John 5:41-44

“I do not accept praise from people, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God?

We must always be careful that our eyes and hearts are focused on pleasing God, and not pleasing other people. There are times when these 2 things overlap, but they are far from the same thing. Jesus the Son comes in His Father's name and is rejected by the Pharisees and teachers of the law. These people would later accept a convicted criminal into their midst before they would accept Christ. The point is this: they chose to make an idol out of the praise of other people at the expense of living in a way that pleases God. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie.