STUBBORN REJECTION

Can I pray for you in any way?

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:”

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

“Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, ‘I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.’ And Isaiah boldly says, ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.’ But concerning Israel He says, ‘All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.’”

Romans 10:16-21

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Jesus brought the Gospel to life, coming from Heaven to earth to tell of His purpose, that He was sent from God to be the sacrificial Lamb who would be slain to take away the sins of the world. One single, willing surrender of life that would bring ultimate atonement to anyone who would believe in Jesus, the Savior of the world.

The Jews surely knew all about the matter of atoning sacrifices. They had done this over and over and over again, slaughtering countless animals to lie on the altar as they sought God’s forgiveness and mercy.

But why did they have to keep coming back?

Because they continued to live in disobedience to God. They stubbornly rebelled against what God expected of them to the point that He labeled them a stiff-necked people. No other nation had God dedicated to it like Israel. They were exclusively chosen by God and He promised to be with them, to provide for them and protect them against their enemies. All the Israelites needed to do was remain as faithful to God as He was to them.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The Israelites continued to disrespect God, despite His goodness and patience toward them, and as a result, put themselves firmly on the path of God’s wrath and judgment, separated from Him.

Now, God could have left the Jews in that place, destined for Hell but He didn’t. Instead, He loved not only the Israelites but the whole world to where He made the way for people to be saved and share eternal life with Him. For that to happen, an atonement of epic proportion was needed and that atonement was provided through His Son, the aforementioned Jesus.

It was the greatest gift God had ever given His people and He allowed His Son and the disciples He hand-selected to deliver the good news. The Jews heard the Gospel straight from the source but there was one major problem.

Many of them were still the stiff-necked people of God and it was true from the top down.

For it was the Jewish religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees and Sadducees, the teachers of the law and elders and scribes, those who formed the Sanhedrin who were the worst offenders. And unfortunately, they dragged many other Israelites into Hell with them. It was a stubborn rejection of the highest order because it was a refusal of God’s blessing of salvation through His Son by the people who claimed they believed and trusted in God.

In yesterday’s message, we found Paul sharing words from the prophet Isaiah regarding the beauty found in evangelism, in those who deliver the good news. Well, there was no one more perfectly beautiful than Jesus Himself and He was soundly snubbed and murdered by those that He came to save.

Israel had heard of Jesus’ coming through the prophets who foretold of God’s Messiah coming. But when the Messiah did come, the Jews refused to believe it. They closed their hearts and minds to what God was doing to rescue them from their iniquities and chose to double down on their wickedness. They lost themselves and, in turn, lost their chance at eternal life, trading it in for eternal damnation and torment.

Today, people are still hearing the good news about Jesus and the salvation He brings, good news delivered by those who are still serving beautifully as the hands and feet of Christ. Like the Israelites more than 2,000 years ago, those who hear the Gospel have two choices:

Receive and believe it, gaining Heaven and everlasting salvation.

or

Stubbornly reject and refuse it, gaining Hell and damnation forever.

Where do you stand today?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com