Overview
Love is bold. In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus Christ was handed the scroll of Isaiah, read the prophecy of Isaiah 61 about himself, closed the scroll and told a room full of religious leaders, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. He was announcing that their champion had arrived. In this Love of Christ Conference session, Rev. Don Smith teaches that the love of God is the operating system of a believer, and that boldness is one of the things that love energizes. Working through Luke 4, Acts 4 and 1 John 4, he defines boldness as fearless confidence and open, frank speech from a joyous heart, never volume, ego or arrogance, and shows why perfect love casts out fear.
Transcript
The Love of God Is the Believer’s Operating System
Well, God bless you all tonight in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ. If you would take your Bibles and go to Galatians chapter 5, it’s where we’ll get started. And as you’re going there, this little device I have in my hand, you all know what this is, right? It’s a cell phone. Okay, whether it’s an Android or an Apple, doesn’t matter. It’s a cell phone. The reason why this thing is so dynamic and powerful is because it has what they call a operating system.
And it’s the operating system of this device that allows it to do so many fantastic things. Now look in the audience. I see some people have a laptop. They’re working. You go home. You have your laptop, desktop, whatever you have. These devices all have an operating system. And when the operating system goes bad, then what happens? The device goes bad. Now, this is important.
This is setting the tone tonight for my entire teaching. The operating system for a believer is the love of God. That is the operating system for a believer. It is the love of God. And every now and then, these devices need an upgrade. Every now and then, we as believers will need our love to be what? Upgraded.
And that’s why you’re here tonight and this weekend in this conference, not only to learn about love, but to have your love of God, that love of Christ upgraded. And if you’re in Galatians, please go to chapter 5 and we’ll look here in verse 6. It says, for in Jesus Christ, the text actually reads Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but faith, which worketh by what? Love.
The word worketh in the Greek is the same word that’s used for energized. Faith is energized by what? Love. And the love of God was and is the complete operating system of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Love is what energized his teaching ministry. Love is what energized his ability to forgive others. And tonight, we’re going to see that love energized his boldness.
What Biblical Boldness Means, and What It Is Not
That’s what we’re going to look at tonight. Now, when you go to the New Testament and you look at the word boldness, the predominant word is the Greek word parrhesia. And let me give you some definitions.
Thayer’s and his lexicon describes this parrhesia, this boldness as open and frank speech. He describes it as a fearless confidence and a fearless candor. Bullinger, when you look at his, he describes it as to speak openly, candid, and I love this latter part of Bullinger. He said it is a confident boldness of a joyous heart. Confident boldness of a joyous heart. But what we also have to understand is what boldness is not.
It is not a loud voice. That’s what the world would describe it. It’s not ego and it’s not arrogance. See the difference? But it is a confident boldness of a joyous heart. Please take your Bibles and go to Luke, please, chapter 4. And that’s what we’re after. Walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ here in Luke 4 early in the record.
Jesus Receives Holy Spirit and Faces the Adversary in the Wilderness
Jesus Christ receives Holy Spirit. Then he’s led into the wilderness to take on who I describe as the predator of all humanity. And that’s the devil himself. So Jesus Christ receives Holy Spirit and then he’s led into the wilderness to take on the adversary. Why does he, why is he led into the wilderness? It’s the first time he’s received Holy Spirit. I tell my fellowship all the time.
It’s Jesus Christ. He had to test drive his new digs, right? You go to buy a car. You want to turn the key. You want to hear the engine, right? You get out, you drive it. You want to see what your car does, right? God had to allow Jesus Christ to receive Holy Spirit and then he had to test it. He had to immediately go to work with it.
Does that make sense? Now, of course, us as humanoid units, our learning curve is, right? Jesus Christ’s learning curve was a rocket. He just shot off with it because he understood. But shortly after Jesus Christ wins his battle.
Jesus Comes to Nazareth and Reads from the Scroll of Isaiah
He then comes down into the city where he was born and raised. And let’s pick up it here in Luke chapter 4, verse 16. And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book or the scroll of the prophet, Esaias or Isaiah. And when he had opened the book or opened the scroll, he found the place where it was written. See, now you understand there were scrolls.
