Avoid These Things That Make People Reject Jesus
1) The Cares Of This World
2) The Deceitfulness Of Riches
3) The Pleasures Of This Life
Remember that Luke 8:14 and Matthew 13:22 tell us the three things listed above to avoid that make people reject Jesus. Each scripture speaks about a sower (God) putting His seed (the Word of God Jesus) on the ground (people) hoping that they will be saved and accept Jesus' blessing of eternal life. Luke 8:14 says And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. Matthew 13:22 also says He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the Word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and he becometh unfruitful.
In other words, don't let the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of this life make you reject Jesus. Deny these temporary pleasures and get saved right now today. Hebrews 11:25 tells us that the pleasures of sin are just for a season and according to Romans 6:23 the pleasures of sin will end where the wages of sin will be death. But according to Psalm 16:11 the Lord Jesus offers peace and pleasures forevermore. Choose Jesus today who is better than any pleasure in this world; Repent, decide to stop sinning, confess Jesus to be your God, and believe the gospel that Jesus died for you on the cross, was buried, and rose again.
Why would anyone reject Jesus and His eternal peace?
Jesus offers you a free gift; It costs you nothing and promises you eternal life.
Think About This
When you get saved with Jesus, It's not just getting something for nothing
It's getting everything for nothing
Accept That Jesus Died For You On The Cross And Get Saved
Reject That Jesus Died For You On The Cross And Be Lost In Hell
It's All Summed Up In The Statement Below
Trust Jesus And Be Saved
Trust Anything Else and Be Lost In Hell
Rembrandt Trusted Jesus And Got Saved
Rembrandt Van Rijun was a famous Dutch artist that got saved and lived in the 17th Century. When Rembrandt painted the first painting above titled The Raising Of The Cross, Rembrandt painted himself into the painting as the man with the blue painter's beret helping hoist Jesus up onto the cross. This was Rembrandt's way of saying I am a sinner that helped crucify Jesus. Rembrandt confessed to everyone that because of his sins, Jesus was crucified. In other words, Rembrandt got saved, repented, and confessed Jesus to be God, believing that Jesus died on the cross for his sins, was buried, and rose again.
Notice Rembrandt's second painting above titled Jesus and the two thieves. Around the cross are people with various attitudes about Jesus. But the significant difference in this rendering is that Rembrandt paints himself standing in the shadows behind the spectators. This painting shows Rembrandt blending in with the crowd, failing to stand up for Jesus, consorting with the enemies of Jesus.
In other words Rembrandt is telling us
Twas I that shed the sacred blood
I nailed Him to the tree
I crucified the Christ of God
I joined the mockery
Remember Jesus was crucified and died because of our sins
To save us if we believe that His death on the cross rescued us from our sins
A Story About Charing Cross London England
Charing Cross is in the center of downtown London England where six routes meet like the spokes of a wheel. One day a little girl got lost in London and talked to a bobby (an English policeman). The policeman asked the little girl, How can I get you back home. The little girl replied, If you can just take me to the cross (Charing Cross), I think I can find my way home from there. This little girl spoke the truth. If we all can just get to the cross of Jesus Christ, we'll all find our way home to heaven.
Excuses People Make To Reject Jesus
1) I can't live a perfect life
It's a bad excuse to say I reject Jesus because I can't live a perfect life. Even if you did live a perfect live, you were born in sin, and you'd need Jesus who is totally sinless and perfect to get you to heaven. Nobody except Jesus can live a perfect life and save you from sin. If a man tried to get to heaven by saying he lived perfect, it would be like a man telling a lender, I owe you $20000, I promise I ain't ever gonna borrow from you again. The lender would reply what about the $20000 that you owe me. You still owe a debt sinner. That man couldn't get rid of his past debt and would not be perfect. Friend like this man, even if you lived a perfect life, you still owe a debt of sin you received at birth from Adam where Jesus has to pay for your past sins with His precious shed blood from the cross of Calvary to save you.
2) I'm afraid if I accept Jesus people will ridicule and make fun of me
I ain't fit to get saved
One time a man said I ain't fit to come to the marriage feast of the Lamb; I ain't fit to sit down at the banquet with God up in glory. A christian told this man that's a bad excuse because Jesus can make you fit for the marriage feast of the Lamb. Jesus provided all the food, all the clothing, and His own blood to clean you up and make you a new creature before you get to the marriage feast of the Lamb. The problem is you ain't fit to get fit. In fact nobody's fit but Jesus can clean you up to be fit.
One time a woman said I'd like to accept Jesus and get saved but if I did my husband would leave me. Two months later her husband died without ever hearing the gospel. All I have to say is this was a stupid woman who had a bad excuse and lost the joy of salvation for both herself and her husband.
Finally, Zedekiah was a person in the bible that refused to get saved from the Babylonians because he feared mockings from the Jews. Jeremiah told Zedekiah surrender to Nebuchadnezzar and you'll save Jerusalem. If you don't surrender, God will take Jerusalem, burn it down, and put the people into captivity. Zedekiah told Jeremiah I can't surrender because if I do the people will make fun of me. Jeremiah 38:19 says and Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans lest they deliver me into their hand and they mock me.
Jeremiah told Zedekiah at Jeremiah 38:20 Obey, I beseech thee the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee; So it shall be well unto thee and thy soul shall live; But if you don't obey God, all your wives and concubines will ridicule and mock you and the king of Babylon will burn this city and make you a slave for Babylon. Zedekiah did not obey Jeremiah's warning and suffered as a slave in captivity in Babylon.
