THE STORY OF JESUS: John 19:38-42
“A disciple of Jesus, secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.” (John 19:38)
Joseph Arimathea is a secret disciple because he fears Jewish leaders.
Nicodemus is a Jewish leader, so he talks to Jesus at night (John 3:2).
I spoke with a disciple from Iran who told me about secret disciples in Iran.
In their hearts they accept Jesus as Messiah, but still act like Muslims.
Some may challenge this – do they really trust Jesus if they’re in hiding?
Is this not hiding your light under a bushel?
Joseph and Nicodemus remind us that even secret disciples have their place.
God uses them, and their devotion to Jesus eventually rises to the surface.
It is not my place to judge secret disciples.
It takes greater faith than mine to change from Islam to Christ!
And in time, like Joseph and Nicodemus, their faith will start to show.
Don’t judge them, pray for them and entrust them to the Lord.
They can serve as mustard seed witnesses, and the Lord will use them too.
Even if they do so secretly, for fear of the leaders.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I pray for Your followers in Muslim countries, where they live each day under the threat of exposure and torture and death.
Secret worshippers of Jesus because of fear and yet . . . they came and openly worshipped Him by their actions. As you can’t tell a book by its cover, neither can you tell what lies upon the hearts of people. Only God can and He uses His followers in mighty ways as evidenced here in this passage. We all are read daily by others by our doings/actions which eventually show our real selves. I need to make sure that what I do is the same as what I believe. The head, heart and hands being in sync for my Saviour.
Am I a soldier of the Cross—
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?
In the name, the precious name,
Of Him who died for me,
Through grace I’ll win the promised crown,
Whate’er my cross may be.