For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. Luk 9:26
On Dishonoring Christ
On Dishonoring Christ
Why Some Were Ashamed of Christ in His Day...
I can understand how men were ashamed of Christ as He moved about the villages of Galilee. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and men hid their faces from Him. Born in a humble and malodorous village (can any good thing come out of Nazareth?), living in the deepest obscurity for thirty years, then suddenly claiming to be the Messiah, yet contradicting the warmest hopes of Israel—no wonder there was disappointment, and that many were ashamed of Jesus and His words.
How Can Men Be Ashamed of Him Now?
But the thing that is difficult to understand is how any man can be ashamed of Jesus now. For now He is no longer rejected and despised: He is enthroned in heaven at the right hand of God. We can understand a man denying that Christ rose—there are many who honestly believe that He still sleeps; but the man who is ashamed of Christ is not an unbeliever; you cannot be ashamed of that which has no existence. The man who is ashamed credits the resurrection—get him alone and he will not deny it. The man who is ashamed credits that Christ is living and is energetic in human hearts today; and the mystery is how, crediting all that, it should be possible to be ashamed of Christ. That it is possible everyone of us knows, and it is on that strange possibility I wish to speak. First, I shall touch on the revelation of this shame; next on the roots of it; and thirdly on some remedies in our power.
I can understand how men were ashamed of Christ as He moved about the villages of Galilee. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and men hid their faces from Him. Born in a humble and malodorous village (can any good thing come out of Nazareth?), living in the deepest obscurity for thirty years, then suddenly claiming to be the Messiah, yet contradicting the warmest hopes of Israel—no wonder there was disappointment, and that many were ashamed of Jesus and His words.
How Can Men Be Ashamed of Him Now?
But the thing that is difficult to understand is how any man can be ashamed of Jesus now. For now He is no longer rejected and despised: He is enthroned in heaven at the right hand of God. We can understand a man denying that Christ rose—there are many who honestly believe that He still sleeps; but the man who is ashamed of Christ is not an unbeliever; you cannot be ashamed of that which has no existence. The man who is ashamed credits the resurrection—get him alone and he will not deny it. The man who is ashamed credits that Christ is living and is energetic in human hearts today; and the mystery is how, crediting all that, it should be possible to be ashamed of Christ. That it is possible everyone of us knows, and it is on that strange possibility I wish to speak. First, I shall touch on the revelation of this shame; next on the roots of it; and thirdly on some remedies in our power.
Signs of Being Ashamed of Christ
1. Concealment
First, then, I wish to speak about its revelation, about the way in which this shame of Christ betrays itself: and the first feature that rises before me is concealment. Is there any man or woman of whom you are ashamed? Think of them and call up their names while I am speaking. Well, however else your shame may show itself, it will at least have this mark—you are ashamed to be seen with them in public. In private, that is a different matter: you have no objection to meeting them in private. In the pressure of a great crowd, that is a different matter, for any two may be cast together in a crowd. But when you are ashamed of a man you are ashamed of being openly seen with him, you are ashamed of walking in broad daylight through the streets with him; and as that is a feature of all shame between man and man, it is a mark of the man ashamed of Christ. Remember we may be ashamed of Christ although in the quiet hour we pray in secret. Remember we may be ashamed of Him although at the stated times we come to church. For in the one case—in private prayer—there is a solitude, and in other—in public worship—is a crowd; and neither in solitude nor in the throng is the shame or glory of the heart detected. It is as we walk through the streets of daily life; it is as we take up our task in homely scenes; it is as we go about our work and mingle with our friends—it is there that our heart's loyalty shall be seen. if we honor Christ men will perceive the friendship. If we are ashamed of Him we shall conceal it.
2. Silence
The second feature of all shame is silence. There is a close and mysterious tie between the two. The feeling of shame whenever it is operative has a way of putting a seal upon the lips. A child will babble and prattle all day long, and spin out a history about its small adventures; but let it do anything of which it is ashamed, and not a word will it speak concerning that. How many homes there are in which one son or daughter has come to disgrace, till the parents' hearts are breaking! Does the stranger entering that home talk of the prodigal? Is not that the one name that is never mentioned? There are ceaseless yearnings and there are secret prayers rising to heaven daily for the wanderer; but mingling with every thought of him is shame, and one great witness of that shame is silence. Now far be it from me even to suggest that all our silence about Christ is such. There is a reserve which is dignified and right when we move among august and holy things. Still, hours will come in every Christian life when confession is imperative and clearly called for, and if in such hours there be not speech but silence, the silence is the stamp and sign of shame.
