The Rejection (Part A)

The work goes on feelings hurt not rejection should never be enough to knock us we are hard pressed on every side not crushed complex but not in despair, struck down, but not destroyed, persecuted, but not forcing this is the Christian life. So make it count. That's what I tried to do. I asked the Lord for search.

I want to make these things count. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the gospel of Mark chapter 6 as he begins a new message called the rejection.

We are in the gospel according to Mark and if you have your Bibles please turn turn to Mark's gospel chapter 6 verses one through 13. Then he went out from there and came to his own country and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath had come. He began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished saying where did this man get these things and what wisdom is this which is given to him that such mighty works are performed by his hands. Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James Josie's Judas and Simon are not his sisters here with us, so they were offended at him. But Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives and in his own house. Now he could do no mighty works there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them and he marveled because of their unbelief. Then he went about the villages in a circuit, teaching, and he called the 12 to himself and began to send them out to buy two and gave them power over unclean spirits. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff, no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. Also, he said to them in whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place and whoever will not receive you nor hear you when you depart from there shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Surely, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. So they went out and preached that people should repent, and they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. The rejection that's what we are considering this morning and it is of course something can make you very bitter to be rejected is there is nothing pleasant about it whatsoever and before becoming a pastor. I seldom experienced rejection. I mean here and there.

You get it, but as a pastor it's almost routine is one of the strongest draws for retirement and every pastor learns that many who love him. One day will be rejecting him another day. This is the case with apostle Paul. Paul to the Galatians says what then was the blessing you enjoyed for I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me and he says to them in the next verse. Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth, he was hurt.

I know they love him. He certainly love them and then they turned on him.

This is the case with our Lord when they rejected him here at Nazareth. It hurt weed we read. It is just a text to you all are they than they they mocked him, they were offended by what it was.

It hurt his feelings. That's not what he was after you know there can be some pretty mean people that go to church regularly read their Bibles know the Scriptures, they can serve. Paul said to Timothy Alexander. The coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. We need to hear these things we need to be on guard against these things. Those who sour and then go infect others and want them to be soured to. That's what was going on here in Nazareth all Nazareth.

Nazareth said that about Jerusalem, but he could say that about this hometown also in this sixth chapter we read about him being rejected by the people, he grew up with. We read about him then sending out the 12 which is a significant part of his rejection because he says in that sending of the 12 Audi says, with or without you.

The work goes on.

You think you will reject me and that's it. The church shuts down. You think I stop preaching because you rejected me continuously sends out the 12.

We will later read of the murder of John the Baptist in the feeding of the 5000. We read of Jesus walking on the water and then we read about him crossing again to the east side of Jordan and doing miracles.

There where he was chased away from previously. The work goes on feelings hurt or not.

Rejection should never be enough to knock us out. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, perplexed, but not in despair, struck down, but not destroyed, persecuted, but not for sake.

This is the Christian life. So make it count. That's what I tried to do. I asked the Lord for search. I want to make these things count and by that punish the gender of hell should be any other way. Well, we look again at verse one. Then he went out from there and came to his own country and his disciples followed him.

What what a beautiful picture that's what disciples are supposed to do the supposed to follow Jesus.

They followed him in the storm. We read about that in chapter 4.

Then there was the maniac and they were there with him for that one to then visit the solutions to disease and death. There was Christ and now they're here with him for the rejection is still with him than the word loyalty. It's supposed to mean something in our lives is not supposed to be a word we use for someone else.

Are we loyal or at the first side of pressure do we shatter, we crumbled, we collapse the return carnal snap of a finger. Alexander did me much harm a lot of loyalty going on there. At one point you would've given your eyes for me. Now I'm your enemy because I don't do it your way. This is life. Nazareth is hometown just 20 miles from Capernaum, where he had done so many miracles healed so many people raise the dead, and he wasn't finished doing miracles, raising the dead. This is his second rejection in Nazareth.

Luke tells us about the first one since they were thrown off a cliff. They were so upset, so he goes back to Nazareth about a year later and preaches again. So I would call was stoned at Derby Lister Derby gets up he goes back into the city.

I would've taken automatic weapons with me is something I'm going back in the city with a just stoned me.

What an example, we have these characters from Scripture. So yes Luke records the first visit at the beginning of his more public ministry there in Galilee. Matthew and Mark tell the story of his second visit to Nazareth.

It took place near the end of his Galilean ministry and all give up 12 Mark skips over the Lord's Judean ministry.

