Mark 8:38 “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Sometimes it is hard to gauge just how bad or good things are in the world. We know that the news we get these days is very filtered, leaning one direction or…. Even over my lifetime I have been through worse things, more riots and violence, terrorist attacks and bombings.
But it can be hard to judge accurately just how bad or good things are. We often lack the perspective of time and history to be able to figure these things out. One hundred million people were killed by Communist regimes in the last century. And these were their own citizens! Over sixty million babies have been killed in the womb here in the United States. Perspective.
So when Jesus calls his generation adulterous and sinful, these terms, and the degree of sinful might need calibrating. Jesus uses the term ‘adulterous’ not of sexual sins, but of unfaithfulness to the LORD. This was a very common way for Jews to label idolatry. Jesus’ generation, especially the religious leaders, were not faithful from their hearts. Some had the outward appearance, but lacked the changed heart.
I think Jesus might say it this way in our day and age. “If you aren’t willing to stand up against the raging tide of political correctness and ‘woke’ culture, and take a stand for me, then you aren’t part of my team. And if you aren’t part of my team, you don’t get the benefits that the Owner will give when he visits.” (Super Bowl just happened, so the sports metaphors are fresh.)
You see, you can’t be lukewarm. You can’t straddle the fence. You have to take a stand. Regardless of what the culture is doing, you have to stand up for Christ. This is not optional. We must make our voice heard when the opportunity arises.
So how do you know when the opportunity is right? Well, Jesus has just talked about each of us ‘taking up our cross’ and following Him. He talked about losing our life for Him. These are big stakes! So, it isn’t just when we won’t get in hot water that we share. We need to share even when sharing will lead to persecution and rejection by society.
I say this because, to not stand with Christ carries an even bigger price tag. Eternity is at stake, not just for us, but for those who hear us. We have a responsibility to share, even if it means our death! The price for obedience is all encompassing. Being a Christian is an “all in” commitment. Nothing less will do.
Are you ashamed of Jesus? Have you held back standing with Him in the face of opposition? Have you been silent when you should have spoken?
The Arnold Journey 