Not Ashamed

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

NOT ASHAMED

Luke 9:23-27

23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God." 

NIV

Now that we looked at how we should deny ourselves as we take up our cross daily to follow Jesus, and we briefly examined the idea of gaining the whole world, we need to go further into that as well as being ashamed of Jesus. Once again, we should contemplate if we are pursuing, in any way, part or some of the world. Certainly, as followers of Jesus, we have chosen him over the world. However, have we allowed ourselves some latitude in this matter? We do have to live in the world and we know that we use the phrase, “but not of the world” to justify any of our worldly pursuits. We need all the things to live in this world, like food, clothing, housing, transportation, and all the other things that make our lives as easy as possible. But are we chasing after them? We have watched people we know to be Christians, posting on social media pictures of their expensive taste in cars as an example. Some have posted their accomplishments, with some trying to show how much they are doing. Have we succumbed to the ways of the world? We must always be aware of taking up that cross daily and follow Jesus and the way he has shown us. It is not that we should not have things, Jesus said that if we pursue him first and foremost, that is seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, He will add all the things to us that the pagans chase after. Of course, having God add all the stuff to us should not be the reason we take up our cross and follow Jesus. Although many of the times during His life on Earth many people did chase after him, because of what he did for them, the miracles, the healings, and even feeding them fish and bread. That should not be our purpose, although why did we decide to follow Jesus? Was it to attain eternal life? Was it to make sure our sinful lives were forgiven and we don’t have to pay the price for our sinful ways? Perhaps this was true in the beginning, when we first decided to follow Jesus, but now after years, knowing we have been set free, assured that we have eternal life, what does it mean to pick up our cross daily, which means every day of the rest of our lives. Have we changed the way we think about everything? Yet the hardest question is, are we, in any way, ashamed of Jesus? Have we accepted being simply called a Christian? Because there are so many in the world, and of the world that have taken that name, or believe they are Christian, but do not bear any resemblance to Jesus whatsoever, and are in no way caring or have ever taken up a cross to follow Jesus, we should not be satisfied with the title Christian, for then we are by the name associated with them. The other parts of the world put us all in the same group. But if we can express our true title as born-again, spirit-filled, cross-carrying, Bible-believing followers of Jesus, then maybe the world might see us as different than all the rest. Maybe we will reflect his glory in ever-increasing glory. Then, we can say that we have lost our lives, and we are not ashamed of Jesus. It is not just being a Christian, it is being a Jesus follower, so we will not be ashamed of Jesus.