Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric October 8, 2021
Living Out Loud
Matthew 10:17-33, NIV - Be on your guard; you will be handed over to
the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors
and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about
what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for
it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through
you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child;
children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me,
but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to
another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of
Israel before the Son of Man comes.
“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant
above his master. It is enough for
students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the
head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his
household!
“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing
concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the
daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both
soul and body in hell. Are not two
sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside
your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than
many sparrows.
“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.
Yesterday’s
message about sheep and wolves began a section of Jesus’s teaching that is
difficult to hear because he warns his disciples that following Him will have unpleasant
and sometimes even tragic consequences.
It was especially true for his first twelve disciples – all but maybe a
couple met untimely deaths because of their proclamation of Jesus. What Jesus told them would happen did happen,
they were arrested and called before rulers.
They were jailed, exiled, and beaten.
It is a testimony to how convinced they were that Jesus was the Messiah
and to give their life and safety to His cause was the greatest honor of their
life.
For us
in America in the 21st century, we marvel at the sacrifice of these
disciples who preceded us by two thousand years and for the most part, we see
the danger of that hey faced down as ancient history. But it’s important for us to remember that it
is STILL very dangerous to be a Christian in many places in the world
today. Christians in North Korea can be
executed for possessing even a torn-out page of the Bible. Every month, an average of 312 Christians are
killed, 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 forms of
violence (beatings, kidnappings, rape, arrest, etc.) are committed against
Christians. Though our country is not
immune to Christian persecution, it is much more the exception than the
rule. But our safety should not make us
blind that others still face the dangers about which Jesus warned.
What is
particularly striking to me about so many of the stories of modern-day
Christian martyrdoms is how bold these martyrs are in standing up for their
faith in the face of such obvious danger.
They refuse to deny their faith even when doing so would save their
lives. They tell people about their faith
who could readily (and often do) turn them into authorities. New believers are “declared dead” by their families
because of their decision to follow Jesus and yet, these brave new Christians
cling to faith nonetheless. I’d like to
believe that I’d be as courageous and steadfast as these modern-day martyrs,
but I’m not sure I would be given the same circumstances. I’m certain I’m not alone in that.
Today,
as we feel the discomfort of Jesus’s warnings and remind ourselves that these
warnings are still relevant in most of the 21st century world, I encourage us to think about steps we can
take exhibit a more courageous faith. Let’s
be brave enough to question some of the actions we’ve not taken out of fear of being
unpopular or losing some Facebook friends.
Jesus has called us to live out “unsafe” faith with the promise that He
is with us and has our back. Let’s
answer that call.
Question: Does the
way that you live out your faith ever put you at odds with others?
Prayer: Jesus, help
us know deep in our heart how precious each day of our life here is and help us
to use these days to live out bold faith.
Help us confront our fears with the assurance our lives are ultimately “hidden
away with you.” Amen.
Prayer Focus: Pray
for people worldwide who are facing violence and even death because they follow
Jesus.
Song: Live Out Loud -
Steven Curtis Chapman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rWpsilHe7U
