Proclaim Jesus

Scripture: Matthew 10:32-33 (NIV)

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Devotion:

Modern life often pushes us, Christians, into silence. Whether it be fear of conflict, a desire for acceptance, or simply hesitation, we often keep quiet when we should speak up for our Savior. In today’s passage, Jesus speaks directly to us. While fully acknowledging the unending and undefeatable grace of God, we are met with the hard truth that Jesus wants us to speak up for Him at every opportunity. We must be sensitive to the fact that the opportunities we are given to speak up are from God, not by sheer chance or coincidence.

What does it mean to acknowledge someone, in this case, Christ? It means openly identifying with Christ, not merely believing privately. I have heard it said that you should preach the word constantly; if necessary, use words. I think that this is sincere but mistaken. Jesus is clearly calling us here to speak. The Greek word behind acknowledge is homologeo. This word never means anything but a verbal affirmation. Jesus uses this as if speaking openly about Him were meant to be a normal part of discipleship, not an optional extra for only a few “ordained” people. That said, our walk must match our talk; otherwise, our words are worse than useless.

Jesus does promise us that our speech will be rewarded with an unimaginable result. Jesus will acknowledge us before the Father. That a poor sinner such as I could be acknowledged in heaven before the throne of God seems unlikely, but Jesus will be true to His word.  Our public loyalty to Christ will be met with His eternal loyalty to us.

What about those who deny Jesus? Christ may still save them, but there will be some dishonor involved in their reception in heaven. We may wish this warning were softened somehow, but Jesus’ words are plain here. As difficult as it may seem, Jesus looks for our positive witness to all He has done for us, not mere appearances.

One must take caution here, however. Our acknowledgment of Christ is never to be meant for show, but must come from a heart that is deeply devoted to God and the things of God. It should be from gratitude for salvation, never from fear of punishment. We will find that our boldness grows with our obedience as we take opportunities to confess Jesus openly and without fear of consequences. He saved us and wants us to tell others about the great treasure we have found.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for the promises contained in these verses. Give us the courage and strength to do for you what you desire to do for us. Lord, give us words to say. Fill us with such grace that we may speak in a way that brings others closer to faith in You rather than pushing them away. May we glorify Your name with all we do or say. To You be all the glory. Amen.