DENIAL OR ACCEPTANCE?

John 18:6  When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.

I never fully grasped the powerful nature of these 3 words that changed history forever; "I am He."  I mean think about it.  Jesus could have denied that He was the one they were looking for.  He could have said, "I don't know who you're looking for, but some guy just ran down that path to your left."  He could have brought down a thousand angels to protect Himself from the soldiers.  He could have run away.  There are so many different choices He could have made, But He didn't.  "I am the one you're looking for.  It is me."   He accepted His fate, He accepted His guilt although He was guiltless.  He accepted our punishment.  He was willing to die on a cross for you and for me.  

Deny Him, go ahead deny His existence!   Pretend He is the figment of some imaginative writer.  Believe He is just some man who lived 2,000 years ago and simply died on a cross because He was a criminal.  Keep covering your eyes to the truth and letting your pride keep you from believing that there is a God and that Jesus Christ, the Son of God really existed.  There are many who do feel this way.  I am not here to point fingers at anyones beliefs.  But let me ask you this, if Jesus really was a man who lived on this Earth, do you really think He would have died the death He did if He wasn't who He said He was?

Think about it.  Who in their right mind would allow themselves to be tortured, beaten, flogged and crucified if they were telling a lie?  Let me answer this question for you.  No One!  At least not  human being.   Only the Son of God would allow this to happen because He loves us.  He wants us to have a personal relationship with God, but in our sinful nature, we can't.  Without the grace of Jesus Christ we are separated from God.  Without the final sacrificial lamb, Jesus  Christ, we are distant from our Heavenly Father.  And whether you believe in Him or not, God loves you!  

That's right God loves you even if you do not believe in Him!  He loves you more than you can ever comprehend.  He wants a relationship with you.  Listen God knows that "religion" has hurt you.  To be honest and in my opinion, God has nothing to do with "religion".  God has everything to do with relationship.  

Jesus did not die for us to be a certain brand of"religion".  Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Protestant, Methodist, Jewish, Presbyterian, and all the other denominations of "religions" are basically pointless and meaningless.  Jesus died for us to be forgiven and be able to have a personal relationship with God, not "religion".  To be honest it was "religious" leaders who wanted Jesus dead.  So please let go of the "religion" title.  

Jesus simply wants us to believe in Him.  That's it!  There is no list of rituals you have to accomplish, not certain "religion" you have to belong to.  It's about God and His Son Jesus Christ.  That's it!  It's about belief.  Jesus believed in you although you may not believe in Him.  He died on the cross for you and I.  And yes He died for every non believer that has ever lived.  Whether you believe in Him or not is your choice.  But let me be clear about one thing, there will come a day when everyone will see and believe.  Where you are at that point is up to you.  Hell is real, and Jesus has given you a choice.  He chose to say "I am He."  He chose to love you!  He chose to accept you, even in your unbelief.  His arms are open, run to Him and get rid of the pride that has kept you from Him for so long.

Jesus I believe you are the way, the truth and the life.  I believe you are the  Son of God and that you died for my sins.  I give you my pride which has kept me so distant for too long.  Fill me with your truth and your love in your name I pray, amen