Skip to main content

Rejected

How do you handle rejection? As a kid, it was my worst nightmare. I like to be accepted. I hate to be rejected. I feel rejected when I'm rejected. 

Jesus was rejected. Isaiah says that he was "despised and rejected." That is even worse than just rejected. He was the most despised person in History. Weird when you think about it. He who when he spoke the crowd marveled, was totally rejected. 

On His homecoming, in a town of 300, the people listened as he read from the Word. He was handed the Isaiah scroll. He opened it to the exact spot for the moment and read. He read of the Messiah, and he stopped just before the "Judgement" part. As he rolled it up, he said something that didn't win him any "acceptance" points. "This day, this scripture is fulfilled in your ears."

He could have said just about anything else and not been troubled. However, when he said that, the people were livid with rage! "This carpenter man, this son of Mary, this brother to those lugs we know as José, James, Judas. Who does Jesus think that he is? He's poor just like us!"

With that, Jesus was yanked from the synagogue and pushed to the cliff. Their intention was not a touristic view. They wanted to kill him! Why? He was despised and rejected! It was God's will for him. 

So, how did he handle it? He did a few miracles and left. He helped the few who believed in him. Then he went to surrounding villages and taught the Gospel of the Kingdom. 

I would have been tempted to quit. I would have quit! No doubt. I don't like rejection, especially by my kin. My kin and I are close in a weird, "Jewell-like" way. We love each other, but we don't spend much time telling each other. Funny, isn't it. More weird than funny. 

However, I believe that all of my kin love me. They support me in prayer. Some even with monetary gifts. If they rejected me, I would be depressed. I might crawl into my hole and bury myself. Maybe. 

Jesus is my example. Funny really. Just after he was rejected, he went and taught. He then called His disciples and sent them out with nothing but their smiles and his message. 

Do you think that he was preparing them for rejection? I do because they were. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Are You Worth?

What are you Worth?  Have you ever thought about what you are worth? In investing circles there is a term used to gauge this exact question, it's called Net Worth. You take all of your assets, like property owned, funds in your bank account, clothes, jewelry, car, etc.. You total all of these things. You then take everything you owe, like mortgage, car loan, and credit card debt, and you subtract these items from the first total. This gives you your net worth. That number represents where you are financially. Most people never stop to think about this number because they don't understand anything about it. They never have two nickels to rub together. They live from hand to mouth and know (or at least believe) nothing will ever change so, they fall into the "daily grind" mentality. Psalm 49 should be a great encouragement to such as these. The sons of Korah write about them. These sons write about all of us. They call all people everywhere to listen to their wisdom. Bo...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Circumcision Advantage

 What a title right? I'm thinking of Romans 3:1 where Paul asks, "What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?"  This was always an avoided subject in Sunday school, especially in a mixed class. We didn't use the "C" word. Too wierd.  Paul is bringing up this topic for good reasons. He wants to show that the Jews definitely have had a great advantage during their history. In the next verse he tells one of them when he says, ... "First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God." The first jew talked to God in person. God chose Abram to be the father of many nations and to bring the blessing of the Messiah to the world. The Old Testament is the story of the Jewish nation. God dealt with the Jews throughout the ages of the time before Christ. They were the chosen. But in all that blessing they ended up crucifying the Messiah.  With all of their advantages the Jews came short of the ideal....
Post a Comment
Read more

Abs of Steel with Glasses

Have you ever wondered why Clark Kent always took his glasses off before he turned into Superman? I hadn’t ever thought about it either until this last Saturday when I almost got sucker-punched. Wellington, one of my spunky Juniors, wanted to wrestle. He feigned a punch to my gut and I said, “Go ahead. I have abs of steel!” I think that my gym visits might be going to my head because my abs of steel are buried under a healthy layer of blubber. I have improved my six-pack but it is far from chiseled. It looks more like a quarter of a keg. Anyway, quick as a wink and with near lightening speed Wellington said, “Yeah but up here is made of glass!” as his poke went within a hair’s breadth of my glasses! I belly-laughed. His rapid reflexes and wit had caught me by surprise. And what he said was so true and funny. It was an excellent though brief lesson. I often prepare for an oncoming fray. I get ready, set and then “BLAM”! The proverbial punch comes from a totally different direction. ...
Post a Comment
Read more