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Weimar University

Don Mackintosh

Looking to Jesus

Looking to Jesus Part 1

Looking to Jesus Part 2

We're in a little series here on Isaiah chapter 53, 52 and three. And last night we looked at Jesus and how it was that he was a servant behold, my servant, and how it was that he fulfilled that role of a servant. When he washed his disciples feet, the most despicable job reserved for the lowest person in the room, none of the lowest people in the room volunteered to do the job. And so he came forward and did that. Now, today we continue our series on Isaiah 53, by looking at the passage that was just read to us by Rachel. He was despised and rejected of men, a man acquainted with so and Greece. We, his, it were our face from, he was despised and rejected, but we esteemed him that. So let's invite the Lord to bless us as we open his word father in heaven. We're thankful today that we can come spend some time reflecting on your word. And we asked that you would attend it. You've told us already in John 60 63, that your word is spirit and that it's life. And we asked that it would come alive for us in Christ's name. Ah, amen. He was despised and rejected. Have you ever been despised and rejected to despise me to be thought lower than the person despising you, a person looks down on you, maybe names off the things where you don't measure up to what they think. And that's the first step towards rejection. And it's always in that order. Someone is despised usually before they rejected. And Jesus was the most rejected person and still is in all human history. And this, even though he was perfect, even though he was tempted, but with no sin, even though he had no personality or character flaws that could be picked on, although there were some close, manufactured flaws, he hangs out with people that party a lot. He, we don't like his messages. He would take the rabbis parables and change the punchline. And it says the common people heard him gladly, but he had no personality or character flaws. He fed thousands. He healed thousands. And in fact, the Bible says, if you had to, you could not have enough books to write about all the people that he healed and all the wonders he did. And Luke says that he healed everybody in cities. In fact, there probably was no need for a Auburn faith or a Kaiser or any healthcare plan, which might have been one of the reasons the chief rulers didn't like him because that was their business. He indeed had healed the hurting world, and yet he was rejected. He still, he suffered deserved rejection prenatally. And throughout his whole life, even before he was born, he was rejected. So have you ever experienced rejection being despised and rejected? Let's just review some of his rejection and then how he handled it. His hometown rejected him. Isn't this the carpenter son. They said when he got up one day to do the scripture reading and talk about the scriptures, they took offense at him. In fact, they were so upset with him that they were gonna push him off a cliff. And that just because he had scripture reading and by the way, he also had a message that day and this sermon, which was a present truth sermon that actually related to the people in the synagogue that day, he said, well, that's, that's not good. Your sermon actually is relating to us. Let's kill you. How many think that would've been a bad response to a sermon? His family rejected him as brothers. Not even his brothers believe in him. And of course, why was it that his brothers didn't believe in him and didn't like him? Well, he said the world hates me because I testify about it. That its works are evil. And so they didn't like that. Wait a minute, you're saying our works are evil. We need to reject you. This nation rejected him. He came to his own and his own received him, not the religious leaders of the day, rejected him. Are you the Messiah? They ask him. And he said, it is, as you say, well, that's Blay. And the penalty for Blay was what death. He was despised and rejected of men. That word men is not AAM, not of mankind. In fact, most of the common people would've enjoyed him and would've not been let as stray against him. We don't have fishermen coming out and striking against Jesus. There were huge strikes of all the fishermen know, we don't have all the shepherds saying, you know what? We just don't like this guy. It was only later that they rejected. It was the leaders that rejected because it's not been AAM of mankind. It actually says in the text Benish Lords, rulers leaders, top leaders rejected Jesus first. And then the others piled on. Ultimately these leaders were able to shift public opinion as a result of church state manipulation. The crowds that just days before were singing HOA were now screaming, crucify him. And when pilot asked them, who should I release Jesus or Jesus Barass they chose Barass thereby rejecting Jesus. We want Barass. They screamed. Have you ever faced rejection? No one understands like Jesus with these decisions in place. Most of the Roman soldiers followed suit. He was spit on. He was beaten. He was stripped, physically violated. He was mocked as king of the Jews. Shockingly. He was even rejected by his own disciples. Judas sold him for 30 pieces of silver. Peter denied him three times after saying he never would. And the rest of the disciples fled. And he was there surrounded by his enemies who also had already rejected him. Have you ever