The Stubborn Sanhedrin
Perhaps as you look at Jesus, you're more prone to judge Him like the Sanhedrin - the Jewish council of chief priests headed up by the High Priest.
These were very religious men who were well trained in Old Testament theology. Yet, how stubborn they were in their disbelief of Jesus! Look at this conversation they had with Him: "'If you are the Messiah,' they said, 'tell us.' Jesus answered, 'If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer.'" (Luke 22:67-68)
If I tell you, you won't believe me, Jesus says. You've already made up your minds. You're not open to the truth.
Perhaps you've already made up your mind about Jesus. Not open to the truth. Perhaps even though He claimed it, you don't believe it.
The Danger of a Hardened Heart
In this way, these men remind me of Pharaoh in the Old Testament. The Jews were imprisoned by Pharaoh, and God through Moses told Pharaoh to let them go. But he refused. The Bible says he hardened his heart against God. Only later does the Bible say that God hardened his heart.
If you harden your heart against God enough, God will allow it. He will say "OK… have it your way…"
I think we've all seen this happen! There are people in our lives who buy into the claims of Jesus, and there are those who reject His claims totally. Stubborn hearts. Looking at Jesus and saying "… Not interested."
Perhaps that's you today. You're not really interested. You've already decided that Jesus is just not worth your time or energy. You've already rejected Him. Being stubborn without examining the evidence is a silly thing to do - stubbornly sticking to your guns when there is evidence and testimony that contradicts what you want to believe. This is a dangerous mindset.
What Will It Take to Believe?
Did you hear about Hiroo Onoda? He was an expert in guerrilla warfare, martial arts, and covert military operations. In 1944, he was sent as an officer of the Japanese army to Lubang Island in the Philippines to hamper enemy attacks, and to never surrender.
In 1945 when Japan surrendered, Onoda would not believe it. He thought it was a ruse by the enemy to draw him out and make him surrender. When leaflets from Japanese planes fell out of the skies to inform them the war was over and they could go home, Onoda wouldn't believe it. He thought it was an American plot to capture Japanese soldiers.
He and three others continued fighting. They survived off local bananas and coconuts, and killed many locals. Over the years the other three were captured or killed, but for 29 years Onoda stayed in the jungle until Japanese officials came to find him and take him home.
The evidence was there but he refused to believe it, and wasted years of his life fighting a battle that didn't exist.
How many of us have done the same? Jesus' evidence was there, people tried to convince us, but we thought it was just a plot, or a misunderstanding.
What will it take for you to come to Jesus? Are you giving Him a chance, or just stubbornly resisting His claims like the Sanhedrin?
A stubborn refusal to examine the evidence for Jesus is as dangerous today as it was for the Sanhedrin. Ask yourself today: have you genuinely considered the claims of Christ with an open heart?