and handle the lifeboat. And William Darling was as great a hero, as his girl was a heroine.

And they pushed the heavy lifeboat down the strip of sand, and in a few moments they were in the boiling billows, handling it, over wave after wave, as they crowed and crowed out towards those broken rocks.

And when they got near the rocks, Grace took charge of the boat. And as the wave came, she swung it round with the oars, and drew it up alongside the rock, and William Darling jumped out onto the rock.

And then time and again, she spun that lifeboat round the rock, as he brushed one after another of those frozen people into the lifeboat. And they brought the cabin back, and the whole of the English-speaking world rang with the praise of Grace Darling.

Things that poorly adorned her. She was feasted and tasted on every time, but she died shortly afterwards. But when I was a boy at school, at the beginning of this century, I used to sing in my class, Grace has an English heart, meaning a brave heart.

Oh, it was courage. And you're a poor type of person if you can't admire courage. I'll never forget it. Crouched down on my first day of terrific fighting in France, when we were to go over the breastworks against the hail of death.

I'll never forget the sight of that young officer who picked up a trench coat and threw it over his shoulder and looked along our line and said to me, I was like a sergeant, I'll lead the line over the bridge.

And then he climbed right to the left and lifted the cigarette and puffed the cigarette a moment and amidst the thunder of battle he said, Come on, boys! And walked straight over into that bawling fire and fell.

A prayer of coughs on the very top of the breastworks. But I never forgot the courage of lesson and praise as we dashed on. Remember this down the year. Courage is no right thing, my friends. And the Lord Jesus Christ, who inspires courage, who calls it a virtue, claims that we could face up to the challenge of courage.

I love to think that. Our blessed Savior was ever in demand. He had to face the hardest of fighting himself and he faced it unflinchingly. I like courage, don't you? I admire it. Courage, brother! Do not stumble!

Though thy path be dark at night, there is far to guide the humble. Trust in God and do the right. And here he brings us the challenge of courage. Whomsoever the circumference of the challenge, me and my word, the cause of the challenge, ashamed in this adulterous sinful generation, ashamed when he cometh in the glory of the Father with the Holy Angel.

“Whosoever” and the Universal Scope of Christ’s Challenge

And that's the dead center of the challenge, the very core of it. Think for the moment of the circumference of the challenge. Whomsoever, that's a beautiful word, that includes you, includes me, everyone here, that means anyone.

But wait a moment. Does God ever use that word? Frequently. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever, believing in him, would not perish, but have everlasting life, for whosoever has everlasting life shall enter into heaven and you'll find that whosoever of faith, Jesus said to some of those that came from John the Baptist, Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.

I've met a number of people that got offended in God and said to me only a few days ago, I'm not right, I'm not right with God. I've got an injury in a way that I had to go through my youth and put up with so much offending in Christ.

Here, tonight we read of whosoever of discipleship. Whosoever will come after me, you're not forced to. You can go down to death without Christ if you're determined to and Christ went after them. But whosoever will come after me, that kingdom by himself, take up his cross and follow me.

Whosoever of discipleship and then the whosoever of courage or cowardice. What does it mean, Grace? Courage means lads in their lightheartedness and girls in their gaiety. Young men in their strength and young women in their beauty.

It means middle-aged men in their prime and parenthood. Middle-aged women in their motherhood and maturity. Why, it means old men in their supposed wisdom. Old women in their supposed weakness. Whosoever.

It means the Queen Wanda in Buckingham Palace and every member of the far-flung Commonwealth that she ascends the Queen of. It means the Governor-General of this land of Australia and every citizen in Australia.

Whosoever. It means the manager of Wanda Business Firm in his beautiful office and every member of his staff right down to the messenger boy. It means the captain and yonder ship on the bridge there and every officer and member of the ship's company and every passenger aboard.

Whosoever. It means the headmaster of the school and every member of the staff, every scholar in the school. It means the mate from the hospital, every nurse from the staff, every patient in the hospital.

Whosoever. Oh, it is wonderful. I think they may have to choose me from this picture. I'm not in it yet. Who are, then? Whether you're white or black or rich or poor or black or male or female or communist or capitalist or liberalite or laborite or any of it.

You're a whosoever. And the Lord Jesus Christ swings a great splatter out with the conference beyond our care and says, Whosoever. What? Thou be ashamed of me and my worth. The cause of the challenge.

