Many times I have stepped into a pulpit and have often come away wondering, “How can anyone refuse what I have just said?” The reality is they are not particularly interested in what I had to say, but should I be surprised?
Read these words of the Christ, “You don’t have His word living in you, because you don’t believe the One He sent. You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about Me. And you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. “I do not accept glory from men, but I know you-that you have no love for God within you. I have come in My Father’s name, yet you don’t accept Me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe? While accepting glory from one another, you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God.” John 5:38-44 HCSB.
Lost People Are Comfortable
The point is, lost people are comfortable in where they are and who they are. Note the first phrase of what Jesus said, “You don’t have His word living in you….” No doubt, most of those to whom Jesus was speaking in John 5:38ff were most likely Jewish synagogue-goers. Not much has changed has it? I hope and pray you are not one of these church-goers with a name called ‘Christ’ attached to your person and the Word is NOT living in you.
Jesus was speaking to ‘dead souls’ because the living Word had not yet been sown into their lives for He was standing before them, but soon to be crucified and resurrected which would make the difference. Our reality is much different for the Holy Spirit is moving amongst us and He is always busy convicting lost and born-again people of their sin. In short, He is calling lost souls to become born-again.
Jesus’ invitation is the same today as it was 2 thousand years ago, “Come to me that you may have eternal life.” Look at what He said to these poor souls who were languishing in their lostness, “You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about Me. And you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” Often I have stood before lost people making the same proclamation and inviting people to come to Jesus by faith, but most have simply rejected the call.
The Problem
The question has been asked of many, many people, “How are you going to Heaven?” And the responses are oftentimes very, very similar and sound something like this, “I do not know.” The tragedy is simple enough: lost people will go to a Devil’s Hell if they do not repent and come to Jesus before their time on earth is over. And they time is quickly approaching for each of us. The Savior said it this way, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by Me.” John 14:16.
The problem? Darkness. But Jesus came to dispel the darkness in lost souls.
Jesus is Lord.
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