“Lord Jesus, we have heard Your word, yet we chose to disobey You. We confess our wickedness and sin. Thank You that You have provided us with everything that we need to live in obedience to Your word.
In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
Peter and John sought to bring the Jews to repent and return to God.
Acts 3:22-23 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN. HIM YOU SHALL HEAR IN ALL THINGS, WHATEVER HE SAYS TO YOU. (23) AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERY SOUL WHO WILL NOT HEAR THAT PROPHET SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE.’
John the Baptist, whom the Jews held in high esteem, had also confirmed that Jesus was the Messiah, who revealed God to man. John 1:15-18 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ” (16) And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. (17) For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (18) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Jesus Himself, in His teachings, took the Jews back to Moses, to help them place their faith in Him. John 5:45-47 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. (46) For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. (47) But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Though the Jews had the words of Moses, all the prophets, John the Baptist and then Jesus Himself, they chose not to place their trust in Him. In placing their trust in Jesus, it required them to obey His word. John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Throughout history, God has been speaking to man and revealing Himself to man. He had finally sent His Son, who purged our sins and is seated on the right hand of God. Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, (2) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (3) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Just as Moses had told the Israelites that they should hear and obey the words of the one who was to come, we too are under obligation to hear, believe and obey the words of Jesus. Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. Hebrews 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
When man chooses not to believe (surrender of our will) in Jesus, he will die in his sin. Acts 13:40-41 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: (41) ‘BEHOLD, YOU DESPISERS, MARVEL AND PERISH! FOR I WORK A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL BY NO MEANS BELIEVE, THOUGH ONE WERE TO DECLARE IT TO YOU.’ ” / John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
The words of Jesus will judge us on the last day. John 12:48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
Each of us must consider how we stand before God today. Are we those who obey His word? The warning is explicit. There is no preferential treatment with God. II Thessalonians 1:7-9 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, (8) in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
As Jews and as Gentiles, we will all be judged before God, for our lack of faith/obedience in/to Jesus. Hebrews 10:28-31 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (29) Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (30) For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” (31) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Will we give ourselves entirely to Christ, to be His Doulos?