"Despised and Rejected"

 "He came onto his own, and his own received him not." (John 1:11 KJV)

  "A sign was fastened above Jesus' head, announcing the charge against him. It read: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. "Look at him now!" they yelled at him. "You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!"" (Matthew 27:37-40 NLT)

  I have always wondered what I might have said, if it were me that witnessed this spectacular event; it would have most likely been something stupid and insulting, as if to be part of the crowd. But then again, I really never tried to insult or make fun of people that I felt were trying to share God or care about other's eternal soul. That does not mean that I would listen to what they had to say, I just wouldn't waste my time trying to accept what they were selling. 

  This is something that is entirely on a whole different level! Besides the fact that Jesus was a Jew, He was the one that they were looking for to come, and He came! What part of the prophecy did they not understand? Better yet, why could they not fully understand why they despised and rejected Him the way that they did? This is pretty much the same as Peter's denial of Jesus, as predicted! And he denied Him three times, just as Jesus said that he would. 

  You would think that someone would have gotten some sort of clue; but this was not about knowing, because the message is not about them knowing, it is about them rejecting Him with spite! Interesting think about what Jesus said of them from the cross: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34 KJV) The know we are talking about means that of computing or reckoning; which require someone to start putting the pieces of the puzzle together and to sort things out. 

  To be perfectly clear and to the point: Jesus referred to those who taught as those who see, yet do not see; yet if they were blind, they might have a better chance at being able to actually see, (John 9:41). It was not a matter of the knowledge they had, but the hardness of their hearts. They could not compute any truth, beyond what they wanted to believe. I hope this is never something that might happen to me; because if it might happen, it will require a change of heart! 

  Speaking about changing hearts, both of these word, despised and rejected, are words that have very little to do with knowledge or learning; they are mostly base upon feelings and emotions. As I was listening to a message yesterday, I believe it  was on, "Heart Talk Radio," they were explaining how the root cause of rebellion is based upon preconceived goals. I thought this was rather interesting, since the topic I was sharing on that morning was about, "covet," and what it means to covet.

  Not to charge the subject of what we should be talking about, but something is very special about the heart and the energy that is generated by passion and desire. At times, based upon my experience, the mind is somewhat shut off to almost anything else, once the hearts wants what it wants; especially when the mind might find objection; that heart will almost always win...

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV)