Acceptance - 4 Dealing with Rejection

Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” NASB

It’s bound to happen. If it hasn’t plagued you for a portion or all of your life already, trust me, it will happen sooner or later. Someone is going to reject you.

There are a variety of grounds they may choose to reject you on – anything from your faith, your personality, something that transpired between you, or for no seeming reason whatsoever. It’s going to happen.

Please read our texts: Romans 8:1-18, John 15:18-21, John 16:32-33 These are going to be our base texts for the next couple sessions, so you might want to find a bookmark.

Rejection hurts. There’s no way around that. It just really hurts.

Q: In your journal, please list some people who have rejected you. Do your best to contain your emotions for now. Let’s look at this as objectively as we can; we’ll deal with emotions in a minute.

DO: Now take your list, and categorize those people (as best as you can, for only our Heavenly Father truly knows the hearts of them) into two categories: believers and non-believers.

Though rejection from both categories certainly hurts, I can tell you that for me personally, rejection by other believers is far harder to deal with. Over the next couple days we are going to look at both. In some ways we deal with them the very same way. But there can be a bit different approach between them at times too.

I’d love for you to realize one very important thing.

Jesus suffered rejection every bit as much as you, and then some. And He remained sinless through it all.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” NIV

I find it interesting that in NASB the word for empathize is written as sympathize. The meaning is rather a dual one; the Greek word is sympatheō, and it carries meaning of both sympathy and compassion. The King James Version uses the word “touched” (source). In any and all of these, we know the very important truth that Christ also suffered like us, and He is understanding, compassionate and sympathetic toward our situation. He does know what you’re going through. It would be immature and childlike for us to declare to Him “you don’t understand” or “nobody understands me”. He does. Completely.

Please look again at our text in John 16, specifically verse 33:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” NASB

We are promised trouble. This life was never meant to be easy. Christ knew the pain we would face, and that’s part of why He came here to overcome it. To conquer it on our behalf.

So how do we handle it when a believer rejects us? This person is supposed to be on our side, are they not? Yes. And they are, technically speaking. They just may not be doing what they should be doing.

What? May not be? How about ‘they are certainly in the wrong’! I am hurt here, and they are to blame!

Did I catch you? Is that what you’re thinking? I would be if I was you.
But here’s why I can’t draw a blanket conclusion that they are in the wrong. Sometimes, I believe God moves people apart for a very specific reason. If both parties are Christians, then I’d say the odds are even more in favor of this. Here’s why. God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He alone can see the bigger picture. He alone knows the steps that must be taken to shape and mold His children in the best way possible. If that means separating two of His children for a period of time, then that’s the way it must be.

Are any of you parents? You know, then, certainly, that at times you need to intervene and separate your children – for their good. Is this making any better sense when I put it that way? Can you relate?

At other times, when you are rejected by another Christian, it may be that they are not walking in obedience to God. They, just like anyone, yourself included, are still human. They are still capable of failing. I’m not here to excuse anyone, believe me. I am here, though, to let you know that you’re not responsible for them. You’re just simply not. You are responsible for you, and nobody else.

Romans 14:12 “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” NASB emphasis mine

Look again at Hebrews 4:15. Check out behind the scenes on the word tempted:

peirazōto try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himselfto test one maliciously, craftily to put to the proof his feelings or judgmentsinflict evils upon one in order to prove his character and the steadfastness of his faithsource 

Sometimes, as hard as it is to swallow, God may be allowing rejection in your life so that your faith is strengthened. So that you learn that He alone is your constant. He alone is the one who you should put your faith and confidence in.

Psalm 71:1 “In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.” NKJV

Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” NASB

I’d like for you to look again at our text in John 15 before we close. I have two admonitions for you.

1) Don’t take it personal.

In verse 18, Jesus says any rejection you receive is actually directed at Him. You are His child.

Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” NASB

Which brings me to my second admonition:

2) Remember He will help you through it.

Every day might be a struggle. It may not become resolved this side of Heaven. But know that He’s got your back. And your heart. And He’s sent you help. See John 15:26. That Helper is referred to in other passages as our Comforter. And in this case, they’re One in the same.

In your prayer time, ask for that help. Now’s the time to unleash your emotions – tell it all to Him, He can handle it, and it brings Him such joy to hear you tell it to him, even if it brings searing pain or rips open a wound you were trying to ignore. Have God help you through it. He’s no stranger to rejection, and he does know what you’re going through. He’s been there. 

Light of the World

Text: John 8:12-9:41

John 8:12 “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”” NLT

Light here is from the Greek word phōs, from the word phao meaning to shine, or make manifest. It also carries with it the idea of knowledge and truth; understanding with spiritual purity; the reason and mind; the power of understanding of spiritual things. Understanding truth.

This is the claim Jesus is  making here. And the people (namely the Pharisees, the deeply – or at least outwardly – spiritual ones) basically told Him “you can’t say that – you’re not God!” And what dangerous ground to tread upon.

And Jesus calmly puts them in their place, and even tells them that for all their spirituality, they don’t even really know God.

Darkness, you see, is the absence of light. Darkness cannot enlighten darkness, no matter how you try. Again, like our Bread of Life session stated, there’s no way around it. Light is the only thing. Jesus is the only answer.

Those Pharisees, for all the studying of Scripture they did, for all the head-knowledge they had, should have been able to recognize fulfillment of it through Christ.

Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walk in darkness    will see a great light.For those who live in a land of deep darkness,    a light will shine.” NLT

Isaiah 60:1-2 “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.    For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,    but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.” NLT

But they were probably in denial – especially since these following verses depict Christ as Salvation for the Gentiles – the Pharisees thought that only Jews were going to be saved.

Isaiah 42:6 “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.    I will take you by the hand and guard you,and I will give you to my people, Israel,    as a symbol of my covenant with them.And you will be a light to guide the nations.” NLT

Isaiah 49:6 “He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.    I will make you a light to the Gentiles,    and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” NLT

Isaiah 60:3 “All nations will come to your light;    mighty kings will come to see your radiance.” NLT emphasis mine

So we understand what it means then, in John 1:4-5

John 1:4-5 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” NKJV

They did not recognize Him. They did not comprehend.

But they did not recognize, they did not believe, because they did not want to. They chose not to.

John 3:19 “And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.” NLT

At the end of our text, all the way in the last 3 verses of John 9, He re-emphasizes this. He says that because those people refused to admit their own weakness, that would be their downfall.

Let us not make that same mistake. We are weak. We are flawed. We are incapable –

Without Christ.

But with Him? With Him, all things are possible (even our entrance to Heaven!).

Mark 10:27 “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”” NLT

But we must be humble enough to admit it.

And humble enough to accept Him.

James 4:6 “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”” NKJV emphasis mine

Let’s accept the grace and step into the Light. The light that leads to Life.

John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”” NKJV