Friday, July 25, 2008

Beyond Excuses

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”  (John 3:19)

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were not simply doubting the work of God; their hearts were filled with unbelief. 

They did not reject Jesus and His Messiahship for lack of evidence, because He had fulfilled so many Old Testament prophesies.  They did not reject Jesus because His lifestyle was inconsistent with His preaching, because He was absolutely perfect. 

Even Pilate, as he was preparing to condemn Him, said of Jesus, “I find no fault in Him.”  Judas Iscariot, His betrayer, said, “Truly I have betrayed innocent blood.”

These religious leaders rejected Jesus because He interfered with the way they had chosen to live.  He was a threat to their lifestyle and to their religious system.  In spite of all their rhetoric and claims of interest in spiritual things, they were not really searching for the truth.  Nor were they searching for the Messiah.  Otherwise, they would have embraced Jesus.

You see, the Pharisees’ rejection of Jesus Christ was but a reflection of every person who intentionally rejects Him.  People do not reject Jesus Christ because they have examined the evidence and concluded He is not the Messiah. 

Most people I talk to who say they are not Christians never have read the Bible.  They haven’t even read the Gospel of John from beginning to end.  They never have carefully examined the claims of Christ.  People don’t reject Jesus Christ because of the hypocrisy of some inconsistent people. 

People reject Jesus Christ because He is a threat to their lifestyle. 

They don't want to change.  They want things left as they are, because they hate the light and their deeds will be exposed.

Copyright © 2008 by Harvest Ministries.  All rights reserved.  Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. 

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to  www.harvest.org. 

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The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ, he is an altogether different kind of person. Old things have passed away. Everything becomes fresh and new." That is the truth I want you and everyone who reads this book to come away with. And it is a message not just of hope, but also of Christ's redemptive power.
-Greg Laurie

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