In this passage, Jesus teaches us not to have fear. We shouldn’t fear what anyone around us says or thinks. If we are to fear anyone, it should be God who has the power to destroy the body and the soul. So what happens if we aren’t obedient to the command of Christ on our lives? Jesus states at the end of this passage that whoever acknowledges Christ before people will also be acknowledged before God. The flip side is that whoever denies Christ will also be denied by Christ before God.

• What does it mean that you will be denied by Christ before God?

We don’t need to fear the ways that sharing the Gospel might negatively impact our social life. All these things will fade and fall away in time. The thing that will stand for eternity is our love of the Lord and spreading His message to our friends. God has entrusted so much to us, but this trust comes with very real expectations and very real obedience. Christ, in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20), gives us the command to share the message of His life with everyone. We are called to reach the lost, including those closest to us. Go and tell!