Key Texts: Matthew 13: 10 – 16, 53 – 58; Mark 6: 1 – 13; Matthew 10: 1 – 16; Luke 9: 1 – 11; Luke 10: 1 -11
Additional Texts: Matthew 13; 1 Peter 2: 21; Isaiah 6:8 – 13; Acts 13: 51; Matthew 10; Isaiah 53 : 3; John 1: 10- 13; John 15: 18 – 25
The summer holidays are here! If you have some time off, I do hope you’ll have a lovely, refreshing time!
There are several Scriptures attached to this entry. As usual, if you are unable to read them all immediately, it is still possible to read and understand the gist of it.
In this series we’ve been exploring some lessons we may learn from a very frank Jesus, in statements or conversations He had while He was on earth. This week, the key and additional texts indicate Jesus’ teaching through His frankness that a resilient mindset is essential in anyone who will step out in faith to do anything for God.
Jesus sent His disciples out to spread the gospel (firstly to the Jews). They had one responsibility: to share the good news. Whether He sent them as a group of 12 or 72, the various gospel accounts of His commission all include His caution to expect rejection: Jesus did not advise them about how to respond ‘if’ they were not received – He cautioned them with a definitive ‘when’!
In Matthew 13, prior to Jesus’ experience of rejection from His (own people), He taught using parables (farming imagery); He continued to teach to establish His Kingdom and simultaneously indicated through parables (which He explained), that everyone who heard the gospel would not necessarily respond in the affirmative. His eager and receptive disciples wanted to know why He taught with stories (parables), and Jesus explained that they were intended for those who were not discerning enough to have faith to receive God’s Word. He also stated that He knew that His disciples had received secrets to the knowledge of the Kingdom: though He knew them in advance and chose them, He expressed the understanding that though He is the Son of God, everyone would not accept Him or receive His message.
This message of preparation for rejection preceded Jesus’ entry to earth, and was cemented in His ministry. In Isaiah (Chapters 6 and 53), the rejection of the Messiah and the gospel (for some, until calamity struck) was evident. In Isaiah 53, the prophet describes Jesus as a ‘Man of Sorrows’ with no outstanding form or stateliness: He did not resemble the royal, lavish deliverer they anticipated, yet despite the suffering He endured, accomplished His purpose of giving us access to the Father and eternal life. Likewise, in John’s gospel (John 1), the nature of our Saviour’s life was highlighted: He came firstly to the Jews who rejected Him.
When Jesus speaks to the disciples in Matthew 10 and the other accounts of His charge to them, He echoes what was foretold about Him, and preempts surprise and discouragement as they would obey the mandate to spread the gospel. Jesus entrusted them with ministry, and prepared them for all eventualities such as blatant rejection. In His wisdom He commanded them to be bold and minister to others, travelling without unnecessary encumbrances but focused on spreading the gospel, regardless of the response. Similarly, in John 15, Jesus prepares His disciples for inevitable hate – the world hates Him and will resent His followers too: rejection by the world is a part of the package! This is affirmed in 1 Peter 2: 21 – 25: as His followers we are mandated to share the gospel and encourage others in their faith, but we also obliged to follow His footsteps in all areas – this does include the rejection He suffered!
When Jesus gives His candid caution and training for ministry in Matthew 10, it seems contrary – He came to establish His Kingdom, seek the lost and dispel the darkness of the world through His light (John 12: 46)! It would seem more appropriate that Jesus would convince the disciples to pursue those in need of the gospel message relentlessly, but His frankness indicates otherwise and seems to be a permission slip to know when to walk away from specific situations regarding ministry. Instead of telling them to go into overdrive in pursuing others for the Kingdom, He cautioned them that when they faced rejection from the Jewish audience (again, the ones He came to serve first), they should not be disturbed. As is noticeable with Jesus, He was a model of what He preached; He told them what He too had lived. His advice was candid and practical: any town or household that did not receive their message should be one in which they observed their Jewish tradition of dismissal: they should promptly shake the dust off their feet and leave (and specifically in their case, leave the rest to God!).
At the time, the Jewish tradition of shaking the dust off one’s feet was a symbol of separation from Gentiles or those whose practices conflicted with the Jews’ beliefs. In essence, it seemed that Jesus wanted them to practise quick pivots in spreading the gospel which was an urgent mandate. The mission was more important than unprofitable arguments. The shaking of the dust off their feet was an act of purposefulness – not one of resentment. Jesus did not suggest that they stopped caring for the souls of those who needed rescuing, but rather to leave the changing of their hearts to God.
