The Spirit of Rejection

Mark 10:7-16

The New Testament account of Paul
There were many triumphs, but there were also disappointments.

II Timothy 4, Paul writes concerning one of these defeats,
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

This was a devastating blow in the ministry.
We can hear a sense of rejection in these words.

-The Spirit of Rejection-

We all deal with some type of rejection in our lives. How to live in the freedom of Jesus, and the victory that can be found in Him

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Rejections

We all have been seared with the iron of rejection at some point. We can all relate to how it feels to be rejected.
It is something that Jesus says is a way of life.

Luke 17:1
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

Rejections can come from many different situations.

Close Relationships
Separations
Broken Homes- many children living angry lives.

In our text, Jesus is dealing with divorce.

It is no question about God’s stance when it comes to divorce.


Malachi 2:16
“For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts.
“Therefore take heed to your spirit;
that you do not deal treacherously.”

God looks at all that involved. He sees the children and he sees the hurt.

A certain study showed,
If a fire alarm were to go off in the home of a married family, the first instinct of the parents is to grab the children.
The same was conducted with divorced parties, and what was seen is that the children were forgotten in the confusion, while the parent found safety for himself.

Divorce does bring with it a spirit of rejection.

A certain psychologist studying the behavior of women in therapy, found a common thread in their response to their parent’s divorce. Daddy left me.
Never mind that daddy was looking out for himself.

Rejection is what is left in the middle of a divorce, and this is the reason why God hates it so much.

The root breeds rejection.

Rejection breeds hurt, and with it abandonment, and even frustration.

Rejection creates an atmosphere where one is trying to find acceptance, and yet never able to attain it.

It leaves one with an inability to get close to people.
It doesn’t want to get close, for fear of loss.

There are many Christians that are moving in this spirit.

They begin to push people away, for fear of getting too close.

(Jennifer’s escape from rejection)

We need to understand that there is a healthy way of dealing with rejection, so we don’t live in this kind of spirit.


Healing


Our text tells us something very peculiar.

…13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them;

Find healing in Jesus

He will never leave you nor forsake.

Psalms 37:25
I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

He was forsaken for our transgression. In other words, he knows how it feels to be rejected.

He went through it at the cross.

And for this, the bible says by His stripes we are healed!

…Then the children came…

These were children who were rejected. Children of divorce. He says, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them.”

We can find freedom in Christ.

The Healing Process
Not to Dwell

Something that Paul did was he didn’t dwell. He was forsaken before by John Mark, and now he is asking for him and says, Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

He didn’t stay in the hurt. He continued and forged on.

II Tim 4:16
16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

Something that helped him was his relationship with God.
Fully Rely on Christ

Romans 10:11
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.

Challenging times will come, but it is our choice on the direction we choose to go.

It can be a great time for you to grow in Christ.

Seek the Lord

Find deliverance at the cross.

We should have the attitude as these children, come to Jesus. He is there to deliver you. He is there when all the world seems to have left you.