Luke 10:16 (ESV)
[16] “The one who hears you hears
me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects
him who sent me.”
Despite the miracles and demonic
deliverances that Jesus had done, he had been rejected by his own people. He warns
that their judgment will be harsher than those who never had the benefit of
seeing his miraculous power. He then encourages his disciples that if they are
rejected, it is a rejection of Jesus himself, which in turn is rejection of the
Father. It’s not about them.
It’s one thing to be rejected for
our own stupidity. It’s another thing to be rejected for Jesus. I’ve seen too
many people be obnoxious, even rude, in the “name of Jesus.” Let me tell you
that Jesus was never obnoxious. Being rejected because we are obnoxious is not
being rejected in the name of Jesus.
That being said, when we are
rejected because people see Jesus in us, we need to understand that it is not
about us. It is easy to withdraw into our shells and hide when that happens. It
is easy to avoid people and cut people off, not wanting to feel rejection. We
need to understand that the rejection is not about us. It is a rejection of the
Son and the Father. That rejection is to be expected. It should grieve us that
they reject the Father, but we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. It is his
rejection, not ours, and he will one day set all things right.
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