Luke 12 - Would You Confess Your Belief in Jesus Publicly?


Luke 12:8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”
As the disdain for Jesus began to rise among the Pharisees, Jesus knew that the time was coming when they would take him by force.  He also knew that the disciples would be called out as his followers.  They would even be brought out publicly and asked to declare if they knew Jesus or not.  The word "acknowledge" is also translated "confess" which actually I like better.  Acknowledge seems a little more passive to me, but to confess is to be honest and forthcoming in a public sense.  It is not to hide behind a mask like the hypocrites.
Of course we all know the story of Peter who denied confessing Jesus as His Lord three times. It was a dark moment for him, yet Jesus had predicted it.  I don't think Jesus did this to shame Peter. Later Jesus' words would comfort Peter knowing the Jesus already knew what he was going to do.  After his resurrection, Jesus reinstates Peter and makes him the chief apostle of the church commanding him to go and feed the sheep.  Even though Peter failed to confess Jesus, he was given a second chance and did quite well with it. 
How about you?  How do you react when you are in situation to publicly acknowledge that Jesus is your Savior?  Increasingly Christians are seen as naive at best and racist at worst for confessing Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Though we have freedom of speech in almost every respect, even to say disgusting things, to say Jesus is Lord can get one in a lot of trouble.  Just look in the newspapers as teachers are let go for acknowleging they are Christians and/or practicing their faith.  Our Vice President was just mocked and ridiculed by a popular talk show host when acknowledged he talks with Jesus and tries to listen to him when making decisions.  
My friends we live in challenging times, but no more so than Jesus' first disciples.  It takes courage and consideration to confess your faith in Jesus in today's public square.  But know this, at the end of your life when Jesus comes back and all people will know He is the Savior and Lord of the world, you will be glad you had the courage to acknowledge him when you were on this earth.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why a...
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the...
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in ...
Read more