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Matthew 26:3-5
Jesus has given His corrective criticism to the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23), and the religious leaders of the day, as a whole, had now decided that it would be best to kill Jesus. But as the Passover feast was less than two days away, which means that everyone would have gathered in Jerusalem for this celebration. The chief priests, scribes, and the elders of the people did not want to cause an uproar with this many people in the city as it would have been detrimental to themselves if the people responded in favor of Jesus. So they decided to wait until after the Passover feast before they would put their plan into action.
This is an example of hardened hearts refusing to accept corrective criticism.
Many people have issues accepting Jesus and His teachings as in coming to a repentant heart requires constructive criticism – we must be brought to an understanding that we are sinful and in need of salvation. The very first words of Jesus recorded in the Bible as He begins His earthly physical ministry are, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17, NKJV). Repent is to turn from or to change direction. To repent is to change the direction of your life from willfully living in the ways of the sinful nature to living in freedom from sin through the help of another – Jesus. We must realize that we need help; we cannot earn salvation and eternal life in heaven by ourselves. We don’t even play a part in any way unto salvation. Jesus is a gift from God. We just have to accept the gift. We are lost in sin and hopeless if we think that we will one day be accepted by God because He is the God of love and would never allow anyone to not go to heaven. That is nothing more than the trickery of the devil at work in your heart preventing you from knowing the truth. Jesus is the truth! Do you know how I know that? The Bible tells me so, and I believe in it with all my heart, mind, and soul. When Jesus was asked, “What is the great commandment?” His reply was, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). You may say, “Well, that’s easy for you to say…you lead a Bible study.” And my reply is that it is easy for me to say because I love Jesus and He has proven to me over and over again that He is my protector and healer and comforter and salvation – not because I need Him to prove it to me but because He does, every day. And as I grow older, I see more and more of His great love for me as He has never left me nor forsaken me…ever! I left Him many years ago, but He did not ever leave me. He continued to watch over me even when I spent all those years trying to show God that I had a great plan for my life and I needed His help to accomplish it. But He let me fall flat on my face in the mud of life time and time again, until I realized that it is not about me, it’s about Him! I had to remove my focus from me and what I wanted, and put my focus on Him. I had to change my life (repent) and begin listening to His constructive criticism about me, and then change my life to seek His will for my life. Once I did that, His blessings begin to flow and fill my heart in ways that I could never have imagined, and He continues today as I have this opportunity to share my story with you in hopes that you too will open your eyes and ears to hear what God is saying to you, and that you will put your belief and trust in Him. If you do, He will bless you and lead you through the toughness of repentance and into the blessings of His Holy Spirit living within you. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” You must learn to believe God’s Word, and you must learn to apply the teachings of Jesus into your life if you want to be saved from eternal condemnation, which you all know will be waiting to snatch each and every one of you if it can. Trust Jesus! Believe in Jesus, the One who died to pay the price for your sins. Profess Him your Savior today…and live and be saved from the wrath of sin, in the precious name of Jesus!
Dear LORD,
This Bible study is meant for someone today that feels You knocking on the door to their heart. Please help this Bible study and our prayers for this person to open their heart to You today in repentance and sincerity to begin living a new life of forgiveness – a new life in Christ Jesus. Fill this person’s heart with Your Holy Spirit and make them a new person and give them strength to follow You from this day forward – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.