"YOU REFUSE!"

John 5:36-41                  (ESV)
"36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the FATHER has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the FATHER has sent me.
37 And the FATHER WHO sent ME has HIMSELF borne witness about ME. HIS voice you have never heard, HIS form you have never seen,
38 and you do not have HIS WORD abiding in you, for you do not believe the ONE whom HE has sent.
39 YOU SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES BECAUSE YOU THINK that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about ME,
40 yet "YOU REFUSE" to come to ME that you may have life.
41 I do not receive glory from people."


To classify someone because of their skin color or heritage can cause us to miss seeing that person for who they really are.  JESUS was speaking to "the Jews" (John 5:18) but JESUS could SEE who they really were and what they had on their minds and in their hearts.  They could not "SEE" Deity walking right in front of their eyes and were trying to kill HIM so HE would "go away"!

JESUS makes it clear that you have to come as a child to accept HIM (Matthew 18:2-4).  Children accept a lot of things more easily than older, supposedly WISER people.  Those who were considered to be WISER couldn't accept that JESUS was GOD INCARNATE because it seemed to not make sense!  JESUS told then that they would not accept HIM, even though GOD had sent HIM.

Even though HE was sent by GOD to earth to pay the price we were unable to pay, "this world" could not recognize the Son of GOD when HE was in their midst.  Believers today have to remember that the HOLY SPIRIT reveals things to us (1 Corinthians 2:9-15) that non-believers cannot see.  But JESUS told these that "YOU REFUSE" to come to ME, causing many to believe they were so caught up in what THEY WANTED they couldn't see THE TRUTH, even when HE was right before them!

We all have a choice of whether to submit to the LORD or be a part of those who REFUSE to believe!  In recent years a slogan has been popular among "this world" known as 'refuse to lose'.  I'm afraid there are many who are a part of the "YOU REFUSE" crowd that choose NOT to believe in the SON OF GOD!  Instead of refusing to lose, they are choosing to lose!  How about you?  The choice is yours. You can choose to follow JESUS, or "YOU REFUSE" and lose!!