Proved right

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

PROVED RIGHT

Matt 11:16-19

16 "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions." 

NIV

Is the generation Jesus was speaking to any different than any generation? This comparison to being like children sitting in the public places, which Jesus said, marketplaces and calling out to others this saying. From our studies we find it was a custom of that time that children would imitate their parents who would dance and rejoice at weddings and mourn and lament at funerals. However, these children were doing it in a jesting manner, making fun of the behavior of their parents. Because Jesus makes a statement about both John the Baptist and himself it could mean he was referring to John and himself as the parents of this generation. The children were the Pharisees and scribes who made fun of the both of them. This is not much different in the generation in which we live. Many people make fun of our faith. They do not take it seriously. Because they think themselves so much superior then us believers, they consider us to be foolish. They believe in science, in intellect, in the monetary system and their own abilities. Our faith is seen as in opposition to their beliefs and thus the only way to defend their position is to mock or make fun of our belief in Jesus.

1 Cor 1:20

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

NIV

 Just as the Pharisees accused John of being a demon because of his strange eating habits and abstaining from wine, this world accuses those Christians who ascribe to certain restrictions regarding food and drink, as being weird. On the other hand the Pharisees accused Jesus of eating and drinking in excess. Here again this world calls us hypocrites if we eat anything and especially if we drink wine. The Pharisees saw themselves as having the right ideas about how to behave, but Jesus called them children just joking around. Our generation thinks itself to be right, the only way to behave, the correct way to think about everything, but they are but children at play. Of course some of our scholars of old as well as some denominations of today make the case the wine Jesus drank was simply grape juice, but then why would the Pharisees call him a drunkard or winebibber? This comes down to child’s play again, imitating the behavior of the parents which indicates no independent thought. Jesus speaks directly to this issue of independent thinking, knowing the truth, knowing wisdom. Wisdom is proved right by her actions is the idea that knowing Jesus and accepting him as Lord and Savior is pure wisdom, the purest of wisdom and thus we who believe will be proved right by our action of accepting Jesus. It does not come down to how well we make our lists of do’s and mostly don’ts and check off each one we accomplish somewhat semi-successfully, on a momentary basis. It comes down to having wisdom, the wisdom that comes from God.

James 1:2-8

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

NIV

Here is the truth of it. We can have the wisdom of God, we only need to ask for it, but we cannot be double-minded. That is we cannot combine the wisdom of God with the wisdom of the world. We cannot have both. We cannot think in terms as to how the world approaches wisdom, for it is but foolishness to God. That might well speak to approaching the wisdom of God through the methods of higher education, or intellectually, which is the method the world uses. They believe this is how wisdom is gained. But we can simply ask God for his wisdom and if we are pure in our asking, rejecting the world’s methods then he will grant us his wisdom. No child’s play here. We may not ever be proved right in this generation, but we will be proved right in the generation to come, the era of eternity. 

Least in the kingdom

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

LEAST IN THE KINGDOM

Matt 11:11-15

11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear.

NIV

How can someone who is least in the kingdom be greater than John the Baptist? What did Jesus mean by this? Surely the prophets spoke about John the Baptist. They spoke of the one who would be the messenger proclaiming the Messiah.

Isa 40:3

3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.  

NIV

Mal 3:1

3:1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.

NIV

Yet the prophets did not see the kingdom of God as we do. John the Baptist did not see the kingdom of God as we do. Although he introduced Jesus to the world, proclaiming him to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, he did not get to see Jesus do that on the cross. John did not get to see Jesus die nor get raised from the dead. John did not get to see Jesus ascend, however he did get to see Jesus when he arrived in heaven, if we believe to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  However, if we believe we are asleep in Christ until the final resurrection of the dead and those that still alive, are catch up in the air to meet our Lord, then John has not seen Jesus in all his glory. However, the point is that John did not see the kingdom of God in its fullness as the least in the kingdom can. What Jesus said about forcefully been taken by forceful men has to be taken in conjunction with what Luke recorded. The idea was that the tax collectors, such as Matthew and his friends, and even the pagans seized upon the truth of the gospel, took hold of it, but the Pharisees and scribes who were supposed to be the teachers and spiritual leaders of the people rejected Jesus as the Christ. The common people and even the tax collectors had been baptized by John and were ready for Jesus, but not the Pharisees nor the teachers of the Law. Jesus makes another astonishing statement about John being the Elijah who has come. According to the gospel of John the Pharisees sent priests and Levites to ask who John was, they asked if he was Elijah and he confessed he was not, Yet Jesus said he was. How could this be? Again what did Jesus mean? He said that if we can accept it, John was the Elijah. Certainly John the Baptist came in the power and spirit of Elijah and perhaps that was what Jesus was referring to.

