The Question
Good Morning Friends,
The question of prayers place in government will be heard by the Supreme Court this Wednesday. Maybe you have made a public
confession, a profession of faith to acknowledge Christ in your life and to openly express your commitment and allegiance to the Lord of Lords. We can do so when we pray publicly.
Our nation does so in a way when prayer is offered to convene a governmental meeting. It may be a difficult decision for the Court as the decision was for Pilate in the case of Jesus. Not everyone wants to hear about Christ…about God. We have to choose our Master. Friends, at one level this is not just answering a question, but prompting us each to answer The Question.
Scripture: Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”
Luke 9:20 (NLT)
Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others,
2 Corinthians 9:13 (NRSV)
Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you.
1 Timothy 6:12-13 (NRSV)
Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
Isaiah 1:17 (NRSV)
Therefore, brothers and sisters, holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,
Hebrews 3:1 (NRSV)
Message: Jesus was the greatest prayer of all time. Christ was also the first and greatest confessor. And what he confessed before Pilate is important for us to understand for in the story is couched the most important question of our life. In response, the answer, if affirmative, demands that we must follow the actions of the Master. We must take up His ways making them our ways. It is not enough to just listen and repeat words…even the words He said. Until we act as He acts, we have not made Him part of our being. Now we need to pay very close attention. We have the tendency to think that this good confession is the same as our confessions of trust in “Jesus” for salvation. But this is not what Jesus revealed before Pilate. Jesus’ good confession is that life is God’s gift and that he, Jesus, was The Gift from God, the promised Messiah King. Friends, that Jesus died for everyone’s sins is of no standing in heaven if we do not consider Him King. That is Jesus’ confession before Pilate. Friends, the life of righteousness on earth, the life that is pleasing to God, must be a life of faith in Jesus as our Lord. Are you prepared for your day in Court? Do you have a worthy advocate? How strong is your faith? How weak is your pride?
Pray we realize that information is useless until it affects a transformation in us. Pray we realize that the test of righteousness in found in behavior and either we live the way of faith and confession or we lie, it is that simple. Pray we therefore imitate Christ until He is manifested in us. Pray we know we live because of a gift of God. Pray we realize that we are not compelled to accept His Way, but if we do, His orders apply. Pray we realize that God commands us to learn to do good and that the only way to do that is to watch and copy Christ. Pray we call Jesus not just our Savior but also our Lord. Pray for those willing to pray.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 