Christ’s Sinless Life and Unique Words

Can you imagine for a moment two pillars raised on this platform? Try if you can to imagine a pillar raised up there and another one up here. Look at that right-hand pillar to use the left-hand one and on that right-hand pillar, me, the man whose name is wonderful.

On that left-hand pillar, the words, thy testimonies are wonderful. Jesus Christ who was in the bosom of the Father, who was with God, who was God, was my friend and dwelt among us as a man. What manner of man is this?

Does it say a thing was as though it doesn't count a clip of the finger? What manner of man is this? The sinless man answers God. Look to that right-hand pillar. Who did those sins? Look to that left-hand pillar.

My little Zion found in his mouth. You've never had a person like that. Zion is just that dispute that comes out so often from us when we say the thing that sins exactly is. The man did not. Which of you convicted me of sin, said Jesus?

Not a word came from him. Not one of them caught the sin in his feet. Then, if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? What will you say then? Turn to the left-hand pillar. I am the way, the truth, the life.

No man cometh to the Father but by me. Now don't you think you can climb up some other way, friend? That came from the guileless lips of the glorious Lord. On that right-hand pillar, the sinless man.

On that left-hand pillar, the guileless word. He's not defending you He's telling you he is the way to God. You are coming by him. He is the truth of God. Do you believe him? And he's the life of God.

Have you got him? Or are you ashamed of his sinless life and his sinless word? What manner of man is this? Say, the curious world in the light of his miracles. The greatest man answers God. Look to that right-hand pillar for a moment.

He shall be right and shall be called the son of the highest. The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. So he will in the near future. The greatest man. The greatest words. Never man quite like this man.

He does all things well. The greatest man doing the greatest words speaking. What a privilege to have the Bible open before you to hear the greatest words ever uttered in this world's history. Whatever will be must happen.

Christ’s Authority Over Storms, Demons, Death, and Sin

Ah, let me say. Was he ever challenged, that greatest man? He was indeed. He was challenged by the elements. In a little sit on Galilee talked about wildly in the midst of a storm. His disciples came to him and said, Master, we're lost.

Tear us down, not that we perish. And Jesus arose out of his sleep and said, Peace! Peace to you! There was a great calm. An instant calm. And they worshipped him. I never knew a storm calmed on a split second.

I've been in many, many storms at sea. I feel myself a kind of a droner when I go to sea. I land into a storm almost invariably. And I've never known a storm that calms on a split second. It always blows itself out, something less and less.

But this master of the elements and powerful in his mysteries said, Peace! Peace to you! Great calm. They worshipped him. They worshipped him. A fierce demon, out of a demonized person who was trying to uphold him, challenged him.

Tell us your Lord! Whatever you do with me, Jesus of Nazareth, hold your peace, he said, and come out of it. He came out the same way. And they were amazed, saved. Even the uncreeped spirits obeyed him.

We never saw him on this island. Ah, my dear friend, he is conquered over the powers of hell, as well as the elements of the storms. Yet, and the rest of those snatched the little girl out of his grip just before he came to heave her.

And when he arrived at the home of Jairus, they were all weeping and wailing and crying because he was dead. Jesus took them all out of the room, took the mother and the father and the three faithless disciples and taking the cold hand of the little dead child, said, Little girl, arise!

He said, I arise. And they were all astonished, with a great astonishment. Haven't his great words ever astonished you? They astonished that religious dinner, Nicodemus, who came along in a complimentary way and said, we know that you are a teacher come from God, because you do these miracles.

And Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Oh, how, said Nicodemus, how can he be born again? And Christ was heading for the cross. And those very disciples, the poor adulterers, who had been dragged before him and they were saying, Master, Moses said he could be stoned.

Jesus said, He that is without sin among you has cast the stones out. And one by one they went out from his presence, and the woman was left alone without order. He looked down and he said, Hath no man condemned thee?

She said, No man, no. Mark that word. She called him Lord. Neither do I condemn thee. He said, Go and sin no more. Keep your eyes and mind on the message of God. Keep your mind. How wonderfully those words startled the people of Jerusalem.

Then he said, Do you suppose the eighteen on whom the power and five old parents threw them were worse sinners than all men in Jerusalem? I tell you now, that that you repent you all likewise perish. The greatest man, the greatest word.