Mal 4:5

5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

NIV

It is not sure this is what he meant, however we can be sure of one thing. John the Baptist came, introduced Jesus and now Jesus has brought the kingdom of God to earth for all of us who have an ear and have heard his call. We may be the least in the kingdom. We may not have much fame and fortune. We may not be some great prophet or famous preacher. We may not be a formidable witness for Christ. We may not be recognized by others as a great servant in the church, serving in some special way. We may not be seen as a big giver, or hold a prominent place in the body of Christ. But what we are is the least in the kingdom of God and are greater than John the Baptist, for we have seen Jesus die, raised from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God. We have his record of all this, we know it within our heart to be true. The other truth is that it does not matter our position in life or in the body of Christ, what type of service we do in the church, we are all sinners saved by grace. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile. God shows no favoritism. No one is better than the other, for because we came after John the Baptist and after Christ died on the cross for our sin, and was raised from the dead, to give us victory over death, and ascended into heaven, to prepare a place for us, so that where he is we will be also, we all are the least in the kingdom. 

Speaking about

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

SPEAK ABOUT

Matt 11:7-10

7 As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: "'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'  

NIV

Jesus talks more about John, but this is enough for now and plenty for us to chew upon as a life lesson. In talking to the crowd, we would think there were some scribes, or teachers of the Law and Pharisees among them as they were looking for a way to attack him and his teaching. But also the crowd included many people who heard many voices teaching many doctrines. Certainly the teachers of the Law all did not teach the exact same points of the Law or may even have had differing views of the Law. We know the Pharisees believed in the resurrection, but the Sadducees did not. The Pharisees believed in both the written and the oral Law, thinking God also gave Moses the way to interpret the Law orally. The Sadducees did not believe in the oral law, but held strictly to the written law and insisted on a literal interpretation of it. They also incorporated a bit of Hellenism into their lives, which the Pharisees opposed. Then there was also the Essences who thought both the Pharisees and the Sadducees had corrupted the Law and they separated themselves in a monastery type lifestyle. All these voices with so many different ideologies and theologies.  When Jesus asked the people if when they went out to see John did they see a reed swayed by the wind. He was speaking directly to those who are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

Eph 4:14

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

NIV

This speaks directly to us today. We have so many voices who purpose they have the truth of the Gospel and are preaching in order to attain as many followers as possible. They preach various forms of the truth, just enough to sound good, but we can see their schemes because we have been given discernment by God. We cannot be that reed that sways in the wind. We have been given the same text, the same scriptures as all men have, although a few groups have rewritten scripture to fit their own beliefs. Nevertheless John was no reed blowing in the wind, like the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, or as some people might have been as they listened to the various teachings. He was a steady word who spoke of the truth of the gospel, a forerunner to Christ, to announce the coming of Christ. This is our cause, to be a steady voice rather than a reed. We need to hold fast to our faith in Jesus, not being swayed by those with silver tongues or dress in fine clothes. This was the other example Jesus used. He asked if they went out to see a man in fine clothes. But no those fine clothed men live in palaces. Again this may have been a sting at the fine garments of the Pharisees. But we too have men who address crowds using every media method to reach more, and they wear extremely expensive clothing and live in lavish homes and drape themselves with fine jewelry, all at the expense of their followers with promises that by giving to God,  “them”, they too can have all this wealth. It is not that Jesus is opposed to wealth, but we cannot look to the wealth for the truth. It too is a fleeting moment in time, much like the reed in the wind. But rather a prophet is who they came to see. A man declaring the coming of the kingdom of God. A messenger declaring the way for Jesus. This is who we are supposed to be, a messenger of God, a person who declares the truth of God to the people, making a way for Jesus to come to them. We stay the course, the truth, not be swayed by the fancy voices, or the promises of great wealth. We declare the coming of the kingdom of God. John declared the coming of Christ. Is not that our same message? We declare his coming to each person for their salvation, but also his coming in the clouds to gather his own, and his coming to earth to finish the battle. We also tell the truth of the coming of the kingdom of God, the new heaven and new earth with the new city of Jerusalem where his people, those who have been born again will live eternally with Jesus. This is the way Jesus spoke of John, a steady voice. Will Jesus speak of us that way? Does he speak of us that way? 

