Embracing Rejection: Staying True to Our Mission

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Excessive Familiarity

When Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth, the people there were astonished not by His teachings but by the fact that it was Jesus, the carpenter, delivering them. Their familiarity with Him blinded them to His true identity and mission. This serves as a powerful reminder that excessive familiarity can prevent us from recognizing and valuing what is right in front of us. We must ask ourselves if we have become too familiar with Jesus, placing Him in a box and missing out on the new things He wants to do in our lives. We need to remain open and expectant, not confining Jesus to our preconceived notions. [45:10]

Mark 6:3-4 (ESV): "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

Reflection: Have you placed Jesus in a box of your own making? What new things might He be trying to do in your life that you are missing because of your preconceived notions?

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Day 2: Expecting Rejection as Followers of Christ

Jesus prepared His disciples for rejection, teaching them that it is an inevitable part of following Him. If Jesus, the perfect Son of God, was rejected, we too will face rejection. This understanding helps us to stand firm in our faith, knowing that rejection from the world is a sign of our alignment with Christ. Jesus' warning to His disciples is a lesson for us as well; following Him means we will encounter rejection, but we must stand firm in our faith and mission. [52:35]

John 15:18-19 (ESV): "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

Reflection: How do you typically respond to rejection because of your faith? Can you identify one area where you need to stand firmer in your faith despite facing rejection?

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Day 3: Radical Dependence on God

Jesus sent His disciples out with minimal provisions to teach them radical dependence on God. This lesson is crucial for us today; we must rely on God for our needs and trust Him to provide as we fulfill our mission. Our dependence on God strengthens our faith and aligns us with His will. By sending His disciples out with nothing but the clothes on their backs, Jesus was teaching them to trust in God's provision and care. This radical dependence is something we are called to emulate in our own lives. [50:35]

Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own strength rather than depending on God? How can you begin to trust Him more fully today?

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Day 4: Staying on Mission Despite Rejection

Jesus did not let rejection deter Him from His mission. He continued teaching and fulfilling God's purpose for His life. Similarly, we must not allow rejection to stop us from pursuing God's plan for us. Our mission is too important to be hindered by the opinions of others. Jesus modeled how to respond to rejection without sinning, staying on mission, and shaking off the dust of rejection. We, too, must not let rejection deter us from God's purpose for our lives. [56:40]

Acts 20:24 (ESV): "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

Reflection: What mission has God placed on your heart that you have been hesitant to pursue because of fear of rejection? How can you take a step forward in that mission today?

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Day 5: Shaking Off Rejection

Jesus taught His disciples to shake off the dust of rejection and move on. We must do the same, not dwelling on rejection or letting it define us. Our identity is in Christ, and His acceptance is what truly matters. By shaking off rejection, we free ourselves to fully embrace God's purpose and calling. Jesus remained secure in His identity and continued His mission despite rejection. We are chosen by God, and His acceptance outweighs any rejection from the world. [58:27]

Isaiah 41:9-10 (ESV): "You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, ‘You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off’; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: Is there a recent rejection that you are struggling to move past? How can you remind yourself of your identity in Christ and shake off that rejection today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Grace Place family! Today, we delved into Mark 6:1-13, exploring two significant events: Jesus being rejected in His hometown and the sending out of His 12 disciples on their first mission. We began by reflecting on the high point of Jesus' ministry, where He performed miracles like healing the woman with the issue of blood and raising Jairus's daughter. The disciples, likely feeling elated from these miracles, were in for a surprise when they faced rejection in Nazareth, Jesus' hometown.

In Nazareth, the people were astonished not by Jesus' teachings but by the fact that it was Jesus, the carpenter, delivering them. Their familiarity with Him blinded them to His true identity and mission. This led us to consider how excessive familiarity can prevent us from recognizing and valuing what is right in front of us. We must ask ourselves if we have become too familiar with Jesus, placing Him in a box and missing out on the new things He wants to do in our lives.

Next, we examined how Jesus prepared His disciples for rejection. He sent them out with minimal provisions, teaching them to rely entirely on God. He warned them to expect rejection, emphasizing that if He, the perfect Son of God, was rejected, they too would face rejection. This is a lesson for us as well; following Jesus means we will encounter rejection, but we must stand firm in our faith and mission.

Jesus modeled how to respond to rejection without sinning, staying on mission, and shaking off the dust of rejection. He didn't retaliate or try to change others' opinions; instead, He remained secure in His identity and continued His mission. We, too, must not let rejection deter us from God's purpose for our lives. We are chosen by God, and His acceptance outweighs any rejection from the world.

As we concluded, we were reminded to shake off the weight of rejection and declare the truth of who God says we are. Let's worship and stand firm in our identity in Christ, shaking off any rejection and embracing God's acceptance.

