Living Hope Family & Personal Devotions
The Great Commission - Don’t be Ashamed of the Gospel!
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Using This Devotional
Use the parts that are appropriate to your/your family’s situation.
Spend some time weekly to reflect on the previous week’s theme and try to implement suggestions from the sermon for real-life application. Use the sermon & class notes for individual study found online: livinghopebranch.org
This Week’s Scriptures
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…”
Romans 1:16
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Philippians 1:20
Music for Your Devotion
“Shout the Tidings of Salvation” (HR 243) & “Unashamed” by Matthew West, both upbeat anthems with reminders to live out our faith loudly and proudly for the world to see.
Devotional Discussion
It is easy to shout about things we love. When our favorite sports team wins a big game, or when we get an amazing new gadget, we want to tell everyone. We don’t hesitate & we certainly aren’t embarrassed. Yet, when it comes to the gospel of Christ, a strange quietness can creep over us. We might worry about what people will think, fear being left out, or feel a wave of awkwardness.
The Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Romans from a place of intense cultural pressure. Christians were a tiny minority, often mocked, misunderstood, and persecuted. It would have been very easy to keep quiet just to fit in. But Paul completely rejects that fear. He declares boldly: “I am not ashamed.” Why? Because the gospel isn’t just a nice philosophy or a set of strict rules. It is the literal power of God unto salvation. It is the only message on Earth that can pick up a broken life, erase sin, and grant eternal life.
In Philippians Paul writes from a cold prison cell, & he prays for all boldness so that Christ will be magnified in his body. To magnify means to make something look bigger and clearer so others can see it better. Paul didn’t want his own fears to shrink the image of Jesus to the world around him. When we let fear hold us back, we hide the majesty of God. When we speak up despite our nerves, we show the world that Jesus is worth everything.
The power to save lives belongs to the gospel itself, not your perfect delivery.
Put It Into Practice
Overcoming the fear of being ashamed requires a shift in how we view our daily interactions:
- Don’t hide your Christian identity at work, school, or online.
- Take simple steps—like praying over your lunch in public, keeping your scriptures on your desk, or mentioning your church community in casual conversation—that draw a line in the sand against shame.
- Remember that the power to save lives belongs to the gospel itself, not your perfect delivery.
- You don’t need to be a theological expert; you just need to be an honest witness to what God has done.
- Start small by speaking up when someone disparages your faith, or by offering to pray right then and there for a coworker or classmate who is going through a hard time.
Discuss Together
Questions for Personal or Family Discussion
- What are some of the modern “cultural pressures” that make Christians feel tempted to hide their faith today?
- Paul calls the gospel “the power of God.” How does shifting your focus from your own ability to the gospel’s power change your confidence?
- What does it look like practically to “magnify Christ” in your everyday life, routines, and hobbies?
Kid’s Corner
Object Lesson: The Invisible Ink Challenge
Items needed: White paper, lemon juice (or baking soda mixed with water), a paintbrush or Q-tip, and a heat source (like a hair dryer or an iron).
The Demonstration: Before the lesson, use the lemon juice to write the name “JESUS” in big letters on a piece of paper and let it dry completely so it looks like a blank, plain sheet of paper. Show the kids the “blank” paper. Then, apply the heat from the hair dryer. Slowly, the hidden message will turn brown and become completely visible to everyone in the room!
The Lesson: Sometimes, we act like “invisible ink” Christians. We love Jesus on the inside, but when we are around our friends at school or sports practice, we keep Him hidden. But God doesn’t want us to be invisible! He wants us to be courageous and bold!
Kid’s Story: Maya’s Bright Red Sneakers
Maya loved her brand-new, light-up, bright red sneakers more than anything. They had lightning bolts on the sides, and every time her feet hit the ground, they flashed with brilliant, sparkly colors. On Monday morning, she proudly wore them to school. But during recess, a group of older kids pointed at her feet and laughed. “Look at those goofy shoes!” Maya’s face turned bright red. She felt so embarrassed. For the rest of the day, she tried to hide her feet under her desk. When she walked, she shuffled her feet carefully so they wouldn’t light up. She felt totally ashamed of her favorite things just because someone else made fun of them.
When she got home, her older brother Sam saw her looking sad. Maya explained what happened. Sam smiled and pointed to his own feet—he was wearing the exact same style of lightning-bolt shoes, just in a bigger size! Sam encouraged her, “Maya,” Sam said, “those kids don’t know how fast these shoes make you run, or how cool they look in the dark. Are you going to let their silly words stop you from loving your shoes?”
Maya thought about it. The next day, she marched right out to the playground. When the whistle blew, she sprinted faster than anyone else, her red shoes flashing brightly for all to see. Nobody laughed this time—they were all too busy cheering!
The Moral: Sometimes people might think it’s silly or weird that we love Jesus and go to church. They might try to make us feel embarrassed or quiet. But we should be happy and share why we’re happy! We never have to hide our love for Jesus! We can step out with boldness and share why we love Him!
Printable Activity: Unashamed!
Use the printable illustration below as part of this week’s Kid’s Corner.
Directed Prayer
Lord, help me be BOLD, and not ashamed or worried about what others think of me! Help me share Your love.
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