been rejected? Have you ever been despised? No one understands like Jesus, Roy by Bob Meister. One of the famous psychologists of our time and researcher wrote about reject being rejected and alone. And I summarized some of his findings, rejected people become more aggressive toward others. Rejected people, rejected increases toward in their lives toward neutral, innocent third parties. They get rejected and they start picking on people. They don't even know rejected. People leads one to view the world with suspicion and hostility, rejected. People are more likely to cheat on tests. Rejected people are less likely to help others. Rejected people make more unhealthy food and health choices. They eat more junk food. Rejected people have difficulty reasoning, analyzing drawing, conclusion, rejected people get depressed, rejected. People give up faster on tasks, rejected people don't even like to look at themselves in the mirror. They studied rejected people and they won't even look at themselves in the mirror. And when someone else looks at them, they look down or they look away. But how did Jesus deal with rejection? How did Jesus deal with rejection? Number one, he remembered the prophecies that Fort told the very rejection he was experiencing. New Testament says on all who live godly lives in Christ. Jesus will suffer persecution and he definitely suffered rejection and persecution. But he knew from reading the scriptures that this was going to happen. In fact, the very passage we read for our scripture reading told him in advance that he would suffer rejection and the same scriptures also, by the way, indicate that if you follow Jesus, you will suffer rejection in the heart of Christ there reigned perfect harmony. However, with God there was perfect peace. He was never elated by applause nor dejected by C or disappointment. Have you ever been dejected by C and or, or disappointment? Have you ever been upset? Because there's not much applause. Jesus never had that experience amid the greatest opposition and the most cruel treatment. He was still of good carriage. Number two, he focused on doing good, not responding to his critics. You don't see him going around. Whackamole finding various things and trying to get rid of the people, criticizing him. The eternal welfare of sinners regulated the conduct of Jesus. He went about doing good. It says an act 10 37 and 38 benevolence was the life of his soul. He not only did good to all who came to him, soliciting his mercy, but he persevere sought them out. So instead of worrying about the rejection that was coming his way for doing nothing wrong, he kept on doing good. He focused on the person in front of him, the audience that was with him and continued doing good. You see, I like that phrase. Maybe we could memorize it. The eternal welfare of sinners regulated the conduct of Jesus together. The eternal welfare of sinners, regulat, the conduct of Jesus. He didn't like hanging out with the people who thought they were righteous. He wanted to hang out with those who needed help. Number three, he did not attempt to respond to rejection with violence and then counter rejection. This Samaritan did not allow him to stay in their city one time. And the disciples said, look, let's call down fire from heaven upon them. And he said, you don't know what spirit you are. And so the disciples gave him a Bible study. Don't you remember Elijah? He was calling fire down. And he said, no, no, no, no. Now you're getting it wrong. And so what did he do instead? Well, remember what motivated him, the eternal welfare of sinners regulated dis conduct. And so he found a Samaritan woman and gave the most important discourse ever preached. And it was only given to one person because he wasn't worried about the number of people that were even in front of him. The one soul audience was as important to him as if there were 144,000 people in front of him. And so he gave a message to that Samaritan woman. And by the way, that was taboo, he saw an opportunity to reach her mind and through her to reach the minds of the Samaritans who were in great darkness and air, although weary, he presented the truths of his spiritual kingdom, which charmed, the woman filled her with admiration for Christ. And this woman's testimony converted many. In fact, 10 cities, how me think this is a good way to handle rejection. He rested in the fact that he was completely accepted by his father. And this was the primary way he reject. He, he resisted and dealt with rejection. And by the way, I might say, if you're having a problem dealing with rejection, it may be that you don't know the Lord as closely as you should. Maybe he's not the first person you look to. Maybe he's not even on the screen. In fact, maybe if you're a Leia to see him Christian, like the last church in revelation mentioned in revelation three, maybe Jesus is actually outside Knocking. He's already been rejected. And now when you get rejected, you have no one to turn to cuz the one that really loves you, you've rejected. Le descends are pretty thin skinned group because they haven't accepted the one who is that father in the prodigal story, Luke 3 21. How is it that Jesus knew he was accepted when all the people were baptized and came to pass, that Jesus also was baptized while he prayed, the heavens were opened and the holy spirit descended him. Bodily formed like a dove upon him. And a voice came from heaven saying, you are my Davi. That's the