Human experience of rejection (2)

Jesus On The Cross • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Feelings of rejection by God may be a result of alienation caused directly or indirectly by sin. God’s people also experience rejection by a hostile world. Experiences and feelings of rejection are to be met with prayer, forgiveness and perseverance, together with confidence in God’s commitment to and compassion for, his people.

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Feelings of rejection by God

Feelings of national rejection

Ps 74:1; Is 49:14

See also Ps 44:9; Ps 108:11; Is 40:27; Je 13:17; Je 14:9; La 1:2; La 5:20; Eze 37:11

Feelings of personal rejection

Ps 13:1; Mt 27:46 Jesus Christ experiences separation from his Father as a consequence of bearing human sin.

God’s servants experience rejection

Samuel

1 Samuel 8:5–7 NASB95

5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.

Elijah

1 Kings 19:10 NASB95

10 He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

The psalmist

Psalm 41:7 NASB95

7 All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt, saying,

See also Ps 22:6–8; Ps 31:12–13; Ps 69:20; Ps 71:10

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 15:10 NASB95

10 Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me As a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me, Yet everyone curses me.

See also Je 20:7–9; Je 20:14–15; Je 20:18

Jesus Christ

Is 53:5; Jn 1:11

Jesus Christ’s disciples

John 15:18 NASB95

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

See also Mt 5:10–11; Jn 17:14; Ac 13:50; Ac 14:19; Ac 16:22; 2 Ti 3:12; 1 Pe 4:12

Responding to rejection

Appealing to God

2 Ch 6:42; Ps 27:9; Ps 71:12

See also Ps 22:9–11; Ps 22:19–21; Ps 44:23–24; Ps 51:11–12; Ps 77:7–12; Ps 132:10; Je 15:15; Je 20:12; La 5:21–22

Offering forgiveness

Luke 23:34 NASB95

34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

See also Ge 50:17; Ac 7:59–60; 2 Ti 4:16

Rejoicing in suffering

Mt 5:11–12; Ac 5:41; Ro 5:3; Jas 1:2–3

Persevering

Ac 5:28–29; Ac 5:42

Encouragement for those experiencing rejection

God’s commitment to his people

Isaiah 49:15–16 NASB95

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 16 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.

See also Ps 27:10; Ps 94:14; Je 31:20; La 3:21–24; Ho 11:1–4; Mt 10:30–31

God’s compassion and forgiveness

Lamentations 3:31–32 NASB95

31 For the Lord will not reject forever, 32 For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness.

See also Dt 32:36; Ps 130:7–8; Is 12:1–2; Is 49:13; Eze 39:25; Ho 11:8–9; 2 Co 2:7–8 God’s readiness to forgive is to be reflected in the attitude of his people towards one another.

God’s strengthening

Is 40:28–31; 2 Ti 4:17

God’s vindication of his people

Ps 135:14; Is 50:6–9; Is 54:17; Ro 8:18; 1 Pe 4:13; Re 2:10

Support from fellow believers

2 Corinthians 1:4 NASB95

4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.