7. Rejection

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[haar]

1.    How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? It is given that as we decide to answer to a spiritual cal, the devil will mobilise opposition and it is usually through our own relatives. This is what happened to the Lord Jesus at His home town. Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme? Not really.

2.    Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? To remind then that the attitude of their fore fathers that deprived them of receiving blessings could be repeated in their own case too if they did not change.   Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth?

3.    Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? His time had not come. Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane? His time had come to conclude the purpose for which He came namely to die as living sacrifice for mankind's salvation.

4.    How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? He was calm and still told His listeners the bitter and hard truth despite the risk of of doing that. What lessIons can you learn from his example? Be courageous and speak the truth. 

[Isaac L]

On 8/19/2020 at 9:09 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

1. How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme?

On the spiritual level, it may be that when God does a mighty work, the devil opposes vehemently - and he works through violent people to try to destroy God's work.

On the human level, it may be that a movement which attracts a lot of people will attract false followers along with sincere believers. Jesus' parable in Matthew 13:47-50 tells us that "the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.. and at the end of the age, the angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous."

Paul and Barnabas met the same paradox at Lystra. One moment, they were worshipped as Zeus and Hermes. The next moment, the people stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead! (Acts 14:8-20)

1. Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth?

Perhaps he didn't want to encourage cheap discipleship. He did the same thing when he saw that the crowds who followed him did so only because he performed a miracle with the loaves and fishes (John 6:26). So he gave a difficult teaching about him being the Bread of life. From that time on, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him (John 6:66).

Jesus wants serious disciples. He isn't too concerned that those who are not serious turned away.

1. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane?

They couldn't kill him because it wasn't God's time yet. I don't know how Jesus managed to break free from the throngs of violent men, but maybe God intervened, like the way the angels struck the men of Sodom blind (Genesis 19:11).

In the Garden of Gethsemane, God's time had come, so Jesus allowed himself to be arrested. Pilate thought he had the power to free or crucify Jesus. Jesus corrected him, saying, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." (John 19:10-11)

So no harm can befall God's servant, unless God allowed it and it was God's timing.

1. How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? What lessons can you learn from his example?

Jesus did not mince his words. He said the truth which the people needed to know.

From this, I learn that I mustn't compromise out of fear of man. It's no wonder that when Jesus sent his 12 apostles out, he told them, "So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:26-28) Rather than fear man, they must declare the message boldly.

 

[AdventIlliniRx]

The life of a Disciple is a life of non-conformity to the prevalent worldview.  The life of a Disciple is perpetually being a member of the Remnant. This theory is fact in Christianity, as The LORD Jesus Christ taught, and is a factor in many other areas of life as well.....Mark Marek, SATX USA.

[hanks]

1. How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring His commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme?

Yes this can easily happen. I have had a similar experience in business. The one day everything is going so well, and then all of a sudden things go wrong. As if the bottom has fallen out. You take time to fathom out what has happened, and why? Truly a frightening experience. In this circumstance it was only my faith in my Lord Jesus and prayer that got me out of this situation with minimum damage.

[hanks]

2. Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? Is He egging on the residents of Nazareth?

There was no real appreciation of His true identity or worth. To them, He was just one of their own home-town boys who had made good in Capernaum. He was rubbing it in by telling them about two OT prophets who were not appreciated by the people of Israel and so were sent to the Gentiles. The first incident involved Elijah who was sent to help a Gentile widow. Elisha was sent to heal a Gentile leper instead of helping the many lepers in Israel. Jesus knew their culture placed women, Gentiles, and lepers at the bottom of the social scale. And here the Lord pointedly placed all three above unbelieving Jews! What He was saying was that OT history was about to repeat itself. In spite of His miracles, He would be rejected not only by the city of Nazareth but by the nation of Israel. He would then turn to the Gentiles, just as Elijah and Elisha had done. He was trying to make them see the error of their ways – the misunderstanding of what He said and meant.

[hanks]

3. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow Himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane?

God is sovereign and it was not in God’s plan for Jesus to die at Nazareth. His 3-year ministry had to be completed, and at the right time He will be captured and eventually will die on the Cross as God had planned. Jesus was constantly in contact with His heavenly Father and with the Holy Spirit, and must have known the exact events that had to happen in God’s wonderful plan of redemption.

[hanks]

4.   How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? What lessons can you learn from His example?

At His baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, and God spoke from heaven "You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased." He knew that He would face rejection from the majority of people, but He had the approval of His heavenly Father, giving Him the courage to face rejection. We can learn from Jesus. We will face rejection here on earth but as believers we know we have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. (Eph 1:3-4). This is all that matters!

