Refusing the Evidence
Sept 19, 2018 10:34:06 GMT -6
Post by Gene Whitehurst on Sept 19, 2018 10:34:06 GMT -6
Restoring the Ear / the Heart (Luke 22:47-53)
I was watching at a safe distance. No one could see me. I was afraid the mob might see me.
The mob gathered around Jesus. Judas said, “Hail Rabbi.” Then Judas went up and kissed him. By this, Judas betrayed Jesus and identified him to the mob. The group said that they wanted Jesus the Nazarene. When Jesus told this mob, “I am he,” the power of His words knocked them to the ground. The crowd grew silent as they drew themselves back to their feet (John 18:4-6). They wondered about the strange power that knocked them down.
A scuffle broke out and one of Jesus’ followers cut off the ear of the slave of the High Priest. Blood ran out and down his garment. You could hear a few gasps from the crowd. Jesus quickly rebuked Peter and told him to put away his sword.
He reached out and touched the wounded man and the bleeding stopped immediately. He picked the ear up from the ground and wiped it off on his own garment. (Luke 22:44). Then he wiped the blood from the side of the face of the wounded man and restored the ear. It was whole again. The event froze the crowd where they stood – but just for a moment.
For a moment the crowd stood watching a real miracle before their eyes. The slave reached up and touched his ear. He grabbed a shiny shield from one of the soldiers and looked at his reflection. He could see his blood soaked shirt, and his ear was fully restored. He looked at Jesus with wonder in his eyes. He tugged at his ear again – just to make sure.
In that moment the crowd stood mute considering the miracle of themselves being knocked down when He spoke and the miracle of the restored ear. There was a wonder of the power of what they had seen. There was a wonder of how Jesus did this. Who is this? Where does he get such power?
Many of them had seen and heard of such miracles before. These miracles would stir the hearts of the observers. People would not deny that miracles took place. They did not deny that Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. I was there when the little girl was raised from the dead. Others had seen the storm become a great calm. No one seemed to deny these things. No one said, “No miracle here.” In previous times his enemies became furious with Jesus when He claimed that He was God and that as God, he was doing these miracles. It was not what Jesus taught. It was not what Jesus did. It because of Who he claimed to be (John 10:30-31) that the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus.
The wonder of the crowd passed. Some would not believe in spite of the evidence they had just seen. The mob returned to their original intent. They arrested Jesus and took Him away for trials and crucifixion. False trials, that is.
Sometimes I get glimpses of Jesus. People tell me about him. I read articles that are so convincing. I see and hear evidences today that seem to confirm all of the things that the Bible and my Christian friends say about him. My heart is stirred.
But still, I choose to not believe. I choose to reject what every evidence seems to verify as truth. I will accept the consequences of my unbelief. Deadly, eternal consequences.
Cold and scary words.
"but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Gene Whitehurst
mail to: gwdeut@gmail.com
I was watching at a safe distance. No one could see me. I was afraid the mob might see me.
The mob gathered around Jesus. Judas said, “Hail Rabbi.” Then Judas went up and kissed him. By this, Judas betrayed Jesus and identified him to the mob. The group said that they wanted Jesus the Nazarene. When Jesus told this mob, “I am he,” the power of His words knocked them to the ground. The crowd grew silent as they drew themselves back to their feet (John 18:4-6). They wondered about the strange power that knocked them down.
A scuffle broke out and one of Jesus’ followers cut off the ear of the slave of the High Priest. Blood ran out and down his garment. You could hear a few gasps from the crowd. Jesus quickly rebuked Peter and told him to put away his sword.
He reached out and touched the wounded man and the bleeding stopped immediately. He picked the ear up from the ground and wiped it off on his own garment. (Luke 22:44). Then he wiped the blood from the side of the face of the wounded man and restored the ear. It was whole again. The event froze the crowd where they stood – but just for a moment.
For a moment the crowd stood watching a real miracle before their eyes. The slave reached up and touched his ear. He grabbed a shiny shield from one of the soldiers and looked at his reflection. He could see his blood soaked shirt, and his ear was fully restored. He looked at Jesus with wonder in his eyes. He tugged at his ear again – just to make sure.
In that moment the crowd stood mute considering the miracle of themselves being knocked down when He spoke and the miracle of the restored ear. There was a wonder of the power of what they had seen. There was a wonder of how Jesus did this. Who is this? Where does he get such power?
Many of them had seen and heard of such miracles before. These miracles would stir the hearts of the observers. People would not deny that miracles took place. They did not deny that Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. I was there when the little girl was raised from the dead. Others had seen the storm become a great calm. No one seemed to deny these things. No one said, “No miracle here.” In previous times his enemies became furious with Jesus when He claimed that He was God and that as God, he was doing these miracles. It was not what Jesus taught. It was not what Jesus did. It because of Who he claimed to be (John 10:30-31) that the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus.
The wonder of the crowd passed. Some would not believe in spite of the evidence they had just seen. The mob returned to their original intent. They arrested Jesus and took Him away for trials and crucifixion. False trials, that is.
Sometimes I get glimpses of Jesus. People tell me about him. I read articles that are so convincing. I see and hear evidences today that seem to confirm all of the things that the Bible and my Christian friends say about him. My heart is stirred.
But still, I choose to not believe. I choose to reject what every evidence seems to verify as truth. I will accept the consequences of my unbelief. Deadly, eternal consequences.
Cold and scary words.
"but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Gene Whitehurst
mail to: gwdeut@gmail.com