So here's a brief overview of the ministry of Christ is that when he first started he was he was obscure raising Nazareth. No one knew anything about him. He goes into the wilderness by himself and there he faces the devil it in a secure part of his ministry in his life. And then he comes on the scene and he does miracles in this time of popularity. The people just love him and then the opposition that is spearheaded by the religious intelligentsia, the know it all, the gatekeepers and then his resurrection and his ascension as early Judean ministry which only which John really capitalizes on, but Mark skips over his Galilean ministry then comes next. Where we are now. Then another Judean ministry. When he goes back into the territory of Judea including the Jerusalem area is Paris and ministry across on the east side of the Sea of Galilee again and then finally back to Judea sleaze moving all around but the whole time is moving the heat peaks. Everybody loves him and then it starts to come down and that had to hurt. He knew it doesn't take away the hurt he still came in in his humanity is disciples followed him to Warner's visit home verse to now still ministry is not just say everybody I'm back in.

This is ministry. He is there to reach souls with the truth. Verse two and when the Sabbath that got me began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished saying where did this man get these things and what wisdom is this which is given to him that such mighty works are performed by his hands. Luke tells us in chapter 4 of Luke's gospel in verse 16 that it was his custom, long before to come into the synagogue and NT so they were familiar with them. Luke chapter 4 verse 16. This is his first visit or the first time he was thrown out. He came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read and of course that's where he read the spirit of the Lord is upon me, and E on the fulfillment of that and they were incensed well again now is going back there, astonished, but this is the good kind of astonishment. This is the bad kind, they were in shock that he would dare stand before them and say whatever it is he was saying with the authority that he said it that he would dare perform such miracles, which they knew all about. By this time I mean you just don't raise someone from the dead and keep that kind of thing hit it was out there so they resisted and they rejected his source of knowledge and his ability, ignoring the scriptural teachings ignoring ignoring the consistency with Moses and Elijah, and Isaiah, and all the other prophets of Scripture there that did not matter. Some never give the pastor the benefit of the doubt they wouldn't give it to him. They would need to know the minute.

An accusation rises up is not.

I don't believe that is really in the took on like wildfire here, you would love you know Paul at least there were times when Paul was the congregation was divided. Some of them wanted to hear some of the not at one point the gent also we want this, that the Jews don't want to give it to us says that such mighty works are performed by his hands. This is what they were astonished. But at one of the things they rejected his signs and wonders. It wasn't enough. The miracles were not enough, or what would be enough for Judas Iscariot would it is amazing how messed up people can think loyalty would've helped. Just what does the loyalty. Let's remain loyal to the word. Let's remain loyal to the truth put before us.

These miracles that they were questioning that the order the origin of them. The source of them. They should have sealed for them. His Messiah ship, patient said that's what Isaiah was talking about. Now he's doing it.

This is Messiah.

Isaiah 42, seven Isaiah speaks of the Messiah says to open blind eyes to bring out prisoners from the prison. Those who sit in darkness on the prison house spiritually in bondage and liberating them now. Isaiah's notorious for weaving the prophecies of Messiah into both comings of Christ. He he really has the kingdom age in mind woven into that is the first coming of Christ which the Old Testament writers really didn't understand.

They had no knowledge of the church they saw Israel and God's kingdom with Christ comes in he applies the first coming from the prophecies of Isaiah to himself. He begins to open it up to expound upon these things. There were two comings of the Messiah which even the apostles didn't get until much later. So Jesus said in John 15. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin, but now they have seen and also hated both me and my father the crisis saying I've done the things the prophets said that the Messiah would do. And they know this rejected it anyway. You know how the flesh can be see what's right and refuse to respond to it in the right way, rejected, and this is what they were doing this, miracles demonstrated that the second kingdom, the millennial age kingdom would be established and it was starting right here in person with him that Satan's kingdom was going to be overthrown and it started now in front of their eyes. Matthew 1228 but if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God. Surely the kingdom of God is come upon you and this is the beginning of what the prophets were talking about. First Corinthians chapter 15 we read this from Paul then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom of God to the father when he puts an end to all rule and authority and power that is human rule and authority and power as he will be the authority and power. So there.

The two comings if there woven into the prophets. As I said, but they should've picked up on it because his signs and wonders was so remarkably extraordinary. His preaching was so in-line with the prophets. They had no reason to doubt him, and for this he says Sodom and Gomorrah will come out better than you because they didn't see this did tossed to the wind. Verse three is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Josie's Judas and Simon and are not his sisters with us. So they were offended at him. They know his family well. They know all the boys of the boys came to the synagogue. In fact, the boys were siding with Judaism against their brother against the Christ. Of course their stepbrother or half according to the flesh mark is the only gospel where Jesus himself is called carpenter. Matthew says son of a carpenter. They saw him as a mere blue-collar worker. That was his rank and he was to be's.there is not to come out of that rank and be some teacher of the word to them is fine if you want to the synagogue and he just read Scripture to them but to apply it to himself to apply it to them, they were astonished at this, many still consider him a mere carpenter where they going to be surprised when they breathed their last breath. Find out he is more than a carpenter is more than anything anyone could ever fully know so they were not impressed by his sermon because they were not impressed by his status is social status. The caste system. It worked for them in their little heads snivel my small thinking and people still do it in Christianity today.

