When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes,
and understand with their heart, and turn,
and I would heal them.”

Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. — John 12:36-43

I think believers who have redeemed minds sometimes forget how hard it is to persuade people who don't believe to believe. And if you are a believer who is reading the Bible, attending a church, and spending time with other believers in a community, then your mind is being cleansed by biblical truths that are constantly renewing your mind. As a result, this makes our way seem reasonable to us and unreasonable to unbelievers. Thus they have a hard time accepting what we believe, and we have a hard time accepting what they believe.

And this has become increasingly apparent over the past few decades. Today, if you hold convictions about the inerrancy of the Bible, the divine creation and definition of gender, the biblical institution of marriage between a man and a woman, or the calling of a man to be the spiritual leader of the household, your beliefs will face resistance and skepticism in this world. You might even have a hard time talking about these issues because you know they will meet with resistance. And these things are hard to talk about with people who have allowed the present culture to determine their norms because they are going to interpret these beliefs as outdated, fundamentalist, or patriarchal, which could result in you being labeled, canceled, or fired.

But, fellas, this is not a new problem. We see this same problem playing out in this text. Notice here that there were many religious authorities who believed in Jesus but, out of fear, did not confess their belief. And what were they afraid of? They feared losing their salary, status, and significance. They feared being labeled, canceled, and fired. These men, the ones who know and believe the truth but refuse to stand up or speak up for it, are the saddest of believers. They choose to sit on the bench and avoid getting in the game. They sat there quietly while Jesus was being arrested, beaten, sentenced, and crucified, doing and saying nothing. And that's simply pathetic.

So, fellas, it's time to stop being pathetic. Make today the day you break the silence. I promise you, the world may find it difficult to believe you, and it might even come at a cost. However, regardless of the challenges, you will know that today is the day you stopped being a pathetic believer. You became one who spoke up and stood up for the truth.

ASK THIS:

1. In what ways have you experienced the tension between your beliefs as a believer and the skepticism of the world around you? How has this affected your willingness to speak up and stand up for the truth?
2. Reflect on instances where you may have allowed fear or the desire for societal acceptance to hinder you from openly expressing your faith. What steps can you take to overcome these obstacles and become bolder in sharing and living out your beliefs?

DO THIS: Break the silence about your belief.

PRAY THIS: God, help me navigate the challenges of this day with strength and wisdom, and guide me in living out my faith authentically and fearlessly. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Standing On The Promises Of God.