Can You Handle Someone Telling You The Truth?

​Luke 4:25-26, 28 - “But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.… And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things;…" 

• A Movie Line 

In the movie, "A Few Good Men" Col. Nathan R. Jessup played by Jack Nicholson makes the movie's famous saying, "You can't handle the truth!" to Lt. Daniel Kaffee played by Tom Cruise.
 
This statement I am sure has been quoted many times by many people. 

• The Truth Some Times Hurts 

It sure fits the scripture reference above when Jesus told the Israelites there were many widows in Israel during the famine of Elijah's day, but the only one God helped was a Gentile widow from Zarephath.
 
He goes on to say there were many lepers in the days of Elisha but God only helped another Gentile named Naaman who was a Captain of the Syrian army.
 
This was, in fact, the truth, but the Israelites could not handle these truths. They became so infuriated they wanted, and tried, to kill Jesus over His quoting these two examples of God showing His mercy to the Gentiles and not the Israelites. 

• Has The Truth Hurt Us? 

How many times have we become upset by someone telling us the truth?
 
Or there is the flip side to this coin, how many times have we been upset when someone didn't tell us the truth? In John 8:32 Jesus says. "…the truth will make you free."
 
What truthful statement are we hearing that we are fighting against today? 

• A Time When I Didn't Want To Hear The Truth 

When I was a teenager my parents tried to teach me, but I wanted to do it my way. My way cost me a lot of money, headaches, and some time in jail.
 
I will share with you one of my costly blunders: It was the night I got pulled over by the Ohio police. As I sat in the car under the influence of alcohol and a 1971 movie title "Vanishing Point" I decided to run from the police. As the officer was walking up to ask me for my driver's licenses and registration I pushed the gas pedal to the floor of my 455 cubic inch Pontiac and I was gone.
 
My bright idea was it is only 2 miles to the PA state line and once across the state line I will be free. Why would I believe something like that? In the movie, every time Kowalski was being chased when he crossed the state line the police stopped chasing him.
 
There is only one problem with that belief, it is false. The police in real life don't stop at the state line. They come right across after you and that is the truth. I received 11 citations that night, 6 from the Ohio and 5 from the PA police officers.
 
I should have listened to my parents when they said, "When the police want to pull you over, you pull over and be polite." 

• The Most Important Truth

What are we going to do with the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the One who lived a perfect life, and the One who died on the cross to redeem us?
 
Hebrews 9:22 says, "…all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
 
This is why Jesus poured out His blood on the cross of Calvary. It was so all mankind could have their sins forgiven. One must choose to accept the truth and be redeemed by the blood of Christ.
 
So my question to you is this: "Can you handle the truth about Jesus?"
 
Will you man up, woman up, cowboy up or cowgirl up and say, "I have sinned and need the forgiveness that comes from the blood of Christ."
 
We all have sinned and this is the truth. We all can be forgiven and this is the truth, but you must do it according to God's terms.
 
God's Word says, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
 
Think About This:
 
Many men seek the truth-not because it is lost, but because they are.
 
To hear the truth and not accept it does not nullify it.
 
Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word