It's so good to have all of you with us today!
Thank you for joining us..
If you're like me, at some point, you have lived your life in an effort to please others.
And, I'm pretty sure, like me, you have found that you and rejection are closer friends than you ever desired to become.
Can I get a witness?
AMEN!
If you are going to spend your time, energy and effort to please anyone, let it be Jesus!
It is not a matter of choice, it's only a matter of timing.
Sooner or later, no matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you try.....You WILL experience rejection.
I'm sure you've heard the old saying,
"You can please some of the people, some of the time.
But you can't please all of the people, all of the time!
Amen?
(laughing)
AMEN!
I can assure you of this, if you are going to live your life for God, you must develop a talent for handling rejection!
When I began to study this subject some things became very clear to me.
And I want to share some of those thing with all of you, if I may...
One of which is, if you are going to seek the favor and anointing of God on your life, you are opening your self up to pain, sorrow, and rejection.
Now don't misunderstand me here....
This is not to say that we should not seek his favor, for His favor is the only thing that will make your life complete.
Can I get a witness?
But I'm just saying....
Prepare just yourself!
You are going to experience rejection!
To illustrate my point, let's take a look at Joseph.
His father Jacob loved him more than all of his other children.
He was the child of Jacob’s old age.
He was proud that he could still produce children.
He doted over Joseph.
Everywhere he went, Joseph was with him.
He was given first choice of the good things.
He was blessed with favor.
His father loved him so much that he made and gave to Joseph a coat of many colors.
Just to as a testament of his love for the boy.
He was his favorite child!
And for this reason, his brothers hated him.
In fact the bible says that they could not even talk peaceably to one another!
Shouting matches, shoving, and scuffling went on continually.
And in the midst of all this, God’s favor began to be evidenced.
Not only was Joseph Jacob’s favorite, but it was obvious that God was going to do something great through this young man.
He began to dream of reigning and ruling.
He recognized that he would one day lead his family.
Told his brothers of his dreams.
Their hatred for Joseph grew.
He was Rejected.
And, the more dreams, the more hatred and rejection.
Go check on your brothers.
They saw him a long way away.
Can’t kill him, it would break father’s heart.
Just like the devil, wanting to destroy, but pretending not to want to hurt anyone.
Can I just say something very honestly,
That is the crux of the majority of church troubles!
People that want to gain a position of control, the power, they will pretend that they are not wanting to hurt anyone and the whole while they are seeking an opportunity to destroy whoever is necessary to achieve whatever they need to!
Smiling right into their faces the entire time!
Joseph's brothers threw him in the pit.
Sold him to slave traders.
Rejection?
But he had a talent.
Prospered in Potipher’s house.
Elevated!
He became a leader of servants.
Then there is Potipher’s wife.
Seducing, provocative, she pursued him.
In fleeing he left his coat in her hands.
She was so angry that she had been turned down, she lied.
Joseph went to prison.
Rejection.
Years of his life spent in prison for no reason.
Rejection.
He did not even do anything wrong!
He just had the favor of God on his life! He did not ask for a position.
He did not ask to God to be elevated or blessed.
Yet with that blessing came the rejection!
And through it all, Joseph refused to become bitter and angry.
I do not have the time to tell the whole story today, but in the end he was able to confess to the same brothers that rejected him, that what they had meant for evil, God had intended for Good!
Yes, it's true!
While the rejection of men is painful, God can take their evil and make it good for you!
Let's look briefly at David.
David.
Little brother. Eighth child.
The one that got stuck with the bad chores.
Sent to the back pastures to tend his Daddy’s sheep.
His brothers thought that they were doing themselves a favor, but in fact they were doing David a favor.
Their rejection led him to a place of solitude and worship.
Sitting on the hill side he would sing and praise his creator.
Songs of praise came to him as naturally as the ability to breathe.
In that place of rejection he learned the skills that would guide him through the most difficult days of his life!
There is something that happens to a man or woman’s life when they are put into a place of rejection.
Lion, bear.
Life skills.
Time for a new king to be anointed.
"Thus Jesse made seven on his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord had not chosen these." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all the young men here?" Then he said, "There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here." So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!" Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah."
1 Samuel 16:10-13
That place on the backside of the hill, may have been a place of rejection to begin with, but it became a place of worship and audience with God.
A place that led him into the favor and anointing of God.
Don’t get bitter!
Say that with me;
Don't get bitter!
Use the rejection of men to draw closer to God! He has an anointing for you!
Go check on your brothers.
What are you doing here!
Go back home.
Rejected.
Is there not a cause?
Goliath!
His past experiences prepared him for this challenge.
David prepared.
Goliath defeated. Wow!
