This morning’s verses deal mostly with other’s reaction when we choose to stand on God’s word. Their response isn’t always favorable. Think back to a time when you weren’t really interested in spiritual things or in bringing honor to the Lord. Did you avoid or ridicule those you considered religious?
We should desire to reflect God’s purpose and teachings.
“41 Lord, show me your faithful love. Save me, as you promised. 42 Then I will have an answer for those who make fun of me for trusting what you say. 43 Let me always say what is true. I depend on your judgment to be fair. 44 I will follow your teachings forever and ever. 45 So I will live in freedom, because I do my best to know your instructions. 46 I will discuss your rules with kings, and no one will embarrass me. 47 What joy your commands give me! How I love them! 48 Not only do I love your commands, but I also honor them. I will study your laws.” Psalm 119:41-48
I want us to take a walk through the Bible and look at folks who took a stand for God and met with adverse reaction.
Noah – laughed at by his neighbors when He said God was going to send a flood but he and his family escaped.
Joseph – told his brothers the vision he had from God and they sold him into slavery. Then Joseph was set up to save his brothers from famine.
Moses – he tried to defend the Israelites from the Egyptians and they rejected him and God. But then he led them out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.
David – said he could defeat the giant and his brothers accused him of being arrogant and a braggart. He saved Israel and went on to be king.
Daniel – stood for God and his time of prayer and was thrown into the lion’s den by his co-workers because of it. God saved him and his enemies were destroyed.
3 Hebrew children – would only worship God and not the king so they were thrown into the fiery furnace. God rescued them and the king promoted them.
Jesus – spoke God’s truth and was crucified. He rose from the dead and provided salvation for us all.
Peter – was thrown into prison and beaten for preaching Jesus. He went on to become known as a leader among Christians.
Paul – was beaten, stoned, and imprisoned for preaching Jesus. He wrote over ½ of the New Testament.
Early Christians – martyred in the Coliseum for preaching Jesus. They gave their lives gladly for the cause of Christ.
I have a couple of personal experiences to share. At my 20th High School reunion, I had a man come up to me and tell me that he had gone to a youth meeting I had invited him to and accepted Christ as his Savior. I never knew. I was teased and unpopular in high school because I stood boldly for my faith.
There was a man who traveled with us when we went to rodeos in AZ. We would hold Bible Study and Sunday services for the cowboys and those in attendance. This man was so excited about Jesus that he was always met with one of two reactions. Either people flocked to him to hear what he had to say or the turned around and ran the other direction. There was no indifference.
All of these verses today reflect David’s rejection from his peers because of his stand for God. Maybe you have been embarrassed to share your relationship with the Lord with others. Or maybe you have been bold enough to share it and faced the taunts and jeers of others.
I’m not telling you to try and beat someone over the head with your Bible or to shove Jesus down their throats but be open to live your life committed to bringing God glory. Folks will notice and they will either want to know more or they will make fun and ridicule. It’s our job to be a testimony, 24/7, and the job the Holy Spirit to do the rest.
I leave you with the words of Paul. “I am proud (not ashamed) of the Good News, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and now to save those who are not Jews. 17 The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself. God’s way of making people right begins and ends with faith. As the Scriptures say, “The one who is right with God by faith will live forever.”Romans 1:16-17