Jesus is not in the Business of False Endorsements

false-endorsement

Mark 3:7-12 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW):

“Jesus left with his disciples for the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and from across the Jordan River, and from around Tyre and Sidon followed him. They came to him because they had heard about everything he was doing. Jesus told his disciples to have a boat ready so that the crowd would not crush him. He had cured so many that everyone with a disease rushed up to him in order to touch him. Whenever people with evil spirits saw him, they would fall down in front of him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” He gave them orders not to tell people who he was.”

Verse 12 intrigues me. Many people heard about Jesus and were coming in droves to be healed. In fact, there were so many, Jesus asked the disciples to get a boat ready to keep the people from a mob scene. We continue to read that when the demons pronounce Jesus as the Son of God, Jesus strictly warns them not to make Him known. Why would Jesus do this? Why would He tell them NOT to tell the people who He was? Instead, He shushed them (as my son would say).
My NIV notes gave me the clue that I need to start my investigation:
“The evil spirits recognized who Jesus was, but they did not BELIEVE in Him” (pg. 1497, The NIV Study Bible).
Jesus is not in the business of False Endorsements. Although the claim was true, Jesus knew where the testimony was coming from.
This was powerful to me and made me stop to ask some deeper questions:

  • To whom and where do I give my endorsements? Is it to the group that everyone is flocking too? It is the latest gadget? The most sought out blogger? Do I really BELIEVE IN this person, this product, this ministry, this course, this job? Am I personally convicted, or am I following the mob?
  • Where and from whom do I get my endorsements? People? Organizations? What about pride? What about jobs, positions, power, material status, college degrees, marriages, or children? Is it a pure motive or purely selfish?

I remember (not all the details) about a Christian speaker who once had a great opportunity to be on a TV broadcast that would expand her platform and give her a great endorsement. After much prayer, she pulled away from the opportunity. Why? She didn’t feel it was the right endorsement, and the producer’s motives were unclear. Great wisdom on her part!
I am not saying endorsements are a bad thing. In fact, they are a good thing when we have the right motives and we BELIEVE IN that which we are endorsing.
In Scripture we see examples of personal conviction and pure motives:

  • We see Peter endorsing/believing in Jesus in Matthew 16:15-17: “He (Jesus)  said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.…”
  • We see Martha endorsing/believing in Jesus in John 11:23-27: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

We can also learn an important lesson from Jesus about endorsing in John 2:23-25:

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.”

Jesus never depended on man’s endorsement. Why? He knows all people. The Living Translation says “He knew human nature.” We can’t pull the wool over Jesus’ eyes. He knows us in and out! Here’s the beautiful picture in this lesson: While Jesus knows our deceptive hearts and our often corrupt and selfish motives, He endorses us anyway.
John 1:12 says: “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (NLT).
We are endorsed by the King of Kings, and we are called children of God! Why a child? Because we are dependent on Him.
Jesus is smart! Take His lead and learn from His teachings. Be careful who you endorse, what you endorse, and by whom you are endorsed! The only One worthy of our endorsement is Christ Himself. Our hope should be built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

(My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less, Hymn)

Our hope is built on the Name of Jesus. It’s the only endorsement we need.
 
Dear Lord, 
Thank You for this Scripture where You would not let this testimony be proclaimed about You from false witnesses. I pray You will show us the areas in our lives where we are getting or giving false endorsements. It may be appearance or opportunity, it may be in what we do or the approval of others. Lord, reveal to us these areas so that we, too, may give them an order to hush up. The ONLY endorsement we need is from you. You love us and accept us as we are. Our belief in You makes us Your children. We are daughters of the King, and You have reserved a perfect purpose and plan for us in Your kingdom. Use our gifts to bring You glory and not a false sense of personal endorsement. I close by praying Psalm 146 over us: “Praise the Lord.Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” Lord, our hope is in YOU alone. Nothing in this earth will ever satisfy or save us. Only by Your blood and righteousness do we trust in Jesus’ holy name. Amen. 
 

2 Comments
  • Kelly
    Posted at 15:49h, 14 January Reply

    Thanks for this good Word Annie – may we always seek Jesus’s endorsement – first! – in all we do

    • Annie
      Posted at 11:08h, 15 January Reply

      Thanks Kelly! I know! It really makes you think. Who do we endorse and why do we endorse what we do? It is all for His glory ~ a regular check point I need to stop and think about often!

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