No Question

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

 NO QUESTION

Matt 11:1-6

11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.   2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" 4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." 

NIV

There seems to be some question as to why John the Baptist would ask such a question. John was the one by his own declaration declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Certainly this truth was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, yet here in prison he sends his disciples to ask if Jesus is the one. Perhaps John was concerned about his disciples knowing his end was near and they would be left to wander aimlessly and hopeless through life without him. So he sent them to question Jesus that they might find the truth about Jesus more fully and attach themselves to him as his disciples. John had to know he could not offer the same as Jesus and wanted his disciples to have that which Jesus could offer. The other idea is that John once convinced Jesus was the long waited for Messiah and he, like many others, thought Jesus was going to set up his kingdom on earth, overthrowing the Roman occupiers, having been in prison for some time now, wanted to know if this was going to happen soon, so he could be released.  Yet there might be another reason for John’s question. John was a blessed man from the time he was in his mother’s womb. When Mary, the mother of Jesus arrived at Elizabeth’s home, John leaped with her womb at the presence of Jesus within the womb of Mary. We do not know much about John’s childhood as with Jesus’s. But as an adult he began a wild ride. Surely being inspired by the Spirit he began preaching the Kingdom of God was at hand and people needed to repent and be baptized. Whether it was his message or his wild appearance that drew people, crowds came to hear him and to repent and be baptized. He was on top of the world, so to speak. Everything was going his way, people were responding to his message. Then to top it is all off, Jesus shows up and John witnesses the presence of the Holy Trinity. He declares Jesus to be the one and baptizes him. Then standing in the presence of Jesus, John sees the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descend and rest on Jesus and then hears the very voice of God from the heavens declare Jesus is his Son in whom he is well pleased. How much better can life be for John? But because he does not shrink away from the truth and speaks up against the adulterous situation of King Herod, he is thrown in prison. Life is not so good now. Here is where we could find a lesson for our lives. There are moments in life when we are on top of the world. Everything is going our way. We accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior and all is well. We are being blessed day after day, things are just wonderful. The Lord is doing so many things in our life. Then a situation arises that is not so good. Either we have not seen any answer to our prayers for a long time or we are experiencing some difficult situation. Maybe we lose our job, or experience some other form of financial loss. Maybe we get very ill, or someone close to us has cancer, or some other dreaded disease. Maybe we are having a difficult time overcoming some sin or temptation. Maybe we go through a relationship crisis. We pray and nothing is happening, we do not hear from God nor do we see any results of our prayer. We know Jesus is the Son of God. We experienced his divine touch in our lives. We might have even been healed once of some infirmity by his miraculous hand. Yet now things are not as perfect as they once were and maybe we are experiencing just a smidgen of doubt, wondering is all we once experienced just a coincidence, is Jesus actually real, is all this actually true. Is the Bible truly the word of God?  If he is real, why does he not do something? So we ask, as John was asking, are you the one? Jesus responds to his question and assures him all is well and not to worry about life, Jesus has everything under control. He lets John know not to lose hope, not to fall away from what he knows in his heart, Jesus is the Son of God and eternal life is in his hands. John might lose his physical life, but his true life will be with Christ forever. What can man do to us? They can harm the physical life, but never can they destroy our eternal life. We need to remain always hopeful no matter our physical situations in life. Our faith cannot be shaken even if we have not seen a prayer answered in a long time. We do not live by sight but by faith. This life has some ebbs and flows, some ups and downs, some good times and some not so good times. Jesus promised us he would take care of us. He told us that he would never leave us nor forsake us. So we take him as his word, just as John was going to need to do. We have the Spirit who lives within us and testifies to all that is true. In fact he leads us into all truth. So no matter the course this life takes us, we will never fail to believe. So then should be question? No, there is no question. Whether we are on top of the world or in some valley, Jesus is always there with us. 

reward

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

REWARD

Matt 10:40-42

40 "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." 

NIV

This seems to be a slightly difficult saying of Jesus to see a personal implication. Certainly we would believe as we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we accepted God as well. Accepting God also means we accept everything in the bible as he has said all scripture is God-breathed.

