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This week, we commence looking at Luke Chapter 12. Please read verses 1-12 every day this week and, if possible use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 12:8-9 (The Message)
‘”Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God’s angels. But if you pretend you don’t know me, do you think I’ll defend you before God’s angels?’
There have been several occasions in my life where I’ve been a cause of great embarrassment to my family. When I was much younger, I used to do it for fun. For example, there was one time when we were in a shop and Cath, referring to a particular item on the shelf, said to me that it was much cheaper in a different store. I replied “What do you want me to do about it Cath?” To which she said “Well, I think people should know about it. They would be saving money if they went to the other shop”.
So, I did exactly what she said. At the top of my voice I walked around the shop shouting “My wife wants you all to know that this product is much cheaper at Boots”. She quickly exited the shop, red-faced and thoroughly embarrassed. I’m quite sure that at that particular point she didn’t want anything to do with me and wanted to disown me!
I was only doing this for fun and clearly Cath wasn’t really ashamed of me because she saw the funny side of it. However, Jesus is bringing a very serious matter to our attention today in the whole area of being ashamed of something.
Yesterday, the lesson was to trust God and not fear men. Today, the lesson is an extension of that principle that goes beyond just being afraid of people. Jesus is clearly saying that there are serious repercussions of our actions as we relate to Him. At stake there is a reward and an opposing punishment.
While The Message translation says ‘Stand up for me’, in the New King James version, it uses the words ‘whoever confesses Me before men’. Another translation uses ‘acknowledge Me’. All of these terms imply a course of action that goes beyond just attending church or telling someone that we are Christian. Wearing a ‘WWJD’ bracelet doesn’t go far enough either!
Many of us are more than capable of holding a conversation about which church we attend while we often struggle when the conversation shifts to a more personal note as to ‘why’ we make our way to church each week.
Jesus wants more than a casual acquaintance with us and wants more than a passing reference to church in our conversation. I believe our ‘confessing’ should include a sharing of what is in our heart. Psalm 66:16 says “Come and hear…let me tell you what God has done for me.” I believe that Jesus is asking for us to share a personal testimony of who He is and what He’s done for us.
The reward for ‘confessing Him’ is that one day, He will stand before Almighty God and will tell the angels all about you! “Go into all the world and share your story”.
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