Do you ever tune into Family Feud and marvel at the family’s response to a very blockheaded answer? The host might ask, “We asked a hundred people, what is their favorite pet?” And then cousin Bill says, “Well, uh, Steve, a Tyrannosaurus Rex.” Without fail, the family applauds wildly and repeats, “Good answer!” After all, family supports each other. Unless, of course, you have Jesus’ family. The Messiah gave all the right answers to the questions, performed unbelievable miracles, taught with authority, and His family and hometown neighbors consistently jeered and replied, “Wrong answer.”
The Rejection of Jesus
Watch Week Four Day Three
Right Answer, Wrong Response
The Rejection of Jesus
Even though Jesus has demonstrated through signs and teaching that He is in fact the Messiah, He still faces rejection from those closest to Him. The crowd references His profession to point out His humble station as a blue-collar worker. They then call Him the son of Mary, as opposed to the normative son of Joseph, to hint at His unusual birth account. Even after years of living a perfect life, His detractors still imply that His mother conceived out of wedlock. His hometown crowd basically calls Him a son of a promiscuous woman. Jesus, the perfect man, God in the flesh, the embodiment of love, mercy, grace, and truth faces rejection from those closest to Him. If even Jesus faces denunciation, what should His followers expect?
This passage in Mark immediately precedes Jesus sending out the twelve disciples on their respective missions. By showing them His own hometown’s rebuff, He teaches the men a valuable lesson about the Christian mission: expect rejection. As believers of Jesus Christ, we too should expect friction and tension from others when we share Christ. Jesus’ lordship demands nothing short of death to receive life. We bring a message encouraging people to get off their manmade thrones and bow before the true King on His true throne. Naturally people will bristle at this message. Instead of discouragement when we face rejection, we can rejoice knowing that we walk the same path our precious Savior walked two thousand years ago.
Not Alone
This story of Jesus facing rejection from His family and neighbors might hit close to home for you. Many of us feel isolated and distant from our families because of our faith in Christ. Take heart knowing that Jesus welcomes you into His family. He intimately knows the struggle you face, and He knows how to strengthen you to endure through the pain. Once you accept the invitation into Jesus’ family you might find yourself experiencing Family Feud moments. You, like Uncle Bill, might give what seems like a really silly answer to the rest of your earthly family. Look to Jesus. He stands at the head of your heavenly family applauding you, saying over and over again, “Good answer!”
Daily Question
How does knowing Jesus faced rejection comfort you in your times of rejection? How can you remind yourself of your true family in Christ?
Comments (3)
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It’s true! And I relate to this message for the many times I have felt ostracized or rejected in my own family who some are even Christian that may disagree with me on certain biblical subjects. Some want to fight about it and cause all types of disruptions to the point of even destroying a family event. This helped me realized that Jesus not only sees it when it happens but feels the pain right along with me.
I have had people ask me time and time again "how do you keep going", "how do you still have faith in your God",
" how can you still believe after He has put you through so much and taken so much from you?"
My answer is pretty much always the same "I was never given a choice". As a teenager I was full of angst and confusion about what was happening to me and why. But it gave me focus and a purpose to get out on my own and make my life better and the lives of my future children better. As a bereaved mom I wanted to just run away, stay in bed all day, sometimes even worse. I wanted to feel sorry for myself and be mad at God, but I had a 3 year old precious little boy that I didn’t want to suffer because his mom made the choice not to take care of him. As a very sick mother of 2 living children, I never gave up because I didn’t want them to not have their mom. I wanted them to have the best life had to offer and that included me fighting to stay with them and be able to enjoy as much as I could with them. If I gave up, I’ve always felt like they would think I gave up on them. I believe every single time my heart has been broken that God’s heart broke right along with mine.
Lately I have been mulling over my familial rejection and how that affects my self-esteem and over all well being. One of the main reasons for my familial estrangement is that I acted as God requires and was chastised for it.
In contrast, to be accepted in the family of God gives me the freedom to do good and be supported in those decisions. I also have been blessed with genuine love and genuine acceptance with my brothers and sisters who are part of my faith family. My heart grieves that the "acceptance" I had in my family was conditional and would require me to abandon my morals and what was right. My faith family has allowed me to forge a different path and heal (and continue to heal) from the old life I’ve lived. Praise God for that!