3. Avoidance
The third witness of shame lies in avoidance. We avoid instinctively what we are ashamed of. When an architect has designed a building of which he is proud, I can imagine his delight in looking at it. I can imagine him going out of his way by half a dozen streets just to get one more glimpse of his conception. But let the building be a failure, and the man ashamed of it—he is not eager to feast his eyes upon it. Now he does all in his power to avoid it, and he avoids it because he is ashamed. I fancy that most of us know places such as that, for we are all the architects of our own fortunes: places that are disgraced for us by wretched memories, tarnished and desecrated by some sin; and we too, as we journey through the years, are glad to avoid such scenes, and we avoid them because we are ashamed. Avoidance is one sign and seal of shame. Can it be said of you that you are avoiding Christ? If so, however you may explain it to yourself, depend upon it, you are ashamed of Him.
First, then, I wish to speak about its revelation, about the way in which this shame of Christ betrays itself: and the first feature that rises before me is concealment. Is there any man or woman of whom you are ashamed? Think of them and call up their names while I am speaking. Well, however else your shame may show itself, it will at least have this mark—you are ashamed to be seen with them in public. In private, that is a different matter: you have no objection to meeting them in private. In the pressure of a great crowd, that is a different matter, for any two may be cast together in a crowd. But when you are ashamed of a man you are ashamed of being openly seen with him, you are ashamed of walking in broad daylight through the streets with him; and as that is a feature of all shame between man and man, it is a mark of the man ashamed of Christ. Remember we may be ashamed of Christ although in the quiet hour we pray in secret. Remember we may be ashamed of Him although at the stated times we come to church. For in the one case—in private prayer—there is a solitude, and in other—in public worship—is a crowd; and neither in solitude nor in the throng is the shame or glory of the heart detected. It is as we walk through the streets of daily life; it is as we take up our task in homely scenes; it is as we go about our work and mingle with our friends—it is there that our heart's loyalty shall be seen. if we honor Christ men will perceive the friendship. If we are ashamed of Him we shall conceal it.
2. Silence
The second feature of all shame is silence. There is a close and mysterious tie between the two. The feeling of shame whenever it is operative has a way of putting a seal upon the lips. A child will babble and prattle all day long, and spin out a history about its small adventures; but let it do anything of which it is ashamed, and not a word will it speak concerning that. How many homes there are in which one son or daughter has come to disgrace, till the parents' hearts are breaking! Does the stranger entering that home talk of the prodigal? Is not that the one name that is never mentioned? There are ceaseless yearnings and there are secret prayers rising to heaven daily for the wanderer; but mingling with every thought of him is shame, and one great witness of that shame is silence. Now far be it from me even to suggest that all our silence about Christ is such. There is a reserve which is dignified and right when we move among august and holy things. Still, hours will come in every Christian life when confession is imperative and clearly called for, and if in such hours there be not speech but silence, the silence is the stamp and sign of shame.
3. Avoidance
The third witness of shame lies in avoidance. We avoid instinctively what we are ashamed of. When an architect has designed a building of which he is proud, I can imagine his delight in looking at it. I can imagine him going out of his way by half a dozen streets just to get one more glimpse of his conception. But let the building be a failure, and the man ashamed of it—he is not eager to feast his eyes upon it. Now he does all in his power to avoid it, and he avoids it because he is ashamed. I fancy that most of us know places such as that, for we are all the architects of our own fortunes: places that are disgraced for us by wretched memories, tarnished and desecrated by some sin; and we too, as we journey through the years, are glad to avoid such scenes, and we avoid them because we are ashamed. Avoidance is one sign and seal of shame. Can it be said of you that you are avoiding Christ? If so, however you may explain it to yourself, depend upon it, you are ashamed of Him.
The Roots of Our Being Ashamed of Christ
1. Fear
Sometimes we are ashamed of Christ through fear. We are ashamed as Nicodemus was. He came to Jesus by stealth and in the nighttime, and he came so because he feared the Jews. In his heart of hearts he profoundly admired the Lord—we can do that, and yet be ashamed of Him—but he was a public man, a master in Israel, living in the fierce light that beat upon a rabbi, and he was afraid and he crept to the Lord by night, and the root and basis of his shame was fear. My impression is that fear is at the root of far more things than most of us ever dream of. There are even virtues on which men pride themselves which a little more courage would instantly destroy. The Bible never reiterates in vain, and do you know the command that occurs most often in Scripture? The commonest command in Scripture is Fear not. Now we are not in bodily peril like Nicodemus; no one will slay us for being out and out. The day of the thumbscrew and of the stake and of the Solway tide—that day, we may thank God, is gone forever; but though that day is gone, fear has not departed. For in the intricate mechanism of modern society there is ample room for subtler and finer fear—fear lest one's business suffer, fear for one's prospects, fear for the welfare of one's wife and children; and who does not know how often tongues are tied and lips are silenced and confession stifled, through the haunting of a vague fear like that? I do not wish to speak harshly of that temper: I know how hard it is sometimes to be true. There are inevitable and unavoidable accommodations which the wheels-within-wheels of modern life demand. Still, there is such a thing as being ashamed of Christ—if there were not, the words would not be written—and at the root of it today as in Jerusalem, may be the promptings of unmanly fear.
