Ashamed of the Gospel

If we believe Jesus is the King of Kings then why do we treat Him like the Thief of Galilee?

Okay. Maybe not you. But the rest of us weak-kneed Christians are willing to admit we’re afraid…

He’ll rob us of our jobs
Heaven forbid we mention His name at the workplace. There’s laws about that sort of thing, aren’t there?

He’ll rob us of good neighbors
Invite the folks down the street to a Bible study? What? And risk being thought of as the kooks of the cul-de-sac?

He’ll rob us of our family
The rules are clear. When visiting the relatives, no politics, no religion. Sorry Jesus. You’ll need to wait in the minivan.

He’ll rob us of our friends
They won’t call. They won’t write. If they know we’re a fuddy duddy we’ll get unfriended in a heartbeat.

He’ll rob us of our reputation
Our reputations are everything to us. It’s not who we are, but it’s how we want to be perceived. And we’re not risking putting a smudge on that shine for anything.

He’ll rob us of our fun
Come on. Being a Believer can be tiring. There’s got to be some friends where we can just “be ourselves.” There’s got to be some times and some places when we can just let loose.

And as we willingly succumb to the lie and faster than the rooster can crow three times, we tuck Jesus away in the lock box and only take Him out when we feel it’s safe. Is this such a bad thing?

Here’s Jesus’ own words on the subject:

33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Matt 10:33

Ouch. Well. Let’s close the Book, reopen it and see if we can get a more comforting response. What does the Apostle Paul have to say about all of this?

12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
2 Tim 2:12

Oops. Looks like they are comparing notes. But if we openly share our faith, aren’t they going to hate us? Aren’t they going to flee every time they see us coming?

Ummm…’fraid so.

13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Mark 13:13

So why do we bother? Why don’t we leave the discomfort of sharing to others who have the “gift of evangelism?”

Because the Bible teaches us that none of us get a pass. We’ve been designed and commissioned to serve in this manner. In fact, a time is coming soon where every opportunity we’ve squandered will flash before our eyes and we will be ashamed…not of the Gospel…but of our cowardice.

The reality is we should be THRILLED to share our beliefs. Having experienced the miracles of His presence in our lives, our faith should spill over freely and joyfully into the lives of those around us.

In this way we follow Paul’s lead…

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Rom 1:16

Not with arrogance, but with humility. Not with hate, but with love. Not with impatience, but with understanding. Not as if we’re the model of perfection, but rather as one desperate to be perfected.

So, what are we afraid of? What are we waiting for?

After all. There’s so many people. So little time.

Looking for more Michael? You might also enjoy Could Your Marriage Use this Cool Glass of Water?

Michael K. Reynolds is a writer with more than two decades of experience in crafting fiction, non-fiction, journalism, copywriting and documentary production. He is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant of Books & Such Literary Agency.

He is the author of a series of Irish historical novels published by B&H Publishing Group. These highly acclaimed books are available in bookstores and libraries across the nation and beyond.