The Saving Man and the Cross

Are you ashamed of them, my brother, my sister? Or are you courageously on a side of the greatest man, the greatest word? What manner of this, of man is this, that a wandering world at the foot of a cross on good pride ends?

What manner of man is this? The saving man answers God, and lo, Pilate brought him forth over that white handkerchief bound, bleeding, bashed with it, bombarded with abuse. Pilate led him forth and said, Behold the man.

Look at him, poor fellow, bleeding, bound there before them. Behold the man. Yes, but he's the saving man. Turn to the left hand full of the saving words, and Pilate said to him, Art thou a king then?

Art thou saith to the hands that I am a king? To which end was I born? And to which cause came I into the world? To bear witness to the truth? Every one that is of the truth heareth my word. You can be of the lie.

You can be a friend to the great liar, you know. Satan's sent to lie against the truth every time, but every one of the truth hears his word, and he doth it. Look to that white handkerchief that I see enlisted up upon that painful cross.

Have a good look at him with the eye of faith for a moment. You'll see that garland of full thorns pressed into his blessed brow so that the blood is just slowly dropping down. Beauty of faith, more and more than any man to the suffering of death.

Can you see lips that have charred with thorns in the agony of crucifixion? Can you see hands and feet scarred by Roman swipes? And can you notice every bone jarred out of joint? That's about the most awful agony you could conceive of.

And when the darkness gathered round that blessed figure, there came another anguish. My God, my God, why have thou forsaken me? And God's judgment telephoned in, the law has to be fulfilled and discharged and straight.

Guide the sinner and guide for us in the saving power of the Godhead. Look to that left-hand pillar and think of the saving words. This is my body, which is broken for you. This is my blood of the New Testament Sent to you and to many for the remission.

What's remission mean? Putting away, writing out. The remission of sins. Man don't you want your sins covered? Don't you want your sins remitted? If I was in debt for ten thousand pounds and some benefactor said, I'll write it all off, John.

I'll remit it. Oh, how thankful I'd be. And you're in debt to God by being a sinner. You've tied up your sins down the years. They are beyond number. Jesus said, my blood will remit them all. Royal feet on his head, his hands, his feet.

Sorrow and love flow mingled down. To there such love and sorrow meet. Awesome compost, so rich a crown. Are you ashamed of the saving man? And the saving words? Or are you courageously unashamed of the proof that I've won?

The Resurrection and the Second Coming

What thankful man is this by the starkest word on Easter morning? The deathless man answered God. The deathless man took to the right hand pillar and he was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father and so himself alive by many imparable truths.

Proof that you are imparable. And so himself alive in all directions. There is more evidence that Jesus Christ rose from the dead to the great sodomy creature than if Napoleon died at St. Helena or George Washington was the first president of the United States.

And the left hand pillar, the deathless word. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I'm alive forevermore and have the keys of death and of hell. I hold the door keys of death and of hell. I'd advise you to be friends with that man.

I'd advise you to be in good friendship with Jesus Christ. He's got the keys of the final place of banishment and the keys of death. Ah my friend heaven and earth shall pass away said Jesus that my word shall not pass away.

You'll meet them a day when the books are open and you'll judge from the things written in the books. They're deathless words. Are you ashamed of the deathless man and the deathless word? Oh courageously unashamed of them.

What manner of man is this? Christ of bloody world in 1962. What manner of man is this Christ? The coming man answers God and the coming word. This same Jesus which is so faithful from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as you see and go into heaven.

That's the hope of the world. The coming word. Hereafter ye shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great glory. I once had the privilege of about an hour's conversation with Billy Graham in his own home in North Carolina and I remember one of the questions I asked the great evangelist was this I said concerning a certain great statesman whose name I'll not mention who was well famous then I said is it true that he asked you about the Lord's second coming?

He said not exactly Mr. Ridley. He asked me what is the hope of the world Dr. Graham and I said to him the second coming of Christ. Then he said he sided me with about nine questions one after the other because men are perplexed and worried and distressed leaders are trying to find a way out.

What is the hope of the world? Why this is the blessed hope of the world. Jesus is coming. He's coming again. King of glad tidings on mountains and plains. Jesus is coming again to lift up his revealed people to meet him in the air.

And then look out for there's the hour of reckoning for the world has projected him all wondrous saviour sinless righteous saving deathless coming. Is it possible anyone can be afraid of that blessed Lord?