2. Social Pressure
Again the cause of this shame may be social pressure. We may be ashamed of Christ as Simon Peter was. And the amazing thing is that in such a zealous and loving heart there should have been any room for shame at all. But Peter sat by the fire in the courtyard, and they taunted him with his discipleship; and then the girl who kept the wicket recognized him, and everyone present was antagonistic; and Peter denied his Lord—Peter was ashamed of Him—and the shame had its source in his society. Had it not been for Peter's company that night, we should never have had the tale of Peter's fall. Alone, in the dark streets, with what a burning loyalty he would have lifted up his heart to his great leader! But Peter was impressionable, easily influenced, quick to receive the impact of environment, and his society made him ashamed of Christ. Are there none today who are like Simon Peter? Are there none who deny Christ because of social pressure? Are there none who are silent and afraid to speak because of the men and women who surround them? In careless homes, in crowded shops or offices, in football clubs, in social gatherings, is not the old tragedy re-enacted sometimes, and does not their company make men ashamed of Christ?
3. Intellectual Pride
One other reason only would I mention, and that is intellectual pride. There are not a few instances in the book of Acts of shame which sprang from a certain pride of intellect. When a minister whom I know well was on the point of entering the ministry, the late Dr. Moody Stuart, a saint and a scholar, happened to walk up and down his garden with him. And the talk fell on the ministry, and on its joys and sorrows, on the love that inspires it and on the hopes that cheer it; when the Doctor turned sharply on his young friend and said, "Mr. C., are you willing to be a fool for Christ's sake?" It was an apposite and pertinent question. There must be something of that willingness in every Christian—the Gospel is so simple, so free from subtle intricacy, so entirely, in the heart of it, a gift. And men are ashamed of Christ because His message is so plain that the illiterate peasant can live by it and die by it. There is nothing so alien in the world to pride of intellect as the life and the words and the sacrifice of Jesus. Here is the great offence of Calvary in intellectual and cultured ages—it is that in Calvary there is a fact which the mind alone is powerless to explain. I bring my learning of a thousand books there, and I cannot fathom its mystery and meaning. It only speaks home to my dark and baffled heart when "Nothing in my hand I bring." (Devotional Sermons)
Ashamed of Christ.—This is what men are guilty of when Christians are in a minority, or when earnest Christianity is powerfully opposed. There is no temptation to be ashamed of Christ when all the world around you is, at any rate, professedly devoted to Him. But the temptation was a very formidable one when the Church was young, and when Christians carried their lives in their hands. Wonderful, however, it is how, in these first ages of the faith, men and women, boys and girls, in all conditions of life, joyfully accepted a painful death rather than be disloyal to their Lord and Saviour. But the wheel of time brings strange revolutions, and we no longer live in times when it could be said with entire truth that no one is ashamed of Jesus Christ. Many in all Christian countries professedly reject His name. And that this is so surely imposes on all true Christians-the duty of explicitly confessing Christ before men.—(Liddon)
Sometimes we are ashamed of Christ through fear. We are ashamed as Nicodemus was. He came to Jesus by stealth and in the nighttime, and he came so because he feared the Jews. In his heart of hearts he profoundly admired the Lord—we can do that, and yet be ashamed of Him—but he was a public man, a master in Israel, living in the fierce light that beat upon a rabbi, and he was afraid and he crept to the Lord by night, and the root and basis of his shame was fear. My impression is that fear is at the root of far more things than most of us ever dream of. There are even virtues on which men pride themselves which a little more courage would instantly destroy. The Bible never reiterates in vain, and do you know the command that occurs most often in Scripture? The commonest command in Scripture is Fear not. Now we are not in bodily peril like Nicodemus; no one will slay us for being out and out. The day of the thumbscrew and of the stake and of the Solway tide—that day, we may thank God, is gone forever; but though that day is gone, fear has not departed. For in the intricate mechanism of modern society there is ample room for subtler and finer fear—fear lest one's business suffer, fear for one's prospects, fear for the welfare of one's wife and children; and who does not know how often tongues are tied and lips are silenced and confession stifled, through the haunting of a vague fear like that? I do not wish to speak harshly of that temper: I know how hard it is sometimes to be true. There are inevitable and unavoidable accommodations which the wheels-within-wheels of modern life demand. Still, there is such a thing as being ashamed of Christ—if there were not, the words would not be written—and at the root of it today as in Jerusalem, may be the promptings of unmanly fear.
