The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics appeared to be a bold, blatant, and blasphemous mockery of the person and work of Jesus. What a vivid reminder of the openly hostile sentiment towards Christ and His word in “this adulterous and sinful generation.” (Mark 8:38a).
Antagonism towards Jesus and His followers is rapidly on the rise in Western Civilization, creating tension between professing followers of Christ and the powerful forces of a culture that has abandoned its Christian heritage and influence.
This clash of culture with Christ is something Jesus prepared people for by declaring that to truly “come after/follow” Him requires that one embrace self-denial and a willingness to suffer to the point of death for Him. (Mark 8:34) Authentic followers of Jesus acknowledge opposition, abandon selfish preoccupation, and adopt absolute surrender to God’s will, way, and word.
The picture of such devotion to Christ is depicted in Mark 8:35-38. For those who merely profess faith in Christ, the possibility of suffering for their allegiance to Him results in denying they know Jesus or believe His words. Denial brings deliverance from hostility in a godless culture offended by Him, but at great cost. “Whoever wishes to save his earthly life” from persecution by denying Jesus to do it will “lose it”—suffer the loss of eternal life (Mark 8:35a).
Conversely, “whoever truly possesses faith in Christ and loses his earthly life, figuratively by being “cancelled” or literally, “for My (Jesus’) sake” (declaring Jesus’ rightful identity and redemptive ministry) “will save it” for eternity. (Mark 8:35b)
Aligning ourselves as followers of Jesus and His words will place us in the cross-hairs of the world that deems us deserving of destruction. Our reaction to powerful and pressure filled opposition from our family members, boss, neighbors, co-workers, or community leaders reveals our true heart condition.
Jesus put it plainly, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words…the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him…in the glory of His Father…” (Mark 8:38) Jesus = Son of Man, the judge. The criteria for final acceptance or rejection by God for eternity is our devotion to or denial of Jesus and His words currently.
As the world increasingly denigrates Jesus, pressure mounts for those who profess faith in Him to deny Him in order to avoid being despised or destroyed by the world.
We prove ourselves to be God’s true children when we are not ashamed to profess Jesus as Lord and practice His word in a contrary world. (Romans 1:16-17; 10:9-10)
Father, strengthen your true children to stand up and speak up for Jesus.