2 Tim 3:15-17

 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

NIV

Therefor that means something in this saying of Jesus is in fact useful to us, either to teach us, rebuke us, correct us or train us in righteousness. Yet it also means that in accepting Jesus and thus God we accept the precepts of God, all of them. This means we cannot pick and choose which we are going to live by and which we are not. This requires thought as to whether we have taken some of the truth of God and left some of it behind to adopt or continue to practice some of the rules of this world. Jesus goes on to talk about prophets yet the Greek word used here implies an inspired speaker. This could apply to those who minister in the name of our Lord, such as pastors and evangelists. We remember Jesus was sending his disciples into all the towns to preach the gospel and this may have been spoken to the crowds so as to know how to host his disciples. But it also applies to us today in given due respect to those who have spent their lives, dedicated their lives to ministering in the name of Jesus. This also implies that their reward for ministering full time in the name of Jesus is no greater than those of us who receive or respect them. We will all receive the same reward. This agrees with the character of God in that he shows no favoritism. The righteous man Jesus talks about is the innocent or holy man. This could again speak of ministers, but also can imply all Christians as we are all called to be holy because he is holy, or set apart, or different, in the sense of being rendered innocent by God because we accepted Jesus.

Rom 3:22-25

There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

NIV

That word justified in the Greek means to regard as just or innocent. So then in that sense we are the righteous the holy men and woman and thus we should accept each other with honor and respect. This would imply that we do no harm to each other, we do not speak ill of another brother or sister in Christ, spread rumors, gossip or any other manner of disrespect, keeping any confidential matters shared with us confidential. As to the cup of cold water we might not see much of a meaning for us today as it was customary in those days for righteous men to take water on hot days and stand on the road side to offer a cold drink to those weary travelers passing by. Our scholars believe by using the term, “Little ones”, Jesus was referring to his disciples and thus they were going to be the travelers without coin, bag, or extra coat and would need a cup of cold water as they traveled from town to town. But it could also imply that we offer a cup of cold water as well. This could mean being hospitable, not merely to each other, but to the weary traveler. This might mean the poor among us. Those poor individuals who stand along the road at an intersection holding a sign, “Homeless, need food” or something of that effect. Sometimes we can think poorly of them, thinking them as scam artists who actually have a home. But how do we know? Perhaps we are to just offer a cup of cold water, whatever that means to each of us.

Heb 13:2

2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

NIV

Living the life of a believer has more to it than the safety of our own souls. There are interactions with others which demand certain attitudes and behaviors. Let us live not just for ourselves but for the benefit of those we encounter and certainly we will receive our just reward. 

Life

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

LIFE

Matt 10:34-39

34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

"'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'  

37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

NIV

Jesus is quoting from the prophet Micah about family turning against each other. We also see  this is about the fruit of the Spirit in regard to peace, yet that may well be peace with God rather than with man. We have peace in our heart because we are no longer at war against God and we are no longer objects of his wrath. But because of the gospel we will not have peace with other people, especially this might apply within our own family. It is not that we get into a slug fest or a knock down drag out fight to the death, but there is also no real peace. There is always a strange sense of opposition regarding God. It appears Jesus left out husband and wife in this discord within a family. But what we can be sure of is that when a person finds Jesus, it does not mean the rest of their family does as well. Jesus also did not mention nieces and nephews or cousins or other extended family members. What we can be sure of is that there will be some discord within a family because of Jesus. One will love Jesus, the other the world. What harmony can there be between the two. Although we are told to live in harmony with each other, it may not be possible.

Rom 12:14-19

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

NIV

For we are also told there can be no peace, no harmony between believers and non-believers.

2 Cor 6:14-16

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."  