Saul has killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands.
Elevated, exalted, a hero.
Then it happened again.
Rejected!
Saul threw his spear at him.
Swore that he would kill David.
Fleeing for his life.
Caves, hideouts.
Vagabond lifestyle.
Yet in this time of rejection and fleeing, this anointed king with no throne, penned one of the greatest statements of worship ever written,
I will bless the Lord at all times and his praise shall continually be in my mouth!
A talent for handling rejection!
Are you praying for God to use you?
Are you praying for God to make a place for you in his work?
Then you better also start asking for the ability to handle rejection.
You are going to need it!
Let's take a look at Our Lord Jesus...
Jesus....
The fact there was no room in the inn was symbolic of what was going to happen to Jesus.
The only place that they made room for Him, was on a Cross!
He sought an entry to the over-crowded hearts of men;
He could not find it, and still today His search and His rejection go on!
Light came into the world but men would not receive it for they loved darkness more than light!
Jesus’ ministry was one of compassion, power, and rejection.
"So 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 to read. And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on
Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious word which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"
Luke 4:16-22
And all the while, Christ continued to tell them how his ministry would be rejected by his own people!
"So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way."
Luke 4:28-30
Rejected.
By his own.
He was better received by the heathen than the people of God.
He was accused of being the evil spirit or the devil.
He was accused of being a sinner for his association with them.
He was accused of being a false teacher.
He was Rejected.
He came to receive His own and His own received him not!
I'm not trying to sound insensitive here but...
But can I just preach a message here..
Don’t tell me how hard you have it!
Don’t try and tell me that I don’t understand how hard it is to live for God where you live, work or go to school.
Don’t tell me that a situation is going to cause you too much heartache, that you can’t do it because it would hurt.
We do not know what hurt is!
We do not know what true rejection is!
Let me give you a definition of true rejection.
Jesus and His entire ministry was rejected!
What Jesus suffered at Calvary, for you and me, that's hurt!
What He feels every time one of His own denies Him, that's heartache!
One day he was being paraded and praised through the streets on the back of a donkey. Palm branches are waving, children are dancing and parents are leaping.
"Messiah, Jesus, Master!"
Merely just a few hours later, the same ones are demanding that His blood be upon them and their children!
Rejected.
Taken to a court, accused of blasphemy, subordination and inciting ill will against Rome.
Turned over to the Roman rule system.
Harmless, helping, hope filled man reduced to the level of a common thief.
Stripped of His clothing He was tied to a post, there the soldier began to beat His back until the flesh tore away.
A crown of thorns was fashioned and thrust upon his scalp. The thorns pierced His flesh and tore at His skull.
A rod was used to beat him more, His beard was torn from His face as the soldiers spit upon Him and mocked Him.
Rejection.
Can I just share something with you today?
Don’t tell me that it is too hard to live for God.
Don’t tell me that I don’t know how bad you have it.
Don’t tell me that you do not have any friends.
Don't tell me how nobody loves you or cares about you.
Have you sewn friendship into someone else's life?
Have you shown love to someone who is unlovable?
Have you reached out to someone and blessed them in their need?
Or are you only concerned about you?
Because I'm here to tell you, the ones who need our love the most are the one's who least deserve it!
Look at Our Lord and Savior Jesus!
Rejected!
But Jesus didn't cry...
He wept!
He didn't feel sorry for Himself!
And then He took action!
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.
"Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:
“They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”
And for My clothing they cast lots.”
Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:
THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Matthew 27:35-43
How do you think it was that Jesus could look into the eyes of
his weeping mother and tell her to go home and also say Father forgive
them for they do not know what they are doing!
There was no room at the inn for Jesus.
In fact there was not room for him anywhere EXCEPT on the Cross!
In closing....
Church, we all have our struggles, our battles, but it is time to put the proper perspective on our walk with God.
We need to stop telling everyone we see know what we are going through,
We need to transform our minds, refresh our thinking..
and BRAG about the One we're going through it for!
No
matter what it is that we go through, it is worth it to be saved.
No
rejection of men will ever damn you to eternal hell!
But rejection by God will!
I know there will be some of you who will take this message to heart!
Who will leap into action!
Your lives will be forever changed!
I just want you to know a celebration will break out in the heavens!
The angels and this church, this pastor will be rejoicing with you!
But it's difficult for me to say this, I know there will be some of you will not be moved by this message...
Some will not respond to the call of Christ today.
That is exactly why you will spend eternity in hell!
Rejected!
By God.
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the shine which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin."
Hebrews 12:1-4
We need to develop a talent for handling rejection!
I truly care about each and every one of you and where you spend eternity...
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you
The Lord life up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Brian Monzon Ministries