Sermon nuggets Tues Aug 12
Theme Rejecting Jesus
Verses- John 12:37-38 Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
The Reality of Unbelief.
There people who know all the spiritual answers- they can quote verses, they can write books and even preach sermons, but have never placed their faith in Jesus Christ. People reject Jesus. It was true in the day of Jesus, it is true throughout all of history. Jesus Christ has often been divisive for people. I believe some people must have to work at not being a Christian. We see lots of rebellion among children of many devout families.
Isaiah prophesize as quoted in 53rd chapter, when the Messiah was to come, people would reject him. Indeed this is just what happened. People have heard with their own ears, and seen with their own eyes. They have been confronted with truth, but still reject Jesus.
I remember on occasions when the Spirit of God seemed to move me to share with someone the simple Gospel. I had a burden for a young woman who had lots of questions. I answered them to the best of my ability and opened to her the Bible. She understood. I asked her to say yes to Jesus. She struggled then concluded that she was not interested. I asked her why? She understood everything but just didn't want to. I left saddened for I believe she was close to the Kingdom, but I've never heard nor seen her since and I believe she struggled with God that day. She is an unbeliever.
I usually don't try to plant where the Holy Spirit hasn't yet plowed, as one of my friends used to say. But when the Spirit seems to open the door I believe He is involved.
I had a burden for one man that I knew was dying. I presented the Gospel to him on his death bed. He looked at me and said in a matter of fact voice. “I guess all my friends are in hell and I expect to join them.”
I told him there is nothing in the Bible that teaches you will even see or recognize others in hell to have conversations. He said he'd just have to take his chances. With in a month the man died.
Purposed unbelief happens week, after week. I have no problem understanding why someone may not like or respond to the preachers, or missionaries, or friends. I can understand someone rejecting and not wanting religion or a particular church. Sometimes religion and churches can be cold and uninviting, or filled with petty bickering or strife. But it is hard to understand why someone would not want to know and love Jesus. Who would not want to know Him, to have Him as a friend, a comfort and guide? Paul said he would gladly part with anything and everything for the privilege of knowing Him.
Ken Roberts was a fifth grade teacher in Denver who was ordered to remove 2 books from his classroom- the Bible in pictures, and the story of Jesus. He did not read from them, but had collected a number of books for his students to read during a specified time. They were there if the students were interested. Roberts noted that without knowledge of the Bible some of the most important achievements of the Western culture passages from the works of Longfellow, Twain and Whittier as well as the paintings of Michelangelo, Rembrandt, DaVinci, Rubens and the music of Bach and Beethoven would have little significance. The school officials felt having them was enough to influence students that reading the Bible was something inappropriate for them to do.
Many are the unfortunately illustrations of direct opposition to anything Christian. The recent movie, “Expelled, no intelligence Allowed” is a perfect example on the Univeristy level where serious scholarship is questioned if anything points to an intelligent design and questions the theory of Darwin.
Not only is unbelief a reality, but our society promotes it. Why? When you consider Jesus and who He is and what He did, unbelief becomes the ugly, unexplainable thing that it is. Yet the fact remains regardless of how clear it is to people still they refuse to trust in Christ as their savior.
Pastor Dale
