What's Your Price For Lying?

I check myself on something every now and then that probably sounds a little morbid. I’ll ask myself, “Man, would I be ready to be a martyr?”

Here’s the problem. Every time I ask it, I catch myself already looking for a way out. Like, well, maybe if it came down to it I could find some loophole. Some technicality. Some way to keep my mouth shut and still call it faith.

That’s the exact same thing the Roman guards did. And they had it way easier than me.

Think about these guys. They were there. They felt the ground shake like a chassis snapping under them. They saw the angel. They saw the stone roll away. They were so shook they fell over like dead men. Front-row seat to the greatest supernatural event in human history.

And then the chief priests showed up with a bag of silver and said, “Here’s the deal. Tell everyone His disciples stole the body while you were asleep.”

And they took it.

They traded a front-row seat to the Resurrection for a paycheck and a lie. They knew the truth. They just didn’t want the trouble that came with standing in it.

The Cost of Denial

The bribes haven’t stopped circulating. They’re just quieter now.

The bribe isn’t always a bag of silver. Sometimes it’s the paycheck of social standing. It’s the comfort of not being the weird religious person at the office. It’s the safety of blending in instead of declaring that the Hero has rescued your heart.

We trade a Kingdom encounter for a comfortable seat at the tomb.

When you take the bribe of denial, you’re trying to salvage your reputation at the expense of your soul. You saw the stone move. You know God has been working on your heart. But because the truth is disruptive, because it demands you head to Galilee and change your alignment, you take the easy out. You repeat the lie that everything is fine while your spirit is starving for oxygen.

Stop Taking the Bribe

If you’re waking up this Wednesday feeling like you’re just going through the motions, check your pockets. Are you holding onto a paycheck of denial? Are you protecting a version of yourself that doesn’t include the Resurrection? God isn’t impressed by your ability to keep a straight face while the world ignores Him. He’s looking for people who are willing to look awkward for the sake of the truth.

The soldiers stayed at the tomb with their silver. The disciples went to Galilee and met the Living God. One group got paid. The other group got a Rescue. For those who’ve served on the front lines, reclaiming your mission starts here. The world will applaud your good works while rejecting the Name you do them under. Don’t trade the Name for applause.

Mission This Week: Identify one area of your life where you’ve been taking a bribe of comfort or silence to avoid talking about what God is doing. Stop taking the paycheck. This Wednesday, open your mouth and verbalize the truth to one person. A coworker, a neighbor, or someone at Men’s Bible Study. Tell them the stone is gone and your life has been repurposed. Don’t stay at the tomb with a lie. Get on the road to Galilee. If you’re ready to step out of isolation, our Men’s discipleship resources will help you build real brotherhood.

See you Sunday,
Pastor Jeremy