Does your Jesus have a bag of His face???

[Jesus_is_LORD]

DOES YOUR JESUS HAVE A BAG OVER HIS FACE?

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance in revealing the truth of your word. May the hearers hear and believe, and may the doers do and bear fruit unto life everlasting. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Greetings brothers & sisters in Christ.Today we study in the book of Romans. Romans was written by the apostle Paul to the church in Roman. The Roman church was trying to be a light for Jesus in the midst of a barbaric, hedonistic, and pagan culture. Though the Roman citizens were satisfied with their immoral lifestyle, Paul knew that they were on a path to Hell. As a result, He encouraged the church in Rome to preach the gospel and be an example to all who were watching.

Just like it is in our culture, the same was in the time of the Roman church. Many Christians were ashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. They feared not being accepted or liked. They feared the laws of Rome that at times had Christians thrown to lions to be eaten alive. And they also feared just sounding crazy to believe something that the secular culture was not promoting. Paul proudly proclaimed to the Roman church that He was not ashamed of the Gospel. In our verse above Paul states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

Paul told the church in Rome and the same is true for us, that he was not afraid of sharing the good news of Jesus because this good news has the power to save. This good news is a beautiful thing when I think about the fact that sinners such as myself(and you) can accept a free gift of eternal life. When we receive good news we are not ashamed of it, but we share it. People receive a new car and they tell their friends. Someone wins a million dollars and the media is announcing and proclaiming it to everyone to vicariously share in their joy. People get married and they are happy to show off their spouse in public. The Bible refers to the church (believer in Christ) as the bride of Christ. When we are ashamed of Jesus, it is similar to the picture(titled: Just Married) illustrated above. We as believers become one with Jesus but we are ashamed for others to know that we claim His name. Like the picture above, it is like we are putting a bag of Jesus' face. We may not mention Him to our friends, or may not share about how much better our life is in terms of fulfillment because we have Him. When we do this, how do you think it makes Jesus feel? We often forget that Jesus has feelings too. He showed sorrow and wept when Lazarus died, He showed anger and flipped the tables in the temples when His father's House was being used inappropriately. Jesus has feelings and it hurts Jesus when we are ashamed of Him.

A life guard who sees a swimmer drowning does not hesitate to throw Him or Her a life line. The life guard is not ashamed of the lifeline. The life line may be red and red may no longer be a fashionable color, or be in style. The lifeline may have an awkward shape and look silly to others, but the life guard is not ashamed because in that lifeline is the power to save. We should act in a similar way. Jesus may not be fashionable to some in the culture, and may even seem silly to others, however; don't be ashamed because in Jesus is the power to save. Let us be proud to be part of the church which is the bride of Christ! Let us be overjoyed to share the good news of our testimony of how Jesus saved us from our bondage of sin and can do the same for others. Let us not blush to share that the word of God is truth and we believe it. Let us not be ashamed to say the beautiful name of JESUS in mixed company.

Jesus is returning and He told the world prior to returning that if we are ashamed of Him now, He will be ashamed of us when He returns. Let us not be ashamed of Jesus now so that when He returns we can stand without shame and welcome with Joy our KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS. Amen.

So, does your Jesus have a bag over His face???
I think we all have been guilty of this, myself too of course, at times. I'm trusting Jesus to help me do better.

 

[B-A-C]

Matt 10:33; But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

 

[B-A-C]

Just like it is in our culture, the same was in the time of the Roman church. Many Christians were ashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. They feared not being accepted or liked. They feared the laws of Rome that at times had Christians thrown to lions to be eaten alive. And they also feared just sounding crazy to believe something that the secular culture was not promoting. Paul proudly proclaimed to the Roman church that He was not ashamed of the Gospel. In our verse above Paul states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

I have some "Jesus" ball caps, and some "Jesus" T shirts, I wear from time to time. I don't wear them
everyday, but usually on weekends. Sometimes when I go out shopping, I get funny looks and some
people have a way of looking at you that lets you know they are offended.
I don't go out of my way to offend people. But I don't go out of my way not to either.

I love this about Paul... you make a very good point. He starts off in Turkey and Greece...
(because everyone knows there are no gods in Greek mythology.... ha, ha... )
But then what does Paul do... I think I'll go to Rome, it'll be easier there ... (because there
are no gods in Roman mythology, ha, ha) Paul didn't back down from going to places where
other beliefs and religions
were prevalent. Maybe we need a few more Pauls around now. ( Php 1:16; )

 

[Jesus_is_LORD]

I have some "Jesus" ball caps, and some "Jesus" T shirts, I wear from time to time. I don't wear them
everyday, but usually on weekends. Sometimes when I go out shopping, I get funny looks and some
people have a way of looking at you that lets you know they are offended.
I don't go out of my way to offend people. But I don't go out of my way not to either.

I love this about Paul... you make a very good point. He starts off in Turkey and Greece...
(because everyone knows there are no gods in Greek mythology.... ha, ha... )
But then what does Paul do... I think I'll go to Rome, it'll be easier there ... (because there
are no gods in Roman mythology, ha, ha) Paul didn't back down from going to places where
other beliefs and religions
were prevalent. Maybe we need a few more Pauls around now. ( Php 1:16; )

My brother we need to talk, I see you are out there offending people. I need to talk to you about this, LOL. I'm
just teasing in love.

Yea, imagine if the standard for our behavior had to do with if people were offended.

Imagine if what laws were based on had no basis on what was right or wrong but what offended the people.

Ohh, that is somehow the world we are living in. When someone is offended because He identities as a She and
want's to sue someone for discrimination because you too don't identify He as a She by using a feminine pronoun
to address Him or thinks He is a she.

Yea, for those who live like that (trying to not offend people to the extreme) it becomes obvious that you can't do that
but for so long because eventually you will offend someone. You can't make everyone happen or like you so might
as well do what is right(God tells you to do). If you put up a Jesus exhibit in Christmas(a Holiday celebrating JESUS) ,
people are offended. If you take down the exhibit Christians are offended. So they think we should take it down, but
you are still offending the Christians. It really becomes a matter of who do you not want to offend. And lately they don't
care if Christians are offended because prayer comes out of the school, or the Bible, they only care when atheist get offended.

So for society it isn't even about them caring about not offending everyone (you can't please everyone). It is really about
caring about not offending those who don't want to hear about Jesus in public. So they trample on the rights of those to freely share Him.

Some may ask what happen to free speech or freedom of religion.
For me, I have my freedoms in Christ and nothing can stop God for doing what He and I decided that He will do
in my life.