Dust It Off!

JESUS HAD MANY CHALLENGES IN HIS MINISTRY AND FACED UNPRECIDENTED REJECTION. AFTER HEALING A MAN BY DRIVING OUT LEGIONS OF DEMONS, LUKE 8:37, TELLS US THAT “…ALL THE PEOPLE FROM THAT TERRITORY ASKED JESUS TO GO AWAY, BECAUSE THEY WERE TERRIBLY AFRAID. SO JESUS GOT INTO THE BOAT AND LEFT.”

WHEN JESUS BEGAN REVEALING HIS PLAN OF REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BODY AND BLOOD, HE LOST FOLLOWERS. WE ARE TOLD IN JOHN 6:60, 66, “MANY OF HIS FOLLOWERS HEARD THIS AND SAID, “THIS TEACHING IS TOO HARD. WHO CAN LISTEN TO IT?... BECAUSE OF THIS, MANY OF JESUS' FOLLOWERS TURNED BACK AND WOULD NOT GO WITH HIM ANY MORE.”

THIS RESISTENCE AND REJECTION WAS FORETOLD BY THE PROPHET ISAIAH IN 53:3, “WE DESPISED HIM AND REJECTED HIM; HE ENDURED SUFFERING AND PAIN. NO ONE WOULD EVEN LOOK AT HIM—WE IGNORED HIM AS IF HE WERE NOTHING.” DESPITE ALL THAT JESUS HAD ACCOMPLISHED AND EVERYTHING PEOPLE HAD WITNESSED, MARK 6:3 TELLS US “THEY TOOK OFFENSE AT HIM.”

JESUS BORE MANY SORROWS AND ENDURED THE MOST TOXIC AND VILEST OPPOSITION FROM THE ONES HE CAME TO SAVE. THERE WERE MANY THAT WANTED NOTHING OF IT AS THEY LOVED SIN MORE.

JOHN 3:19-20, “AND THIS IS THE JUDGMENT: THE LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND PEOPLE LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT BECAUSE THEIR WORKS WERE EVIL. FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES WICKED THINGS HATES THE LIGHT AND DOES NOT COME TO THE LIGHT, LEST HIS WORKS SHOULD BE EXPOSED.”

JESUS TEACHES US THAT IF WE CHOOSE TO FOLLOW HIM, THEN WE MUST PREPARE OURSELVES FOR NO LESS TREATMENT. MATTHEW 10:22, “YOU WILL BE HATED BY EVERYONE BECAUSE OF ME....” AND ALSO 2 TIMOTHY 3:12, “YES, AND EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION.”

HATRED AND PERSECUTION CAN TAKE ON MANY FORMS. WE CAN SUFFER VIOLENCE AND DEATH. WE CAN ENCOUNTER FRIENDS OR FAMILY WHO MOCK US BECAUSE THEY KNOW OUR PAST AND TRY TO USE IT AGAINST US TO SHAME US AND TO DISCREDIT ANYTHING WE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT JESUS AND OUR FAITH.

IT WAS NO DIFFERENT FOR JESUS. WE ARE TOLD IN VERSE 3, THAT THEY WERE “OFFENDED BY HIM” WHICH LITERALLY MEANS “THEY STUMBLED OVER HIM.”

“OFFENDED” IS WHERE WE GET THE WORD “SANCDALIZE.” IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE OFFENDED BY HOW OTHERS COULD BE SO IMPRESSED WITH THIS “HOMETOWN BOY” WHO CAME FROM JUST AN ORDINARY FAMILY LIKE THEIRS. THEY COULD NOT ACCEPT HIS DIVINE AUTHORITY NOR SEE WHY PEOPLE WOULD FOLLOW HIM.

THEY DIDN’T GET IT, SO THEY REJECTED HIM AS WELL AS HIS MESSAGE. 1 PETER 2:7-8, “…TO … THOSE WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,” AND “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE.” THEY STUMBLE, BEING DISOBEDIENT TO THE WORD, TO WHICH THEY ALSO WERE APPOINTED.”

JESUS TEACHES US THAT WE MUST NOT TAKE REJECTION AND HOSTILITY AS A PERSONAL ISSUE. THEY ARE NOT REJECTING YOU, BUT REJECTING CHRIST AND HIS MESSAGE OF SALVATION.

WE MUST “EMBRACE REJECTION” NO MATTER WHO IT IS FROM OR WHAT FORM IT IS DELIVERED. OUR FAITH, EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, HELPS US ENDURE AND TO CONTINUALLY SERVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART. LEARNING TO EMBRACE REJECTION IS THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP. IT IS NOTHING TO FEAR NOR IS IT SOMETHING WE ALLOW TO DISCOURAGE US.

THIS IS WHAT MAKES JOHN 16:33 SO POWERFUL! IT SAYS, “I HAVE TOLD YOU ALL THIS SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE PEACE IN ME. HERE ON EARTH YOU WILL HAVE MANY TRIALS AND SORROWS. BUT TAKE HEART, BECAUSE I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”

JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES HOW TO HANDLE AND ENDURE SUCH HOSTILE RESPONSES. HE TEACHES THEM IN VERSE 11(NLT), “BUT IF ANY PLACE REFUSES TO WELCOME YOU OR LISTEN TO YOU, SHAKE ITS DUST FROM YOUR FEET AS YOU LEAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE ABANDONED THOSE PEOPLE TO THEIR FATE.”

JESUS IS RELIEVING US OF A GREAT BURDEN. HE IS TELLING US THAT WE ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING FAITHFUL TO THE “GREAT COMMISSION” TO MAKE DISCIPLES AND TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS IF THEY REPENT AND TURN BACK TO GOD.

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESULTS. THOSE WHO REJECT THE MESSAGE OF GOD MUST ANSWER FOR THEMSELVES. THE GOSPEL BRINGS JUDGMENT AS WELL AS SALVATION.

WE’RE NOT CALLED TO GET INTO ARGUMENTS. WE DON’T SHAME OR PRESSURE THEM INTO A DECISION. WE PROCLAIM AND WE LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL AS A WITNESS TO OTHERS.

IF THEY REJECT OUR WORDS, THEN WE “SHAKE THE DUST FROM OUR FEET.” WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS, “TO LEAVE.” WE MUST CONSIDER THE MATTER CLOSED AND LEAVE THEM ALONE OR WE END THE CONVERSATION. REGARDLESS, WE HAVE PLANTED SEEDS.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-8, “I PLANTED THE SEED IN YOUR HEARTS, AND APOLLOS WATERED IT, BUT IT WAS GOD WHO MADE IT GROW. IT’S NOT IMPORTANT WHO DOES THE PLANTING, OR WHO DOES THE WATERING. WHAT’S IMPORTANT IS THAT GOD MAKES THE SEED GROW. THE ONE WHO PLANTS AND THE ONE WHO WATERS WORK TOGETHER WITH THE SAME PURPOSE. AND BOTH WILL BE REWARDED FOR THEIR OWN HARD WORK.