Great Courage – Great Comfort

Footsteps of Faith Messenger - Issue 212

Great Courage – Great Comfort
Acts 16:30-31
Matthew 28:18-20

Tim Darnell

If your goal is always ‘comfort’, you’ll not find much need for courage in your life. If your focus is constantly on “what are we going to grill tonight”, or “what are we going to watch on television”, then courage is not something that will be required. Surprisingly, comfort is not a bad concept, it’s just that we search for comfort in the wrong places, the grill and television (metaphors for creature comforts), as examples, will never give any of us any kind of real or lasting comfort.

If you have a calling to proclaim and spread the gospel message, which, by the way is the common privilege and responsibility for all believers in Christ, then you’ll need to know about, and know how to get, courage. Comfort will come, but it won’t be the comfort we commonly seek, like nestling in the Lazy Boy, or lounging by the pool.

Courage is quite the rare commodity among believers today. But the problem is that God won’t use those of us who don’t have it. Courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, courage is asking God what He would have us to do, responding appropriately to that calling, and moving forward boldly to accomplish that calling. Fear will likely be part of that process. Yes, we can count on that fact. Grilling and television, or a thousand other activities, are not bad in and of themselves, but they often mask and distract us from God’s true calling for our lives. We too often schedule meaningless activities, rather than ordained, meaningful ones. Anything that stands in the way of understanding and responding to God’s call in your life is something that needs to be removed, and now.

The resurrected Lord Jesus made clear to Ananias the game rules that the newly converted apostle Paul would be observing right off the bat. He gives Ananias the order to go meet Saul, later named, Paul. Jesus said, “Go! This man (the apostle Paul) is my chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” Acts 9:15b-16 How’s that for initial marching orders? Not, ‘if’ he’s going to suffer, but rather, ‘how much’ Paul is going to suffer, indicating a significant amount rather than a small amount.

Courage is not necessary until suffering is imminent. Courage is not necessary until attacks loom on the horizon. Courage will rarely be needed if you’re not fulfilling your genuine calling. If you don’t stand for Christ, courage will rarely be needed at all. But if you are going to be a genuine follower of Christ, and not just a Christian in name only – a nominal Christian, then Christ’s gift of courage to you will be a solid requirement for you to have.

Courage is needed for your:

* Going,

and

* Bold Witness



The mission we are to accomplish: “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20a – requires going and being a bold witness. It requires speaking with conviction and assuredness – with courage!

Paul responded to the directions of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He went and he spoke boldly. He often kept his message simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household”, for example. Acts 16: 30b-31

In the “going”, he endured all kinds of persecution, assaults, attacks, accusations, mocking, and hardships because he heard, heeded, and responded to Jesus command in his life. Courage was required, and, ironically, as Paul undertook his mission and journey, he also found great comfort. Here’s the lesson about courage and comfort we should be looking for. It is the courage and comfort that we receive when we know – I mean really KNOW that Jesus has promised to be with us and that He indeed will be with us. Man-made courage isn’t enough. It’s only the courage that comes from the supernatural strength and resolve infused in us by the Holy Spirit that will sustain us in all circumstances.

Jesus made sure we understood that. The closing words of the gospel of Matthew are: “And surely I am with you to the very end of the age.” Matthew 18:20b SURELY, He is with us! In that single sentence, you and I can and should gain great courage, and at the same time, we can and should be greatly comforted by this ultimately important promise.

My grill is hot and cold. It’s worn out and weathered. I don’t get any lasting comfort out of television. It’s either off or on, and is the easiest, most passive, and totally non-productive choice of activities in my life. Somewhat amusing sometimes, life is full of no-brainer activities that require zero courage. Activities that require no courage will be the least remembered and least significant times of our lives. Let us keep those activities to a minimum, and know that you and I were created for a higher calling than merely watching paint dry.

We’ll find the need for sustained courage and the soothing comfort of the Holy Spirit when we go and boldly proclaim the most important message – the Good News of Jesus Christ. Fulfilling our mission and calling is both memorable and meaningful. It’s why you were born. You don’t have to be a pastor or professional clergy in order to accomplish your calling. The Gospel message should simply be who you are day in and day out. It revolves around accepting and knowing Jesus Christ in a real and personal manner and not being ashamed to let others know it.

Find the calling that requires more than passive, no-brainer activity. Find the activities wherein fear may be involved, and gravitate toward those activities rather than away. Great courage and great comfort are available to you in great measure – both will be yours in boldly responding to the call of Jesus Christ.



Prayer: Lord, let us be bold. Let us not be ashamed. Let us recognize You in all that we do, and give us courage. Our comfort rests in You, Lord Jesus. Amen.