You Can't Stop My Praise

John 12:42-43
Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Isn’t it amazing how some people who are in relationship with you celebrate you in private but ignore you in public? They benefit from your gifts but fail to give you recognition for what they received. Has that ever happened to you? You see someone out with a group of friends, you speak but they act like they don’t even know you. That hurts. How can we be in relationship and you not even acknowledge who I am? Usually when that happens it’s because that person who didn’t speak is ashamed, angry, embarrassed, or afraid of disclosing their association to the person that was ignored.

I’m sure this is how Jesus feels sometimes when we are at work, home, or school and we never speak his name or let people know how much we love him because we are afraid of being ‘put out’ or ostracized because of our beliefs. We withhold our praise because we are afraid of the reaction of the status quo so we remain mute when we should be offering praise. How can we be silent when it comes to someone who’s been nothing but a blessing to us?

Jesus was taking a lot of heat from the religious leaders for proclaiming he was the Son of God. In actuality, he took heat because he was helping people outside the lines of tradition threatening the old guard. What was interesting is that some of the leaders in the old guard actually believed in him but didn’t confess it for fear of being put out. They believed but didn’t confess it. There is a difference between believing and confessing. You can believe something all day but nobody will know where you stand until you confess it. Many of us believe but very few confess openly that Jesus is Lord.

Why because we are in love with the praises of men instead of the praises of God. We fear we have more to lose with disappointing men than we do by disappointing God. Many of us participate in the demise of Jesus’ reputation because we will not speak up. We will not give him the praise he deserves. The old folks use to say, “You can’t make me doubt Him because I know too much about Him.”

Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. God doesn’t save you by remaining quiet. He doesn’t save you by trying to fit in. He saves you through:

1. Belief. You must know who Jesus is for yourself. It is impossible to please God without faith. Belief and faith must go together. Belief is knowing in your mind and acting out in faith what you know to be cognitively and intuitively true. You come to believe through revelation, study, and experience. You must believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord.

2. Confession. You must speak what is in your heart and on your mind as it pertains to God. 1 Peter 4:16

However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. Confession is good for the soul. With the heart man believes and with his mouth he confesses.

Dear God, help me to be bold with my allegiance to you. I want the world to know that I love Jesus. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power unto Salvation for every person that believes and confesses shall have everlasting life. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you Oh Lord.

In Jesus Name.

Amen.