Loyalties are very important to us—but we have different loyalties. Much of what we do in life is influenced by our loyalties. Often our loyalties shape our decisions, guide our activities, and give purpose to our lives.So our loyalty may cause us to cheer on one team versus another, and our good friend cheers on a different team. Win or lose, we cheer our school teams on. Now we have many different loyalties — loyalty to our country and our state. But we have loyalties to our family, and our spouse; maybe even to our neighborhood.While loyalty is a very important concept. We have all kinds of loyalties. But there is one loyalty that should stand in a class by itself. It is a loyalty that can permeate and add even more meaning to all other loyalties. This is loyalty to Jesus.Shortly before Jesus was crucified, He was eating the Passover meal together with His disciples. Matthew 26:21 tells us, “And while they were eating, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” Now, as you can imagine, this created quite a commotion among the apostles. After the meal they were walking to the Mt. of Olives, when Peter states to Jesus, “’Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ But Peter declared, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’And all the other disciples said the same” (Matt. 26:33-35).Did you hear the loyalty expressed in the words of Peter? “Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown You.” And his loyalty was contagious. Did you notice? Matthew says, “All the other disciples said the same.”Now think a few hours ahead. Peter would deny his Lord. It’s the same Peter, but something was different. What happened? What changed?His environment has changed. Peter was strong when he was with friends who loved Jesus, but when surrounded by those who wanted to kill Jesus, this is what changed.Now, how about us? What effect does environment have upon us? What about our loyalty to Jesus? How would we react if our environment changed?We all face situations where we are put in different environments. Just like Peter, when he was with his friends and they were ...
