They said at first, ‘We have never heard such things. He is miles above the professional clergy.
The human heart grasps at any excuse to run away from God’s message. ‘We know he does amazing things,’ they said, ‘but we know his family. It is clutching at straws, isn’t it? I want to have my sins. I will clutch at anything. If I hear half-truth discovered that proves man evolved, I will clutch at it.
Unbelief is a sin, a crime against God. To close my mind against God is a sin. It is no good saying, ‘I haven’t consciously thought about it.’ Oh but you have. If you haven’t positively searched for God, then you are a wilful unbeliever. The most natural question to ask is, Where do I come from? Where do I go at death? Am I made by God? Is it possible for me to know him? Does he see me, and mark my steps? We humans are curious, inquisitive; we travel, we read, even if it is only the tabloids. Deep down, by nature I am wilful unbeliever. We are to blame and it is a great insult to God. Would you say it to a parent, ‘You don’t exist’? Unbelief is a rejection of God, and of the judgment of God. It is stealing from God. I take my life and make myself my own God. I want me and my pleasure. It may be very hard for the unbeliever to hear this, but it is necessary to face up to the truth.
And unbelief is so foolish. You may have degrees, acumen in business, but if you are an unbeliever you are a fool. You have been taken in by this world and sucked in all the nonsense about God. Because you wanted to. Look at the trouble in the world. Human beings are grotesquely unfair, starvation and relief sent to a trouble stricken and some would rather fight than distribute the aid. What a mess we make of this world! Without the help of God we are so foolish.
Unbelief is the most costly of acts. You refuse to believe in God. It costs you. You are at the mercy of your urges, your appetites. Your pride and covetousness are manipulated by the world around you. There is a devil also. He will have his way with you. Christ calls him a strong man armed with weapons. He keeps his goods including human slaves, in peace, untroubled by their predicament. He doesn’t need to beat them; instead he manipulates and govern their lives. He doesn’t care if you believe in him or not. You are a slave. You will receive no answers to prayer, you will never have any guidance. You will arrive in the next world horrified at what you must now go through.
Why be frightened of God? Why run away from him? We are obnoxious, and yet God will forgive us, so gracious, kind is he. He will wash our guilt away. Where do you think power is? With the politicians, educators? Can they save you at death’s door? No, all power is with God. There is some love in this world, but precious little. God has love; he has kindness. How many times have you been let down by this world? But God is faithful; he keeps every promise.