The Rejections of Christ

Matthew 27:46; Hebrews 4:15

​We have all experienced rejection in our lives. Some rejections, while unpleasant, have little impact on our lives. Other rejections are devastating rejections from family, community, someone we counted as a close friend, even those in our church family. Jesus experienced rejection in all arenas of life. His family thought he was crazy and came to “take charge of him”. The community in which he grew up wanted to throw him off a cliff! His faith community tried, and eventually succeeded, in having him executed.  His closest friends denied him, ran away when he was being arrested, fell asleep when he most needed their support and, one of his own disciples, turned him over to the Roman authorities. In a final devastating blow, Christ even felt abandoned by God in his final moments, crying out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Hebrews 4:15 tells us, we have a high priest who understands and sympathizes with all our temptations and weaknesses. There is no form of rejection we have experienced, or will experience, that Christ has not also suffered through.  He walks beside us in the midst of our rejections with a depth of understanding that can only come from someone with a shared experience.

Questions for further thought:
1. How does Christ’s experience of rejection help you in your own experiences of rejection?
2. How did Christ respond when he experienced a rejection similar to your own? 

Challenge: Think about a time or times you experienced painful rejection in your life.  Research how Christ experienced a similar rejection and what his response was.