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Key Takeaways

1. Excessive Familiarity Can Blind Us: The people of Nazareth couldn't see past their familiarity with Jesus to recognize His true identity and mission. This serves as a reminder that we, too, can become so familiar with Jesus that we miss out on the new things He wants to do in our lives. We must remain open and expectant, not confining Jesus to our preconceived notions. [45:10]
2. Expect Rejection as Followers of Christ: Jesus prepared His disciples for rejection, teaching them that it is an inevitable part of following Him. If Jesus, the perfect Son of God, was rejected, we too will face rejection. This understanding helps us to stand firm in our faith, knowing that rejection from the world is a sign of our alignment with Christ. [52:35]
3. Radical Dependence on God: Jesus sent His disciples out with minimal provisions to teach them radical dependence on God. This lesson is crucial for us today; we must rely on God for our needs and trust Him to provide as we fulfill our mission. Our dependence on God strengthens our faith and aligns us with His will. [50:35]
4. Stay on Mission Despite Rejection: Jesus did not let rejection deter Him from His mission. He continued teaching and fulfilling God's purpose for His life. Similarly, we must not allow rejection to stop us from pursuing God's plan for us. Our mission is too important to be hindered by the opinions of others. [56:40]
5. Shake Off Rejection: Jesus taught His disciples to shake off the dust of rejection and move on. We must do the same, not dwelling on rejection or letting it define us. Our identity is in Christ, and His acceptance is what truly matters. By shaking off rejection, we free ourselves to fully embrace God's purpose and calling. [58:27]
### [58:27]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[33:01] - Introduction and Midweek Ministries
[34:37] - Series Overview: The Main Attraction
[36:07] - Reading Mark 6:1-13
[39:00] - High Point in Jesus' Ministry
[40:25] - Jesus' Hometown Rejection
[41:53] - Astonishment and Offense
[43:53] - Familiarity Breeds Contempt
[45:10] - Excessive Familiarity
[46:20] - Expecting Rejection
[47:46] - Disciples' First Mission
[49:13] - Radical Dependence on God
[50:35] - Packing Light for the Mission
[52:35] - Rejection is Inevitable
[55:10] - Responding Without Sinning
[56:40] - Staying on Mission
[58:27] - Shaking Off Rejection
[60:21] - Identity in Christ
[62:15] - Worship and Declaration

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the reactions of the people in Nazareth to Jesus' teachings, and why were they astonished? ([41:53])
How did Jesus prepare His disciples for their mission, and what instructions did He give them regarding provisions? ([37:38])
What did Jesus tell His disciples to do if they were not received in a place? ([51:15])
How did Jesus respond to the rejection He faced in His hometown? ([55:10])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the people of Nazareth were unable to see Jesus' true identity and mission? How does excessive familiarity play a role in this? ([45:10])
What does Jesus' instruction to His disciples to take minimal provisions teach us about dependence on God? ([50:35])
How does Jesus' response to rejection serve as a model for us when we face rejection in our own lives? ([55:10])
What is the significance of Jesus sending His disciples out in pairs, and how does this relate to the concept of testimony and legitimacy? ([49:13])

Application Questions

Reflect on your own life: Have you become too familiar with Jesus, placing Him in a box and missing out on the new things He wants to do? How can you remain open and expectant to His work? ([46:20])
Jesus warned His disciples to expect rejection. How do you handle rejection in your life, especially when it comes to your faith? What steps can you take to stand firm in your faith despite rejection? ([52:35])
Radical dependence on God was a key lesson for the disciples. In what areas of your life do you need to trust God more fully? How can you practice radical dependence on Him this week? ([50:35])
Jesus stayed on mission despite rejection. What is the mission or purpose God has given you, and how can you stay focused on it even when facing opposition or rejection? ([56:40])
Jesus taught His disciples to shake off the dust of rejection. Is there a past rejection that you need to shake off? How can you let go of it and embrace God's acceptance? ([58:27])
Think about a time when you felt rejected. How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in light of Jesus' example? ([55:10])
How can you remind yourself daily of your identity in Christ and His acceptance, especially when facing rejection from others? ([01:00:21])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Church, we believe that God still speaks today. We believe that the Holy Spirit has something that he wants to speak to you. And it's, it's not my words this morning, but I am praying and believing that it is the word of God through, through the scripture and through what he speaks through me, that God will meet you and speak something specific to you and to your life this morning." [38:00] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Are you willing to be rejected for the sake of the one who was rejected for us? Are you willing to be rejected for the sake of the one who gave everything for us and was rejected for us?" [53:25] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You see, God has a purpose for your life. God has a plan for you. Don't look at me and say, no, not me. Yes, you. He has a plan. He has a purpose. There is a destiny for you to fulfill. There is a legacy for you to leave, and you cannot allow rejection from others to stop what God wants to do in and through you." [57:10] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "You know what? You may have been rejected by man, but if you are a believer today, you have been accepted. By God, you have been accepted by God. And if the Lord is for us, then who can be against us? Shake off that rejection in Jesus name." [01:01:00] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "I can't think of a better way to shake off rejection than to declare the truth about what God says about us over our lives. You see I want us to end our time together by by just singing this song and I want to encourage you if you've been holding on to rejection. If you've been holding on to to words and and to opinions that have been spoken over you or spoken over your life. Today as we worship you're going to let it go. You're going to give it to God. You're going to shake it off." [01:03:00] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "When we're so familiar with something, sometimes we cannot even recognize or value what is right in front of us. Jesus, he reiterates this point when he responds to the people by saying, a prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his family." [45:10] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Rejection from this world is guaranteed, but it's worth it to receive the acceptance of God. It is so worth it to receive the acceptance of God. My question for you this morning is, are you willing to be? Rejected for the sake of the one who was rejected for us?" [53:25] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You see, because Jesus was secure in his identity, he was free from the pressure of trying to change others' opinions. He was so secure in who he was. He was so secure in his own identity that it freed him up. He did not have to have all the pressure of trying to change others' opinions. And that is exactly what he showed the disciples. He showed them that they weren't responsible for how others responded. They were only responsible to bring the message." [56:10] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Church, we have been given a mission as well. Yes, it is the great commission to go and preach the gospel, but we've also been given a personal mission. You see, God has a purpose for your life. God has a plan for you. Don't look at me and say, no, not me. Yes, you. He has a plan. He has a purpose. There is a destiny for you to fulfill. There is a legacy for you to leave, and you cannot allow rejection from others to stop what God wants to do in and through you." [57:10] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The rejection of man is meaningless if God's favor is on your life. The rejection of man is meaningless when you have the favor of God on you. Church, stay on mission. Stay the course." [58:27] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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