“He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:3-6).
Are you ready for rejection? If not, prepare yourself! Every follower of Jesus will experience rejection at one time or another. Jesus shared the Parable of the Ten Minas with a group of elite religious leaders in Luke 19 to express the reality of His rejection in light of the prophetic writings.
Jesus was angered and grieved over the hardness of their hearts. He used this parable to remind them of the judgment to come for those who reject the Messiah (Luke 19:14). Even after Jesus performed many signs and wonders, there was a relentless rejection of the message of salvation.
The Apostle John would later write, “But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: ‘Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ ” (John 12:37-38). If people rejected Jesus openly, what do you think they will do to you?
“For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets, which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death” (Acts 13:27-28).
Jesus was rejected for you. It was a rejection that paved the way for your salvation. If people rejected Jesus, they will certainly do the same to you. Do not get discouraged when people reject you for following Jesus. In fact, if everyone loves you, there may be a problem! When you radiate the light of Jesus, not everyone wants that light to reveal the reality of their heart.
Read: Open your Bible and read Isaiah 53:1-12.
Reflect: Prayerfully consider the following: How would you describe the price Jesus paid for being rejected for your salvation? What was the cost?
Respond: As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?
The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.