I am going to shed light on how we might be denying Christ and not even know it. We’ll be right back
I am pastor Tim and this is Ubumuntu – Biblical Devotions for humanity. Our devotions are for those who want to grow Spiritually in faith. I just returned from the beautiful city of Kigali in the heart of Rwanda, the land of 1000 hills, where I was working with our Global Missions Organization, Foundations for Christ. Our mission saves lives and saves souls. Foundations for Christ is bringing the world together. Over the last few weeks we taught nearly 50 pastors and evangelists in the fundamentals of expository preaching and interpretation of biblical prophecy.
Today’s devotion is “Are You Denying Christ?” and comes from the biblical stories of Judas Iscariot, Peter, and the thief on the cross. When we examine the biblical principles of discipleship and investigate ominous warnings like the unpardonable sin, we start to see that there is more to following Christ than going to church on Sunday and claiming to be Christian.
Now, I don’t mean that to be an indictment of Christians, identifying with Christ is an essential part of salvation, but there IS a very real danger of denying Christ when we think this is the last thing we would ever do. How do I know? Because it happened to some of the great men of the Bible.
There are obvious denials like that of Judas. Outright betrayal. In Luke 12 it tells us that Jesus told his disciples how much he desired to eat the Passover with them before He suffered. This would be His last until the coming of the Kingdom of God. After he took the cup and the bread and said those familiar verses, he said that the hand of his betrayer was with him on the table. The disciples began to whisper among themselves who it might be.
Judas had a secret. I can imagine he was whispering along with the others, who could it be? Knowing in his heart that he was the one. Now we won’t betray Christ with a kiss, but what secrets are you holding? What do you say to yourself during public prayers? How do you feel when others exemplify their faith in ways that you might not imagine possible? Judas had a secret and he was about to commit the gravest act of betrayal and do it with a symbol of love: a kiss. When we claim to love Jesus, but then make excuses for not serving Him, not obeying His commands, not wanting to know His Word, we are acting in the patter of Judas.
Is that you? Maybe not, if you are watching this video. Let’s look at what happened with Peter. During the same supper, after they discussed who would betray Christ, they discussed which of them was the greatest. I imagine one conversation grew out of the other. Then the Lord said to Peter that Satan desired to have him, but that Jesus prayed for him that he wouldn’t fall victim to evil. That’s what happened to Judas, the Bible tells us that Satan entered into him. Peter said to Jesus that he was ready to follow him to prison or to death! Now that is commitment. But Jesus revealed to Peter that He would deny Christ three times before the rooster crowed. And that is exactly what happened. Are you ready to profess Christ even if it means prison or death?
Finally, the first thief on the cross mocked Jesus and said if you are who you say you are then get us out of here. His prayer, you see, was for God to fix the problem that he himself created. No reverence, no humility, no worship – just a demand. Do you pray like that? Do you talk with God only when you need something from Him?
These are all ways we can deny Christ. Judas hanged himself in despair because of what he had done. Peter wept bitterly when he heard the rooster crow. The first thief on the cross died in his sin on that cross. But the second thief acknowledged Jesus for who he is, admitted that Jesus was suffering for nothing He had done, but that he, the thief, was being rightful punished for of his sinful actions. He simply said, Lord, remember me when you get to heaven.
You see when we claim to know Christ, to love Christ, and don’t we are betraying him like Judas who valued what the world could do for him more than what Christ did for him. When we fail to stand up for our Christian values because we fear what the world can do to us more than we value what Christ already did for us, we are like Peter. When we ignore God until we are in trouble we are like the first thief on the cross. What we must do, if we are to be called Christian, is reverently worship Christ for who he is and pray that He remembers us in heaven.
We know we are all sinners deserving of God’s wrath, but He loves us anyway and died so that we might live. Love Him for that.
I hope this devotion has been a blessing to you. Please remember to subscribe and click that bell so you never miss it when we upload another video. Until next time – live what you learned. God bless.