They’re not the Bible that you and I have today with chapter headings and verses. It was a scroll with the Hebrew language written in it. He had to go and find it. Did he find it? Because Jesus Christ knew the word. He had mastered the Old Testament scriptures. They give him the scroll.
He opens it and he goes right to the place where he wants to begin teaching from. Isn’t that fantastic? Now watch verse 18 and verse 18. And yeah, verse 18 and 19 are found in Isaiah 61. He refers back to an Old Testament prophecy, which is so dynamic. Watch how this develops because everyone in Israel was anticipating the coming of who? The Messiah. He opens and goes to this record.
This Day Is This Scripture Fulfilled in Your Ears
Verse 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are what? Bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Now watch this.
And he closed the book. He closed the scroll and he gave it again to the minister and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. It was a unique prophecy he was referring to regarding himself. So there’s a hush. Oh, and they’re all looking at it.
Okay, what is he about to say? Watch what blows their mind. Verse 21. And he began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. People might have passed out. They might have fainted. Because this wasn’t what they were necessarily expecting.
But what I want you to see is in this record is parrhesia. There is boldness. And you know what Jesus Christ did? What he’s saying here? He reads the scroll. He tells them this day has been fulfilled. He’s telling them, I’m here. Your champion is here.
You get that? You see how bold that is? He’s in front of all these religious leaders who’ve been studying the scrolls for hundreds of years. And they think they’ve mastered everything and that can’t be the Messiah. But he says, here I am. Look how bold that is. Look how dynamic that is. Look how powerful that is.
The Word of God Is the Catalyst to Deliverance
But go back and let’s watch the first thing that this prophecy says. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. I’m in verse 18. Because he hath anointed me to do what? Preach the gospel to the poor. In other words, the Word of God is the catalyst. He starts with the Word of God.
It’s the Word of God that is the catalyst to deliverance. It’s the Word of God that is the catalyst to this love of God and love of Christ that we’re looking at this weekend. It’s the Word of God that is the catalyst to our ability to forgive one another. Isn’t that fantastic? That’s the first thing out of his mouth. That the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel. Now watch.
Once he starts preaching, if you continue to read, look what happens. He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted. Can’t happen without the Word. You see that? Can’t happen without the Word to preach deliverance to the captives. Can’t happen without what? The Word, the recovering of sight to the blind and to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. None of that can happen without what? The Word of God.
Look at the boldness of Jesus Christ in this moment. Here I am. What if after this conference you go to work on Monday or whenever you go back to work and somebody says, well, I need some deliverance. You say, here I am. It’s God and Christ in me. I can help you get delivered.
What if we had that type of boldness? Now let’s move further because you’re going to see that boldness and the love of Christ are intricately tied together. So it’s making sense. Now watch what happens.
Boldness Meets Doubt and Skepticism: Is Not This Joseph’s Son?
This is a warning for us. Watch what happens right after he’s bold. Verse 22 says, and all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth and they said, is not this Joseph’s son? Right on the heels of Jesus Christ’s boldness.
He runs into doubt and skepticism. What do you think will happen to you and I when we’re bold? We’re going to run into doubt and skepticism. But did it stop Jesus Christ? If we read the record, does he say I’m going home? I’m leaving. Nobody wants to listen to me. Nope. He continued with his boldness.
Isn’t that fantastic? Now and because of time here verses 23 through 27, there is a hot confrontation between Jesus Christ and the religious leaders and you know what the confrontation is about because Jesus Christ boldly compares their unbelief to the same unbelief that Elijah the prophet had in his day. If I had time to read all the records, you can read it for yourself, but that’s what he does. He compares it. See? Now is Jesus Christ bold or is he not bold? Is he floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee, rumble young man, rumble? You get what I’m saying. You younger people ask the older people what I just mean. Now watch what happens after the confrontation, verse 28.
Filled with Wrath: When the Word Confronts Darkness
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath. Filled with what? They’re upset. They’re mad. They’re PO’d. And what are they PO’d about? The word. The word is doing the work.
