The Miracles and the Ministry of the Messiah in the Book of Mark
Week 10: “Rejected by Man While Glorifying God” (Mark 6:1-6)
May 31, 2015
Crossroads Community Church
Rev. Ricky A. Rohrig Sr., Founding Pastor
All of us in here at one time or another have been rejected. Maybe you felt rejection as being the last kid on the playground picked for a sport, maybe you remember mustering enough courage to ask a girl out for her only to tell you no. Maybe at one time you applied for a credit card or bank loan and for whatever reason the answer that came back was not a positive one. Many of in here have been told that we were not good enough, smart enough, tall enough, mechanically inclined, or talented enough to do something. Yes we all have been rejected, felt rejected, or will be rejected. A couple things about rejection I hope we all can agree on; it is inevitable for it to happen, it does not feel good, and we have rejected others. When it comes to rejection though, we are in good company because even Jesus Christ was rejected. So today I am going to minister, and teach from this though, “Rejected by Man, While Glorifying God.” We are going to look at how Jesus was rejected, why He was rejected, what He did about it, why we should be thankful when we are rejected, and how to use rejection to Glorify God.
Jesus has just come from bringing Jairus’ twelve year old daughter back to life and going to Nazareth
This is the second time Jesus goes home to preach the first is in:
Luke 4:14-27
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
Mark 6
1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Among the ancient Jews, every father was bound to do four things for his son.
1. To circumcise him.
2. To redeem him.
3. To teach him the law.
4. To teach him a trade.
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
There are many examples of people who may have felt rejection or being persecuted in the Bible:
• Noah
• Job
• David
• Stephen
• Many of the disciples
• Paul
• Jesus Christ
I have told you many times over that being a true disciple is not easy. Your very life came with a price, the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Not only was he rejected here, but later the very ones that called on Him to save the, were the same ones (religious folks) who betrayed Him, rejected Him, and ultimately called for His crucifixion. Let me make it perfectly plain and clear. If you are a Christian and following Christ you will be persecuted. Let me give you a few examples:
Be encouraged today
2 Timothy 3:12
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
John 15:18-19
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
1 Peter 3:14-17
14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
1 Peter 4:12-14
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
So what do we do when we are persecuted by others?
Matthew 5:43-44
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Romans 12:17-21
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
2 Corinthians 4:8-18
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Life that is what it is all about. Living the life on this side and having eternal life on the other side. We’ve all been rejected and again, we are in good company with Jesus Christ. Man will promise you the sun, moon, and stars and most of the times disappoint you, but not God. What He says goes, when He promises something it will come to pass, and where God’s presence is, you will find comfort.
Rejection is just one more step before acceptance. No means, not right now. So if you have been rejected, or feel rejected today, know that the enemy is real and may be trying to attack you from you being able to ‘get yours’ what God has blessed you with, promised you with, and anointed you for. Don’t let the devil distract you, detour you, detain you, or disturb what God is doing in your life. Believe that God will prosper you, protect you, and has plans for you today!
As we come to our time of decision I want you to focus on one thing, Jesus! Look what He overcame for you, what can you overcome with Him, to point others towards Him, or for you to get closer to Him today. Whatever you are searching for it is here today and His name is Jesus. Please pray what the Holy Spirit is asking you to do today and right now, and then obey and trust God!
