Rejection is tough. It can cause you to question, wonder and overthink. It also has the same potential to bring good things out of you and your situation. While most people don’t look for or celebrate rejection, it’s a good reminder that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, experienced rejection at multiple levels.
- The Rejection of His Own People: In the Gospel of John, we read that “He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). The Jewish leaders, who should have recognized Jesus as the Messiah, instead rejected Him, often mocking Him, plotting against Him, and eventually condemning Him to death.
- The Rejection on the Cross: Perhaps the most profound moment of rejection in Scripture is when Jesus, bearing the weight of the world’s sins, was forsaken by God the Father. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). This moment of divine abandonment, though it involved profound suffering, was ultimately for our salvation. Through His rejection, Jesus became the rejected One who took on our rejection, bearing our sins and alienation, so that we could be reconciled to God.
- Jesus’ Call to Embrace Rejection: In Luke 9:23, Jesus told His followers, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.” This is a powerful invitation not to a life of comfort or popularity, but a life that may include rejection for the sake of the gospel. Jesus also warned that His followers would be hated and rejected by the world: “If the
Rejection is a difficult and painful experience, but through the lens of Scripture, we see that it is not without purpose. God uses rejection to refine, strengthen, and deepen our relationship with Him. It is through Jesus, the ultimate rejected One, that we are never truly alone in our rejection. Rather, we are invited to join in His suffering, knowing that our rejection in this life is temporary, but our acceptance in Christ is eternal. May we take heart in this truth, trusting that God’s plan for us is greater than any rejection we may face.world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first” (John 15:18).