Jesus Christ is speaking it boldly and that word is going to work. That word is confronting their darkness. Right? And he doesn’t let up. Let’s read the rest of it. Let’s see how much angry or how angry they were. Verse 29.
And rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him on to the brow of the hill whereupon their city was built that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his what? Way. What they wanted to do was get him and go. All right, you got him. I got it. Ready? One. Two. You get my point? But God was able to deliver Jesus Christ in this situation. What is to be first in a believer’s life? God and the love of God just like the example of Jesus Christ.
Love God First, Then Love People
So let me share this with you. It’s the love of God first. Then we love people. You understand? We love God first. Then we love people because if I love people first and you love people first, the adversary will drive you to compromise on some aspect of the word. That’s why the love of God has to be first.
I got a perfect example for you. My daughter when she was a teenager. She’s an adult woman now. Came to me and she said daddy. Can I go to a party? I asked a few questions and I said no. You can’t go to the party.
Did she leave it at that? She threw a curveball at me. She said what’s wrong daddy? You don’t trust me. I took a step back. Took a deep breath. And I said the word of God as me as your father. The word of God does not tell me to trust you.
It doesn’t say parents trust your child. I said the word of God tells me to raise you in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. And in this situation, I’m raising you in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. And guess what? The answer is still no. Right? So she had an interesting conversation with her mom that night when mom got home. But if do I love my daughter? Absolutely.
But if I had put her first, the emotional piece that Reverend McNally was just talking about, the adversary would have drove me to do what? Compromise on the word. Because I’m loving her before I love God. See it? See how important it is? Go to Acts please.
The Boldness of Peter and John in Acts 4
Acts chapter 4. Now we know Jesus Christ declared that the world would know that we are his disciples by our love. One to another, right? That’s how the world will know. But the world also knows in another way.
Look at this fantastic record here in Acts chapter 4. This is right after the man had been basically the impotent man at the gate and how they raised him up and he was able to walk. And we’re going to pick up this record here in Acts 4 and we’re starting verse 8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye what? Whom ye what?
He’s telling them, you crucified our Lord and Savior. He looked them right in the face and he said, by whom ye crucified, do you not see some boldness? Right? Now he’s not being arrogant, right? He’s not being obnoxious. Peter is speaking out of a confident heart. He’s speaking out of a joyous heart because he believes and trusts every iota of what the Word says. So he just lets them have it.
Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This, referring to an Old Testament prophecy, this is the stone which was set at nought of the builders, which has become the head of the corner. Now watch verse 12. Neither is there salvation in any other, in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby you might be saved. You could be. Well, you know, Reverend Smith, there’s thousands of ways of getting to God.
Evidently, that’s not what Peter believed. Peter believed there was one way to get to God. One way to get to God was through his what? His son. There was no other salvation other than in the name of who? Jesus Christ. Didn’t we just hear that in the earlier teaching? See how this is all tying together? Now watch this. Verse 13.
They Took Knowledge That They Had Been with Jesus
Now when they saw the what? Boldness. When they saw what? The boldness of Peter and John. It isn’t just love. Love and boldness are what? Tied together. And I’m going to show you that here in a second. Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, that’s just mean they didn’t attend the right university.
They couldn’t have been unlearned and ignorant. They were fishermen. They had their own business. I think you got to have some sense to run a business, right? So they couldn’t just be totally, you get it? They just didn’t go to the University of Jerusalem. Right? They didn’t have their PhD or something. See, unlearned and ignorant men.
They marveled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with who? Jesus. They took knowledge that they had been with the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because Jesus Christ was bold. Now, the men who followed him were what? Bold. Is God and Christ in who? You. Therefore, you should be what? Bold.
See? These guys weren’t knee-knocking. Biting their nails and scared to death. They knew that God was with them and God backed them up and what they were doing according to his word.
Herein Is Our Love Made Perfect: Boldness in the Day of Judgment
Isn’t that fantastic? And let’s close here tonight in 1 John chapter 4. Rico started teaching now to 1 John. I was like, don’t take my verse. Don’t take my verse. 1 John chapter 4. Love and boldness are tied together. You’re going to see this here. Verse 16.
