Sunday, April 8, 2012

"I Tried Jesus"

J.A. Matteson
(Devotional)

What do people expect from Jesus? What type of Savior is He? A week earlier the same group of people were heralding Him by shouting "Hosanna!" But one week later we read..."Pilate said to them, 'Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said, "Crucify Him!" (Matthew 27:22). What happened? They had a false understanding of the Christ...one not from Scripture. He did not meet their expectations, He let them down, so their disappointment turned to rage. They had not read or understood that Messiah would save His people from their sin, not from Roman occupation. These people were not interested in eternal salvation, but from being free of the temporal domination of Ceasar. Today the same reaction to Jesus can be expected whenever a different gospel, a false gospel, is preached, one other than that found in the Bible. Jesus did not die to ensure a better paying job, a happier marriage, good health, or an easy life. Those who come to Him on those terms, who think He did, will soon be disappointed and turn on Him, and in their hearts cry out, "Crucify Him!" Jesus came to save His people from their sin, not their felt needs. The hardest people to reach with the true Gospel are those who believed a false one, for they respond to the real Gospel with, "I tried Jesus and He did not work for me." May God have mercy on those who have misled people. Preach the kingdom of God and repentance from dead works, proclaim guilt before a Holy God in breaking His Law and the certainty of judgment and Hell for those who reject His vicarious atonement on their behalf; then behold the power of God to bring sinners to faith and repentance, resulting in the salvation of their souls. To God be the glory.

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