Show Some Faith

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 16th of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week I read the first 20 verses from the 15th chapter of the Apostle Matthew’s Gospel account, where Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for putting their traditions and man-made commandments ahead of God.  In that passage, He also left us with some things to think about, especially as regards how we should live as Christians.

This morning I’m going to pick up from where I left off, as Jesus gives us a little lesson on faith.  Please listen and follow along as I continue in chapter 15 of Matthew’s Gospel account, with verses 21 through 28, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

23 But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”

24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

--Matthew 15:21-28 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You have given us this wonderful gift of faith, but it is up to us to choose how to use it.  We can exercise it and keep it strong, or we can let the trials of our times fill us with doubts and questions, eroding our faith.  Father, please help us to stay strong and vigilant in our faith.  Help us to place all our trust in You, rather than in our own knowledge or abilities.  Help us to show and share our faith with others.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how important our faith is to us, how a strong faith can lift our spirits even during the most trying times and the darkest of days.  Help us keep our faith ever strong through the storms of this life.  And please help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Let me quote a few people much more famous than I on matters of faith:

From St. Augustine:  "God does not expect us to submit our faith to Him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity."

New Testament scholar J. G. Machen said, "The more we know of God, the more unreservedly we will trust Him; the greater our progress in theology, the simpler and more childlike will be our faith."

One of the "founders" of the Reformed Church, John Calvin, shared this comforting thought:  "Faith is not a distant view but a warm embrace of Christ."

Thomas Carlyle wrote, "A man lives by believing something, not by debating and arguing about many things."

And finally, evangelist George Muller adds, "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.  There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.  Faith begins where man's power ends."


“Faith begins where man's power ends."  Mankind has come a long way in the last 2000 years in what we can do.  We’ve extended life with medical wonders.  Our scientific investigation of God’s creation has provided much benefit to all of humanity, and much grief as well.  We’ve walked on the moon, and destroyed whole cities.

Yet with all we can do now, we do not even come close to the power God can wield.  In fact, with all our advancements, there is still so little man can do.  And that is why we need God, that is why we constantly seek His help, that is why we must keep our faith vital and strong.


At the end of chapter 14 and into the first half of chapter 15 of Matthew’s Gospel account, Jesus is in Gennesaret, a town not far from Capernaum on the coast of the Sea of Galilee.  But then in verse 21, the start of our scripture reading this morning, we see that Jesus has gone from there to the region around the cities of Tyre and Sidon.

Two things are notable here.  The first is that this was not a short trip.  This region is along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, about 50 miles east of Galilee.  And remember that Jesus and His followers traveled mostly on foot.

But the point more pertinent to today’s message is that the area is in Syria, a Roman province in that day.  Both Tyre and Sidon were prosperous port cities and both were filled with pagan temples and shrines.  This was Gentile country, and the woman Matthew referred to as being “of Canaan” would have been a Gentile.  Which is why Jesus responded to her somewhat coldly, saying that He was sent only to save the lost sheep of Israel.

But this woman was not your usual pagan worshiper.  She cried out earnestly to Jesus, acknowledging Him as being from the house of David, from which the Jews knew the Messiah would come.  Matthew points out that she worshiped Jesus and called Him “Lord”, each time she spoke to Him, pleading with Him for mercy.  It was not for herself that she sought help, but for her daughter, who was severely demon-possessed.

Jesus seems to be testing the woman, prodding her.  His second response to her persistent pleas seems equally cold: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  In this, Jesus is saying that His mission is to offer salvation and help to the children of Israel.  To do this for a pagan, who did not believe in the one true God, would be like taking the bread out of the children’s mouths and throwing it to the dogs.

But the woman shows that she knows who she is asking help of, that she recognizes and understands that Jesus is sent from God.  She responds that the bread need not be taken from the children, for the dogs will lick up the merest crumbs that fall from their master’s table.

Still she persisted, even though she had just effectively been called a dog.  Someone filled with pride would not have stood for such an insult, yet this humble woman simply stated that Jesus need not take anything away from the Jews.  She knew that she was not deserving of the blessing promised to Israel in scripture.  She is only asking for any overflow of His mercy and blessings on them that she might receive for her daughter.

Jesus saw how great her faith truly was, and granted her request, healing her daughter.


Matthew recorded another incident I’d like to mention, of Jesus healing someone based on faith.  Jesus had just healed the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and raised a ruler’s daughter back to life.  Then He is approached by two blind men.

Listen to how Matthew described this in chapter 9 of his Gospel account, verse 27 through the first part of verse 30…

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened.

