Stand Up for Jesus
We sing that glorious hymn: “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the Word, Lift high His royal banner, ye must not be deterred.” This song urges us to lift our banners high in faith and devotion. But what does it truly mean to stand up for Jesus?
Lifting our banner high is more than just a phrase—it’s a call to action, a commission for the Gospel’s sake. Jesus expects us to be His soldiers of faith. But what does that look like? Jesus wanted His followers to believe in Him as the Savior and to take part in the work of the Father. He called men of faith to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. He spent His ministry teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, equipping His disciples to follow Him and fulfill His mission.
To those who chose to follow Him, He gave this great commission in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Our commitment to God as faithful followers is real. Jesus spoke many parables about what it means to follow Him, and one thing is clear—He expects us to do the work of the Father, just as He did.
In John 5:17, Jesus declared: “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working.”
What was that work? Jesus Himself explained in Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
Jesus then sent out His apostles to continue this work, commissioning them to go into all the world. Mark 16:15-18records His powerful words: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Belief in Jesus is Just the Beginning
God is calling you to more than just believe—He is calling you to act. He wants you to uncover the mystery for others, just as it was revealed to you. Jesus has made known to us the riches of His glory, and that glory begins with a personal relationship with Him. He invites all who are willing to come, to sit at His table, drink from His cup, and eat of His bread.
But this gift is not meant to be kept to ourselves. Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:9-10: “Since the day we heard it, we do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Belief is just the beginning. When we rise from the waters of baptism, we are filled with joy—a joy that calls us to action! We sing: “Come on, everyone, let’s battle evil with good! Let’s preach the Gospel, heal the brokenhearted, break the chains of sin, and open the eyes of the lost!” Will you stand up for Jesus?