What seminary did you go to the seminary of give you a knuckle sandwich that's the seminary I went to I mean if they do… This is shameful because the Scripture speaks on this thing is not passed by they perceive that these were not educated men, but they had been with Jesus after they said about Peter and the apostles. That's what we want them to say about us no matter what our background, no matter how well educated, or not so well educated, we may be. That is not the issue. The issue is what do we say about Jesus Christ from his that's what matters.

Imagine imagine if you as a parent had to you know theirs is in overall well what what level parent are you know how high up the ladder.

Have you gone is apparent in some try to sneak that in any way but were not going to go into that, so they weren't impressed because someone more than truth not satisfied with just Bible teaching you not satisfied with just the truth of the word, they want something else, even if they don't know what it is in their wants should not be met under those terms. They say here that he was the son of Mary, this is the only place in the New Testament where Jesus is referred to as the son of Mary. Now Joseph and Mary were of royal heritage thereof. The line of David.

But it no longer mattered to the rest of the people in Nazareth at this time it did really nothing for them in that society and the brother of James Josie's Judas and Simon are not his sisters here with us. These are Mary's other children, to which she gave birth.

After her first born.

You do not call someone a firstborn if there are no more Bourns you would say her only child, we see that in Scripture. When someone's child was sick or dying. It was their only child. That distinction is important. We just can't see Joseph taking Mary with the baby Jesus into Egypt with six other kids and then back out. These things are not realistic because they didn't happen that way and I know there are those that want to say Mary had no other children machine that's not what the Bible says James is the author of the epistle of James Josie's it's a form of Joseph. So they named him after their father Judas. Of course this is not Judas Iscariot. This is Jude who is the author of Jude's epistle, it says here in verse three, so they were offended at him last time you really offended trying to kill them, but they were arrogant they were critical critical that was self impressed. They were so thrilled with themselves and the system that they had nothing else could get in.

Not even from God. The system was closed.

Isaiah 53, 7/700 years earlier. Isaiah called he said, for he shall grow up before them as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground because their root out of dry ground owes nothing to the things around it because they've not been a contributing thing anything to it is no form or comeliness.

And when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. He personified Isaiah does the people here in Nazareth and other parts of Israel. But right now here in Nazareth is not attractive to them.

There's nothing they see in him that is appealing no matter what he's preaching. A matter what he's doing. We have to and we see this today. Do we not you can win in political office. If you just look like they like you. That's all you need to doesn't matter what you say what you do this you appeal to us and did not appear appeal to them. There is no beauty that we should desire him quite profound men so out of touch with God that they were incapable of appreciating the beauty of God.

When face-to-face with it.

May it never happen to us, may we never be so spiritually dense that the light of God cannot get in. He owed them nothing. They contributed nothing to his being and that bothered them.

They wanted to be the ones of stamp approval. Okay, he's one of us.

Okay you know if they wanted to say well if he was a rabbi son, they would've been more receptive carpenter's son, John 715 and the Jews marveled, saying, how does this man know letters, having never studied. We didn't teach him.

So how could he know anything again still practice to this day on these not the dumbest reasons for rejecting true what your families here with as we know them. So we reject you got bad family like that. Of course this family was. It was did they sided with these people. I how far they sided with them when not sure Mary if I don't believe was really into it. But remember, they thought he had lost his mind and they all went to collect him that day.

Of course he would not be collected by them or anyone else. And so here these in Nazareth they made up the criteria for breaching truth and doing signs and wonders from God in a carpenter's son was not allowed to be a part of his rank was too low. Today they said other silly rules. Often times, which have nothing to do with doctrinal truth and there's really not a lot anybody can do to stop it except on the individual level, so they called him the carpenter. What right had they to stunt his growth. What right had they do say this is far you can go listen if you want to build things if you want to do you notice someone working for us will would love to hear what you have to say about your craft, but truth about God were not interested in it coming from you. So he was deemed out of this class.

Verse four we could just go on and on about his pedigree and his background which was divine from eternity past and they missed and we are getting ahead, and we are entrusted with trying to communicate this to those who don't get it. May we never lose sight of our role. Our mission what is my role here on earth.

What is my mission to reach the lost move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast.

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