[Clif]

2.  Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth?

I believe Jesus is providing a lesson:   One should not become  His follower if the purpose is to have worldly miracles.  Try to achieve a spiritual sense without any apparent "payback", and the occasional worldly miracle may come.

 

[Lisa Daley]

4. How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection?  

I picked this question because I too want to show courage in the face of rejection,  and what better way to learn than to study the Master!  The definition of courage is the ability to press forward in the face of difficulty.  Jesus knew he was going into the lion's den when he returned to Nazareth,  for although he had just experiencedd great success in his ministry,  now he was going back home. 

Why is it so difficult to share God with our families?  One reason is that our family members do not see us through eyes of light.  Instead they see us through their own sinful hearts,  choosing to remember our "old man"  over the newly regenerated life in us.  This also enables them to justify themselves before us.  But our family members need to see Jesus and choose Him for who He is.  And Jesus points out in this story that there is oftentimes hidden sin in the heart. 

Jesus is not afraid of confrontation!  Instead of choosing to go back to Nazareth and have a good time with the "fam",  keeping it politically correct,  he gives scriptural examples in the synogogue that impact the very root of their problem - unbelief.  This provokes a reaction from the listeners that stirs them to attempted murder.  Obviously they have issues with God! 

How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection?  I see clearly that the most important factor is hearing & obeying God.  Jesus shared the stories at the prompting of God's Spirit,  trusting God for the outcome.  And God delivered him from the angry crowd. 

Courage is not the challenge for me,  because Jesus knows I will do anything for him. My hardship is dealing with rejection,  be it from the mouth of man or in my own mind by my enemy.  Rejection often causes me to judge the offender in my heart as a self-justified means of preservtion.  Alas,  these are not the actions of a spotless Bride.  So after a long day of fighting the devil and seeking God in frustration,  Jesus lovingly comes.  Together we go to the altar where I die to self once again,  repent,  and then ask for his Life to fill the desert voids of my heart.  He is so compassionate and the Life he gives is saturatingly complete and whole. 

"He was despised and rejected by men,  a man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief; and like One from whom men hide their faces He was despised,  and we did not appreciate His worth or esteem him.  Isaiah 53:3.

Clearly rejection is part of the Walk. Last night I told my husband that this process of recovering from rejection is all part of the reason God left the devil in place. Jesus matures us by using both the process and our enemy. Jesus is making a mature Bride and he is going to come back with Justice in his heart for us - and marry us!  Is the struggle worth it?  Just look at Jesus and decide.

☝☝☝Jesus is here now!!! 

[Irmela]

1. How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring His commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next?? 

Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme? 

At first everyone was excited that Jesus had come back after having been gone for quite a while. Then when pointing out the truth of going to be rejected by them, they suddenly put just what had been underlying into practice and attempted to throw Him down the cliff. Almost an underlying disbelief and jealousy. 

2.Why do you think Jesus 'rubbed it in' with two stories of God blessing Gentiles, while Jews were still in need? 

Is He egging on the residents of Nazareth? 

He needed to verify His statement. Elijah and Elisha were prophets, who, like others in their profession, experienced rejection and persecution. Both had been used with miracles taking place among non-Jewish audiences. 

Elijah, just before the great victory on Mt Carmel had been fed for three and half yrs by the widow of Zarapheth (non-Jewish) who had nothing, and Elisha had been used to give advice to Naaman the Syrian general, who was leprous. Through this he was cured. 

I think Jesus is pointing out factual truths. 

3. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow Himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane? 

It was not Jesus' time to be killed as yet, in Nazereth, but in the Garden of Gethsemane His time had been fulfilled. 

[Irmela]

4. How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? 

He did not run away, but faced the and walked away through them.

What lesson can you learn from His example? 

God is in control. Ultimately they can do nothing to you unless God allows it. Then He is there with you, as He promised and carries you in the midst of the storm, as it were. 

[Old Jerry]

1. How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme?

 

A. I have never experienced highs and lows as extreme as these but I can understand why Jesus went through it. He was talking to a bunch of Jews who didn’t want to change the way that they believed and they were willing to kill anybody that wanted them to change.

 

2. Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth?

 

Jesus wanted them to know that God is everywhere. He can do anything that He wants to and that meant to take care of the people that He made. Even thou the Jews were extra special to him, they needed to know that He cared about everybody.

 

3. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane?

