Jesus’ response to rejection, grief and need
Pastor Jim Thomas
| The person of Christ | Matthew 1-4 |
| The principles of Christ | Matthew 5-7 |
| The power of Christ | Matthew 8-12 |
| The parables of Christ | Matthew 13 |
“Earth is crammed with heaven and every common bush aflame but only those who see take off their shoes. The rest sit around it and pluck blackberries.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Matthew reminds us that with the coming of King Jesus into the world, the kingdom of heaven was also breaking in…
What is the kingdom of heaven?
Where God’s name is honored and God’s righteous reign and rule are respected; where kingdom perspectives, kingdom values, kingdom vision, mission and goals are all embraced.
What kind of world do we really want to live in?
Matthew 13:53-58 reminds us:
- Familiarity often breeds contempt
- Jesus knows our experiences of living in a world plagued by rejection, grief and relentless need.
How did Jesus respond to rejection?
- With resolute faithfulness Jesus continued His journey to the cross.
- The cross is the place where Jesus established an irreversible basis for our acceptance before God. The cross is the most brilliant display of God’s love, justice, mercy and wisdom.
“The One who deserved to be loved and worshipped, was willing to be reviled and rejected, so that we, deserving rejection, would be forever loved and accepted by the Father.” – Paul Tripp
“God treated Jesus as we deserve — He took our penalty — so that, when we believe in Him, God can treat us as Jesus deserved (2 Cor. 5:21). More specifically, Jesus’ prayers were given the rejection that we sinners merit so that our prayers could have the reception that He merits.” – Tim Keller, Prayer
“We can begin each day with the deeply encouraging realization, I’m accepted by God, not on the basis of my personal performance, but on the basis of the infinitely perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.” – John Owen
Matthew 14:1-12 reminds us that…
Jesus did not sidestep the crucifixion; He transformed it into a resurrection.
“The realization that Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of prophecy, and that the apparent defeat of the cross is revealed or unveiled in the light of the resurrection as a victory, completely transforms and galvanizes those who grasp it.” – Malcolm Guite, Why Poetic Imagination is Necessary to Understand Biblical Prophecy
“God has been attentive to my mourning. He has been ever close, close enough to catch my tears in a bottle as they fall from my eyes. I wonder if perhaps the bottle of my tears might sit on the shelf next to the tears Jesus wept.” – Kim Thomas, Finding Your Way Through Grief
Matthew 14:13-14 reminds us that…
There is a day coming when Jesus will set the world to rights. No more sickness, no more dying, no more sadness, no more crying.
“Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.” – Frederick Buechner
“Grace relentlessly pursues, relentlessly forgives, relentlessly transforms, relentlessly restores, all of which we relentlessly need.” – Paul Tripp