REJECTED CHRIST: IN OR OUT?

Sermon Notes, January 31, 2016

Rev. Garry McGlinchy

Rev. McGlinchy started a new sermon series this week.  The first sermon is titled “Rejected Christ: In or Out?”  His scripture references are Luke 4:14-30, and Revelation 3:15-16.  One of the things that most people deal with is the fear of rejection.  Christ was rejected; how must he have felt?  Christ is constantly being rejected today, not only by society but by the Church as a whole.

Christ understands when we are rejected because of our faith and Christian lifestyle. (v. 17-21) The scripture Jesus was reading from is Isaiah 61:1-2.  Isaiah describes the deliverance of Israel from exile in Babylon as a year of jubilee.  This was when all debts were forgiven (Leviticus 25).  However, the release from Babylon was not what the Israelites had expected.  They were still a conquered, oppressed people.  Most likely Isaiah was talking about the messianic age.  Jesus boldly announced: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  He was proclaiming himself as the one who would bring Good News.  However, He was not what they were looking for in a savior.  He brought the Good News, but not the way they wanted.  They weren’t ready to fully grasp what was going on.

Even Jesus was rejected as a prophet in His hometown. (v. 24-30)  People today have a similar attitude toward Christ.  It’s not surprising that we find those around us unaccepting of our faith and Christian lifestyle.  This can be even truer when we’re talking about our families: parents, spouse, or even children.  They remember our failures; they remember us when we were at our worst.  This makes it hard for them to see past the old person and look at the new creation we have become through Christ. 

Not only was Jesus rejected, but He angered the entire town.  He was telling them that sometimes God chooses to reach out to Gentiles instead of only to the Jews.  He was implying that they were as unbelieving as the people during the time of Elijah and Elisha: this time period was notorious for its wickedness.  In a sense, Jesus just gave them a Holy Right Hook! He recognized their unbelief and called them out on it.  This didn’t go over too well.  In fact, they wanted to throw him off the cliffs.

Christ made time to worship at the synagogue no matter where He was. (v. 15-16)  Before we go on, let’s get a better understanding of the Jewish synagogues.  They were established during the Exile when the Jews had no Temple to worship in.  They served as places of worship on the Sabbath, and as schools for young boys during the week.  A synagogue could be set up in any town with at least ten Jewish families.  When a Rabbi was traveling through, the leader of the synagogue would have the guest Rabbi read the scriptures, teach, and they were always welcome to speak.  Jesus made it a practice to be at a synagogue on the Sabbath.  If the Son of God, the Messiah, made time to be in fellowship with others on the Sabbath, then we should too!  We hear lots of excuses as to why people who are followers of Christ don’t come to church.  If we are claiming to be followers of Christ, then we should follow his example of going to church no matter where we are or what’s going on in our lives.

In Revelation 3:15-16, the church at Laodicea was told that because they were neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm, they would be spit out of God’s mouth.  The believers didn’t stand for anything.  The church became hardened and self-satisfying, leading to its own destruction.  By neglecting to take a stand for Jesus, the church in Laodicea was rejecting Him.  The reality is that the Church, as a whole, isn’t much different than the synagogue in Jesus’ hometown, or the church at Laodicea.  We’ve become lukewarm.  Jesus wants us, His children, to be a center of Holy Fire for our community to see.  He wants our very best!  To offer Him anything else is simply an act of rejection. Christ not only wants your best; He also wants the best for you.  We need to ask ourselves:  Are we in?  All in with everything we’ve got? Or are we out, spit out because we’re lukewarm?  In or Out?  There is no in between; it is one or the other.