one step: Matthew 26.8

And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The silence of Jesus to the false accusations of the witnesses indicates His unwillingness to even acknowledge the legitimacy of their testimony. The high priest’s request, however, was a religious question, inviting a response.*

In Jesus’s response, He offers clarity as to what His role as Messiah really entails.* In this moment and declaration, Jesus is announcing His transition from obscurity to glory.*

Jesus lived much of His life in obscurity. Though the announcement of His birth came via the voices of angels in heaven, it was given to lowly shepherds. Even when Jesus stepped into His ministry after thirty years of relative obscurity, Jesus spent particular energy asking people not to share with others what He had done. In this moment of pain, Jesus emerged, showing His glory.

How many times in our culture are we told that fame matters? How many commercials, celebrities, or job opportunities lead us to believe that we should chase being known about by as many people as possible?

Jesus shows us a life of obscurity that only brought fame through unbearable pain via obedient sacrifice. The question I have to ask myself is, do I really want to follow Jesus into fame?

Obscurity is a beautiful place. It’s an opportunity to serve in peaceful silence. Like John the Baptist, serving in obscurity provides an opportunity to become less while making Christ more in our lives and the lives of others.

One day, as followers of Christ, He may invite us to make sacrifices out of obedience to bring in the glory of His Father. While this kind of fame for Christ is good, it is costly. We must count the cost; we must soberly follow Christ.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to reevaluate the purpose of fame. Perhaps God wants you to reframe the season of obscurity that you are in. Maybe God is inviting you to sacrifice something in your life for His glory.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.

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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 677–686, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt Mt 26:57–68).) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).