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Welcome to Day 2151 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.\nThis is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom\nThe Gospel of John \u2013 19 \u2013 Reason for Rejection \u2013 Daily Wisdom\nPart 3 Authentication Of The Word \u2013 Reasons for Rejection\nToday we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last, we saw the religious leaders again trying to trap Jesus to make a case against him to kill him as they brought a woman before him to judge. Yet Jesus was victorious. \u201c\u2018Then neither do I condemn you,\u2019 Jesus declared. \u2018Go now and leave your life of sin.\u2019\u201d Today, our scripture is John 8:12-59. Since it is a more extended passage, I will read it as we go through the message.\n\nIn many ways, especially with the hypocritical religious leaders, Jesus was a radical individual, a most imposing personality. Not intimidating, not frightening. Imposing. Formidable. Unafraid. He entered the temple to find people groping about in spiritual darkness and thirsting for divine truth. He boldly stated in our lesson in John 7:37-38,\xa0\u201cAnyone who is thirsty may come to me!\xa0\xa0Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, \u2018Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.\u2019\u201d The first verse in today\u2019s passage is 12; he picks up where he left off before the incident with the woman.\n\nWhen Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,\xa0\u201cI am\xa0the light of the world.\xa0Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\u201d\n\nHe fearlessly spoke the truth without apology. He joyously walked in the truth with His Father; therefore, He was constantly in trouble for His uninhibited love of truth. Jesus understood better than any the price to be paid for speaking and living the truth because He is divine truth incarnate, the Light made flesh.\n\nJohn 1:5\n\nThe light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.\n\nMatthew 10:34 recalled a particularly shocking statement by Jesus, \u201cDon\u2019t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.\u201d The purpose of a sword is to divide. Physically, it separates one part of a body from the rest. Figuratively, Hebrews 4:12 describes it best, \u201cFor the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.\u201d And socially, the sword separates groups into two categories; it attracts those who will surrender and incites violence against those who will not. There is no room for compromise before the gleaming sword of truth. Surrender or fight. Jesus figuratively brought a sword into the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. Some surrendered. Others began a futile, exhausting, self-destructive fight. Their response is a study in the stages of rejection which we cover in our message today.\n\n8:12\u201318\n\n\xa0When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,\xa0\u201cI am\xa0the light of the world.\xa0Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\u201d\xa0The Pharisees challenged him, \u201cHere you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.\u201d Jesus...