Deny Christ – who me?

Knowing Jesus as our Lord and savior is the greatest privileges known to man. Yet why is it that some people still take salvation so lightly? Why is it that some say they are Christian, but their lives don’t show it. They talk and act just like everyone around them.

The worst thing I could ever hear from my co-workers is, “I did not know you were Christian”! It should be obvious, if it is not obvious – why are we denying Jesus in our everyday lives?

I’m not saying we need to go around preaching to all our co-workers every moment of the day. What I’m saying is that we can demonstrate our relationship with the Lord by how we live and act towards others. Our vocabulary and personal habits should exemplify someone others look up to, not someone they don’t want to be around.

When I was working in the work force - I found my greatest witness is how I choose to live my life. I have been able to “show” far more people - then I have been able to “tell” about my friendship with the Lord.

Titus 1:15-16 15 Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled. 16 Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are despicable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. (NLT)

You may say the guys at work just would not understand that is why I try to fit in, besides what is the big deal.

IT IS A BIG DEAL! We have so much to lose!

Matthew 10:33 33 But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven. (NLT)

Luke 12:9 9 But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before God’s angels. (NLT)

1 John 2:23 23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father either. But anyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. (NLT)

2 Timothy 2:12 12 If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. (NLT)

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want Jesus to deny me!

Having a personal relationship with the creator of the heaven and earth is possible and He longs for it - with you.

God created people to fellowship with Him why do we deny Him that right? You may say, “How do we deny Him?”

• I’m too busy to go to church this week.

• OK - so I went to church now I’m good until next Sunday.

• Now Pastor is saying I should read my bible during the week – doesn’t he know I have a life too?

• Religion will cause you to deny Christ and His power. Especially when we use our good deeds to justify in our minds the harm we have brought others and ourselves.

There is no forgiveness of the Lord in good deeds, only temporary relief from the pain. If we are real with ourselves, when we do or say something to another person that hurt him or her, we know it on the inside. The more we hurt others and ignore that feeling the colder we become as a human being. Most people would rather not be around you if you are going down this path.

Would you deny your best friend exists? In our world if you have and friend and you enjoy being with that person you spend time together. By spending time together, you get to know them, which in turn develops the relationship.

Who is your best friend? As much as I love my wife, Rena Mae, she is still only my “second best,” friend.

If you are going to have victory on this earth, your “best” friend had better be Jesus!

Hebrews 13:5b “For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (NLT)

That sounds like a friend that will be with you in the good times as well as the bad.

Would you be willing to die for your best friend? Are we willing to follow Jesus even if it costs us our lives? A true friend would. Jesus had friends that said they would be with Him no matter what or who came against them. That sounds like true friends to me. Matthew 26:35 35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Not even if I have to die with you! I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same. (NLT)

In Mathew 26:17-35. we see how even the disciples of Jesus – “His friends” denied Him.

Matthew 26:17-35

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover supper?”

18 “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says, My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover supper there.

20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the twelve disciples. 21 While they were eating, he said, “The truth is, one of you will betray me.”

22 Greatly distressed, one by one they began to ask him, “I’m not the one, am I, Lord?”

23 He replied, “One of you who is eating with me now will betray me. 24 For I, the Son of Man, must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for my betrayer. Far better for him if he had never been born!”

25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Teacher, I’m not the one, am I?”

And Jesus told him, “You have said it yourself.”

26 As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God’s blessing on it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it and eat it, for this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which seals the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” 30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 “Tonight all of you will desert me,” Jesus told them. “For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike the Shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”

34 “Peter,” Jesus replied, “the truth is, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Not even if I have to die with you! I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

Matthew 26:69-75

69 Meanwhile, as Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, a servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”

70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said.

71 Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.

73 A little later some other bystanders came over to him and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”

74 Peter said, “I swear by God, I don’t know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went away, crying bitterly.

Matthew 27:1-5

1 Very early in the morning, the leading priests and other leaders met again to discuss how to persuade the Roman government to sentence Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and other leaders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” 5 Then Judas threw the money onto the floor of the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

What would your best friend go through for you? If you were condemned to die, would your best friend take your place? My friend did.

Matthew 27:27-31

27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire battalion. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head, and they placed a stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery, yelling, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and beat him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

Then they nailed my friend to the cross instead of me. After all the torture and beatings, they hammered spikes through His wrists and ankles. They raised the cross and dropped it into a hole so that it was upright to display my friend - as He endured unimaginable agony. Dieing a shame filled death - taking my place.

I am so thankful that that was not the end of the story. As we choose to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, His Spirit comes to live inside of us. Now that is a close friend. Let us choose to live a life that causes those around us to say, “I know you are a Christian....

How do I get to know Jesus”?