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Ah yes, World History class. I'm sure you remember everything you heard there very vividly, right? No. If you remember anything, you probably remember that for centuries the nations of Europe were fighting it out to be number one on their block - often using their ships to build their empires. Now, if you were out on the high seas back then, sailing, let's say for England, the only way you knew if an approaching ship was friend or foe was by their colors flying from the mast. That was also how they would know whether or not to shoot at you as well. As the story goes, many captains decided to strategically lower their colors in a risky situation so folks wouldn't know what their allegiance was. But apparently there were a few bold and courageous skippers who gave a different kind of order to their crew. It went like this: "Nail the colors to the mast." "Uh, sir, that means we can't lower our colors if we need to?" "That's right, matey. Nail them to the mast!"

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Nailing Your Colors to the Mast."

In the account of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection that first Easter week, we have the story of a follower of Jesus who knew all about lowering his colors when it might cost you to fly them. His name was Joseph, known by the town he was from, Arimathea. Apparently, he saw the crucifixion of Jesus, and then something happened.

In John 19:38 - it's our word for today from the Word of God - we read: "Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. You bet he feared the Jews. He was part of the ruling Council of the Jews that had engineered Jesus' execution. If they found out that he had given his heart to Jesus, he had everything to lose! So he just kept following Jesus "under cover." He never told anyone about his relationship with Him.

Joseph would, according to some modern surveys, be one of the 90% of Christians today who never tell anyone about Jesus. Think about that. I mean, how many spiritually dying people are, in essence, remaining under their spiritual death sentence because of the silence of the Christian they know? What a tragedy! And why do we stay silent about our Jesus? For the same reason Joseph did. Fear of what they'll think of me, fear of what I might lose, fear that I might damage a relationship or mess it up. Valid fears? Possibly. But the fears of what might happen if I do tell them about Jesus are nothing compared to the fears of what might happen to them if I don't tell them! They may die without ever knowing how they could have lived forever!

But silent believers don't have to remain with their true colors lowered out of sight. Look at Joseph. He's hope for all of us. He totally blew his cover by going to the Roman governor and saying, "I want to bury Jesus in my tomb." I mean, that will identify Joseph with Jesus for all the world to know. But he doesn't care anymore. You know why? He saw what Jesus went through on that cross for him, and he nailed his colors to the mast!

Isn't it time for you to do that? When you think about your Savior dying publicly on a cross for you, would you tell Him, "Jesus, you're not going to be a secret anymore. You're who I'm about. You are my true identity. You are what I'm about forever. I will not deny you any longer."

Too many times you've lowered your colors, but not anymore. Not after what Jesus has done for you. Not when somebody's eternity may depend on you telling what you know. For once, for all, you are nailing your Jesus-colors to the mast and they will never come down again.

In 1997, Iowa State University named its football stadium after the school’s first black athlete: Jack Trice. Tragically, Trice never even played in Ames, Iowa—he died from internal injuries sustained during a play in his second college game, played in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 6, 1923. Trice wrote a note to himself the night before, bearing witness to his determination:

“The honor of my race, family, and self are at stake. Everyone is expecting me to do big things. I will! My whole body and soul are to be thrown recklessly about on the field tomorrow. Every time the ball is snapped, I will be trying to do more than my part.” Trice profoundly understood that what he did flowed from the honor and dignity of who he was, infusing his character with courage. 

The apostle Paul says something similar in Ephesians, challenging believers to let who they were in Christ influence every decision: “As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). Paul challenges us to embrace a way of living shaped by Jesus’ work for us, in us, and through us, which yields humility, gentleness, patience, unity, love and peace (vv. 2-3) as we use our God-given gifts to serve one another (vv. 15-16). 

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” When it comes to investing, wisdom means keeping emotions in check. Fear, greed, overconfidence, and regret can all derail sound decisions. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and Dr. Art Rainer share four ways emotions ruin smart investing. Discover how you can avoid those traps. Then, it’s your financial questions. That’s Faith & Finance Live, where biblical wisdom meets today’s finances—weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

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Segment 1

• Many Christians struggle with assurance, but God wants us to be certain.

• Sin doesn’t erase salvation—our hope rests in Christ, not in the size of our faith.

• True assurance comes from union with Christ, not feelings.

Segment 2

• Lack of assurance often pairs with spiritual depression.

• Depression doesn’t mean someone isn’t a believer; many Christians quietly carry this weight.

• Common roots vary, but biblical clarity brings hope.

Segment 3

• New Fortis series by Dr. Greg Gifford exposes the rise of psychiatric control over many believers.

• Clifford Beers’ reforms medicalized the mind, blurring distinctions between brain, mind, and soul.

• Meds can’t reach the soul; only the gospel addresses the heart’s deepest needs.

Segment 4

• Pastors are called to shepherd their flock, but many turn to psychiatrists.

• Symptoms may be treated, but deeper, root issues remain untouched by much secular psychiatry.

• Dr. Greg Gifford addresses these issues and many others in new series, “Life Without The Numb”.

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Thanks for listening!

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Rivers naturally run crooked—avoiding obstacles and flowing downhill. We're the same way, naturally avoiding God and choosing the easy path. Dr. John Neufeld explores how God engineers our lives toward holiness through sanctification. It's not a solo effort—God changes your heart and empowers you, but you must actively yield to Him and fight your old patterns. Discover how to grow in Christlikeness from the moment of conversion to eternity.

Making the Most of Your Salvation: In a world of endless technology, the opportunity for learning, communicating, and creating is at an all-time high. But for many of us, we don’t take full advantage of all of the resources at our fingertips. We know that many of us aren’t using technology to its full capacity, but did you know that many of us view our salvation in the same way? Join Dr. John Neufeld in the 10-message series, Making the Most of Your Salvation, as we learn about a sad reality that many Christians face: We don’t appreciate all that our salvation has to offer us. All too often, we see salvation as something that is there, that we understand, but we don’t take full advantage of. We go to church, we try to read the Bible, and we know that we’re going to heaven when we die. But there are so many other benefits of salvation that have the power to revolutionize our lives!

Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "What God Looks Like." Enjoy!

As the father of a prodigal child, Rob Parsons understands your pain. In this heartfelt message, he encourages parents of prodigals to always “leave a light on” for their wayward child. He notes that sometimes parents carry too much guilt over the prodigal child’s circumstances, and also encourages us to not be overly critical of our children.

As an adult you impact others’ lives. Don’t forget that. Your life is on display whether you like it or not, and most of us don’t like it.