Boldly Stand

When my kids were in their teens, Fellowship of Christian Athletes met once a week before school. My younger son, Jacob, was always quick to volunteer me for any and everything, and secretly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I loved being involved with my children in their activities as much as possible for as long as possible, from chaperoning trips and dances to providing snacks, supplies, and even making copies. It’s something I’d heartily recommend to every parent.

Early one Tuesday morning, after serving up donuts and orange juice to forty or fifty middle schoolers, I had the privilege of watching Jacob quickly take his stand in front of his peers when the FCA devotional leader asked who would stand alongside her, boldly declaring their faith in Jesus. Less than an half an hour later as I drove home, having cleaned up and distributed leftovers in the office, I received the fated phone call from the school secretary asking me to return to pick up Jacob. He had just experienced the first of many seizures at the start of first period.

My mind reeled as I phoned my husband and asked what to do next. That was over a decade ago, and after sampling many medications in combination, enduring test after test followed by five brain surgeries, Jacob has been seizure free for almost five years. Initially I didn’t notice the proximity of his public profession of faith to the beginning of this season of trial, but in retrospect, I can see how God has chosen to mature his faith through these experiences among others.

What would it take for you to boldly take a stand for Jesus in your home or workplace? What would move you from your pew on Sunday to your feet for Christ Monday through Saturday? Who intimidates you? What are you afraid of that keeps the name of Jesus from passing your lips on any given day? When was the last time you spoke His name outside of prayer?

The gospel according to Matthew, Mark, and John each record the actions of a secret disciple of Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea was a believer, but fear kept him from making his faith known until after Jesus’s crucifixion. Matthew calls Joseph a man of means. Mark says his going before Pilate to ask for Jesus’s body was risky, but as an honored member of the Jewish high council, his greater risk was forfeiting this special Passover Sabbath observance because touching a dead body made him unclean. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, another secret follower from the high council who came to question Jesus at night to avoid discovery. Why all the secrecy?

“Yet there were many Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus, but because they feared the Pharisees they kept it secret, so they wouldn’t be ostracized by the assembly of the Jews.

For they loved the glory that men could give them rather than the glory that came from God!”

John 12:42-43 TPT

https://bible.com/bible/1849/jhn.12.42-43.TPT

“As evening approached(after the crucifixion of Jesus), Joseph of Arimathea (who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders) took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.

(Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)

Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock.

With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.

Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth.

The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.”

Mark 15:42-46 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mrk.15.42-46.NLT

John 19:38-42 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.19.38-42.NLT

Two important members of the Jewish high council intimidated? We don’t often regard our religious and political leaders as individuals who are easily intimidated. It took a combination of charisma and guts to be in the limelight in the first place. It may help to remember that they are first of all human beings. They are subject to all manner of temptation, in addition to pressure from opposition at every turn. Is it not usually the loudest voices who get the most attention? It’s too easy to separate ourselves from “them,” whoever “they” are, and say we’d never fall prey to their particular bent. When we take that attitude, we risk sounding like Peter, our intentions bested by our knee-jerk reactions.

“Peter said, “All the others may turn away. But I will not.”

What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus answered. “It will happen today, in fact tonight. Before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will say three times that you don’t know me.”

But Peter would not give in.

He said, “I may have to die with you. But I will never say I don’t know you.”

And all the others said the same thing.”

Mark 14:29-31 NIRV

https://bible.com/bible/110/mrk.14.29-31.NIRV

“At the same moment Peter spoke those words, the sound of a rooster crowing pierced the night for the second time.

And Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken to him earlier: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

With his heart shattered, Peter broke down and sobbed with bitter tears.”

Mark 14:72 TPT

https://bible.com/bible/1849/mrk.14.72.TPT

I tend to err on the side of caution, often overthinking until it’s too late to reply or thinking of the perfect thing to say much later. I am a Joseph or a Nicodemus more often than I care to admit. My actions make my faith evident eventually. My Jacob is Peter through and through! He may speak before he thinks often enough, but I envy him the boldness he seems to naturally possess. Writing is my preferred form of communication because I can mull over my words, editing and perfecting before airing them, but I remember that Jesus said, “Now, remember, it is I who sends you out, even though you feel vulnerable as lambs going into a pack of wolves, …but don’t worry about how to speak or what you are to say, for the Holy Spirit will give you at that very moment the words to speak. It won’t be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:16, 19-20 TPT)

Impetuous Peter’s first sermon after being filled with the Holy Spirit yielded three thousand new believers! The Word came to him as promised and he preached boldly.

“Repent and return to God, and each one of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus, the Anointed One, to have your sins removed.

Then you may take hold of the gift of the Holy Spirit. For God’s promise of the Holy Spirit is for you and your families, for those yet to be born and for everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Peter preached to them and warned them with these words: “Be rescued from the wayward and perverse culture of this world!”

Acts 2:38-40 TPT

https://bible.com/bible/1849/act.2.38-40.TPT

This message of good news and call to repentance is as relevant today as it was then, so with the apostle Paul, I say, “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,”

Ephesians 6:19 NIV

https://ephesians.bible/ephesians-6-19