--Matthew 9:27-30a (NKJV)

What is different here?  Rather than saying something like, “Your faith has made you whole” or “by your faith you are healed”, like He often did, Jesus told these men that they would be healed according to their faith.  The amount and effectiveness of their healing would be measured by the strength of their faith!  No faith – no healing; great faith – great healing.  Obviously both had great faith, for both were healed and their eyes opened.


All this points to our need to show some faith.  We don’t want to let all the troubles and worries of this time lessen our trust in our heavenly Father.  God has given us the faith to believe that Jesus is His Son and our Lord.  And He rewards our holding on to that faith with adoption into His family and life eternal in paradise.  In his 31st Psalm, verses 23 and 24, King David tells us…

23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
24 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.

--Psalm 31:23-24 (NKJV)

God preserves the faithful – He keeps us as His own.  And He fully repays the proud, doling out justice to those who would bring harm to the faithful.

So we should be of good courage and not fret and worry so much, for God will strengthen our hearts.  Let us put all our hope and trust in the Lord.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Master, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for our gift of faith.  Through this we may believe in Your Son Jesus and obey His voice, and be granted eternal life in heaven.  Thank You for loving us this much.  Help us, please Father, to exercise our faith and keep it strong.  Help us to trust in Your word and Your promises.  Help us to take courage in these troubling times, and not let them overwhelm us and fill us with doubts.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, so many times during Your ministry on earth, You granted healing to people because of their great faith.  And that healing was based on their faith, the measure of their faith.  Forgive us, Jesus, for those times when our faith is weak.  We seem under constant assault these days from Satan and his forces.  Help us, please, to be remain strong in our faith.  Give us Your strength and help us through these times of uncertainty.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Watch Your Mouth!

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 9th of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Washington Irving once noted that, "A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use."  James, the brother of Jesus, wrote that, "The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do."

Our words can indeed be powerful tools.  Once given voice, they can linger for days, weeks, years.  Once spoken, they can never be unsaid.  So we should be careful what we say, and how we say it.

Jesus had a little chat one day with some Pharisees, His disciples, and some folks who listened in.  He cautioned about the words people speak, and the things people do, and the impact they can have.  Listen and follow along to this discussion as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 15th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 20, and I’ll be reading this from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

--Matthew 15:1-20 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You gave us the ability to communicate with one another, and the emotions that we might feel what others feel.  Too often, Lord, we communicate without feeling.  Too often, especially when we are hurting, we strike out fully intending to hurt others.  Father, please help us to stop and think before speaking.  Help us to understand the impact our words may have on others.  Help us to temper our emotions with love.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how much an impact our words can have, and how to use them to lift people up rather than put anyone down.  Help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  And Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


There once was a minister who took his little child to a circus.  The clowns there were particularly good and the last one of them was a little fellow wearing a very wonderful high hat.  While he was bowing elaborately to a dignified woman, his hat fell off and an elephant sat on it before he could retrieve it.

The clown gestured wildly at the elephant, but the beast sat still.  He waved and shouted again and again, but the elephant never budged.  Angrily the clown stepped behind the elephant and kicked with all his strength… and hopped away with a sore foot in his hands but no hat.

Then, frantic with anger, the little clown turned back to the elephant and tried to lift him off the hat.  Defeated and in complete despair, the clown sat down and started to eat peanuts.  The elephant, quite interested in peanuts, got up, ambled over, and begged for one!

This was a powerful illustration for that minister.  He realized that he'd just witnessed a spiritual object lesson: You can't accomplish anything for God by crabbing and kicking at the world (or your spouse, child, neighbor or co-worker!).  Try motivating with kindness rather than anger.


There’s an old saying that goes well with that little tale.  You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  We need to invest more in sugar and honey so we can sweeten our actions and our words.  We will attain far better results in our endeavors by being polite and respectful than by being bitter and hateful in our dealings with others.


When I was a boy, too often I'd let my mouth run wild before engaging my brain and my mother would say, "You'd better watch your mouth, young man!"  And that is exactly what popped into my head when the title for this message came to me.  “Watch your mouth!”  Trouble is, I’d already said something bad, something hurtful, and I could only apologize - I couldn’t take it back.

But this message from our Bible is about more than watching what we say, or what we do, for that matter.  It’s also about why we say and do those things, where the impetus comes from.  The source of all we do is our heart, and that’s what sometimes needs to be fixed.


The Pharisees were complaining to Jesus about the habits of His followers, not observing Jewish religious rituals and ceremony.  Jesus shot back that their ritualistic traditions were pulling them away from God!  He quoted Isaiah that the people were merely giving lip service to God and not really honoring Him.  What was in their hearts was not God, but only concern for their man-made doctrines and commandments.