Confessing Christ Without Shame

But it takes courage to confess him alright. There was a man named Edward Perenade and he was dying way back about in the end of the 19th century the end of the 18th century rather and on his deathbed Edward Perenade is heard to say glory to God in the height of his divinity glory to God in the depth of his humanity.

Glory to God in his all proficiency into thy hands I submit my spirit. Wonderful testimony in a deathbed. He didn't live until he died though about 13 years before his death he wrote all hail the power of Jesus name.

Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him. Crown him Lord of all we pray you sing tonight. He didn't wait for the sign to get right. He paid his tribute with thousands of tongues down the ear of sin all me and my word.

And we close in for a few moments at the end to the shelter of the shadow. Ashamed of me and my word in an adulterous what does that mean? Immoral ashamed. The poor people who behind the scenes are acting impurely often and immorally.

Ashamed to offend with some of the souls. Ashamed to offend the blokes at work and the boys down yonder. And the girls in the street ashamed indirect. And Jesus on the left. And not one of us but a sinner.

All right. You mustn't hurt me because I was talking about the cross. He's a good fellow in his own way. He's a sinner. And we are yet ashamed to kiss with more sinful adulterous people. I want to tell you dear friend there's no loophole here.

You are either ashamed of Christ or you're unashamed of him. You are either a confessor of Christ before men or you're a denier of Christ before men. You are either on his side or you are not on his side.

Whether you like to say you're right. Whether you like to say you'll get there. I wouldn't be in your place with ten thousand pounds in any world if it isn't you are ashamed. Ashamed of God and mankind maker redeemer defender and friend.

Paul’s Charge to Timothy and General Oliver Howard’s Public Stand

The same for all of us. When some were drifting back towards the end of Paul's life he said all I have I saw have turned away from me. And then he adds a word to his young son Timothy. Timothy he said be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

That's it doesn't matter if other people turn away. Don't you be ashamed of the testimony of Jesus Christ in his sinlessness and his greatness and his coping power and his deathless power and his coming from.

Don't you be ashamed of him. Whatever the cost. I went and visited the battlefield of Gettysburg twice in America. I've seen the great monuments that decorate that field in all directions. Traveled over and I took a few friends with me to one monument erected on Chemical Hill.

It was a misty day in this second visit and I said to them I want to show you one of your great American heroes that you might know much about. And they didn't really. And we came up to Chemical Hill and there was the monument of a mounted officer who had his right arm gone and just the sleeve pinned up to his jacket his left hand holding the reins with his arm.

And there was the great face of the monument on which was inscribed General Oliver O. Howard from the county of Maine. And I raised this monument in Chemical Hill, Gettysburg. And I said to the friends that were with me you know there's a wonderful story behind Howard.

He was the Christian General of the Northern Army in the Civil War just a hundred years ago and about five or six years before the Civil War he was just a lieutenant at a place called Tampa in Florida.

He was reading a book one night called The Memorials of Captain Hedley Vickers. He came to Vickers Conversion when Vickers read the text the blood of Jesus Christ God's son cleansed us from all sins. And he got down and he said I can live henceforth as a man should live who's been washed in the blood of Christ.

And young Howard got down by the side of his own table and opened his heart and received Christ and cleansed the crazy blood of the Lamb over his feet. Next day in the garrison he was met by a senior officer who said to him Howard I hear you were confronted last night old fellow.

Yes he said and I'm not ashamed. That's a good start isn't it poor Howard he said. I could show you any amount of contradictions in your Bible. Perhaps you could said Howard but you couldn't show me that last night I didn't surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ and I've been so happy all night I couldn't sleep to have it.

I read God's time to the contradictions and the whole thing passed as many things passed and would have died a natural death only for something about two weeks after that in a little packed Methodist chapel at Tampa old Mr. Lynn the primitive Methodist preacher was presenting the gospel.

Howard in his uniform was dressed inside the door. Crowds of people in the chapel. Mr. Lynn closed up both sides. Come right down to the front and leave with the penitent world. If you will humble yourselves and accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour.

Come out and leave at the rail. And a few people started to break out and amongst them was a poor woman that was suffering from hip disease and she went down the aisle wobbling somewhat like a duck wobbling.

And Howard looked across to a company of young fellows at the other side of the church whom he'd known in vain to dwell enough and saw them laughing and sneering at the poor woman going down. And God said to his foe Howard on which side do you want to be the side of the prophets or the side of those trying to do the will of God.

