On Sunday I asked the question, "Who crucified Jesus?" Without going into great detail and repreaching Sunday's sermon, let me quickly say that from our two verses above it seems that anyone who has rejected Jesus--and all of us have--had a hand in crucifying Jesus. Jesus is the dividing line, and to reject Him is to be guilty of the greatest sin.
Let's bring that thought out of the area of soteriology (salvation) and put into the realm of everday discipleship. This is a quote by Catherine Marshall that I read in the book The Contemporaries Meet the Classics on the Holy Spirit linked to the right.
...Then the Spirit showed me that every time I rejected Jesus' ability to handle any problem or problem area in my life, I am rejecting Him as the Lord of Life as truly as did the three thousand on the Day of Pentecost. He claimed to be the Savior, to be able to save us form any sin, any bondage, any problem. By disclaiming that with regard to any one of my problems, I am calling Jesus a liar and a charlatan--a fake prophet--as truly as did those who long ago howled for His death before Pilate and who drove in the nails.Would you agree that even as Christians we struggle with rejection? What is going on at the workplace? What is going on in your marriage? What is going on in your heart and mind? Do you reject Jesus' ability to handle it or are you trying to bear the full burden yourself?
That's a powerful word for me. I pray that it cuts to your heart also.
Love ya.
