Elder M. Edmunds
Co-Pastor of United Ordained Church
February 1999
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” –(Isa.53:3).
“He came unto his own (His domain, creation, world), and his own received him not” -(John 1:11).
Rejection hurts, and to one degree or another, every single one of us has tasted the pain of feeling rejected from other people.
Before the birth of Jesus Christ, during the time of His earthly life, and after His resurrection and ascension, our world has experienced the pain of rejection.
For example, in the third chapter of Genesis, which is known as the “Temptation and fall of man,” we read how Adam rejected the council of God, and ate from the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
We can even gaze at the life of Job and see how Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu rejected him. We have heard and read about the life of Moses when he defended his own ethnic brothers due to the hand of injustice by a taskmaster, and his own accused and rejected him.
Or, how about Jeremiah, David, Hosea, Stephen, John the Baptist, John the Revelator, and most certainly as our text reveal, even Jesus are the many examples who were touched by this terrible experience of rejection.
From time past, to time present, even many of our children were and are assaulted or abused by their parents. Many so-called friends have and will discard friends. Several people that have appeared different from the so-called “norm” were looked down on as well as mocked. Moreover, still many today are ridiculed in our society for their physical or mental qualities. Even the hand of divorce has ripped are families apart all in the name of rejection.
For this word “rejection,” is an experience that is so universally understood that it requires no definition. For all who are housed in this holy and sanctified edifice know what rejection means.
Rejection can take many forms — hurtful and cutting words, withdrawn attention, unreciprocated love, malicious assaults, lack of encouragement, and total shutdown of communication, all affect the fabric of our humanness.
Simply put, rejection hurts; and it will always be one of the foremost issues involved in the dynamics of our interpersonal relationships.
For example, there are times we try to pretend it does not matter, but in reality, our emotions experience a furious attack of discomfort and sorrow. When we claim, “I could care less,” we often mean, “I wish I did not care so much!” No matter how we attempt to explain it away or depreciate the source, being rejected by others causes us excruciating pain.
Even memories of rejection in the past make us apprehensive, cautious, and restrained. We flinch with fear of what people can do or say to hurt us. The last thing we want - the last thing we will allow – is to get close to anyone again. Why, because we desire not to place ourselves in a vulnerable position or risk to be devastated all over again.
If I could dig just a little deeper in the truth, there are many if not all of us, who go to the extreme to do almost anything to keep approval and acceptance coming our way. We compromise our convictions, change our values, and withhold our opinions to ourselves in order not to do or say anything that will cause others to reject us.
Nevertheless, I’m here to encourage you, motivate you, and remind you through God’s word that, you no longer need to compromise, devalue, nor withhold your opinions any longer for others approval and acceptance of you.
For there is one who will accept you as you are. He will help you through the discomfort of rejection by defining who you really are; then you soul will crave just for His acceptance, and you will no longer be victimized by the rejection of others.
For He, Jesus, is the one in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted (in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin). As well, He is able to succor you, who have felt the excruciating pain of rejection.
So, tell the devil and all his cohorts that influence the dark minds of all who deliberately dispense rejection on you, that though you felt his excruciating pain of rejection, “you have been accepted in the Beloved.’ ‘And now, you are “closing the door” to fear, to self-pity, to discouragement, to negative opinion, to devastation, to deprivation, and disappointment and will fulfill your destiny.”
Look at your neighbor and say, “Close the door!”
Close the door to all that causes you to seek the approval and acceptance of man and not God.
For as long as we look to flesh and blood for our approval, we will be snared by seasons of frustration and disappointment. So, tell the person next to you, “Close the door!”
Do not let fear, frustration, self-pity, remorse, low self-esteem, discouragement, deprivation, to keep you from experiencing God’s best for you; so “Close the door” to those spirits that mare you and handicap you.
Getting back to our text, “He [Jesus] was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”
Jesus was misunderstood by His family, rejected by the leaders of Israel, and denied and betrayed by His disciples; yet, He kept it all together. He “Closed the door” to passive acceptance and disappointment. He “Closed the door” to self-pity and fear, and He fulfilled His purpose.
For this brings our entire attention to this one point that will help us properly embrace rejection, as Jesus did, and deal with it in a mature way so we can continue our pathway to destiny.
For His first priority was to please His Father and fulfill His purpose.
How many here are focused and pursuing their purpose?
When you are focused for your purpose, you close the door to negativity, and all her cousins that thwart your progress.
The only way you are able to find fulfillment, self-identity, and assurance, is by a relationship with the one who placed the qualities of success and courage in you.
Furthermore, in order to find fulfillment, self-identity, and assurance, is by depending totally on Him and “Closing the door” to things that hinder your relationship and your success with Him.
Concerning Jesus, pleasing His Father was all that was ultimately important to Him. It helped see Him through all the difficulties with His earthly family. For instance, following His first confrontation with His mother and Joseph, Jesus courageously declared the intent of His life:”I must be about my Father’s business:” this is found in he Gospel of Luke 2:49.
On another occasion, when His family became concerned about His welfare, and came to take Him home, Jesus responded in the Gospel of Mark 3:33-35: “Who are my mother, or my brothers?” …Then He looked around at those seated in a circle around Him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whosever does the will of God are my brother and my sister and mother.”
In other words, Jesus found His support and affirmation in those who view things from the perspective of God. Others were simply unable to comprehend the significance of a life concerned only with pleasing God.
Also, it remains true to our present time, that our over-sensitivity to other people’s attitudes is caused to our desire to please the wrong individuals that surrounds our life.
So you have to learn to “Close the door” to those who detour you from entering into your destiny.
Find people who view things from the perspective of God. For they will support you, encourage you, and affirm you. However, a word of caution, do not look for them to be your source of acceptance. Our sense of acceptance comes from God alone.
This is what Jesus depended on through the moments of fierce rejection. For when rejection had ran its course and His enemies had done everything they could do to Him, in the end Jesus committed Himself to His Father’s keeping. His final words were: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
So, learn to commit your life to God and not man.
For John 2:24-25 says, “Jesus did not commit Himself to any man, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”
Jesus knew He could not depend upon the acceptance of man, for men are fickle in their falleness. The only acceptance that Jesus allowed to feed His spirit was the acceptance of the Father.
Committing your way to God and allowing rejection to fashion character development may seem like a momentous step. However, it is a necessary step for your success.
Just learn to “close the door” to all that inundates an attacks your spirit and emotions from resigning and perusing your dreams and aspirations.
For if you have a personal relationship with God, you already have been accepted by the one who really cares for you and can support you in the greatest hour of need.
