“Up next, Pastor Mike Gordon!” announced the emcee at Yuk Yuk’s when I was on to do stand-up comedy a few years ago in Toronto.
This came after being ripped on the entire night for being a Christian. I knew this environment was going to be a hard place to be a light.
Does Anyone Even Know?
I think as Christians, we are presented with countless opportunities to stand up for Christ every single day and be a light. However, how many of us take them? How many of us have been around the same people for weeks… months…or years, and they still have no idea that we’re even a Christian?
Friends…
Fellow students…
Co-workers…
At some point, we lost focus of our mission.
At some point, we made one too many compromises.
At some point, we stopped standing up for Jesus.
What happened?
Did it become too hard in our country?
Risking it All
There’s a story in the Bible found in Acts where we are introduced to a man named Stephen. He was brought on to help the disciples minister to the growing needs of the people. Stephen was a Hellenist, which was a Greek-speaking Jew. That meant because of his story and skillset, he could reach a certain group of people that not everyone could reach.
Eventually, Stephen got arrested, was brought to the Sanhedrin, and put on trial. Although Stephen knew the crowd he was facing was going to turn on him, he stood up for Jesus. As a result of taking this stand, the leaders dragged him outside to kill him.
In the midst of this, Stephen has this vision: “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
This is the only place in the Bible you see the image of Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Every time the Bible talks about Jesus at the right hand of God, he is always sitting. When Stephen decided to stand up for Jesus regardless of the consequences, Jesus was standing for him.
When Stephen decided to stand up for Jesus regardless of the consequences, Jesus was standing for him.
What areas in your life do you need to stand up for Christ and have more courage, passion, and boldness?
Take a Stand
Back to Yuk Yuk’s – Why would the MC introduce me as “Pastor Mike Gordon” before I took the stage? Well, at the beginning of the night, the emcee did his usual “warm up the crowd” act by asking people where they were from and what they do for a living. When he asked me what I did for a living, I had a choice to make, fully knowing everyone would turn against me the second I said I was a pastor.
Good thing no one at Yuk Yuk’s is my God.
So for you and for me…
With all the people we are around each day…
In every environment we are in…
Through every opportunity you have…
I encourage you to stand up for Jesus and not shy away from being a Christian.
“Whoever acknowledges me before others,
I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
But whoever disowns me before others,
I will disown before my Father in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33
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