SECRET SAINTS

John 12:42-43

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

                Peer pressure is a powerful force in our lives. From the time we left the safety of our nuclear family and entered into the wider world, we have been influenced by those around us. Everyone wants to be accepted. No one wants to live their life on the fringes of society. So, from our first day at school on, we have been testing the climate of our social environment for the purpose of fitting it.

               

                I know of a young boy who loved the TV character Barney. On his first day in school he chose to wear his favorite Barney shirt. That afternoon he came home in tears. Some of the other children made fun of him for his shirt. He never wore it again. That is the power of peer pressure.

                As Jesus drew nearer to the cross, the line between belief in Jesus and rejection of Jesus became clearer. At first people flocked to Jesus in large numbers. They were impressed by this new Rabbi with his unconventional message. People came to witness the many miracles that Jesus performed. It was popular to join the crowd that surrounded him.

                As Jesus’ popularity grew, so did the resistance of the spiritual leaders of the community, especially the Pharisees. Not only did Jesus challenge some of their rules, He threatened their influence over the people. So they began to openly challenge Jesus and threaten those who might follow Him. Their power resided in religious peer pressure. If a person acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, they would be excommunicated from the synagogue. The synagogue was the center of Jewish life. It was the place of acceptance and approval. If a person wanted to have a positive standing in the community, then they had to be connected with the synagogue. To be excluded meant social ruin.

                John tells us that “many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue.” Many believed in Him, but were afraid of the wrath of the Pharisees, so they remained silent. Probably one of the most famous of this group of secret saints was a man by the name of Nicodemus.

                His story is recorded for us in John 3. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night to discover who this young, unconventional Rabbi was. He could see the obvious power of God in Jesus’ life. He wondered if Jesus could be the Messiah; the Promised One. Jesus told Nicodemus that all of his legalistic righteousness was not enough to earn him entrance into God’s kingdom. There was only one way; he must be born again. He needed a new beginning. That new birth came through placing his complete faith in Jesus.

                Nicodemus disappears from the story until almost the end. At the crucifixion of Jesus all of His followers faded into the shadows out of fear. The disciples hid behind locked doors. The women who had followed Jesus watched from a distance. Two lone figures emerged from the shadows to take their stand with Jesus; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. They took the risk to approach Pilate and ask to be allowed to bury the body of Jesus. From their perspective, after all was lost, they were compelled to declare their allegiance. We stand with Jesus. I wonder if after the resurrection Jesus didn’t specifically seek out these two secret saints.

                Although we hate to admit it, most of us lean toward being secret saints. We are comfortable affirming our faith in Jesus in the safety of the church, but silent in the antagonistic world around us. Like those Jewish leaders, we believe but fear keeps us silent. The peer pressure that those Jewish leaders felt is still at work today. It is one of Satan’s greatest weapons against us.

                We can become overwhelmed by the guilt of our silence. Like Peter, after he had denied Jesus three times, we can feel defeated. What is God’s message to us? I believe His message is “My grace is sufficient for you.” We are saved by grace, not by works. We are to live out our faith through God’s grace, not by our works alone. Our faith should transform the way that we live our day by day lives. Our faith should give us the courage to take our stand with Jesus in the face of negative peer pressure. But when fear creeps in and we back into the shadows, we discover that Jesus is waiting for us there. Not to condemn us, but to redeem us.

                Throughout our lives, we will find ourselves standing next to Joseph and Nicodemus. Sometimes we will hide in the shadows and sometimes we will step forward. Just as Jesus gave grace to Joseph and Nicodemus, so He gives grace to us. And we must give grace to ourselves and to one another. Every time we have the courage to step out into the light and take our stand with Jesus, it makes us stronger for the next time. And when we fail, Jesus is there to pick us up again. Ultimately it is not the strength of our will that matters, but the power of God’s grace at work within us.

Hebrews 12:2-3

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.