The Cost of
THE
JEWS ARE FOREVER REJECTED FROM BEING GOD’S PEOPLE
23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came
to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the
kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and
the Prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some were persuaded by the
things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. 25 So when they did not agree
among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: "The Holy
Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26
"saying, 'Go to this people and say: "Hearing you will hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing you will see, and not perceive; 27 For the
hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and
their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with
their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I
should heal them." ' 28 "Therefore let it be known to you that the
salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!" 29
And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute
among themselves.
We can choose not to hear
Hebrews
4:1-13
1
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any
of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to
us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not
being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do
enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, they shall not
enter My rest," although the works were finished from the foundation of
the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this
way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; 5 and
again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest." 6 Since
therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first
preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain
day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been
said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of
another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he
who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from
His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall
according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living
and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from
His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must
give account.
We will live or die based on our acceptance or rejection of Christ’s word
John
12:48 "He who rejects Me, and
does not receive My words, has that which judges him-- the word that I have
spoken will judge him in the last day.
When the Lord comes again
II
Thessalonians 1:6-9
6
since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who
trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord
Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking
vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9These shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Conclusion:
We live or die based on the choices we make. Joshua command to us
thunders to us from three
thousand years in the past: “choose for yourselves this day whom you will
serve” and I pray that our response is the same as his was “But as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD."
Joshua 24:14-15