Confessing HIM

1/7/2007

How do you feel, brothers, about what he was just saying?

I just want to ask about Matthew 10:32-36.

“Therefore everyone who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

So what is Jesus trying to say here when He says someone should confess before all men?

Is that the question?

Yes, that’s the question.

You can see what He meant for them to confess before men by reading all the way to verse thirty-nine. What He meant when He said to confess before men is to die—it will cost you your very life. Of course you confess and testify of His Name any time that you can, but obviously it is all about dying to yourself. Those are the very words that Jesus gave here. Do you want to read from verses 32-39 again just to make sure it is clear? If you consider and understand all of it together, then you’ll understand what He meant by “confessing before men.”

“Therefore everyone who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn

‘a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law —

a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:32-39

So of course we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. Of course we confess Him before our friends and our family. We say at the moment we give our lives to Him that He is Lord—of course we do. But Jesus said it’s even more than that. He said, “Many on that day will say ‘Lord, Lord.’” They confess with their mouth before men, “Lord, Lord,” but they are not saved because they didn’t do the will of the Father. They never leaned all the way back, so they weren’t saved.

•  Confessing HIM