 

A. They couldn’t kill Jesus at Nazareth because it wasn’t his time and God was watching after him. Jesus was willing to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane because it was his time and He had fulfilled the reason that He came to the earth.

 

4. How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? What lessons can you learn from his example?

 

A. Jesus just walked away and we can walk away when we face rejection.

[Nana Karlsson]

They could not kill Jesus at Nazareth because it was not the appointed time for Him to die. He had to complete His mission before going to the cross. He willingly gave Himself up at the garden of Gethsamane because it was the  appointed time for Him to be crucified on the cross.

[Bailey]

Bailey 2/27/21

1. Once again the people question and challenge Jesus's intentions, his relationship with his father and mother, enough is enough.  Where is your faith and belief in Him.  It reminds you of the problems Moses had with his people. Sometimes in life you meet that ungrateful soul that enough is never enough and you can never make them happy.
2.  I don't think He was egging them on, but once again how much more did he have to show them to trust His judgement, was he not worthy of their trust, honor and respect?
3. They couldn't kill Jesus at Nazareth because it was not his time or the Father's time.  Jesus knew the plan that his father had for him, but this was also a teaching moment for his disciples, they had to learn to truly trust Jesus.
4. By God's grace, He knew that Isaiah 53 applied to him, yet through it he saw the promise that is fulfilled through suffering.
5. Saints please pray for our country,  The 28 page document /proposal titles "Restoring Constitutional Secularism and Patriotic Pluralism in the White House.  "Christian nationalist movement and pressures politicians to avoid terms like "God and Country," to include secular representatives at interfaith gatherings, and to promote military chaplains who teach you can live a good life without GOD. It is not to protect religious freedom, but to censor all mention of biblical virtue in public life.  Help Us Lord.

[StSw]

1. Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth?:   Jesus certainly wasn't rubbing it in or egging them on but rather wanted the Nazarene to know that even back then , during the prophets Elijah and Elisha's time ,until His time the Israelites had demonstrated so much unbelieve that they were neither worthy nor prepare to see a miracle performed by Jesus.
2. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane?:  Jesus willingly allowed himself to be captured in the Garden if Gethsemane because (1) his time of martyrdom hadn't come and (2)so that the purpose for which he came to the world could be fulfilled.

[pickledilly]

1. How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme? The people of Nazareth had pigeon-holed Jesus into the image they had of him. They had known him all his life and I can imagine that the question about being Joseph’s son could have been a subtle and very snide reminder of his humble upbringing as an "illegitimate son" raised by a carpenter. What kind of background was that for the well-spoken man before them who had just declared himself to be Messiah? And then He exposed their desire for miracles to be done for them as for others, perhaps revealing a feeling of entitlement or a resentment that Jesus didn't display His miracles for their benefit as He did for unworthy Gentiles.   But the ultimate insult was when He exposed their utter lack of faith in who He truly was and their unbelief that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled right there among them.

   I can relate to this scenario on some level. As an adult, I was called into a public position of ministry in the church I’d grown up in. There were certainly times of resistance when I sensed I was being judged by perceptions of who some thought me to be since they’d known me since childhood. I even experienced a lack of support from some family members who displayed jealousy. I wouldn’t put this on the extreme level that Jesus experienced, but I understand it.

[pickledilly]

2. Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth? I really don’t think Jesus was egging them on. I think He was calling them out for the blindness to their profound lack of faith and its consequences. God manifests His power and provision where there is faith.  But they couldn’t see beyond “religion” with its perceived entitlements, or their own flawed understanding of who Jesus was revealing Himself to be.

3. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane? It was not Jesus’ time to die. The plan of salvation was to be prefaced by His work to fulfill the commission He had just confirmed to them from Isaiah’s prophecy. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus willingly surrendered to capture because the hour had come for His death.

[Queen Mc Daniel]

1.    How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next?  The people in his town had known his  parent and sibling , how could this carpenter do these miracles ; the skepticism in Nazareth was to the point "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith:( Mark 6:5-6)  I am reminded of the scripture  that states " When I desire to do good, evil is always present  Roman 7: 21 Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme?  Not at this extreme

 

2.    Why do you think Jesus “rubbed it in” with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need?  His people were not worthy of the miracle, so God blessed those outsiders who did believe. Rejecting God brings judgement on the people and the land

 

3.    Why couldn’t they kill Jesus at Nazareth? They couldn’t kill him because it was not his time to die. Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane?  Because it was his time to give up His life for the world

