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Luke describes Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.
He set his face to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51)
You see determination and commitment to take anything that comes to him in Jerusalem. What is waiting in Jerusalem?
THE REJECTION
It was a journey to rejection. In Jerusalem, the world rejected him completely. That is the meaning of the cross.
But what did Jesus do?
He set his face to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51)
He went to Jerusalem to get rejected.
He didn’t avoid the rejection. He didn’t like the rejection. Who would like to be rejected?
But the reality of rejection did not deter Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.
It was alright to be rejected – That was Jesus’ attitude.
Even Samaritans rejected him. That was what happened in the beginning of his journey to Jerusalem.
On their way (to Jerusalem) they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him (Rejected him.) (Luke 9:52, 53)
It was alright to be rejected – that was Jesus’ thinking.
But not so with James and John. They were angry. It was not alright to be rejected.
When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? (Luke 9:54)
I don’t know whether they had that kind of power like Elijah but that was what they wanted.
They wanted to do that because they were rejected and they were angry. It was not alright for them to be rejected.
“How dare you reject me” kind of attitude.
That’s a typical response when people are rejected. They get angry. They want to show how sorry they are for rejecting them. They want to retaliate.
What did Jesus do to James and John?
But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village. (Luke 9:55, 56)
Jesus rebuked them and moved on.
Rejection was the middle name of Jesus. Jesus’ life was life of rejection. Even though he did so much good for people, people rejected him.
Even his birth was not welcomed.
What do you do when your child is born. You celebrate it. Chinese – they have a big celebration after 100 days. Koreans – they have a big celebration after 1 year – called 돌.
But Jesus’ birth was rejected by Herod. Herod tried to find him and kill him. He tried to get rid of him on the face of the earth.
He came to this world but this world rejected him.
John described that in this poetic way.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him (rejected him). (John 1:10, 11)
Jesus’ life was life of rejection.
It was not because there was something wrong with Jesus. It was because there was something wrong with the world.
The world was filled with prejudices and it could not take Jesus’ innocence.
If they reject me because I am a woman. If they reject me because of my skin color. If they reject me because of what I stand for.
It is not because there is something wrong with me. It is because there is something wrong with people who live with prejudices.
Jesus’ whole life was filled with this kind of rejection.
Did that affect Jesus so much that he would give up what he believed and what he wanted to do?
No! It was alright to be rejected.
I am not saying that it was alright for them to reject him. I am saying that it was alright to Jesus.
It didn’t affect him in such a way that he would give up what he wanted to do.
That tells you a lot about Jesus. Even on the cross, this was what Jesus said.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
He even prayed for the forgiveness of those who rejected him.
Jesus did not let the rejection define who he was. Jesus did not let the rejection define his self-worth.
He had the message to deliver. He had things to do. He had people to love. He had the call to live out.
People’s rejection could not stop him from doing all that.
My friends, rejection is a part of our life. Rejection is what everybody goes through.
But rejection is hard to take. Rejection is not simply what happens to you.
Rejection brings all kinds of different emotions to you. Shame, Embarrassment, Anger, Withdrawal, and Depression.
More than anything else, rejection makes you self-doubt. It makes you question who you are.
What’s wrong with me? What didn’t I do right? Am I lovable? Am I that unacceptable?
These questions drive us into deeper and deeper darkness. This creates a negative spiral.
Rejection can damage our souls. Rejection can make us less than what we can be.
Rejection can take away our confidence and the fear of rejection can imprison us.
People try so hard to be approved and accepted or they become so angry and isolated from people.
Just because Jeff did not invite you to this wedding in Venice, don’t get angry. Forgive him for he doesn’t know what he is doing.
FOMO is very much of the fear of rejection.
When you live with this fear, you will lose your true self. You will become who people want you to be.
That was exactly what Jesus DID NOT DO.
Jesus did not become what people expected him to be. Jesus did not want to entertain what people praised him for.
They wanted to force him to be the king but Jesus did not entertain it.
So in the end, people rejected him. And it was alright to be rejected.
If my journey is the journey of being rejected, I have to accept it. I have this calling to live my authentic life.
Regardless of what people say, I have my own authentic life to live. If that journey requires rejection, it is alright to be rejected.
That was how Jesus lived. But later, people discovered that there was hidden truth behind Jesus’ rejection.
Peter put it in this way.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner… (1 Peter 2:7)
Luke put it in this way.
This Jesus is
“the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone.” (Acts 4:11)
So when you are rejected, don’t feel that you are alone. Jesus was rejected too.
There is no shame in being rejected. It is simply a part of living in this world. And God is still working within you even through your rejection.
Quietly live out the calling to live your authentic life. Don’t play psychological games when you are rejected. Accept your rejection and move on.
Don’t put a label of shame on rejection. Don’t doubt yourself. Don’t let the rejection define your self-worth.
Build the spiritual muscles to deal with rejection.
The ultimate rejection we human beings will experience is our life being taken away. The absence of God when we are at the end of life. That is probably the last rejection you will experience.
That was what our Lord experienced.
So on the cross he cried out, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It was almost like the rejection of God.
Of course, God didn’t abandon him. That was the last stage of rejection Jesus experienced.
The amazing thing is Jesus embraced even the ultimate rejection.
Mark ended with this; my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
But Luke added this.
Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46)
He accepted even the ultimate rejection.
Because he believed that God would never reject him. The rejection made him stronger.
The world rejected him but God accepted Jesus.
Jesus’ death was the rejection of the world. But the acceptance of God was the resurrection.
My friends, do not fear the rejection. Live your authentic life.
It doesn’t matter what people say to you. Live your life.
Sometimes you may be rejected for doing what is right. People will always judge you. Their judgment is not always right.
God sees you. God knows you.
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