2. Social Pressure
Again the cause of this shame may be social pressure. We may be ashamed of Christ as Simon Peter was. And the amazing thing is that in such a zealous and loving heart there should have been any room for shame at all. But Peter sat by the fire in the courtyard, and they taunted him with his discipleship; and then the girl who kept the wicket recognized him, and everyone present was antagonistic; and Peter denied his Lord—Peter was ashamed of Him—and the shame had its source in his society. Had it not been for Peter's company that night, we should never have had the tale of Peter's fall. Alone, in the dark streets, with what a burning loyalty he would have lifted up his heart to his great leader! But Peter was impressionable, easily influenced, quick to receive the impact of environment, and his society made him ashamed of Christ. Are there none today who are like Simon Peter? Are there none who deny Christ because of social pressure? Are there none who are silent and afraid to speak because of the men and women who surround them? In careless homes, in crowded shops or offices, in football clubs, in social gatherings, is not the old tragedy re-enacted sometimes, and does not their company make men ashamed of Christ?
3. Intellectual Pride
One other reason only would I mention, and that is intellectual pride. There are not a few instances in the book of Acts of shame which sprang from a certain pride of intellect. When a minister whom I know well was on the point of entering the ministry, the late Dr. Moody Stuart, a saint and a scholar, happened to walk up and down his garden with him. And the talk fell on the ministry, and on its joys and sorrows, on the love that inspires it and on the hopes that cheer it; when the Doctor turned sharply on his young friend and said, "Mr. C., are you willing to be a fool for Christ's sake?" It was an apposite and pertinent question. There must be something of that willingness in every Christian—the Gospel is so simple, so free from subtle intricacy, so entirely, in the heart of it, a gift. And men are ashamed of Christ because His message is so plain that the illiterate peasant can live by it and die by it. There is nothing so alien in the world to pride of intellect as the life and the words and the sacrifice of Jesus. Here is the great offence of Calvary in intellectual and cultured ages—it is that in Calvary there is a fact which the mind alone is powerless to explain. I bring my learning of a thousand books there, and I cannot fathom its mystery and meaning. It only speaks home to my dark and baffled heart when "Nothing in my hand I bring." (Devotional Sermons)
Ashamed of Christ.—This is what men are guilty of when Christians are in a minority, or when earnest Christianity is powerfully opposed. There is no temptation to be ashamed of Christ when all the world around you is, at any rate, professedly devoted to Him. But the temptation was a very formidable one when the Church was young, and when Christians carried their lives in their hands. Wonderful, however, it is how, in these first ages of the faith, men and women, boys and girls, in all conditions of life, joyfully accepted a painful death rather than be disloyal to their Lord and Saviour. But the wheel of time brings strange revolutions, and we no longer live in times when it could be said with entire truth that no one is ashamed of Jesus Christ. Many in all Christian countries professedly reject His name. And that this is so surely imposes on all true Christians-the duty of explicitly confessing Christ before men.—(Liddon)
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. Luk 9:26
Some Questions Every Person Needs to Ask Themselves
Regarding Christ
Some Questions Every Person Needs to Ask Themselves
Regarding Christ
There is one fact every person in this life must face-the day of their death. Everyone wants a life full of joy, and fills their time with all the pleasures they can-to avoid the reality of this fact. Satan uses everything he can to keep you centered on what feeds your lusts and egos. This keeps you from ever considering the realities of what really matters in life, and what is eternal. "Live for today, and all you can get out of it"- this is the mindset of those who never consider where they will spend eternity.
Many who call themselves Christians, sit in churches who preach a false gospel, and leave out large junks of the words and teachings of Jesus, because they would ruin the agenda's of these false teachers and preachers. They are messages of love and everyone getting along-but leaving out Jesus' teachings to keep His commandments, and preaching against sin. They excuse lying, sins of lust and perversions, and you'll hear virtually nothing on disciplining children. The condition of society today, reflects this- lawlessness and sin is rampant. This is why nations collapse. If a nation does not want God, He leaves them to themselves, and brings judgment, this is what is happening to America now.
