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Welcome to Day 2151 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 19 – Reason for Rejection – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 06/12/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – Reasons for Rejection Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, 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. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Today, our scripture is John 8:12-59, starting on page 1662 in the Pew Bible. Since it is a more extended passage, I will read it as we go through the message. In 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 two weeks ago in John 7:37-38,  “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”. The first verse in today’s passage is (12); he picks up where he left off before the incident with the woman.   When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He 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. John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Matthew 10:34 recalled a particularly shocking statement by Jesus: “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. (Hold Sword) 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, For 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. 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, and you can follow along with in your Bulletin insert (review the steps):     —8:12–18— 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never