Unashamed

Alba 6-13-2021

UNASHAMED

Romans 1:16-17

I remember the decision when I chose to become a Christian. I was nine years old. We didn't have children's church in those days, so I attended church with my parents from the time I was born.

Somehow, the minister's messages began to penetrate my mind and heart at that young age of nine. I felt conviction to step out and confess my faith in Jesus. But just like many others, I held onto the back of the pew in front of me, and did not budge for several Sundays.

Then came the day when I could no longer stand frozen to that pew. I stepped out and confessed my faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Because the baptistry was only filled if they knew there would be a baptism, I was not baptized until the next Sunday. The water was cold, but I felt good.

The next thing, I'm ashamed to admit, is that in the week that followed, a neighbor boy older than me (I don't even remember who it was now) had heard about my decision.

When he asked me about it, I was surprised that people outside of our church would be aware of what I had done. My surprise led me to be less than bold to speak about the best decision I could ever make.

My response was minimal at best and shameful at worst. I had stood before the church congregation and gladly stated my faith, but I could not do it in front of a neighbor boy.

Not a good start for one who just two years later decided to become a minster. Especially when Jesus says in Mark 8:38:

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (NKJV)

Why is it that we can express our love and devotion to our Lord Jesus when together with the church, but fail to do so when we are going on with our daily lives?

No matter who we are, if we are Christians, we all have come out of sin to a Savior who is Christ the Lord. That is a reason to be bold in expressing our faith to others who need the same salvation.

The apostle Paul expresses that boldness in Romans 1:16-17. There he says, 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (NKJV)

Listen to those words, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Now, I am sure that we know what the gospel is. The word gospel means... (wait for it), the Good News!

How would you feel if someone came up to you and said, “Oh, I feel really hesitant to tell you this... I'm so sorry! But you just won a million dollars... sorry!”

Why would anyone be ashamed to tell such good news? So why would anyone, I should say why would we, be ashamed to share what we know to be the best news we have ever heard?

It IS good news, isn't it? I'm afraid we sometimes forget that. It has been good news from the beginning.

Remember what the angel declared when Jesus was born? The angel said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11 ESV)

Jesus came to set us free from shame. He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV)

In Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were created in perfection and, the Bible says they were naked and unashamed. What this means is they were innocent, they were without sin before God. They were God conscious not self conscious.

God created us to know no shame. But their choices in chapter three change everything. In verse seven we read that they disobeyed God and ate from the tree He had forbidden.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (Genesis 3:7 NKJV)

They suddenly felt shame for their nakedness. Shame comes into the picture because they are no longer innocent. Sin has made them self conscious instead of God conscious. They hide from God.