IDLE TALES?
“And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.” Luke 24:11
No doubt, it had been a long and dreary three days for the closest disciples of Jesus Christ. He had been brutally crucified, and now three days had passed. Early on Sunday morning, a group of women went to visit the tomb where the Lord was buried, and found that the stone was rolled away. Two angels announced to the women that Jesus was alive and reminded them how He had foretold His death and resurrection. The women returned to the remaining disciples and told them what they had experienced.
Luke 24:11 describes how the apostles received their testimony, “And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.” This seemed to them as a dream, a deception, something too unbelievable to be taken seriously. Although it was true and had been taught to them earlier by the Savior, they could not bring themselves to accept it as truth. Sometimes the truth is hard for us to believe. It seems like there is something about the human nature that makes bad news more easily believable than good news.
As Christians, we must be open and receptive to the truths of God’s Word. The Bible, as we would all agree, is the source and final authority regarding absolute truth. Whatever God’s Word says is true. For instance, if God’s Word says that He loves us dearly, we know that it is true. And yet, we have all known people who hear that and still doubt His love. It seems to them as “idle tales” even though it is absolutely true.
When the Bible says that salvation is a free gift, provided in full through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, it speaks the truth. How many people have heard that message and found it too good to believe, and found that to them it was like “idle tales.” God’s Word holds for us so many precious promises and life-changing truths. God lovingly accepts us in the person of His Son. Our sins are absolutely forgiven. Heaven will one day be our home.
The Bible also reveals principles and commands that are to be applied and obeyed. Our lives are not our own. We are to die daily to self and surrender our wills to God. The greatest joy is found in giving and serving. These are to be believed and engrafted into our lives, not viewed as “idle tales.” May God help us to receive and believe the truths that are found in His Word.