And he braced himself up stepped into the aisle and in striking contrast to the poor wobbling woman marched in his military stride down to the penitent hall and knelt near the woman. God blessed the young man and Mr. Lynn.

God blessed him with a great confession. The whole garrison shook with it. He'd gone crazy some of them getting mad others saying he's described for you before my birthday that Howard found a lifelong love in Christ.

And before he left campus he showed witness to Jesus Christ that every life of the saved one had come to the Saviour. That's the type of conversion we want for others. That's the type of courage we want.

At Genesis 3rd he made a stand that paved the way on Cemetery Hill and was thanked by thousands of congress and they raised this monument there. Later he helped G .L. Mindy to break a ban to the Finnish sweeping campaigns.

And at the age of 74 he wrote his last testimony in Christ's name. I have toiled and prayed and worshipped my religion has been a great comfort to me on the side of those trying to do the will of God.

God’s Will for the Lost, the Backslider, and the Christian

That is the will of God. Dear friends for anyone saved man or woman they are dead dead in this place tonight. I know anyone who's not been washed in the blood of the Lamb and had their sins remitted a sin for this day.

Poor antithet God who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And the Lord Jesus said I am the truth to come to Jesus. We will. But you all come to Jesus and you'll know the truth.

And the truth will set your sins free. What's the will of God for the backslider who once made a good protection but lost out in the fight of life whipped up by the devil whipped back. What's the will of God for the backslider.

God is not willing that any should perish. But that all should come to repentance and your death forgiveness. What's the will of God for the Christian. Poor antithet. This is the will of God. Even your sanctification or your holiness.

Or you might say your full surrender to Christ. You've given yourself back to Christ. What is the will of God for all men. I just take up that Bible. I could read it if I like to open it at the time. All men should honor the son said Jesus even as they honor the father.

He does honor not the son. Honor it not the father. You might say you can talk all your life about saying I believe in almighty God. I honor the great nation. So on. But I don't say Jesus Christ. No he's out in the picture.

Then you've got to face up to the one who never lost. All men should honor the son even as they honor the father. He does honor not the son. I don't care who you honor brother. You're not honoring God.

You're dishonoring God. You don't deserve to be the savior of the world. Understand. My help brought me to my feet in 1915 a man that had a right piece in my passion for the military life. It was that kind of noble challenge that William Lamb took over that got me out of my seat and onto my feet for Christ because I believed with all my heart.

A man was a coward who couldn't stand his crucified savior. And the Lord gave grace to make that stand. All my dear men and women. Some of us are badly ashamed of our dear Redeemer. We're not trying to do the will of God.

A Call to Public Confession and Prayer

You know the will of God is that we should speak on everything part of it of the land. Do not be ashamed to own him or to obey the Lord's command in your every word and action. Show the world just where you stand.

Show the world just where you stand. Slag will follow his command. You've all resigned to Christ divine. Show the world just where you stand. God will give you grace to do it tonight. And you may feel a little nervous about it.

But he'll give you grace to confess him unshamed and come to him. And as you bow and pray. And I'm going to ask in a moment's time. For those who need God's power and grace to be unshamed of Christ as an unshamed man as a backsider as a Christian.

Just ask me the question. I lift in your hand quietly. God answers prayer. Let us bow in God's presence. Our eyes closed our heads down. Courage is the most difficult thing in the Christian life. An unashamed confession of Christ is one of the hardest things to perform.

Some of us know that we need God's perfect power tonight. God answers prayer. Will you humble your heart and ask to be prayed for. Just lift a hand in a moment. And then sit it down. And I'd be so glad to pray for you.

God bless you my brother. The Lord bless you. Thank you. God bless you my brother. The Lord bless you the way. Someone else while we're bowed just lift a hand and let me pray for you. God bless you my brother.

Someone else to do that. God bless you brother. Thank you. Someone else to do that. Just lift a hand. God bless you my brother in the center. Someone else to lift a hand. Don't wait friend. There could be many friends.

Hands lifted up. God bless you brother. God bless you sister. God bless you another sister another brother another sister. Thank you. God bless you. How cowardly you are even to get a hand up for Christ.

And some of you know how fearful and ashamed you are. And you've got the faith. And at last in the same way you're a little ashamed. Ah, but they'll get a help you tonight while they're bowed. Just lift that hand up quietly.