The Jews refused or were unable to reconcile their preconceived ideas to the reality of Messiah. They did not expect Jesus to minister the way He did, in spite of many miraculous signs. The leaders were unwilling to give up their religious protocols or animal sacrifices. They could not hear, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice." Jesus came to be King and High Priest of Israel and to remove the temple.
To this day Jesus is rejected by the Jews because of unfulfilled prophecies; again, unable to see how their rejection of Jesus led to His crucifixion and the interruption of Jesus' work on the earth. To avoid similar misunderstandings we must hear from the Spirit of God. How?
1) Keep the Commandments (the big ten).
2) Take time every day to hear from God (meditate).
3) Never disobey your conscience.
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70: Jesus Reveals That The Way Into The Kingdom Is Difficult
Luke 13:22-30
Jesus went through cities and villages, teaching. As he journeyed toward Jerusalem, one who went with him said:
“Lord, are there few that be saved?”
Jesus replied:
“Strive to enter in at the straight gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying,
‘Lord, Lord, open unto us;’ and he shall answer and say unto you, ‘I know you not whence ye are’ – then shall ye begin to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.’ But he shall say, I tell you, ‘I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.’ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.”