Though the gospel has been preached and accepted by Gentiles (those of non-Jewish birth) and though we may not be the initial Jewish disciples, shaking the dust from
our feet applies metaphorically to us today. We will minister for Jesus in our daily lives and more specific ministries, and face similar rejection to Him and His disciples. Though our context is different, we also need to practise making quick pivots when the gospel message is constantly rejected. Jesus’ candidness in the texts does not license us to stop caring about our loved ones’ souls; He is still a loving Saviour who patiently calls us. It does mean however that we should know when to accept that He has been rejected despite our best efforts through His power, and resolve to leave judgement and outcomes to Him – this is our (seemingly contradictory) permission slip! For those who are committed to Jesus, the responsibility is to share the gospel and seek ways to use our lives to lead others to Him. However, our candid Jesus is also aware that even with the best will, some will not accept the gospel and as long as we have been obedient, that is not our responsibility.
Jesus is God’s Son – the best to be selected to share the gospel, yet in His earthly life He faced (and still faces!) significant rejection. We know this from His caution to expect it, and also from His own experience of rejection: He told the disciples to accept rejection as He did. In Matthew 13, when He taught in areas further away from Nazareth, Jesus had more receptive hearers than when He returned home – to His own people! With the same authority He had exercised elsewhere, He taught in the synagogue in Nazareth, but was met with a dubious audience which failed to appreciate His deity. Instead of receiving the (good!) news He brought, they questioned His character.’Isn’t this the carpenter’s Son?’ they wondered.
‘Aren’t His mother and siblings familiar to us?’ Instead of receiving Him, they questioned His lack of earthly qualifications as a leader of faith (status and scholarship). Their familiarity with Jesus and His family overshadowed the actual message He brought. In their eyes, He was unworthy. Despite this rejection and Jesus’ statement that prophets are not honoured in their own home towns, He still continued to seek ways to minister to them through His words, presence and healing. He accepted the rejection but did not reject His calling. Yet, the reality was that their unbelief prevented Him from performing as many miracles as He desired to among them; ultimately, their rejection of Him impacted them – not Him!
We may not be prophets rejected in our home lands, but like the disciples Jesus spoke to, rejection today because of our beliefs is an inescapable reality. It may be in the form of rejection through attempts to discredit our salvation, rejection by friends and family for accepting Jesus, ostracism for walking with God or blatant opposition in ministry or secular scenes. Regardless, we will face rejection and as admonished by Jesus, should not be deterred by it. Fellow pilgrims, our callings and purpose and too important to be tossed aside for pity parties about those who reject us or our message about Jesus. God wants to be chosen with free will; He does not seek to gain followers by compulsion. Jesus did not panic when His own people rejected Him; He went for the Gentiles instead! Many of them rejected Him too, but He still went to the cross to fulfil His purpose.
We need a similar level of resilience. We are aware that we are people with emotions, but should be aware of our identity and purpose as we approach our interactions. God will never leave or forsake us, but people will! That understanding will alleviate the need for approval – our responsibility is to honour God and leave the remainder to Him. Though His followers are called to be His voice on earth, He alone does the inside job of changing hearts (John 3: 16 – 17; John 4: 13 – 14).
Perhaps you’ve been rejecting the tug on your heart to accept Jesus as your Saviour; I’ve experienced that and rejected God at first – I decided that I’d accept Jesus when I was good and ready! Thankfully, He allowed me to keep hearing the gospel and gave me the faith to believe. Perhaps you have grown discouraged as you’re endeavouring (as commissioned by God) to spread the gospel, but face hearts that are sometimes unmoving and hardened; I’ve experienced that too. Accept that it’s not your job to change their hearts. Many of you will write your own faith-based or other books, or pursue other callings including those that require charting unfamiliar or unique terrains: approach it with an open mind! Support will come from unexpected places, and will sometimes not be received where it was expected! Perhaps you’ve been the one whose faith was questioned: ‘Aren’t you just a … (go ahead and fill in the blank)! This rejection may originate from those who either chose to define you based on a season of your life (as they did to Jesus – they ‘knew’ Him before His public ministry), or those who thought that your current post or occupation was all God had assigned for you to do. It’s ok! Jesus candidness prepared us for such experiences; resolve to be obedient, and don’t be deterred from your purpose because of it. Some will like you. Some won’t! Jesus was rejected by the majority of His own people, but still had (most importantly) His Father, and the earthly supportive relationships He gave Him for His earthly ministry. I’m thankful daily for relationships that have shaped and supported me. Treasure those relationships if you have them (and I pray you will eventually develop them if you don’t already have such support), be obedient and trust outcomes to God. Otherwise, when your message of hope is not received, whether it’s in a large town, city or country, or even within a smaller group, shake the dust from your feet, and move ahead in faith!
As usual, if you have a need to talk to God today – perhaps about your unwillingness to accept Him, or your experiences of facing rejection (including rejection for serving Him), try talking to Him for a few moments, a minute or five today. He hears, and can help you to cultivate the boldness to handle rejection like He did.
Heartfelt Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for allowing Your Son to face rejection for me; You truly desire my heart. Help me to be bold (discouragement is no respecter of persons who face challenges), and to discern when to reject the wrong messages about You, accept the right ones, and resolutely focus on my purpose regardless of people’s responses. I ask these mercies in Your Son’s – Jesus’ name. Amen.