And it says, and we have known and believe the love that God hath to who? Us. We have known and believed. See? A lot of people born again and they don’t know either one. They don’t know nor do they believe. A lot of people we witness to. They don’t know and they don’t believe.
But we, as the believers, are supposed to know and believe the what? The love that God hath to us. God is what? Love. And he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect. Our love is made mature. That we may have what? Boldness in the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world.
As my love for God perfects, as my love for God matures, what is going to come along with that? Boldness. I’ll say it to you this way. One of the fruits of your spiritual maturity is boldness. Now, remember what I said. It’s not arrogance. It’s not yelling and screaming.
Right? It’s not being obnoxious, but it is having a fearless confidence. It is having a fearless candor. It is being willing to sit down with people and have open and frank speech. Right? That’s just the kind of person I am. Sometimes I don’t like people start talking to me. I’m like, get to the point.
I know you’re trying to say something to me. Just say it. You don’t need to be afraid to say it.
Continue to Love and Continue to Be Bold
Just say it because there’s something I read about redeeming the time. If you’re going to correct me, then correct me, right? So I can learn my lesson and I can move on. You don’t have to. There’s nothing wrong with sugar. But we don’t have to sugarcoat everything with people. Do you get what I’m saying? Right? You don’t have to do that with everyone.
God will tell you who you need to do that with, right? And God will tell you exactly who you need to just tell him. Okay? Let’s read verse 17 again. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is, and I can’t get past this verse, man. As he is, so are we. Where? In this world. What’s the day of judgment? The day of judgment is now.
It’s man’s day. Have you noticed? And man judges you on everything. Judge you because you don’t wear the right clothes. Judge you because you don’t go to the right school. Judge you because they don’t think you got the right political position. Judge, judge, judge, judge all day long.
And sometimes that can get to us. Can it not? As believers. But God shows us here how we can overcome all this judgment that comes from man. And this is how we do it. Let’s read verse 17 again. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.
You want to overcome it? Continue to love and continue to be bold. That’s how you’re going to overcome the judgment of the world today. Continue to love and continue to be bold. Don’t let the world drive you into the closet. Because that’s what is trying to drive believers. Trying to get us to the point that we don’t talk. We don’t speak. We don’t say anything. Right? I got one more example for you to love this.
Taking a Bold Stand on the Word of God at Work
In my job, I work with young people. And our whole state has gone kind of crazy, but that’s just my opinion. But listen to what I’m about to tell you. So I’m working with a transgender youth. You heard that statement, right? And they tell me, Mr. Smith, you cannot refer to him as he. You have to refer to him as she.
Okay. Guess what? I’m not doing that. Right? And I’ve already, God has already shown me how I can get around this thing. But I am not going to refer to a male as a female. Why? Because of what the word says. I don’t care what they tell me.
I’m not referring to this young man as a she. Already talked to him. We’ve already had a great conversation. I say you, youth, but I’m not saying, oh, she. I’m not doing that. Why? That’s my stand on the word of God.
That’s my bold stand on the word of God. My supervisor said, well, you know, Don, I don’t care what you’re about to say. This is my stand. I’ve been working with you guys for 25 years. Will I ever disrespect this person? Nope. Will I show this young person love? Yep, but I am not going to refer to a male as a female.
What is that? That’s a bold stand, right? That’s just a bold stand. I had another kid. Pardon this. I just have to tell you because you can take a stand. Stop letting the world make you think they can do something to you. So I get a call from one of the facilities that my kid is in.
Okay, I’m a parole officer and they said, Mr. Smith, so-and-so just showed up at the facility and he wants some panties and a bra. And he says his name is Becky. Now, I said, put him on the phone. And I asked this young man one question. You want to stay in jail or do you want to go home? He says, I want to go home. Then I said, stop this crap. You understand? This is not going to get you home. Next day, I get a call from facility. Well, Mr. Smith, we don’t know what you said, but he don’t want no bra and he don’t want no panties.
