Talking to someone about Jesus Christ is not the same as speaking to the butcher down at the local market about the weather.
It does not come easily to most who claim Jesus as Lord, this speaking of the glory of God shown to us in the person of the Lord, for some reason He is either embarrassing to them, they do not believe it is their responsibility, this attempt to bring the truth of salvation that can only come by the Lord, they simply do not care enough about their neighbor, or they do not love the Lord nearly as much as they profess to. But the weather, the local and international news of the day, children, grandchildren, pick any other subject besides the Lord and they can converse all day long. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21)
Apparently, and by default of these individuals’ actions and words, their hearts rests in the world, what we speak about is what is important to us. The local butcher, if he is not saved by the grace of God, will die in his sins, if you do not speak to him, who are you expecting to do so, are you an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ or not, have you been commanded to do so, (Mark 16:15) and if you are not, then one of the previous statements must be true in your life.
If you are embarrassed about the Lord in front of others, He will be embarrassed in front of the Holy Angels in heaven because of you. (Mark 8:38)
If you do not believe it is your responsibility, then whose is it, will you go to your local pastor and ask him to go down to the local market and speak to that man? If he is a man of God, he will ask you the same question, “Why are you not speaking to him?”
The third statement all who claim Christ as Lord will deny vehemently, perhaps you are not fulfilling Mark 12:31, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” and a myriad of excuses will abound from you, I am sure.
The fourth statement would be denied above the rest, apparently you do not love Jesus as much as you say you do, for you will not openly, in public, even with complete strangers speak of your love for Him, and His love for them.
The intellectual preacher will attempt to explain the fine nuances of the human psyche here, the emotion-based pastor will bring up the subtleties of our feelings, the theologian will expound upon the lack of Scriptural knowledge of the one who will not speak about the Lord to others. But Jesus, when you meet Him, will offer you the truth about yourself if you are one of these people, you were embarrassed.
I cannot say where you will be standing when these words are spoken to you by the Lord, perhaps some are truly born-again, and that fear of speaking of the One they profess to love so much is too overpowering for them, perhaps the old nature within them (Eph. 4:22) is stronger than their faith, I cannot say. Perhaps it will be at the Great White Throne of Judgement, (Rev. 20:11) but I see no reference to any angels being present at that time in the Scriptures, so in this area I will offer no conjecture. “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16)
This verse does not lay heavy on the hearts of many who call Jesus Lord, the commandment to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” (Mark 16:15) is not a burden to them, neither is the fate of the souls of those they meet. I fear that for each of us, in one way or another, excuses will be the order of the day on our day of accounting, and although the Lord is indeed compassionate and merciful to His children, He also does not accept excuses well when the commandments are quite clear. If love is not expressed in an action, how else can it be expressed? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