This one verse, cuts through all pretenses, and religions. It speaks volumes of the exclusivity of Christ, and who He is. It's traced directly to John ch. 14:6, and they are inter-connected:
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
These two verses combined tell us-
1. Without Christ, no truth can be revealed. He is truth.
2. He is the only way to the truth, and the only way to heaven.
3. No one can have access to the Father of heaven-but through Christ, He is the only mediator.
4. Christ is the only way of salvation-"There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved."
5. Being ashamed of Jesus Christ and his words-will cost eternity, and is irreversible.
6. Christ will reject, and will regard all who are ashamed of Him in exactly the same manner, before the Father, and the holy angels.
Ask yourself:
1. Does Jesus mean what He said here-if so, where do I stand with Him now? If I died today, where would I go-according to these verses?
2. Do I care more about what people think of me, than standing for Christ and living as He wants me to?
3. Am I a coward-and allowing fear of rejection and persecution from the world, and the people around me, keeping me from living for Him openly?
Conclusion:
No one but you, can answer these questions. I hope they make an impact on your evaluation of yourself.
We may be able to fool other's, we may be able to fool ourselves. But, we cannot fool the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows you, better than you know yourself-and one day, you will meet Him, face to face.
Today is the day of salvation. If your not saved, you can turn to Him today, confess your a sinner, in need of a Savior, and ask Him to forgive you, and come into your heart and life and receive His free gift of salvation.
Then, pick up a bible, and start reading it and talk to the Lord every day. Ask Him to guide you, and help you in your daily life. Seek the Lord and His ways, and you will find Him a constant guide and companion in this life-through every storm, and problem you may face.
Seek fellowship from like-minded believer's who stand on the Word of God, without compromise. This is not easy today-ask God for help in this as well. Remember-the word of God, is the only source of truth-get a King James Bible, it is the best version.
Be honest with yourself, and with God, and He will manifest Himself to you, and lead you through to the end of your life, and when this life is ended, you will have the peace and assurance of citizenship in heaven, and fellowship with the saints already there, and God the Father, and the Son.
I hope to see you there-
Lorna Couillard
Many who call themselves Christians, sit in churches who preach a false gospel, and leave out large junks of the words and teachings of Jesus, because they would ruin the agenda's of these false teachers and preachers. They are messages of love and everyone getting along-but leaving out Jesus' teachings to keep His commandments, and preaching against sin. They excuse lying, sins of lust and perversions, and you'll hear virtually nothing on disciplining children. The condition of society today, reflects this- lawlessness and sin is rampant. This is why nations collapse. If a nation does not want God, He leaves them to themselves, and brings judgment, this is what is happening to America now.
This one verse, cuts through all pretenses, and religions. It speaks volumes of the exclusivity of Christ, and who He is. It's traced directly to John ch. 14:6, and they are inter-connected:
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
These two verses combined tell us-
1. Without Christ, no truth can be revealed. He is truth.
2. He is the only way to the truth, and the only way to heaven.
3. No one can have access to the Father of heaven-but through Christ, He is the only mediator.
4. Christ is the only way of salvation-"There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved."
5. Being ashamed of Jesus Christ and his words-will cost eternity, and is irreversible.
6. Christ will reject, and will regard all who are ashamed of Him in exactly the same manner, before the Father, and the holy angels.
Ask yourself:
1. Does Jesus mean what He said here-if so, where do I stand with Him now? If I died today, where would I go-according to these verses?
2. Do I care more about what people think of me, than standing for Christ and living as He wants me to?
3. Am I a coward-and allowing fear of rejection and persecution from the world, and the people around me, keeping me from living for Him openly?
Conclusion:
No one but you, can answer these questions. I hope they make an impact on your evaluation of yourself.
We may be able to fool other's, we may be able to fool ourselves. But, we cannot fool the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows you, better than you know yourself-and one day, you will meet Him, face to face.
Today is the day of salvation. If your not saved, you can turn to Him today, confess your a sinner, in need of a Savior, and ask Him to forgive you, and come into your heart and life and receive His free gift of salvation.
Then, pick up a bible, and start reading it and talk to the Lord every day. Ask Him to guide you, and help you in your daily life. Seek the Lord and His ways, and you will find Him a constant guide and companion in this life-through every storm, and problem you may face.
Seek fellowship from like-minded believer's who stand on the Word of God, without compromise. This is not easy today-ask God for help in this as well. Remember-the word of God, is the only source of truth-get a King James Bible, it is the best version.
Be honest with yourself, and with God, and He will manifest Himself to you, and lead you through to the end of your life, and when this life is ended, you will have the peace and assurance of citizenship in heaven, and fellowship with the saints already there, and God the Father, and the Son.
I hope to see you there-
Lorna Couillard
