Student: Grant Mitchell

Student ID: C9901028

Subject: Life of Christ - BCB153

Lecturers: David Timms

Title: Examine the Gospel records of how Jesus handled rejection. What do we learn and how does it relate to your own life and ministry?

No. Words: 1508

Due Date: Friday 6^th August 1999

Submission Date:

Rejection was a constant factor in the life of Jesus Christ. He suffered much because of rejection, but he handled it in some extraordinary ways: with honesty, silence, obedience, and warning. He also reacted to rejection with pre-emptive restoration, and ministry inhibition.

Jesus exhibited an honesty of his feelings in reaction to rejection.

On the cross Jesus cried out "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" [1] In the death of Jesus he faced rejection from God – "the agony of One suffering the experience of abandonment by God." [2] The point of amazement is that Jesus did not hold back from admitting his feelings during this time of rejection. This is also seen during his time of prayer in Gethsemane. [3] Jesus was willing to admit, first of all, to God the Father the agony that he was experiencing, then to those disciples closest to him (Peter, James, and John), and then to all gathered before him at the cross.

This is a challenge to my life and ministry. I look at some of the major times of rejection I experienced during my school years as a result of sour relationships, and I know that I hid my feelings and did not want anyone to know how much I was hurting. In a few ways I believe I tried to hide my feelings from God, although I remember moments of crying out "Why me God?"

This hiding has served to perpetuate society’s idea that "big men don’t cry" – which I believe, when it comes to being real and being in ministry, is a falsehood. It is not right to admit how we feel to everyone we meet, but it is important to realise we are emotional people and that we can admit these feelings to God, and when appropriate and necessary we can admit them to others around us. I regret hiding the real me during times of depression as a result of rejection, and know that healing could have come sooner had I understood Jesus’ honesty to admit his feelings in reaction to rejection.

Jesus remained silent against his enemies despite the reality of punishment.

Jesus knew that it was God’s purpose for him to be rejected and killed, [4] and so because of this he remained silent in front of his accusers: the high priest, chief priests, and elders. [5] It was not because of fear that Jesus was silent, but that "the Son of Man enters into the humility of his suffering and death without protest." [6] Jesus was willing to allow God’s will to be done without letting his words interfere.

I can see that there have been times and opportunities missed in my life to speak and act as an obedient witness – and often these opportunities have been avoided due to fear. I see that in Jesus’ reaction to rejection he is silent because ultimately they are not rejecting him, they are rejecting God. Jesus is doing the will of God the Father, and so because they reject Jesus, they reject the will of God the Father, and so reject God (this idea will be discussed further below). [7] It is not right to allow my fears to prevent God’s purposes, and so I know I need to continue to learn in my ministry when it is appropriate to be silent and when it is appropriate to speak.

Jesus was obedient to God’s will even though it meant rejection.

Jesus knew that it was God’s will that he would suffer, be rejected, be killed, and rise again. [8] It is even more evident when Peter disagrees: "Peter indignantly refuses to accept that the way of rejection and death can possibly be God’s way." [9] Jesus states that this way is amongst the "things of God". [10]

Jesus also remained obedient to God’s purpose in the cross even though he knew Judas Iscariot would betray him. [11]

I am aware that my ministry will bring rejection from outside the church, but also from individuals from inside the church. I must take care that it is not my purposes that are estranging these people, but that I am following God’s will despite the difficulty apparent. My obedience to God may result in rejection.

Jesus would restore broken relationships as a result of rejection.

Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, rejected Jesus when he denied more than once that he was one of Jesus’ disciples. [12] Jesus displays an active task of restoring this broken relationship when Jesus asks him three times whether he loved Jesus. [13] Jesus knows that he is created for relationship with God, and that being out of relationship with Jesus is an obstacle to allowing Peter to grow as a disciple. Jesus is pro-active in restoring broken relationships, rather than reactive.

I know how difficult it is to restore a relationship that has broken and resulted in rejection. There are examples in my life of successful restoration, and other examples of unfulfilled restoration. I can also see the importance of this principle of grace in my ministry: knowing that we are sinful people, I may inadvertently break relationships with those I am ministering to. It is Jesus pro-active style of seeking and restoring that builds a community of love and unity.

Jesus was unable to minister fully amidst rejection.

In his own hometown there was a lack of faith in Jesus – a rejection of who he really was. [14] As a result of this rejection Jesus was unable to fully minister – "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them." [15] Jesus ministry was restricted by the faith of those around him. This is not an expression of incompetence in Jesus or that he chose to be ineffective, but because of their unwillingness to have faith Jesus accepted that they were unable to receive his complete ministry.

I have noticed, especially in youth ministry, that very little can be done in the lives of non-Christians and Christians when they aren’t open to God. Christians have general callings on their lives (such as being a witness), and when they are not willing to accept these ministries, when they are not willing to be faithful and put their trust fully in their God, the ministry of Jesus is limited. I have learnt personally that it is necessary to come closer and closer to Jesus as I live as a disciple – that this is a main expression of my trust in him. As I draw closer to him, I change to be more in his image, and more able to do the will of God the Father. As a result I can see that more than ever before I am open to the ministry of Jesus to myself, and to those I am ministering to. A church can not experience healing and be a part of the reconciling work of God unless they have faith that Jesus is able to heal them and reconcile the lost to God. I believe that our churches need to be careful not to reject the call of ministry that God has placed on them, or else they will be ineffective.

Jesus warned people that if they rejected him there would be eternal consequences.

Jesus did not allow people to reject him without letting them know of the consequences. Jesus warned those who would be ashamed of him, those who rejected him, that at the time of the Second Coming he would reject them. [16] He warned them that they would not be judged now but be condemned at the last day. [17] There are eternal consequences for rejecting Jesus – eternity without him.

I see these warnings as an encouragement for me. When I left my previous career to enter full time ministry there were people that said, "This is a career-damaging move." I knew the call of God on my life, chose not to reject that, and know this choice has eternal consequences. I am not saying that this made me more or less saved, but that it has become a blessing now and for eternity.

It is also a stern motivator to lovingly warn people that God has made pre-emptive moves to bring them into relationship with him and if they ignore this that it has eternal consequences. However, I do not believe this should be used as a motivation out of fear, but out of a sort of loving rebuke. People can come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and so be saved from the eternal consequence of condemnation.

Jesus handled rejection in numerous ways, depending on the people and the situation. Of most note was his sustained obedience to God the Father, and knowing that God’s purpose was greater than any force of rejection that tried to oppose him.

I admit that I still have much to learn, and to be healed of, when it comes to rejection; but having examined how Jesus handled rejection I am encouraged to obey God’s will despite present and future rejection.

1 Matthew 27:46 and parallels.

2 Cole, 243.

3 Matthew 26:36-46 and parallels.

4 Mark 8:31.

5 Matthew 26:63, 27:12 and parallels.

6 Schweizer, 330.

7 Luke 9:26.

8 Mark 8:31.

9 Anderson, 217.

10 Mark 8:33.

11 Matthew 26:21ff, 46ff and parallels.

12 John 18:25-26.

13 John 21:15-17.

14 Mark 6:1-6a.

15 Mark 6:5.

16 Luke 9:26.

17 John 12:47-50.

 

Bibliography

Anderson, Hugh.

1976 The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Eerdmans.

Cole, R.A.

1961 The Gospel according to St. Mark. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Eerdmans.

Elwell, Walter A. (Ed.).

1989 Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Baker Book House.

Schweizer, Eduard.

1970 The Good News according to Mark. London, UK: SPCK.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright Ó 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.