If God Says Stand, Then We Stand
See, that’s love of God in my heart, man. I’m going to take a stand for what this world says. And do you think I might not get persecuted or have some consequences? Maybe.
But God got me because I’m taking a stand on his word and he got each and every one of you. Just take a stand. If God says stand here, then we stand.
It doesn’t matter what comes. Doesn’t matter what they say. Doesn’t matter what they threaten us with.
There Is No Fear in Love: Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
God says stand and God will reveal the power of his what? Right arm. The word says for you. For you. Verses 18 and 19. And we’ll be done. There is no fear in love.
God makes it simple. There’s no fear in love. So whenever I have a moment of fear, guess what? Don, you’re out of love. And let’s be transparent. We have them, don’t we? See? But whenever I have that, according to this, I got to be out of love because there is hearing. Excuse me.
There is no fear in love, but perfect, mature love cast out what? Fear. Because fear have what? Torment. All fear does is torment you. That’s all it does. That’s all it does to the people that we’re witnessing to. They’ve been tormented their whole lives.
Have you not seen that? So we come with what? The love of God. We walk out with the love of Christ. See how? Wow. This is just the first two teachings. It gets better after this. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear have torment.
He that feareth is not made mature in love. You want to grow? You want to mature in your love? You can’t be in fear. And let’s close. Verse 19. We love him because he first, what? Loved us. And then Jesus Christ is the epitome, as Reverend McNally said, taking it to the apex of what it means to walk in the love of God and to love one another.
Does that make sense? Okay, I hope that makes sense to you. And let me share one closing thought. It’s the love of God first, right? Then we love people. And I finally was able to understand this and this is because of a relationship I have with Reverend McNally, right? When you fellowship with a person who loves God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, guess what happens? You become the benefactor of their love for God. You understand? I want to be able to do that for you. I want to be able to do that for anyone I come in contact with. That’s what happens. I love you. God bless.
Key Takeaways
- The love of God is the operating system of a believer, and like any operating system it needs upgrading.
- Galatians 5:6 says faith worketh by love; the Greek word behind worketh is the word for energized, so faith is energized by love.
- Biblical boldness is open and frank speech, a fearless confidence and a fearless candor, a confident boldness of a joyous heart. It is not a loud voice, ego or arrogance.
- Jesus was bold in Nazareth, and boldness ran straight into doubt and skepticism, is not this Joseph’s son, and then into wrath. It did not stop him.
- Love God first, then love people. Putting people first lets the adversary drive you to compromise on some aspect of the word.
- Boldness is a fruit of spiritual maturity, and 1 John 4:18 says perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible mean by boldness?
Rev. Don Smith defines it from the Greek word rendered boldness in the New Testament. Thayer’s lexicon describes it as open and frank speech, a fearless confidence and a fearless candor. Bullinger describes it as speaking openly and candidly, a confident boldness of a joyous heart. Just as important is what boldness is not: it is not a loud voice, it is not ego, and it is not arrogance.
What did Jesus say in the synagogue at Nazareth?
In Luke 4, Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as his custom was, and was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He read from Isaiah 61, that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him because he had anointed him to preach the gospel to the poor. Then he closed the scroll, sat down, and told the room, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. He was telling them their champion had arrived.
How are love and boldness connected?
Faith is energized by love, and love energized every part of the ministry of Jesus Christ, including his boldness. In 1 John 4:17, herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. As love for God matures, boldness comes with it, which is why boldness is one of the fruits of spiritual maturity. And 1 John 4:18 adds that perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment.
Scripture References
Galatians 5:6; Luke 4:16; Luke 4:17; Isaiah 61; Luke 4:18; Luke 4:19; Luke 4:20; Luke 4:21; Luke 4:22; Luke 4:23-27; Luke 4:28; Luke 4:29; Luke 4:30; Acts 4:8; Acts 4:9; Acts 4:10; Acts 4:11; Acts 4:12; Acts 4:13; 1 John 4:16; 1 John 4:17; 1 John 4:18; 1 John 4:19
