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Vol. II Number 12 April 5, 1998
This day almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus made a triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. But though the crowds cheered him, and paved the way for him, the fickle tide of public opinion turned in less than one weeks time. At one instant Jesus was cheered as a hero and the next the same people were shouting for his death. People are the same today. Look at the ratings of the president, how they change from day to day. People are quick to believe every rumor that is spread by the media, by politicians and by anyone else. There are people and organizations that have expert experience in people's emotions. Look at the number of times that you bought something only to find out later that the product was inferior. How many of you went back to the merchant and issued a complaint? How many of you returned to the supplier and demanded a refund? Most likely very few of you have. Also, how many of you even returned to the same unscrupulous store for there was a sale on? How many of you continue to do business with a person that ``seems'' so nice?
These people are experts in swaying your emotions. They know how to make you believe that it was just an unfortunate circumstance that the product you bought was not what you really needed or inferior. How many times were you swayed to buy a more expensive product though you don't even use the widgets that make the product more expensive? These people are specifically trained on how to sway public opinion. They are trained on how to modulate their voice, say just you desire to hear, and make you feel that you are their friend.
This is what happened to Jesus 2,000 years ago. He was the target of the experts that swayed public opinion against him. The ones that went through the crowd convincing people that Jesus was a ``bad'' person were actually spreading lies about him, but the people were persuaded emotionally that Jesus was to be condemned. They were convinced by salesman and politician by working on people's emotions that Jesus was ``bad''.
Can you trust your emotions? Can you trust your feelings? Can you believe what you feel to be the truth? How many times have you felt bad when there was no reason to feel bad? Were your emotions lying to you? How many times have you disbelieved someone when they were laying out a series of boring facts, but believed someone that was telling you what you wanted to here? There are books out to teach salesmen how to sell. The first thing that they teach in sales training is to sell the sizzle and not the steak.
Take for instance the meat salesman that has two grades of meat, one selling $10.00 per pound and the other selling for only $5.00. Both steaks came from the same steer, but the commission that the salesman gets from selling the $10.00 steak is $3.00 and the commission for selling the $5.00 steak is only $1.00. Needless to say the salesman has an incentive to sell the $10.00 steaks. A successful salesman will sell the sizzle by using phrases like imagine the aroma of the steak sizzling in the frying pan. Imagine the romantic setting with candlelight serving this fine cut of meat. While the mediocre salesman will try to convince the prospect buyer that the $10.00 piece of meat is actually better. But the salesman that knows how to work on your emotions will be more successful at selling you the more expensive cut rather than the one that tries to sell you logically.
This is how the religious leaders and politicians were able to convince the crowd to scream, ``Crucify him!, crucify him!'' They were deceived by the efforts of people that knew how to work on the emotions and how to manipulate and work a crowd. They used herd mentality to sway the emotions of many to work their evil. Let's look what happened in the Bible:
John 12:10-13
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to
death;
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on
Jesus.
12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard
that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried,
Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
John 12:37-50
37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not
on him:
38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake,
Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been
revealed?
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not
see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I
should heal them.
41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because
of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on
him that sent me.
45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should
not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came
not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth
him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me
a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak
therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
Mark 15:1-20
1 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with
the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him
away, and delivered him to Pilate.
2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said
unto him, Thou sayest it.
3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.
4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many
things they witness against thee.
5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.
6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they
desired.
7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made
insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.
8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever
done unto them.
9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King
of the Jews?
10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release
Barabbas unto them.
12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I
shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.
14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried
out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them,
and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they
call together the whole band.
17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put
it about his head,
18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and
bowing their knees worshipped him.
20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put
his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
Now the crowd was persuaded not by any logic that Jesus was worthy of death, but by emotion. They were swept up in the emotion of the moment and they believed their emotions and were not thinking. Even you when dealing with sales people are persuaded to stop using your head and to believe your heart. But your emotions constantly lie to you. They are not the things of logic or reason. So the Christian of today is continually bombarded by lies and deceptions. He is under attack by politicians on all sides, attempting to get your vote. Now with the rise of the antichrist and a new world order at hand now is the time to question everyone and everything. The only thing that is true is the Bible. The only thing that can be believed is the Bible. Many are coming as saviors, but are wolves in sheep's clothing. If you can be persuaded by slick salesman, how much more dangerous will it be when you are bombarded by the media to follow a world leader that has all of the answers, and is telling you just what you desire to hear.
These are perilous times that we are living in. These are times of tremendous deception and evil on every hand. These are times of great wickedness, and only those that refuse to believe their emotions and only rely on the Word of God as the truth will survive.
3014 E Street Philadelphia, PA 19134 Church Office Phone: (215) 634-3637 Published by: Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy (215) 535-4037
Services:
Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:30 AM
Sunday Morning Worship . . . . . . . . . . 12 NOON
Sunday Evening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:30 PM
Wednesday Evening . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM