The Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, brought mixed reactions in Jesus’ day and still brings those same mixed reactions today! Here are a few in this chapter:
LOVE: Mary pouring out a years wages worth of perfume on Jesus.
HATE: Judas’ reaction towards Mary “wasting” the perfume. The chief priests planning to kill both Jesus & Lazarus.
BELIEF: “Many of the Jews were going over to Jesus & believing in Him.”
REJECTION: The Pharisees upset that the “whole world has gone after Him.”
LOVE: Jesus’ sacrifice – “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
REJECTION: When hearing God’s voice, instead of worshiping said “it had thundered.” And “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.”
BELIEF: “Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.”
Jesus finishes up with these words: “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
SO WHAT?!
*What is your reaction to the Gospel? The good news begins with bad news: You & I are sinners that DESERVE eternal punishment in hell forever for our sins against a Holy God. Do you agree with this? We must believe in the bad news in order to believe in the good news of the good news – that Jesus took MY penalty for MY sins when he gave His life in MY place. So, we either believe & receive eternal life or reject & expect eternal punishment. The choice is ours.
*If you have believed & received, Ephesians 5:8 says “you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Does your life shine the Light of Jesus or do you still love dark living? God help us to Live in Your Light!
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