word, David, you are my beloved son and whom I am well pleased. He knew that his father accepted him. Number five, he rested in the word of God. When tempted to think that his father had rejected him right after his baptism, he was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And the Bible said, if you are the son of God, in other words, God doesn't really care about you. Maybe you're rejected by your father. And he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, how did he deal with rejection? He quoted the word of God. Number six, even when on the cross, he kept this focus. By the way, I just read the reread. Actually years ago in the nineties, there was an article by the journal of the American medical association. Maybe I'll cover that on our next message that goes through all the horrors and torture on the cross. He basically died of hypo, limbic shock. According to the journal American medical association, he was bleeding. He had blood coming. He was weak. He was, he was eviscerated by scourging and they would scourge those who went on the cross or the pain would increase on the back. He was dying from asphyxiation as well. And even in that state, even when totally tortured for hours, what was his focus? His appearance was so disfigured. It says an Isaiah 52 14, that any human being more than that, of any human being and his form was marred beyond human likeness. In fact, one of the early Christian historians said that when his mother came to see those on the cross, he didn't know which one was Jesus. And even in that state, in the midst of the most cruel rejection in torture, he focused on what Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. Let me think that's an incredible statement. They Don't, they don't, they don't know what they're doing. And most of them did not know what they were doing because they had been goed into it by the religious leaders who, some of them actually knew what they were doing. And that's why he said, forgive them. They were in fact guilty, right? What did he do on the cross? One thief said to him, if you're the Christ, save yourself and us. But the answer is saying, rebuked him saying, do you not even fear God, God's seen your under the same condemnation. You've been rejected and you're on a Cross. And what does Jesus say? I mean, the thief is saying, look, we've both been rejected and he's being rejected, but this guy did nothing wrong. The other said, there's no reason that he should be rejected. He's not like us. And then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me. When you come into your kingdom, he saw how Jesus dealt with rejection and it totally broke his heart. He was like, whoa, this has gotta be God, will you remember me? When you come into your kingdom? And what did Jesus say? Jesus said to Emma, surely I say to you today this day, when I look totally rejected, you will be with me in paradise. Jesus did not even lose his evangelistic focus on the cross. When he was bleeding, when he was dying, when he could hardly breathe, he's leading someone to eternal life. How many think this is a lesson for us and how to deal with rejection? Could we be like Jesus? How many think we could maybe be like Jesus, Roman six actually says that we should. And we will. In fact, witness a few people being baptized here in the next few minutes, We're gonna have a baptism at Moses rock. And this is the recommendation of scripture. Do you not know that as many of us as we're baptized into Christ, Jesus were baptized into the cross, into his death. Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death. That just as Christ was raised from the dead, by the glory of the father, even so also we should walk in, what can we in fact, walk in newness of life. Can we die to the sensitivity, to the hypersensitivity we have against rejection? We can. And it says in Ephesians one verse six, the most important text he has made us accepted in the Davi, in the beloved. When you're baptized, you know, you're entry in the same thing. Jesus, did you come up from that baptism and you're accepted in the beloved that is in Jesus. The Greek word translated, accepted is much stronger than me approval. It means to grace, to in undo with special honor to make accepted, to be highly favorite. And what is the opposite of rejection, its acceptance and how many you think that it could be good for your mental health to know you are accepted by God, You become a member of God's own family. He loves you in just the same way. He loves Jesus. You are accepted in the what beloved, which is the same name. He called Jesus. You are accepted as he accepted his son. I do think this might be something to consider, especially if you're dealing with rejection, we're gonna cl sing our closing him and I chose a different one. It's number 2 88, number 2 88. And I invite you to turn there. This is our appeal, and it's a very simple appeal. If you have been rejected, why not follow Jesus to Calvary? Why not be accepted in the beloved? You've not been baptized. Why not be baptized? Why not enter into the cross? And since it's power, This media was brought to you by audio verse, a website dedicated to spreading God's word through free sermon audio, and much more. If you would like to know more about audio verse or if you would like to listen to more sermons, please visit www.audio verse.org.

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Looking to Jesus

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