They complained that the disciples did not follow the hand-washing ritual (which did not really clean hands).  Jesus responded that it isn’t what goes into a person through their mouth that makes them a sinner in God’s eyes, whether their hands are “clean” or not.  It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes the person filthy.

And what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart, the epicenter of our emotions.  From our hearts, our emotions, come lusts, evil thoughts, contemplations of murder and mayhem, lies.  From our hearts come the actions and words that define us, that show who we truly are.


The Apostle Paul, having received special insight from Jesus, gives us the same warning – to watch what we do and say.  In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul describes how Christians should live.  In chapter 4, verses 1 through 3 and 25 through 32 of his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul writes…

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

--Ephesians 4:1-3; 25-32 (NLT)

Now as we read this, we’re probably all thinking, “I’m not a liar, I’m not a thief.”  But don’t we sometimes stretch the truth a little, especially if the harsh truth might hurt someone we love?  Or maybe we don’t speak out when we should, which is really a lie of omission.  And how often have we stolen from God when we spend time on other pursuits rather than giving it to Him?

Paul begs us to lead a life worthy of our calling as children of God, worthy of being followers of Christ Jesus.  We should be humble and gentle, patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults.  Get rid of all anger and bitterness and hatred and rage.

If we follow Paul’s instructions, we won’t have to worry about what may come out of our mouth.  Our love for one another, when true, will drive nothing but good words and actions from our hearts out of our mouths and through our hands.


Love one another.  Care about one another.  Try to feel what the other person is feeling, to understand what they are going through.

The words we choose to say can make a huge difference in how the listener will react.  Our words and our actions can make a huge difference in another person’s life.  Let’s do all we can to make that a very, very positive difference.  Let’s watch our mouth.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for the words of encouragement and instruction You left for us in our Bibles.  Thank You for breathing Your inspiration and insight into them, that they might edify us and give us pause to reflect upon how we are living.  Help us, please Father, to better feel what those we interact with may be feeling.  Help us to stop and think about the impact our words might have before we give them voice.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You command us to love one another and to make disciples, more followers of You and Your truth.  When we truly love someone, we want to lift them up, to help them out, to encourage them.  But too often, Father, our words do more damage than good.  Too often we let bitterness spill out of our hearts, filling our words, which pour out of our mouths like a raging torrent.  Forgive us, Jesus, for our weaknesses.  Help us, please, to be a positive influence in the life of another.  Give us the wisdom and mercy to make an impact for good, rather than for harm.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

It's Time to Confess

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 2nd of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

In my opinion, it would be difficult to find anyone who proclaimed that Jesus is Lord and the Son of God any more than did the Apostle Paul.  Nor can I easily think of anyone who suffered more for his service to the Gospel.  Last week I mentioned just some of the ordeals, trials, beatings, and hardships he endured.  But no matter what happened to him, Paul never failed to confess that Jesus is Lord.  He loudly proclaimed the Gospel everywhere he went and to everyone he encountered.

Such was certainly the case when it came to the church in Rome.  It is unlikely that Paul actually founded the church in Rome, but he had every intention of going there and visiting the brethren of that widely known church.  And he did indeed finally make it to Rome, but only as a prisoner.

While in Corinth, Paul wrote a letter to those Romans, partly as a form of introduction ahead of his planned visit, and in which he explained justification by faith.  Listen and follow along to what Paul wrote about confession in the 10th chapter of his letter to the Romans, verses 1 through 13, and I’ll be reading this from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in Him are made right with God.

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,

“The message is very close at hand;
    it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

--Romans 10:1-13 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son to Your chosen people of Israel, to offer them salvation first.  And Jesus sent Paul first to the Jews, to tell them the Good News and try to get them to believe.  But so many refused to accept Jesus as Your Son, the Messiah.  Many of the Gentiles did believe, though, and we are blessed to be counted among them.  Father, please help us to always proclaim Jesus as Lord, just like Paul did.  Help us to be fearless in our confession of faith.  Grant us Your strength and the courage to let the world know just what Your Son means to us.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how to let others know about our Lord Jesus.  Help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Four preachers met for a friendly meal.  During conversation one preacher said, "Our people come to us and pour out their hearts, confessing certain sins and needs to us.  Let's do the same.  Confession is good for the soul."  In due time all agreed.  One confessed he liked to go to movies and would sneak off when away from his church.  The second confessed to a fondness for smoking cigars and the third one confessed that he liked to play cards.   When it came to the fourth one, he wouldn't open up.  The others pressed, him saying, "Come now, we confessed ours.  What is your secret or vice?"  Finally he answered, "My vice is gossiping, and I can hardly wait to get out of here."


