{3.31} Will you stand up?

:: this post is a part of the 3.31 IMPACT series ::

If you would like to be encouraged further in living a live a life of impact, grab a copy of Impact My Life: Biblical Mentoring Simplified.

Focus

Matthew 10:32-39 MSG
Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you? Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me. If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.

Resurrection Hope

Decision

Ouch.

Did that feel like a punch in the gut?

If you just read the passage above, then you know what I am talking about. If you didn’t read it, go back up there, take a deep breath, and read those words.

Jesus is calling us to make a decision. We need to decide if we are going to follow Him. Wholeheartedly. Unashamed. In the face of opposition. Even when it is hard. Even when it divides our families.

Now that is messy. But it is true!

Somewhere along the way, we bought ONLY into the “Jesus love me this I know” Gospel. We see ourselves as little children at His knee, believing that in Christ, we will find all the love and hope and peace and happiness we crave. Yes, this is true. We do find wholeness in the love of God that we can’t even begin to taste elsewhere. Yes, when Christ dwells in us by faith and through the working of the Holy Spirit, we will certainly experience a peace that no circumstance or material thing could ever rival. But this is not all that it means to be a follower of Christ. This is not the the whole Gospel.

There is another part.

1 Peter 2:24 “By His wounds, we have been healed.”

[Tweet “It cost the death of Christ to give us a resurrection hope.”]

Throughout Scriptures, there is evidence of it costing believers their families, friendships, jobs, positions, reputation, homes. Yes, Jesus is controversial. Following Him will cost you, some how or some way.

It has cost me in the past. He continues to cost me today.

But God was and is and will always be greater than the cost.

Are you willing to stand up for Christ against world opinion? 

He promises that if you do, He’ll stand up for you before His Father in heaven.

Surrender

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for not wanting to embrace the truth that it cost you something to rescue me from my sin. Forgive me for not accepting the fact that it will cost me something to follow you, too. Please, Lord, give me the courage to embrace your whole truth and to put my entire trust into your strong and able hands. Help me, Jesus, to be bold for you and stand up against the opinions of this world. God, make me a humble messenger of your truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection

Will you prayerfully consider how can you take the whole gospel to the next generation? They need to know more than just Jesus loves them.  They feel lost and need your help.

Resources: Learn more about this generation in Mosaics Part 1 & Part 2 & Part 3!

 

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1 thought on “{3.31} Will you stand up?”

  1. There is such awesome revelation bringing truth in this post! We forget all too often just how much was sacrificed for our salvation. The things we are called to sacrifice simply pale in comparison. Thank you for this reminder of that reality! Be blessed!~

    Surrendered to Him~
    ~rose~

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