A Public Answer

“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) 
 
Yesterday, we talked about the personal answer we must give for our relationship with Jesus. The answer Peter gave to Jesus’ question in Matthew 16 was a personal answer. But that’s not all there was to it. It was also a public answer. It was not a situation where Simon Peter said, “Jesus, come over here, let me whisper in your ear what I think.” It was public. It was in front of everyone who meant something to him in his life. It was public, out in front of God and everyone.  
 
Christianity may be a private experience, and being born again may be a private experience, but it is not to be kept under wraps. It is to be expressed publicly. Jesus said in Matthew, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) 
 
Public declaration of Jesus is required to follow Him. Have you wondered why many pastors give an invitation at the end of the worship service? This gives people an opportunity to publicly step out and speak to someone who is acting as a representative of the Lord. This lets them say, “I want to give my life to Christ.” It is a public step to say, “I am a follower of Jesus, personally. Regardless of whether anyone goes with me, I want to follow Christ.”  
 
Let me ask you a question: have you ever made a public declaration that you are a follower of Jesus? Do you know what baptism is? That is your first declaration. It is your first sermon that says, “I am a follower of Jesus.” This is a public answer. God wants us to realize the importance of publicly declaring our faith in Jesus. Your relationship with Him might be private between you and the Lord, but it is to be publicly declared in front of other people.