Courage To Stand

Courage To Stand
Luke 23:1-5
Rev. Deborah Rozier

Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
                                              
As a believer, it is likely that at some time during your life you will be challenged - courage to stand alone—to be in a situation that forces you to decide if you will obey God or “follow the crowd.” Your decision will either glorify God or give the enemies of God an opportunity to scorn Him. Your circumstances may involve something as seemingly insignificant as refusing to let your child participate in a school activity, or they may involve a situation that would demand great sacrifice on your part, such as the loss of a job or even your life.

Prayer:
Holy and righteous Father, please do your work in our life. We believe that Jesus, your Son, is the Messiah, our Savior, and our Lord. I fully trust that he lived on earth as a human like us and that he gave up his life on the cross, that he was buried, and that you raised him from the dead. Please conform us to his character through the Holy Spirit, who is at work in us. That we will always have the Courage To Stand.  In Jesus' name. Amen.