Confession is good for the soul.  I bet you’ve all heard that somewhere along the line.  It usually implies admitting to a sin or some other wrongful act.  And indeed, that’s part of the dictionary definition for the verb “confess”.  But another part is simply to admit something as true, to own up to the truth.  When we confess to doing something wrong, we admit to the truth of our deed.

That word “confession” often brings two images to mind.  One is the repentant person in the confession booth of a Catholic church seeking absolution of their sin from the priest.  And the other is the person arrested for a crime, finally admitting to their guilt, with the detective saying, “OK, it’s time to ‘fess up”.  Our little story had elements of both.  But there is another act of confession I’d like to look at this morning that also deals with admitting the truth.


God knows everything we’ve ever done and will ever do, so our confession of wrongdoing is not for His benefit, but for ours, so that we will realize and acknowledge that we’ve done something He does not approve of.  This type of confession does not of itself save our eternal soul, but it does show that we believe in God and are trying to be better in His eyes.  Which leads to the confession I’m talking about.

Paul explains it quite clearly, I think, in verses 9, 10, and 13 of our scripture reading:  “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.  For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  By admitting the truth, by openly confessing that Jesus is Lord, we are assured of our salvation.


One synonym for “to confess” is “to profess”.  You may have heard our Apostles’ Creed referred to as our profession of faith.  When we profess our faith, we openly declare it, affirm it, acknowledge it for anyone to hear.  This is the confession Paul writes of, and not only to the Romans, but also to his young protégé.  In his 1st letter to Timothy, chapter 6, verses 11 through 14, Paul writes…

1 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing...

--1 Timothy 6:11-14 (NKJV)

So you see, even Jesus confessed the Gospel.  He would not answer any of Pilate’s questions or accusations, but He did admit to the truth, the truth of who He was and why He was here.  Paul said that Jesus witnessed the good confession.  When we confess that Jesus is Lord, believing it in our hearts and professing it for others to hear, we are witnessing to Jesus and what He means in our lives.


Paul said that our heartfelt confession of Jesus assures our salvation.  Jesus confirms this and takes it a bit further.  In chapter 10 of his Gospel account, verses 32 and 33, the Apostle Matthew records Jesus saying...

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

--Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)

When we admit the truth of Jesus to our fellow man, affirm and profess our belief in Him as the Son of God and our Lord, He will put in a good word for us to God.  But if we deny Jesus in front of others, He will disavow us to God.

Sadly, too many people fall in that second category, denying Jesus in their actions and words, refusing to accept Him in their hearts and in their spoken words.  And this is why we need to openly confess our belief, so that they might somehow listen and give the Holy Spirit an opening to show them the truth.


Remember that Paul said we must truly believe in our hearts that which we confess about Jesus.  It isn’t enough just to give lip service.  We must truly believe what we are confessing.  And we must hold tight to that belief, that confession, no matter what we may be facing.  After all, Jesus knows what we are going through.  He endured much of the same, and so much more, during His time on earth as one of us.  The author of the letter to the Hebrews put it like this, in chapter 4, verses 14 through 16...

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

--Hebrews 4:14-16 (NKJV)

Jesus is our great High Priest who suffered on our behalf, who can sympathize with our weaknesses because He shared them for a span.  So let us openly declare our belief in Jesus as our Lord, the Son of the one true God.  Let us boldly profess our love for Him and our constant need of His love and mercy.  Let us hold fast to that confession, even as we call upon the name of our Lord.  For by this we are saved, and by God’s grace, others may be saved also, just by seeing the strength of our conviction.  Now, perhaps more than ever before, it’s time to confess.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for sending Your Son to us as one of us, so that He could better sympathize with our own human frailties and weaknesses.  Thank You for allowing us to believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord.  Thank You for the faith You give us.  Help us, please Father, to not only hold fast to our faith, but to also profess before others, with the prayer that they too may be led to believe.  Help us be strong and courageous in our confession and our witness to Jesus as Christ.  And Father, help us be more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You command us to love one another and to make disciples, more followers of You and Your truth.  One way we show our love is in helping others to find their way to You, in making disciples.  And one way we can make disciples is by confessing You as our Lord.  Our public profession can make a huge difference in the eternal life of another.  Help us, please Lord, to boldly proclaim that You are the Son of God, and to let others know that You are our Master and our Savior.  Give us courage and strength in our confession no matter our circumstance.  And Lord Jesus, please stop the conflicts in our society.  Heal the divisions that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.