In the story of Mary and Martha – the story of Lazarus – we saw a picture of how two people reacted, each in their own way, to what life had unexpectedly placed in their laps…they both reacted differently to their grief, and they both reacted differently to the Lord…because not everyone has the same exact relationship with God…not everyone hears God in the same exact way…
Not everyone is at the same exact place or point in Life’s Journey; we’re all in different spots. This is why it is so frustrating when we strive so hard to lead others into the Kingdom, and we see no results…
One thing that we Christians sometimes forget is that there are people in the world who have not sometimes forget is that there are people in the world who have not yet had an encounter with God, and not only have not had an encounter with God, they don’t believe there is a God, and God – as a concept – is no more real to them than the Man in the Moon.
How is this so? It is so because the lost – also known in the Scriptures as ‘The World’ – have not yet been exposed to the Truth about who Jesus Christ, the Sinless Son of God, is. They don’t yet believe in Him, because they haven’t yet been exposed to the evidence that convicts, proclaimed by a jury of their peers who are willing to preach the truth to them.
Romans_10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
John 14:15-28 - 15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25"All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28"You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, 31but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me…
Sometimes we get frustrated when we witness to the lost, and they don’t respond, but consider what happened in Acts 26:28, when Paul testified to Herod and Agrippa and Agrippa said to Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Not everyone is at the same exact place or point in Life’s Journey; we’re all in different spots. This is why it is so frustrating when we strive so hard to lead others into the Kingdom, and we see no results…
One thing that we Christians sometimes forget is that there are people in the world who have not sometimes forget is that there are people in the world who have not yet had an encounter with God, and not only have not had an encounter with God, they don’t believe there is a God, and God – as a concept – is no more real to them than the Man in the Moon.
How is this so? It is so because the lost – also known in the Scriptures as ‘The World’ – have not yet been exposed to the Truth about who Jesus Christ, the Sinless Son of God, is. They don’t yet believe in Him, because they haven’t yet been exposed to the evidence that convicts, proclaimed by a jury of their peers who are willing to preach the truth to them.
Romans_10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
John 14:15-28 - 15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25"All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28"You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, 31but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me…
2 Corinthians 4:3 – if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost…
Sometimes we get frustrated when we witness to the lost, and they don’t respond, but consider what happened in Acts 26:28, when Paul testified to Herod and Agrippa and Agrippa said to Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
Luke 11:5-12 - "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
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