NIV

We mostly think about this in regards to the world, the ways of the world, those awful sinners who hate God. But that also means those very nice good people who live without Jesus as their Lord and Savior. That also applies to family members who we love. There is going to be some members of our family who decide not to follow Jesus. We still love them, but we do not have Jesus in common with them and thus there is going to be some sense of separation between us. It is not like we can sit down and talk about the things of God with them, for they do not believe and do not want to hear about him. They, however want to talk about the things of the world, their beliefs in evolution, climate change, or whatever else someone has made up that confronts the whole idea of God. Although we get along, living in a sense of mutual love, there is really no true peace with them. There will always be a sort of distance, a feeling of constant tension. But no matter what happens within the family, we have to stay our course. Although we love our family, we must love Jesus more. We cannot afford to be drawn away by anyone. Some of them might present some very persuasive or compelling arguments to support their beliefs, siting science, or what they believe are reputable sources to prove themselves right. They will say we cannot use the bible to prove the bible, yet they use science to prove science. The point is we must always stay the course, no matter what anyone says. We know Jesus, we have experienced his power in our lives, and we have experienced his divine healing, his peace, his love, his joy. We know we sit in the heavenly realms already. People who do not know Jesus might think they are living the good life, chasing after the things of the world, success, fame and fortune, intellectual prowess, all the humanistic qualities of this world. But they have in actuality lost their lives, they will ultimately perish. We give up chasing after the things of this world, we chase after Jesus. We know that verse so well about seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. In doing so we put Jesus first, but also in doing so he will see to it that we have what we need to live in this world. This is taking up our cross and following him. There is a cost to discipleship. That might be slightly different for each one of us, but it is going to cost us. Yet in losing our life in this world, we have gained eternal life. By taking up our cross and following Jesus we will be truly living, not as the world lives, but as Jesus lives; eternally. We have to face the reality we might be the only one in our family who is a believer. Maybe two or three of us, but just as Noah had to stand in the door of the ark and knew that some of his family, his brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins were going to perish, we must face that same truth as we stand in the cross.

Acknowledgement

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Matt 10:32-33

32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

NIV

What do we supposed Peter thought when he heard these words? We know, and we also know how rash of a fellow he was. He insisted he would follow Jesus forever.

Luke 22:33

33 But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."

NIV

And we know what happened, even Jesus knew what would happen and told him so.

Luke 22:34

34 Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." 

NIV

Is this the kind of one who disowns Jesus before men? Then Peter would not be acknowledged before the Father in Heaven, but we know that is not the case. Peter must have repented of these three times he denied knowing Jesus. After he did deny him those three times, on the third denial the rooster crowed and he remembered what Jesus had said.

Luke 22:61-62

61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times."  62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

NIV

So he did repent, he wept bitterly, knowing his mistake, his error, his sin and we know Peter went on to be one of the founding fathers of the early church. It would seem that whenever we fall to temptation, we in some sense deny Jesus. But that is not disowning him before men. What this disowning might look like could be in various ways. Could we be disowning Jesus with our silence? When someone says something that is not appropriate, such as extreme vulgarity or uses our Lords name in vain, do we stand up for Jesus, or do we just leave the person be? Would they think we were being rude by telling them, or asking them not to say those things? When someone says something about a topic which the scriptures speak to, do we speak up with our opinion based on what Jesus said, or do we just remain silent and not offer some truth on the subject? Do our co-workers know not to speak or swear in our presence because they know it would offend us because we are religious, that we are Christians, God fearing people? Now that does not mean we have to be solemn and gloomy all the time either. In fact one of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. We can be joyful, light hearted, merry people, bringing smiles and even laughter into the hearts of people. But at the same time we need to let them know we love Jesus, we love God, we love that which is upright and honest, and we work as onto the Lord. This means we are the best we can be at whatever we do in our labor for our employers. Is it possible if we were slothful in regards to our labor for our employers that it would be a form of denying Jesus? Maybe not, but did we confess our faith out loud before our employer? They might think we are not living according to the fact we told them we love Jesus. The fact is we do need to love Jesus and we need to tell people we do. We cannot just go about loving Jesus only on the inside while living in a similar manner as those who do not love him. We cannot isolate ourselves from them either, we need to mingle with those who may not love him as we do, so we can acknowledge him before them, showing them his love, his grace, his compassion, his mercy, his character. This is living our faith out loud in the world of those who need to meet him. Sure it is good to fellowship with like believers, but we all know and love Jesus. It is easy to acknowledge him before each other, even if we do so in a façade sort of way, not being as transparent as we should be. But when we are out in the world among those who need Jesus, do we acknowledge him then or do we remind silent? Is our silence a denial? We need to make sure we do not have to go somewhere and weep bitterly because we were afraid to stand up and say we love Jesus. Doing our acts of righteousness before men might bring us some praise, but we are supposed to bring glory and praise to our Father in heaven. In fact we were already warned by Jesus not to do acts of righteousness before men, for if we do, we have already received our reward. They praise us because of them. Good deeds as it were, are only good if people know we acknowledge Jesus as the author of those deeds. All that we are, all that we say, all that we do should be in acknowledgement of Jesus.