Are You Ashamed Of Jesus?

"Today's Devotion" For March 9, 2005

Read: Mark 8:31-38
I Peter 4:12-19

ARE YOU ASHAMED OF JESUS?

"However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name." (I Pet. 4:16)

"I'm so ashamed," lamented the mother of the young lady just arrested for shoplifting. "You're an embarrassment to me," the father yells angrily at his son who has just come home drunk. The words "shame," "ashamed," and "embarrassed," and all their derivatives are flung around in familial relationships all too frequently. These words are used as stinging indictments about both the "guilty" person's behavior and who they are. They are words that have both a "soap opera" drama to them and a very real grasp of the broken relationships they often underline. For some of us, just to hear such words out of the mouths of our parents or other family members whom we love and respect, is like a slap in the face and a major reality check. For others, such words only serve to cement the distance between themselves and those who are ashamed of them, ever more firmly establishing broken relationships.

Perhaps the most telling evidence of the broken relationship between human beings and God as a result of Sin, is how people try to avoid coming to terms with God's love for the world in Jesus Christ. The Prophet Isaiah, writing about the Messiah as the "Suffering Servant" (Is. 53), notes that "we esteemed Him not." In other words those whom He came to save from the power of Sin, Death, and Satan didn't want anything to do with Him--don't want anything to do with Him--because He's not a part of the "in crowd." The things of God are not in vogue for the world. Thus, there's another chapter in the long running battle concerning the supposed "separation of church and state" in the U. S. so that the U. S. Supreme Court is being asked to judge whether the Ten Commandments can be displayed on courthouses and in court rooms around the nation. Sadly, in the history of this and similar controversies, it seems that many Christians have been too ashamed and embarrassed about their faith to stand up and be counted. There are too few voices crying in the wilderness, "Stop ignoring the God who has made us, redeemed us, forgiven us all our sins, and has given us all we have and made us all we are!"

As we've noted in the past, the tendency to compartmentalize one's life of faith from one's everyday life away from home and church is very prevalent among the people of God. It seems that even though Jesus came to earth and took on our flesh, put Himself under the Law to obey it perfectly in our place, was crucified on a cross to bear the just punishment for Sin that we deserve to receive, and was raise from the grave as God's acceptance of His sacrifice for the sins of the world, those who claim to be His people and believe in Him as their Lord and Savior have this incredible tendency to live, work, and speak as if they--we-- are ashamed and embarrassed by Him.

Thank God that Jesus wasn't and isn't embarrassed and ashamed of us. He loves us in spite of ourselves. He offers us full pardon and forgiveness of all our sins and continues to bless us with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit so that we might be restored as the dearly beloved, redeemed children of our Father in heaven. St. Paul writes, in the face of intense persecution, moral depravity, and the inevitability of his death as a martyr, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe..." (Rom. 1:16). By God's grace, may we be encouraged and strengthened to live by faith and to live out our faith in each and every moment and circumstance of our lives. "Are you ashamed of Jesus?" I pray that your answer and mine might be, "Never!" and that our answer might be evident for everyone to see.

Prayer: Father, thank You for loving me even when my behavior and actions toward You and Your love are at their worst. Forgive me for so often living and acting in a manner that seems to say that I'm ashamed of Jesus. Father, I pray that You would help me, by the power of Your Word and Spirit, to boldly stand up for Jesus at all times and in all places proclaiming Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness for all to see and hear. Keep me from ever living, acting, or speaking as if I'm ashamed of Jesus. Help me to live a life that proudly and boldly proclaims, in both word and deed, that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Lord and that He has given Himself for my sins and the sins of the whole world. In Jesus' precious and most holy name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.