Introduction: In today’s society, it is difficult to be a Christian. That is, a real Christian, not one that just lives the outward life, but has a real relationship with Christ. So many times we live our lives making sure we don’t step on any toes of other people, when we should be saying it like it is. Sure, we want to do it in a gentle, loving way.. But I think that we are growing too tolerant of today’s “societal norms”. We should be standing up for Jesus.

I. Who are some examples of those who refused to deny God despite the pressures of society?

A. Jesus
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”- Hebrews 12:2-3
1. Jesus did not live His life for the Pharisees’ praises, He lived His life for God.
2. Christ could have lived for fame, for money, for anything He wanted, He chose God. He chose the difficult perfect way, not the easy, sinful way. We should be the same.
B. Moses
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” - Hebrews 11:24-26
1. Moses denied himself a life of “luxury” for a life of mistreatment.
2. Moses was looking forward to the reward of his hard work for the Lord, instead of the temporary “luxuries” that the world could provide for him.

II. How can we prepare ourselves to stand up for Jesus in our society?

A. We can prepare ourselves by understanding and holding on to the teachings of Christ. We should make sure that we are committing the teachings of Christ into our life and into our heart.
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” - 2 Thessalonians 2:15
B. We should put on the armor of God each day. By this, we will be prepared for any spiritual battles we may encounter as we stand up for Jesus.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on the occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”- Ephesians 6:10-18

III. Why should we stand up for Jesus and speak the Name of Jesus?

A. We should stand up for Jesus because the Bible says so. I know that seems like a hard concept for some of us to get. It is simple. God is our Father, whatever He says goes. He says we should not be ashamed to testify about Him, therefore, testify!
“Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord.”- 2 Timothy 1:8
B. We should also stand up for God because He helps us and shows us loving-kindness. He is not disgraced to claim us as His children, we should not be ashamed to claim Him as our Father and our God.
“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint and I know I will not be put to shame.”- Isaiah 50:7

IV. If we stand up for Jesus, is there any reward/benefits we can look forward to receiving?

A. “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”- 1 Corinthians 15:58
1. When we stand firm in the Lord, we know that there is something great waiting for us because our labor isn’t in vain. How exciting!
B. “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.” - Luke 12:8-9
1. I think that it is reward enough that we will be acknowledged in Heaven if we acknowledge Jesus on earth. I think that is more than a fair trade off and something to look forward to.

Conclusion: We should make sure we are standing up for Christ in our daily lives. If we hear someone bashing Jesus, or telling others He doesn’t exist, or whatever the case may be, stand up for Christ. We must be gentle and loving, but make sure that we are standing up for God. I think we are too tolerant of things in society that is looked upon as “normal”. We should tell everyone, “Hey that’s not right...here’s why...”. I think if we all took a stand for Jesus, there could and would be amazing changes in the world. So, let’s proclaim His Name!