Everyone Who Acknowledges Me Before Men

Jesus has been inviting two opposite responses. Some are enraged, plotting his destruction. Alternatively, crowds of raving fans are growing to the point that they are dangerous. This combination of polarization and popularity presents Jesus' disciples with a subtle temptation common to us all: to be less than candid about our identification with Jesus. What we do in response to this hesitation may well decide whether we deny Jesus before men. In Luke 12:1–12, Jesus breaks down the process of apostasy and points the way forward—literally: final judgment keeps us faithful to Jesus.