More on Fear
Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Matt. 10:32, 33, NKJV
It doesn't look as if we are through with fear yet. Now, I know that today's passage does not use the word "fear," but fear is in the context and underlies the only reason that a believer would not "confess" or "acknowledge" or "stand up" for Jesus. The Message vividly brings out the dynamic of fear undergirding the passage: "Stand up for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you?"
While Jesus has pounded home three times that He followers don't need to fear, we still find ourselves tempted that way. I am. Of course, there is no one who is out to take my life right now or to do me physical harm. But if I really say what I think they might make fun of me or consider me unsophisticated, some kind of hayseed who should have been born 200 years ago. It is hard for us humans not to fear--it seems to be in our very bones.
But if we let Christ handle our fears about our precious selves, the rewards are great. Those who stand up for Christ have an advocate in heaven. That's good news on the days we are strong, but frightening on those that we fail.
And here the good news gets even better. The Jesus of grace is even willing to stand up for us when we have denied Him if we confess our sin and rededicate ourselves to His "no fear" agenda. Peter discovered that grace when he fell flat on his face the evening before the Crucifixion. He not only denied Jesus in the face of fear, but cursed and swore that he didn't know Him. That forceful testimony convinced his hearers.
The good news is that Peter eventually found his knees and was restored again. For the rest of his life he confessed his Lord (although not perfectly) until he finally met crucifixion himself.
And further good news is that Christ willingly confesses us before the Father when we acknowledge Him in our words and lives. But the bad news is that if we persistently choose to deny Him in our daily walk, we only hurt ourselves in the long run.
I suppose the only question I need to ask myself is "Whom should I fear most--other people or God?"
Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Matt. 10:32, 33, NKJV
It doesn't look as if we are through with fear yet. Now, I know that today's passage does not use the word "fear," but fear is in the context and underlies the only reason that a believer would not "confess" or "acknowledge" or "stand up" for Jesus. The Message vividly brings out the dynamic of fear undergirding the passage: "Stand up for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you?"
While Jesus has pounded home three times that He followers don't need to fear, we still find ourselves tempted that way. I am. Of course, there is no one who is out to take my life right now or to do me physical harm. But if I really say what I think they might make fun of me or consider me unsophisticated, some kind of hayseed who should have been born 200 years ago. It is hard for us humans not to fear--it seems to be in our very bones.
But if we let Christ handle our fears about our precious selves, the rewards are great. Those who stand up for Christ have an advocate in heaven. That's good news on the days we are strong, but frightening on those that we fail.
And here the good news gets even better. The Jesus of grace is even willing to stand up for us when we have denied Him if we confess our sin and rededicate ourselves to His "no fear" agenda. Peter discovered that grace when he fell flat on his face the evening before the Crucifixion. He not only denied Jesus in the face of fear, but cursed and swore that he didn't know Him. That forceful testimony convinced his hearers.
The good news is that Peter eventually found his knees and was restored again. For the rest of his life he confessed his Lord (although not perfectly) until he finally met crucifixion himself.
And further good news is that Christ willingly confesses us before the Father when we acknowledge Him in our words and lives. But the bad news is that if we persistently choose to deny Him in our daily walk, we only hurt ourselves in the long run.
I suppose the only question I need to ask myself is "Whom should I fear most--other people or God?"
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