November 28 Faith Confession

Luke 9:18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
 
IN our last lesson, we considered the challenges of our upward conversation – prayer – with God. Let’s look now at the horizontal conversation – talking with other Christians.
   What is essential to Christians’ conversations? I seldom hear it. Sometimes I speak it, but there is little response. Or Christians become uncomfortable and look for a way out of this essential conversation element. The essential is – you named it – Jesus. We see this in the question Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
   Christian conversations are to be centered on Jesus Christ. You might say, “That’s obvious.” But when was the last time you had a good talk about Jesus with someone in your church? Christ-centered conversations include asking such question as, “Who do you say Jesus is?” “What does it mean for you to have a personal relationship with Jesus?” “How have you seen Jesus this past week?” “Where are the places you had the opportunity to show Jesus to someone in the past month?” “How have you become closer to Jesus this past week?”
   I asked someone that last question a few weeks ago. The man is a Christian, who has expressed a deep faith in Jesus. He reads his Bible daily and regularly attends Bible studies. He also has a servant’s heart and expresses gratitude often for his salvation. Yet, the question and his answer was uncomfortable for him. But he did answer, and his answer grew to an expression of how the Lord had directed him in the preceding week. Later he thanked me for asking him the question. He appreciated the opportunity to consider his walk with God.
   I was surprised he thanked me for the question. I felt comfortable asking him because of what I see in him. But apparently no one had conversed with him in this way. Shouldn’t Jesus-centered conversations be the norm as we gather in church, a Bible study or fellowship over a meal? What keeps us from asking and discussing, “Who do you say Jesus is?”
   When Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do the crowds say I am?” he wanted them to stop and consider their response. He was checking their hearts as well as the Jews’ hearts. He knew the answer, but he gave them the opportunity to stand up and confess their teacher as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. The Lord desired his closest followers to confess out loud, “You are Lord of my life.”
   Too many Christians, though, will say, “My faith is private. I don’t need to speak of it to anyone.” But our Lord says you do: Hebrews 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. See also Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And remember this one: Luke 9:26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
   Know this, my friends, if you are unwilling to converse with others of your affection for Jesus and of his authority in our life, perhaps you ought to converse with God about your relationship with him. Something may be sorely missing.
   True conversations with God and with other Christians are visible signs of your faith. Converse with God and talk of God to exalt the Living God.
 
Prayer: Open my mouth, Spirit, to speak of my faith in the Holy God. In Jesus’ name, amen.