Inside Out Living

This morning I was reading in Mark 14 and read again Peter's denial of Christ at his trial in the court of the high priest. I was struck with how quickly the denial took place. How easy it was for Peter to deny Christ in the extraordinary circumstances that he was in. I don't think that Peter planned to deny himself as a follower of Jesus that day. I don't think that he even doubted Jesus as Messiah at that point. But I do think that he was overcome with fear that led to his denial. Fear is a powerful emotion. Whether we are fearing for our physical safety our financial security or whatever else it may be, fear can drive us to do and say many things that we really don't want to.

It isn't fear so much that I wanted to speak with you about today, but rather the real possibility that we deny Jesus as much as Peter did. For we American Christians we never may be in a situation where our lives are on the line for our faith and that death awaits us if we refuse to deny Christ. But there are many more subtle and destructive ways in which we deny our faith in Christ by how we live. To me these denials are more destructive because of the deceptiveness of them. I think that most of us, if we are honest, will see the reality of our denials of Jesus in the following statements.

-I deny Jesus when I choose to live life according to my rules.
-I deny Jesus when I choose to speak harshly to my wife or children.
-I deny Jesus when I refuse to forgive someone who has wronged me.
-I deny Jesus when I give out of mere obligation instead of joy and generosity.
-I deny Jesus when I don't trust him to provide me with all of my needs.

The list of ways in which we deny Jesus could go on and on. Anytime we don't trust God's plan and provision for our lives we are essentially denying the life that Jesus died for us to have. We are telling God, thanks but no thanks, I don't need your help, and I can figure this life out on my own.

So what are the ways in which you deny Jesus with your actions?