B is for Boldness-Provebrs 28:1

“…the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Prov 28:1, NIV). “…the godly are as bold as lions” (Prov 28:1, NLT).

Theme: Boldness and gentleness go together. The boldest man who ever lived was also the gentlest man who ever lived (Rev 5:5-6). You can’t be bold without being gentle. Unless you are gentle, your boldness will be brutal, blunt and bruising.

The righteous and the godly are like a lion. A lion conjures up the image of the king of the jungle. When the lion appears from the bushes all the animals present in the field will quietly retreat and make way for the lion to pass by. Prov 30:30, HCSB says, “…a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn’t retreat before anything.” Prov 28:1 says that when one is righteous and godly they are bold, confident, courageous, calm, fearless, majestic, even peaceful like a lion, the king of the jungle.

Mean or mild. Unfortunately, Christians are painted with negative caricatures, some of which are our own doing. Many perceive Christians as being sanctimonious, self-righteous and hypocritical religious nuts, who come across as unloving, judgmental and condescending toward “sinners” who do not live “good lives” like them. Others might think of Christians as indifferent and oblivious to practical issues in the world and who do not stand up for justice. They perceive Christians either as mean or mild, as arrogant jerks or as irrelevant pushovers. But clearly Jesus was not like such caricatures.

Be bold and gentle. This sermon on boldness (or courage or confidence) might contrast sharply with the recent sermon on gentleness. Gentleness is most winsome and amiable. Amy Carmichael says, “For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted.” Prov 25:15 says, “…a gentle (or soft) tongue can break a bone. In brief, gentleness works. But gentleness is not weakness, but requires supernatural inner strength. Likewise, genuine boldness, confidence and courage does not lack gentleness, but is an expression of true humility, faith and love.

This sermon will consider the following:

1. What boldness is.
2. Why be bold.
3. How to be bold.

I. What Boldness Is

In the Old Testament, the word translated bold (Prov 28:1) is most commonly translated trust. Out of 120 times the word is used in the OT, in the KJV, it is translated “trust” 103x, confidence 4x, secure 4x, confident 2x, sure, hope, hoped 1x each, and bold only once in Prov 28:1. Trust is primarily used in reference to trusting in the Lord (Prov 3:5; 29:25, etc). It makes sense that only when one truly trusts in the Lord, is one able to be confident, secure and bold.

What the New Testament says about boldness. The word translated boldness is from παρρησία (parrēsia occurs 31 times in NT). It means “free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance,” “outspokenness, liberality,” “freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech:

1. openly, frankly, i.e without concealment.
2. without ambiguity or circumlocution.

Some occurrences of παρρησία:

• People observe Jesus speaking publicly and openly. “Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah?” (Jn 7:26, NIV).
• Jesus declares that he spoke openly to the world. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.” (Jn 18:20).
• “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Ac 4:13, NIV). “Courage” is also translated “boldness” (Ac 4:13, ESV, HCSB, NLT) and “confidence” (Ac 4:13, NASB).
• Amid threats, the early Christians prayed to speak the word of God with boldness and confidence (Ac 4:29) and they did (Ac 4:31). While in a Roman prison for two years Paul “proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all (full) boldness and without hindrance!” (Ac 28:31, NIV).
• Because of what Christ has accomplished, “we may approach God with freedom (boldness) and confidence” (Eph 3:12).
• Paul asked the Ephesians to pray for him to have boldness (fearlessness) to proclaim and make known the mystery of the gospel (Eph 6:19).
• Because of Christ our high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, we may boldly approach God’s throne to receive mercy (Heb 4:16). We may have boldness/confidence in prayer (1 Jn 5:14).

What do these verses teach us?

1. Jesus spoke openly, publicly and boldly to the world.
2. The disciples were bold, courageous and confident.
3. We Christians can boldly approach God because of what Christ has done for us.

Christ followers do not try to be bold, courageous and confident. In brief, boldness, confidence and courage are the natural result of those who are in Christ. Christians can be bold not because they are trying to be bold and confident, but simply because they are confident of what Christ has done for them.

Being sure. Very simply one is bold when one is sure and confident. As a Christian, one is bold when he is certain of the final outcome. Boldness is like faith (Heb 11:1).

What boldness is not–being a bully. Being bold is never ever about being a bully who blasts others and blows them away with intimidation, coercion, threats and oppression.

Boldness and gentleness go hand in hand. Know that the boldness man who ever lived is also the gentlest man who ever lived (Rev 5:5-6).

