We live, therefore, in a hostile environment and as followers of the Lord there is one option that is not open to us, namely, taking the easy line because the Lord never took that.  His standards, as made manifest in his life and teaching, are often diametrically opposed to those of the world, as may be seen for example in some of the moral issues which are publicly debated, and resolved in a non-Christian way.  Hence individual Christians will at times find themselves in situations where they must either incur opposition or ridicule by supporting Christ or weakly acquiesce in current secular standards.

For one cannot separate obedience to the Lord from bearing witness to him and the truth which he taught.  So before his Ascension he told his Apostles, “…you shall be my witnesses…” (RSV, Acts 1:8).  They were his first witnesses, but not his only ones.  Every single follower of the Lord from that day to this is bound to bear witness to him if he or she is to remain a faithful follower.

And those who bear such witness must expect the world’s hostility.  Indeed it is significant that the word martyr literally means a witness.  So we read that St Paul on his First Missionary Journey strengthened “the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (RSV, Acts 14:22).

So today, only if we are prepared to suffer for the Kingdom of God and for its King, can we be counted worthy of either.

Prayer

“Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King
to the glory of God the Father” (1)
Amen.

Reference

1. © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England (2004) Common Worship: Collects and Post Communions in Contemporary Language.  Post Communion prayer for Palm Sunday.  Available from:
http://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/collects-and-post-communions/contemporary-language/lenteaster.aspx (Accessed 06 March 2013) (Internet).