Oct. 5, 2016
For Immediate Release
| Dr. Kevin Cosby talks about Christian valor at Campbellsville University for the FIRST CLASS chapel service. (Campbellsville University Photo by Brooklyn Kassinger) |
By Josh Christian, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — “No one likes a coward,” Dr. Kevin W. Cosby, senior pastor of St. Stephen Church in Louisville, Ky., said while preaching to Campbellsville University's freshmen FIRST CLASS students in Ransdell Chapel on Oct. 3.
Cosby defined “valor” as one who has courage. Yet Cosby also clarified that to have valor did not mean not to experience fear.
“Fear is not an evil emotion, but to let fear control you is not Christian,” Cosby said.
“Christians go out on a limb because at the end of the limb there is fruit,” Cosby said.
Cosby illustrated Christian valor by discussing the story of Paul and Silas from the book of Acts, Chapter 16.
After exercising a wicked spirit from a fortuneteller, a fortuneteller who had been exploited for her ability, Paul and Silas were taken before the magistrates in Philippi and were accused of worshipping false Gods.
Magistrates tore their garments and ordered them beaten with rods and imprisoned.
Cosby explained that Paul exercised the spirit of divination from the woman because she was being exploited.
“She was a slave girl. Slavery is oppression. Anytime someone works and isn't being paid a fair wage, they are being exploited,” Cosby said.
“God condemns oppression,” Cosby said. “It took courage to stand up for the woman.”
Yet instead of giving up on God while in prison, Paul and Silas still continued to sing praises and hymns.
“Paul and Silas prayed and sung hymns in a difficult situation. Courage is worshipping God even after you have been beaten down,” Cosby said.
While praising God, there was an earthquake that opened the prison doors and released all of the prisoner's stocks, allowing them to go free.
“If someone in here has been beaten down by life, praise God anyway,” Cosby said.
“See what God will do. See if he will not deliver you,” Cosby said.
When the earthquake occurred, it had just turned midnight. Cosby explained that this was significant.
“Midnight is a transition into a new day,” Cosby said. “Even if it is still dark, it is still a new day.”
“For those of you that have been catching hell, it doesn't mean that it hasn't transitioned into a new day,” Cosby said.
Cosby is also president of Simmons College of Kentucky in Louisville.
FIRST CLASS is a semester-program that embraces Christian liberal arts status of Campbellsville University while developing the virtues of character, leadership and stewardship.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering over 80 programs of study including 24 master's degrees, seven postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.