Luke 9:26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
Possible meanings of the word ‘ashamed’ here are very revealing. Normally we think of ashamed from the standpoint of being shamed by guilt of having done something wrong. Or we think of being shamed by another person’s actions, and thus having our pride wounded. But, this word can also mean to be afraid of embarrassment due to your hopes being ultimately proven false.
So, what Jesus is saying is that if a person is hesitant to make their belief in Him, and their acceptance of His message, known, He also will be hesitant to recognize that person in eternity. Thus, such an action is quite dangerous. Many people however, are guilty of this. Many see Jesus as a good man, or a prophet, or some exalted human, but fail to believe in Him as the Son of God. They give Him lip service, but they do not take Him seriously for fear of reprisal, and disappointment. Or, even claiming to believe all of His divinity and accepting His message, some live in such a way as to make it seem that this belief is to be kept a secret. In either case, the result is disastrous.
Jesus knows who are His. He is aware of our sentiments. He cannot be fooled. We can fool those around us possibly, but He knows the score. God is not mocked. He seeks the genuine.
Heavenly Father, thank You for not accepting fakes. As much as we are weak and error so badly, You have made it possible for us to be genuine. Thank You for that. You are so wise! May we never forget all that You do for us each and every day. You are so gracious and merciful, and Your power is beyond all we comprehend. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.