Have you ever felt the shame of missing an opportunity to speak on behalf of Jesus? Perhaps you were in a situation when someone said something derogatory about the Christian faith, or something that was wholly inaccurate about salvation, or denigrated those who follow Christ. At that moment, though troubled in spirit, you bit your tongue, you balked, you kept it in, and regretted it later.
What kept you from responding and defending our Lord to those who were openly attacking him? Why did you bite your tongue, remain silent, and not give a reason for the hope that is in you? Fear.
But the answer is not just fear. Fear always has an object. It is fear of what others think of you. It is fear that they won't like you, accept you, include you. It is fear that you would suffer the loss of your popularity, your friendships, maybe even a position that could cost you financially.
Our text of Scripture from John 12 expresses this well, "Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God" (vv42-43).
These rulers of Israel were too afraid of what others would think and of what it would cost them to confess Jesus as the Messiah fully. As I mentioned in the sermon this past Sunday, there is no small debate about whether these leaders believed in Jesus truly for salvation. Nevertheless(!), there is a principle at play that applies to all, as seen throughout the scriptures.
That principle is this; we are to fear God rather than men.
How bad can it be—fearing man rather than God? How costly can the fear of man be to others? Herod's story of John the Baptist's beheading is a horrible story of one who did just that. On the one hand, Herod wanted to put John to death. On the other hand, he feared the crowds. On that fateful night when he pledged to the daughter of Herodias that he would give her whatever she wanted, he had John the Baptist beheaded "because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests." His dinner guests? He wouldn't want to disappoint them, now would he? He wanted to look good in their eyes. That's how bad it can be.
The Scriptures are replete with this theme: fear God, not man. Here are just a few examples:
Proverbs 29:25: The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Luke 12:5-10 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet, not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
These words of Scripture are true at all times. But in my lifetime, I have never seen a time when they are more applicable. There's never been a time when there is such pressure to follow the crowd and be silent for what we believe. We live in a cancel culture, and we are next to be canceled. Our message of the Gospel that Christ is the Son of God, "and that believing you may live in His name" is not popular. In fact, it is even considered by some to be hateful, racist, homophobic, sexist, and more. You are going to have plenty of opportunities to speak up for Jesus.
Chrysostom, when faced with exile for preaching Christ, said this, "What can I fear? Will it be death? But you know that Christ is my life, and that I shall gain by death. Will it be exile? But the earth and all its fullness are the Lord's. Poverty I do not fear; riches I do not sigh for; and from death I do not shrink."
Where might we be tempted to be silent, fear man rather than God? This happens in a classroom, a board room, or a break room, or even in the family room. Take courage, be faithful, fearing God rather than man, seeking His approval above all others, and speak up. Across, the fence, across the street, across town, across the aisle, across the ocean—speak up for Jesus!