"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
--Mark 8:38 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on May 5, 2013 of Psalm 86; Mark 8:27-9:13; Judges 19-20:18.
Jesus had just asked the disciples who the people thought He was. They replied that most said He was John the Baptist come back to life, while some thought Him to be Elijah or one of the other prophets. But then He asked a more crucial question: who do His followers think He is? These were the men Jesus spent most of His time with. They walked with Him all through the region, listened while He taught and preached, watched as He healed and cast out demons, served as extra hands and feet as He performed miracles. They were His students, His proteges, His disciples. They were His friends. And now He wanted to know what they thought of Him, who they believed He to be. Would we be willing to ask that of our closest friends, and expect an honest answer? Peter nailed it on the first try. "You are the Christ", he responded without hesitation (please see verses 27 through 29).
Jesus was not quite ready for the people to know He was indeed the promised Messiah, but He did want His disciples to fully understand the ramifications of following Him. And not just following Him around the countryside, but to follow His example, to live a righteous life, to walk the narrow path that leads to God. "I am the way, the truth, and the life", Jesus said. "No one comes to the Father except through Me." (Please see John 14:16.) So the only path to salvation, the only way to be reunited with God, is to follow Jesus. But to do so is not easy, a fact Jesus was well aware of. He noted that anyone wishing to follow His way must be willing to deny themselves and take up a cross of their own (verse 34). This means they must forsake the pleasures of this worldly life in favor of staying on that straight and narrow way. And for this personal sacrifice, they can expect to face many trials and tribulations, including ridicule and persecution from the world. But the reward, eternal life with God, will far outweigh any suffering we experience today at the hands of the world.
But there is one other small condition Jesus places on following Him. He expects us to witness to others the wonderful effect He has had on us, to show them His goodness. We should never feel remorse or shame for believing in Him, for striving to follow Him as nearly as we can. Jesus cautions us that if we are ashamed of Him and what He has told us, then He will be ashamed to have to defend us when we stand before the Father. Satan will try to do just that, to make us feel some level of shame for believing in what the world refuses to believe, for adoring and worshiping what some call a myth. Don't give in, don't be ashamed. Be like the Apostle Paul and proclaim, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ" (please see Romans 1:16). Amen.
Lord Jesus, please forgive us when we feel shame for our belief in You simply because the non-believers in the world make fun of us for it. Forgive us when we are not as sure and confident in our faith that we allow Satan's minions to get under our skin. Help us follow You more nearly, more clearly, so that we may live with You in paradise forever. In Your sweet name, dear Jesus we pray. Amen.
Jesus was not quite ready for the people to know He was indeed the promised Messiah, but He did want His disciples to fully understand the ramifications of following Him. And not just following Him around the countryside, but to follow His example, to live a righteous life, to walk the narrow path that leads to God. "I am the way, the truth, and the life", Jesus said. "No one comes to the Father except through Me." (Please see John 14:16.) So the only path to salvation, the only way to be reunited with God, is to follow Jesus. But to do so is not easy, a fact Jesus was well aware of. He noted that anyone wishing to follow His way must be willing to deny themselves and take up a cross of their own (verse 34). This means they must forsake the pleasures of this worldly life in favor of staying on that straight and narrow way. And for this personal sacrifice, they can expect to face many trials and tribulations, including ridicule and persecution from the world. But the reward, eternal life with God, will far outweigh any suffering we experience today at the hands of the world.
But there is one other small condition Jesus places on following Him. He expects us to witness to others the wonderful effect He has had on us, to show them His goodness. We should never feel remorse or shame for believing in Him, for striving to follow Him as nearly as we can. Jesus cautions us that if we are ashamed of Him and what He has told us, then He will be ashamed to have to defend us when we stand before the Father. Satan will try to do just that, to make us feel some level of shame for believing in what the world refuses to believe, for adoring and worshiping what some call a myth. Don't give in, don't be ashamed. Be like the Apostle Paul and proclaim, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ" (please see Romans 1:16). Amen.
Lord Jesus, please forgive us when we feel shame for our belief in You simply because the non-believers in the world make fun of us for it. Forgive us when we are not as sure and confident in our faith that we allow Satan's minions to get under our skin. Help us follow You more nearly, more clearly, so that we may live with You in paradise forever. In Your sweet name, dear Jesus we pray. Amen.
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