 4.    How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection?  He showed his courage by doing what He was call to do, " He was in he world, and though the world was made through him the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."( John 1: 10-12 ) What lessons can you learn from his example?   Be obedient to my call and trust God to implement the  given assignment  

 

[pickledilly]

4. How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? What lessons can you learn from his example? Jesus knew the truth of the Scriptures, the Word that He Himself had spoken to man (John 1:1; Isaiah 40:8). He knew the value of the Father’s unfailing love for Him (Isaiah 43:4). He knew the will of God was perfect and that His purpose on earth was to do that will (Genesis 17:7; John 6:38). And Jesus knew the faithfulness of the Father, not only to that perfect will but also to His beloved Son (Deuteronomy 7:9). Trusting all of what “He knew that He knew that He knew” gave Him the courage to face the rejection that began in His hometown and followed Him through the next 3 years of ministry. Here in this very first challenge, He trusted the Father and the Holy Spirit more than what the people thought of Him or how they reacted to Him.

I have found Jesus’ example to be the perfect model for my own life. What Jesus knew here was much deeper than head knowledge. It was an experiential heart knowledge that developed through knowing God personally and intimately. We learn to trust God more deeply as we see Him respond to our faith and use it to work in our lives, and then remember all we know of Him and what He’s already done as we face the challenges ahead.

     Trusting the Truth is ultimate freedom.

     Trusting the love of God is ultimate worth.

     Trusting the will of God is ultimate purpose.

     Trusting the faithfulness of God is ultimate confidence.

[Godswriter]

1.  How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next?  Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme? One of the biggest reasons is because they only knew the Lord as a carpenter's son and Joseph's son not as the Healer so they could not believe that He would be the Son of God let alone the Messiah that would die for the world. He said later on to His disciples that a prophet is not without honor except in his own country among his own relatives, and in his own relatives. This means that they usually are hated there first because they are not believed there first. Yes I have as soon as my ministry began the personal attacks on my characters and testimony began and never stopped.  The enemy has also used death threats to stop it but it has not stopped me only caused the ministry to explode exponentially by more than double every week. PTL!

2.    Why do you think Jesus “rubbed it in” with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? I believe it was to tell them that they needed to realize that they were in need of saving and they couldn't continue the way they were going forever. 

3.    Why couldn’t they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane?  I  believe it was because the timing for HIs death had not yet come and because He had slipped away in the crowd as a ghost so they couldn't see Him. He allowed it because it was the Father's will for Him to suffer many things for our sake and die on the cross so that we might partake of the righteousness of God and become the sons and daughters of God

 4.    How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection?   What lessons can you learn from his example?  He chose to remain silent while they accused Him and even reviled Him as well. To be silent like Him and let the Lord defend me instead.

[Lottie]

How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? Because the people there did not believe in Him. They thought He was just a common person like the members of His family. They were offended at Him and at what He said about them. They were angered by His words and wanted to kill Him.

 

Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme? Yes not too long ago. I was feeling good about doing my speech for my Christian OA group and feeling good about it. And remembering the comments of others. The next day I was brought low by a mistake I made sending a response to the whole group online instead of to the individual. The individual was my former sponsor and still had some bad feelings about me braking off with her. I talked to her one night and she was so upset that in the middle she got mad and hung up on me. I felt really bad; we made up after a while and now we are good.

 

[George L]

1. How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme? I am a full believer in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Hard words and preaching of A.B Simpson’s The Self Life and tht Spirit Life in a out three readings have convinced me that Jesus completely, and the apostles as best as humanly possible prayed until ready, then proceded to ministry. If our day is controlled by spirit lead decisions self remains upon our cross and God is responsible for the outcome. We are to be obedient to do and say as directed. A very difficult habitual way of life to attain. It is the relm of Jesus to the Pharisees. I only do what I see my father doing. I only say what I hear my father saying.  A goal, surely I struggle to near that commitment to hear before making easy seeming decisions.
2. Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth? Per my number one, be was obedient to deliver the abundance of God’s heart in every situation. Jesus is ‘the Word of God’ my take is that his every behavior wasan express message from the a undance of God Almighty’s heart. Often we forget God did not change his nature bewtween Malachi and Matthew. Same God. Same heart.
3. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane?  All things work for the glory of God. Wht we must be patient and obedient. God is gathering the cloud of witnesses to see what he does through his ministering gifts.It gives the power of teste ony to the cloud of observers.
4. How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? What lessons can you learnfrom his example? He never walked in his self life. Only in his human life as a spirit lead soul. His life was fully committed into the Fathers hands.