05/31/2022 – Day 092 – Mark 7 – 8 / “There are many, who though they cannot but own that the cause of Christ is a righteous cause, are ashamed of it…” – Mark 8:38 – Matthew Henry Commentary
Let’s read on in Matthew’s commentary on this last verse in our reading:
“They are ashamed of their relation of Christ. They cannot bear to be frowned upon and despised, and theirefore throw off their profession. There is a day coming, when the cause of Christ will appear as bright and illustrious as now it appears mean and contemptible They shall not share with him in his glory then, that were not willing to share with him in his disgrace now.”
Recall Peter at Jesus’ trial, denying him three times as Jesus prophesied just an evening before. But yet, after the resurrection, when he appeared to the disciples on the shore, he asked Peter three times: “Do you love me?” He concludes with: “Feed my Sheep!” The same Peter that denied him three times, was martyrd for his faith. What does that tell us about God’s love? Yet, If we walk away from this in “fear of the Lord”, is that wrong?
I think again to the documentary movie: “Sheep among Wolves – Part II”, to the courage of the Iranian Christian disciples risking their life daily to spread the gospel message to lost souls. How is it , that Christianity throughout history seems to grow most prolifically when persecution is at its most horrific? What are the implications? What does it point us to?
Soli Deo Gloria!