To speak freely is to speak without fear, hesitation, or restraint. Gospel preachers are charged with a sacred responsibility: to declare the message of Christ boldly and faithfully. As Jesus commanded, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19, NASB). The apostle Paul affirmed that the gospel must not be altered: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel… But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:6, 8, NASB).
This boldness is not optional; it is essential to the nature of the gospel message. “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21, NASB). Peter exemplifies this boldness in Acts 2:29, saying, “Brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (Acts 2:29, NASB). He spoke with courage and clarity, pointing to the risen Christ.
I. Why We Must Speak
Peter stood before the crowd on Pentecost not because he was perfect, but because the message was urgent. His past denials of Christ only deepened his conviction to now speak boldly. Like Peter, we speak because we have been forgiven, transformed, and entrusted with the truth. We speak because eternity is at stake—for ourselves and for those who hear us. “How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14, NASB).
II. Who Must Hear
The gospel was first preached to the Jews, but it was always meant for the world. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 addresses “Men of Israel,” but it concludes with a promise to “you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself” (Acts 2:39, NASB). Every soul—Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, skeptic or seeker—needs the gospel. As Christians, we speak to a world both within and outside the church. To the alien sinner, we proclaim salvation. To the wavering believer, we call for endurance. No one is beyond the reach of the gospel’s relevance.
III. What We Must Say
We preach Jesus—crucified, risen, and reigning. Peter’s sermon was centered on the person and work of Christ: “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32, NASB). He continued, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36, NASB). Our message must echo this: Christ has conquered sin and death. He is Lord of all. And He demands our allegiance. The gospel is not good advice—it is the good news of salvation, grounded in historical reality and eternal consequence.
IV. The Resolve Not to Shrink Back
Christ and the apostles did not shrink back from the message that needed to be spoken, even when it cost them dearly. Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His day with piercing truth, calling them to repentance. The apostles followed that example, declaring the word of God regardless of the cost. Paul said, “I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was beneficial, and teaching you publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20, NASB).
John the Baptist serves as a sobering example of unwavering conviction. He confronted Herod’s immoral relationship, saying, “It is not lawful for you to have her” (Matthew 14:4, NASB). For that truth, John was imprisoned and ultimately beheaded. He did not flinch in the face of power. He did not temper truth to protect himself. He spoke as a faithful messenger must—and he paid the price.
So must we. We are not called to be popular, but to be faithful. We are not called to adjust the message to our times, but to deliver the message of eternal truth. The gospel is not ours to edit; it is ours to proclaim. As Paul reminded the Ephesian elders, “Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all people. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:26–27, NASB).
We must have the resolve to speak freely—to those who will hear and to those who will not. Our task is not to guarantee results but to deliver the truth. We do not shrink back. We stand fast. We preach Christ—clearly, powerfully, and unapologetically. Jesus said, “My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me” (John 7:16, NASB). Stephen spoke boldly and paid with his life (Acts 7). Paul warned, “For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3, NASB).
Let us not join the ranks of those who shrink back. Let us be counted among those who, like the prophets and apostles before us, speak what is true no matter the consequence. “But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39, NASB).
V. The Results of Faithful Preaching
When the gospel is preached in its fullness, the results follow. The word of God is living and powerful. “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword… and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, NASB). On the day of Pentecost, “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41, NASB). Later, Paul could write, “…the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven” (Colossians 1:23, NASB).
The same results will follow when we preach today as they did. The world does not need a new message. It needs the old message, preached with the conviction, compassion, and clarity of the apostles—preached with the resolve of men and women who refuse to compromise truth.
Conclusion: Let Us Freely Speak
Let us freely speak. Let us preach Christ—crucified, risen, and reigning. Let us declare His gospel as it was preached from the beginning. “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men’” (Acts 5:29, NASB). The world still needs to hear it. And the church must never grow weary of proclaiming it.
Let us speak freely, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. The truth is not ours to soften. The message is not ours to modernize. We are stewards of a gospel that saves, a word that convicts, a Christ who reigns. We must not compromise to please men or retreat in the face of cultural opposition. We must preach the word—because souls are at stake.
If the apostles could risk their lives to speak freely, we can risk our comfort to do the same. If the early church could turn the world upside down with the gospel, we must believe the same gospel still has power. Let us open our mouths with the confidence that God works through His word. Let us fill the pulpit, the classroom, the conversation, and the world with the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ. May our generation not be found silent, but bold. May our voice echo the conviction of heaven: that Jesus is both Lord and Christ, and that all must turn to Him in faith and obedience. May we be those who do not shrink back—but press on, speak up, and proclaim salvation through Christ alone.
The Simple Gospel 