Rejection And How To Over Come It

Sermon Title – Rejection and how to respond to it.

Definition of REJECTION

1 a : the action of rejecting : the state of being rejected ignored, denied attention.

Theme: Rejection - The Goal: How do Deal With It

Mark 6:1-6 (NIV) - The opening caption reads / A Prophet Without Honor

6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Social rejection occurs when an individual is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or social interaction. The topic includes interpersonal rejection, peer rejection, romantic rejection, faith based rejection and family estrangement. A person can be rejected on an individual basis or by an entire group of people.

This sermon deals with the reality of Rejection and How to handle it.

1. Jesus faced rejection.

2. His disciples faced rejection.

3. We will face rejection.

So what is the best way for us to handle rejection?

INTRO:

• One of the greatest desires that any of us have is the need to be loved, accepted and needed.

• It's because we were created in love, to be loved and to share love.

Our Heavenly Father, the Good God of Creation created us out of love for the Bible tells us that God is love.

We were created to be loved and to share that love with God, with ourselves, with other humans and with all of creation.

In light of that, one of the greatest fears that any of us humans can experience or face is the fear of rejection.

So many times, rejection is the opposite of being loved, received and accepted.

Rejection is one of the most difficult things that any of us can experience in this life or for that matter in the next.

No one wants anyone or anything ( a team, a business etc...) to reject them when they desperately wanted that person or that thing to accept them, receive them and include them.

And yet, rejection is something that we have all experienced and will experience in the future.

Rejection is sadly a part of the human experience. It begins in our childhood. We get laughed at or ridiculed. We're not chosen by this certain team or that group. We're not invited to sit at this table or allowed to hang out with this crowd. We're not invited to go to this party or this social event.

Rejection doesn't end when we graduate from either middle school or high school.

1. The truth is we all have to face the possibility of rejection throughout the rest of our lives.

2. People get rejection letters from trade schools and from colleges.

3. They get rejection notices from banks on loans and are told they can't buy this house, this car or that boat.

4. They receive rejection emails or messages from prospective employers.

It is said that today only 2% of all resumes get accepted and of that number of course only 1 is offered the job.

We all know people who have faced rejection because of their skin color, the way they look or the culture that they come from.

Perhaps, one of the most difficult rejection is the one people face from a spouse who suddenly and at times very abruptly wants out - they want a divorce. They no longer want you in their life. They no longer want to share space with you.

Tragically, this is the same person who previously stood in front of a church and committed to accept you, love you and be with you until one of you or both of you die.

Lets look at the rejection that Jesus faced:

Mark tells us that Jesus has gone home for a little period of time. The reason is never given for why he came back.

Perhaps he just wanted to show his disciples where he grew up, the people he grew up with and to meet his mom and the rest of the family.

All we know is that Jesus goes home and his disciples follow him. On the Sabbath Jesus goes to the local synagogue and begins to teach.