“From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, “Will ye also go away?” Then Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”
(John 6: 66-68 KJV).
One of the most painful things we all experience in life is rejection. Everyone experiences it at one time or another and at different levels. It is always painful. It can be, in some cases, totally devastating! Some have experienced the pain of being rejected by a parent. Some have been rejected by a spouse. Some have been rejected by a child. Some have experienced rejection by a friend. Some have been rejected for a job or a promotion. Regardless of what area it comes from, it is always painful.
No one understands the pain of rejection more than Jesus! No one has been rejected more than Him! While He walked the earth, He was rejected by many of the religious leaders of His day (Math. 12:14). He was rejected by His own family members. His half-brothers did not believe in Him until after the Resurrection (John 7:2-5). He was rejected by many who initially followed Him because He was not the Messiah they were expecting (John 6:47-66). The Prophet Isaiah declared over 700 years before Jesus came that He would be despised and rejected of men (Isaiah 53:3). His rejection ultimately led to His crucifixion (John 19:15). He is still being rejected by millions today!
Jesus illustrates for us how we are to face and overcome the pain of rejection. He could face it because He knew Who He was! He was the Son of His Heavenly Father! His Heavenly Father affirmed Him from the beginning of His ministry until the end (Math. 3:17, Math. 17:5, & John 12:28). Because He knew He was totally loved by His Father, he could face the rejection of men! Likewise, because we are totally loved and accepted by the Heavenly Father, through the Lord Jesus, and have become His very own Son & Daughter, we can live with absolute assurance and confidence that there is no one who can justifiably bring any condemnation upon us (Romans 8:1 & Romans 8:33). Though others may reject us, we have been totally accepted by the most Important Individual in the entire Universe! It does not get any better than that!
James W. Black