• “The boldness of his mind was sheathed in a scabbard of politeness.” Dumas Malone (historian who wrote a 6 volume biography of Thomas Jefferson).

II. Why Be Bold

• “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe.
• “Boldness be my friend!” William Shakespeare.
• “Freedom lies in being bold.” Robert Frost.
• “Love, like fortune, favors the bold.”

It reveals our God who is great. One who is bold communicates certainty, confidence and no ambiguity. A Christian who is bold declares to the world that God is great and glorious, that God is mighty, majestic, mysterious, magnificent and marvellous.

• “Though a mighty army surrounds me,my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked,I will remain confident” (Ps 27:3).
• “But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;you are my glory, the one who holds my head high” (Ps 3:3).
• “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Tim 1:7, NLT).
• “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9, NLT).

III. How To Be Bold

In my blog, I wrote out 8 truths we need to know and believe in order to be bold, 7 things that bold people do and my list of 11 ways to be bold.

• “Past boldness is no assurance of future boldness. Boldness demands continual reliance on God’s spirit.” Andy Stanley.

Practical Application:

1. Act, begin, be bold, start, just do it. Don’t procrastinate (Ps 95:7; Heb 3:15; 4:7).
2. “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe.
3. “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” Dale Carnegie.
4. “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” Buddha.
5. Be yourself. God did not create you to be someone else (Ps 139:14). Be free.
6. Bless others (Gen 12:2). Help others. Invest in their success.
7. Consult others. Seek many advisers (Prov 15:22; 24:6). Listen. Read. Study. Plan. Research.
8. Don’t try to please people, seek their approval. Don’t fear people (Prov 29:25).
9. Don’t wait for things to be optimal or perfect. Don’t try to be perfect. Take risks (Eccl 11:1-2).
10. Don’t cheat your conscience (1 Cor 4:4; 2 Cor 1:12; 1 Tim 1:5, 19). Don’t compromise your scruples.
11. Don’t take life so seriously, even if it is very serious. Repent and relax (Ac 3:19).
12. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Humbly and honestly own your mistakes and learn from them and from the mistakes of others. Improve your skills (Eccl 10:10).
13. “Fear stifles our thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation. I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral…” Charles Stanley.
14. “Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence.” Pope John Paul II.
15. Don’t compare, complain and compete with others.
16. Embrace and expect difficulties, disappointments, discouragements, opposition, obstacles, persecution (2 Tim 3:12), setbacks. Persevere and do not give up.
17. “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” Marie Curie.
18. Enjoy life to the full as God intends (Jn 10:10b). Have fun!
19. * Embrace the gospel. Ultimately, the way to be bold is to love and embrace the gospel. To be bold we need to know the Bold One who faced the cross and crucifixion unto death for us without flinching. To the degree we know, believe, understand and apply the gospel to our hearts, God enables us to be bold for Him and for His kingdom.

Jesus our lion king is not safe but he’s good. “Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Do you know just how bold Jesus was? Heb 2:9b says, “Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” It is never easy for anyone to taste death–not for ourselves, and not for those we love. I experienced last week that it was not easy even to taste death for my cat Leah who was a part of our family for 13 years. After she broke her hind leg and could no longer walk properly, I relinquished her to an animal hospital. Even thinking about her causes a sense of grief and loss. How much more when one loses a dear loved one like a spouse or a child?

Not be bold like Jesus, but that Jesus was bold for you. Because of our fallen humanity, we easily default to excessive sorrow, fear, cowardice, apathy, despair and a sense of defeat and hopelessness. Those who feel overwhelmed by life cannot even bear to continue living and take their own lives. Jesus was a man like us. What kept him going was the ever present love of his Father (Mt 3:17; 17:5; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22; 2 Pet 1:17). But on the cross, Jesus had to taste the most unbearable death–not of losing his life, but losing his Father’s presence. His agony was excruciating (Ps 22:1; Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34). But Jesus faced the cross and tasted death boldly for us, so that we may boldly face life and taste life.

Questions for Reflection:

1. Why might godly righteous people be bold (Prov 28:1)? How do we overcome fear (Ps 3:3; 27:3; Josh 1:9; 2 Tim 1:7)?
2. How might one become bold (Jer 31:3; Heb 13:8; Ps 100:5; Rom 8:28; Phil 1:5; Ps 18:2; Prov 29:25; Mt 28:20; Ac 4:13)?
3. Do you know just how bold Jesus was (Heb 2:9)?

A gazillion quotes on Boldness and Confidence.