3) I can't get saved because I don't like revival or preachers
If someone tells you I can't get saved because I don't like revivals, tell them to read John 5:24 where Jesus said Verily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my Word and believeth on Him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life. And if someone tells you I can't get saved because I don't like preachers tell them to read John 3:36 that says He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
4) I can't get saved until I get the right feeling; I'm waiting for a feeling
Some people won't get saved until they experience a certain feeling. But God didn't tell you to feel saved; God told you to believe you are saved. Most people say if I feel it, I'll believe it. But with God you first need to believe in Jesus before you can know and feel that you are saved. After anyone believes that Jesus is Lord and the gospel that Jesus died for them on the cross, was buried, and rose again, they will feel salvation and know definitely that they are saved. Jesus said salvation with the Holy Ghost is like the wind; You can't see the wind but you can feel the wind.
The Deceitfulness Of Riches And The Love Of Money
Make People Reject Jesus
True Stories About People Who Loved Money More Than Jesus
And Lost Salvation
Our first true story occurred when a man heard a maid tell her cook, if I could just have $500 I'd be satisfied. So the man gave the maid $500. The next day the man asked the cook, what did the maid say after I gave her $500. The cook replied, the maid snapped her fingers in discouragement and said Oh why didn't I say $1000. Most people are like this maid when they love money instead of Jesus. They never get enough. Money doesn't ever satisfy them. But friends everywhere I promise you that when anyone receives Jesus, they will be fully satisfied and have peace forevermore.
Our next true story is about a woman in Chicago who was dying of malutrition in the hospital. She was living in a poor apartment that only cost $11 a month for rent. The doctors at the hospital found $15000 worth of $100 bills sewed into an old dirty coat that this woman was wearing at the hospital. Now that's what I call really being stingy and not helping the poor.
Our last true story is about two women who lived in just 1 room for 60 years together. After a friend visited them, he found old cans of spaghetti everywhere and many peeled potatos on tables. The entire room was filthy. But the assets found in the room for the 2 women included bank accounts, notes, and cash totalling over $100000. And these 2 women complained every day saying Not enough; Not enough.
Remember after you read these stories about how people loved money more than Jesus, read 1 Timothy 6:10 that says For the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The three people in the above stories were sorrowful and not satisfied by money. Only Jesus can satisfy totally.
The Love Of Money Is A Vicious Endless Circle
That Doesn't Get Anyone Anywhere
Proven By The Witty Saying Below
Paper makes money
Money makes banks
Banks make loans
Loans make poverty
Poverty makes rags
Rags make paper
Paper makes money
The Truth About Tithing
If anyone has gone to church over the years, they've heard that we need to bring our tithes into the storehouse and give money to the preachers and the church. This is correct because the laborer is worthy of his hire. But the true tithe needs to be given to the poor. If you look up in hebrew what the word storehouse means you will discover that the storehouse is defined as treasury (treasure) in heaven. And our Lord Jesus told us how to have treasure in heaven (defined as storehouse in greek) by giving our tithes to the poor. Jesus told the rich young ruler at Mark 10:21 One thing thou lackest; go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven (defined as storehouse) and come take up the cross and follow me. Remember when you've done it to the least of them, you've done it unto Jesus. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
A Story About A Man Who Didn't Want To Tithe
Because He Loved Money More Than Jesus
A man told his little girl, I'm tired of that preacher always begging and talking about tithing, tithing and helping the poor. The dying thief didn't tithe and he got saved. The little girl told her daddy, Are you the dying thief?
A True Story About A Man Who Couldn't Be Rescued
Because He Loved Money More Than Jesus
One day a man needed to be rescued from his basement in his home. The firemen lowered down a rope to the man. But every time they tried to pull him up, the rope got heavier and heavier instead of lighter and lighter. The man only weighed 140 pounds. The firemen asked the man what are you doing down there? The man replied I'm trying to bring up my safe of money and this case of liquor. This man's love of money prevented him from being saved. Don't be like this man. Instead of holding on to your safe of money; give your money to the poor and love Jesus more than your money and you'll get saved. Remember you can never outgive God. Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will men give unto your bosom.
Don't Delay Getting Saved And Rescued
Like The People Aboard The Central America Steamship
In 1857 there was a steamship called the Central America going to New York City. 15 miles outside of the New York City harbor, the Central America sprung a leak. A rescue ship pulled alongside the Central America and said to the captain, You got trouble. The captain replied Yes we got trouble. The fellow on the rescue ship said There's a bad leak on your ship. Let me take your passengers aboard the rescue ship. The captain replied It's too late now at 1 AM to transfer passengers. It might be dangerous; Stand by until morning.
The rescue ship said You better let me take your passengers now or you'll all perish. The captain replied Stand by until morning. Morning never came. The Central America steamship sank in 2 hours and everybody on that steamship died.
Friends everywhere Jesus is saying to you Right now you better get aboard and get saved. Don't say Stand by Jesus until morning. Wait awhile. Morning will never come. Right now, not tomorrow is the time to get saved. Jesus said at 2 Corinthians 6:2 I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee; behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
I pray in Jesus name that this little bible study blesses multitudes all over this earth with great peace and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin 2233 Pinetree Lane Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.
