No Decision.
Brian says that No decision about Jesus is a “no-decision” about Jesus! In other words, we cannot sit on the fence but must decide who Jesus is.
Conflicts With the Pharisees
Mark chapter 2:16 and 17 –
“And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’”
Mark 2:16 -17 (ESV)
Mark 3, verse 1 to 6:
“Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they (the Pharisees) watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Come here.’ And he said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.”
Mark 3: 1 – 6
A Plan to Destroy Jesus
Jesus’ enemies have decided to destroy him. Now they just need to plan how. Even though they complain about Jesus’ working on the Sabbath, they do not mind plotting his death on the Sabbath.
There is Jesus – the righteous One, anointed of God, hanging out with … you know … those people. Eating, drinking and talking with those awful people. The Pharisees can’t stand such uncleanness and they have no heart for such mercy. Imagine how disgusted they will be when they see Jesus on a cross bearing all uncleanness. John the Baptist called him,
“The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:36)
Jesus the Rule Breaker
Jesus keeps breaking their rules. He breaks laws of purity by touching and healing a leper. (Mark 1:40-45). He is friend with impure people – sinners and tax collectors. (Mark 2:13-17). He violates food rules by feasting rather than fasting. (Mark 2:18-22). He breaks their marriage laws when he teaches on divorce. (Mark 10:1-12). He criticizes the scribes. (Mark 12:38-40). He says he is greater than Israel’s greatest king David. (Mark 12:35-37).
Taking Jesus to Those Who are Starving
None of us like the Pharisees’ attitude to sinners. But you know, we can live like that. Maybe almost all the people we hang out with are Christians. Jesus was not like that – he was in the world but not of the world. To use Jesus’ own words, we are the doctors who need to go to the sick.
We are the forgiven who need to put our arms around the unforgiven. We have eaten with Jesus, and we need to take him to those who are starving for him. We come as beggars who have found bread. We don’t come bragging. We say, I am connected to Christ, not because of my goodness but because of my badness.
Our Reaction to Jesus
One man has written these strong words about how we react to Jesus:
“How can you live with the terrifying thought that the hurricane has become human, that fire has become flesh, that life itself became life and walked in our midst? Christianity either means that, or it means nothing. It is either … the deepest reality of the world, or it is … nonsense, a bit of deceitful playacting. Most of us, unable to say either of those things, condemn ourselves to live in the shallow world in between.”
N. T. Wright
Caught Between
Are you caught in between completely trusting in Jesus and pushing him away completely? If both those choices seem dangerous to you, sitting in between is not safe either. No decision about Jesus is a “no-decision” about Jesus. You can’t say, “Well, I haven’t believed in Jesus, but I haven’t disbelieved him either. I am just kind of waiting in between.” Here is what the Bible says in John 3:18 –
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already.”
John 3:18
The standing still, not-believing person, is condemned.
Imagine you are standing at a bus stop, waiting for your bus. The bus arrives. It opens its doors. You don’t move. You don’t do anything. The bus leaves. In this situation, “No Decision” is really a Decision to say “No”. We need to say “Yes” to faith in the Lord Jesus. “Now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2)
Have you made a no decision or a yes decision about Jesus? Contact us at HopeStreamRadio, or comment below.
Brian Stapley
Brian Stapley is the husband of Margaret and “Christian-proud” father of Tabitha, Ben, Jeremy and Joel. He has been director of the Boys JIM Club of America since 1981 and a “JIM Clubber” since 1958, the year he became a Christian. The mission statement of the JIM Club is, “Discipling boys to love Jesus deeply and express him vividly.”
He has been an educator since 1970, primarily as a high school English Teacher. (Don’t dangle your participles.) He has been in fellowship at Scottlea Gospel Chapel, St. Catharines, since 1976 and travels to preach about three dozen times a year, in Ontario and New York State. He is a ventriloquist, in company with Casey, Theodore, Dodo, Grumpa, and a menagerie of others. Also, a bit of a magician.
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