“The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.” John 18:19 NKJV
If Jesus ‘can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities,’ (Hebrews 4:15 KJV) can He be embarrassed by our actions? How embarrassing when Mary and Joseph interrupted His am as a 12-year-old boy, sitting in the temple confounding its best scholars. They took Him away saying, “Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.” (Luke 2:48 GNT) How embarrassing to stand up in your home church, announce you’re the Messiah, then have people you grew up with march you out of town to throw you off a cliff. (Luke 4:29) How embarrassing when He told Jairus his dead daughter was merely sleeping and those in the house ‘laughed him to scorn.’ (Matthew 9:24 KJV) Now think about this. When the high priest asked Jesus about His doctrine, He replied, ‘Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me…’ (John 18:21 NKJV) So one of the officers slapped Him in the face. How embarrassing! But the supreme embarrassment in the life of Jesus may well have been when the high priest asked Him not about His doctrine, but about His disciples. Where were they? Judas betrayed Him, Peter denied Him, and the rest ran for cover. What could He say? So here’s the question: Are your character, your conduct and your commitment to Christ a source of joy to Him, or an embarrassment? Gandhi said, ‘If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, all of India would be Christian today.’ When it comes to doctrine, you may stand tall. But when it comes to discipleship, where do you stand?
*The Word for Today is published by UCB Australia. A free introductory copy of the devotional may be obtained from UCB Australia; 1800 00 777 0 or admin@ucb.com.au*
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