The Three R's - Reflect, Repent, Renew

MOVE

Now there’s just one more little point we need to see in this scripture. Look at verse 38.

If we are embarrassed about Jesus……..

Have you ever been embarrassed or ashamed about being Christian….about Jesus? In here, surrounded by our Christian friends it is easy and seemingly natural to profess our faith in Jesus Christ. This is a safe place…and well it should be. But what about when we leave this place? How comfortable are we to wear our Christianity on our shirtsleeve?

Do you give thanks for your meals when you eat out at a restaurant…. Or are you concerned someone might notice? Would you be ashamed if someone noticed? Are you afraid to raise your arms in worship because you are embarrassed someone might consider you a radical….a radical for Jesus? By the way, raising your arms does not make you more or less a believer. What I’m saying if you feel the urge to raise your arms in worship…raise your arms, do not be ashamed. But if that simply is not you or if you were to raise your arms just because you thought it was the right thing to do or because you wanted people to see how religious you are… than don’t go there. Worship, true worship is a very personal experience, even in a cooperate setting like this. If you want to reach out to Jesus, reach out… if you simply want to sing out and gaze upon His glory… sing out. And Jesus will still smile!

Jesus doesn’t say that if we are ashamed of Him we can’t get into heaven. No, instead, He tells us he will be ashamed of us. How would that make you feel? Jesus paid the ultimate price so we could be there with Him in heaven, yet, in this lifetime, we were ashamed of Jesus. I don’t know about you, but the very thought of Jesus being ashamed of me makes me very sad. I have made many mistakes in this lifetime. And though I strive to do the right thing, there is ample evidence to suspect I may make a few more mistakes before I get to go home. But one mistake I pray I will never make is to ever be ashamed of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I want to be able to look Jesus straight in the eyes, with eternal gratitude for His forgiveness of my sin. And I want to see His return gaze letting me know He knows that while there is behavior in my past I am ashamed of; I was never ashamed of Him, or of my faith in Him or to witness that faith whenever the opportunity arose. I will not be ashamed, I will be confident, I will be bold.

MOVE & CLOSE

So then, what do we have to give up to follow Jesus? The answer is simple. Everything.

But what do we gain from doing so? The answer is breathtakingly wonderful-beyond our wildest dreams: EVERYTHING!