Learning From Rejection
Today I want to talk about what we can learn from the three times Christ is rejected in Luke 22:39-62. First, the Father rejects Jesus. In Luke 22:39-4 Jesus is experiencing a medical condition called Hematidrosis. This is a rare condition that causes someone’s sweat to contain blood. What happens is the sweat glands are surrounded by tiny blood vessels that can constrict and then dilate to the point of rupture, causing blood to release into the sweat glands. The cause? Extreme anguish. Anguish we cannot imagine. The cross is just hours away, and who does Jesus pray for? The disciples. Classic Jesus.
The Father, in a rare moment, rejects Jesus. Jesus asked the Father 3 separate times: If you are willing… The cup has two references. Firstly, it represents God’s wrath. We see this all throughout the Bible, but here it represents that in order to save sinners like us. Jesus will have to drink or take on the wrath of the Father. In John 12:27 Jesus tells us that this is his purpose.
Not only is it God’s wrath, but the cup also represents God’s salvation. For the first time ever, the Father rejects the son. “Is there any other way?!” Jesus cries. “No.” The Father tells him.
Exalting Jesus in Luke: “We tend to think that God’s plans are accomplished by his saying yes to us, but here with his only Son, the Father accomplishes our salvation by saying no. Jesus must drink the cup. Our greatest deliverance came from an unanswered prayer.”
Have you ever felt rejected by God? God’s withholding is God’s protection for us. Prayer is always answered. Sometimes with a yes, a no, or a not yet. God is right there with the Son, and he is right there with you. God’s silent is not God’s abandonment. He promised to never leave or forsake us, not to grant our every request. Trust in God’s timing, plan, and power to withhold us through every trial.
In Luke 39:47-53 we see Judas rejects Jesus. Three things are at play in this section: betrayal, violence, and cowardice.
First, we see Judas’ betrayal. Judas exploits the trust that was given to him by the intimacy he had with Jesus to sell him out. Only the disciples knew about this spot, and Judas exploited it for gain. Do we do the same? Do we love Jesus or only love what he can give us?
Second, we see violence. If there is anything we learn from Jesus, it is that the Kingdom of God is not accomplished by violence. Jesus heals the man who is arresting him and puts his ear back on! He is willing to stand for what is right even as his life is being demanded of him. Violence can’t ever be our answer, the crusades show us the hearts of men led by violence. This is not the way of Jesus.
Thirdly, we see cowardice. I would’ve expected this man who has his ear cut off to change sides! Even Judas, I would have expected him to have a come to Jesus moment, quite literally, and see his error. But sometimes people’s commitment to darkness can make them fearful of attempting a different direction. I would encourage you if you are on a path to evil to turn with courage to Christ and let him change you.
In Luke 22:54-62 we see Peter reject Jesus. Verse 54 tells us Peter was “following at a distance.” Peter is gradually disassociating with Jesus. We cannot safely follow Jesus from a distance. We are meant to be close to him.
Psalm 1:1, How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Peter apparently forgot this verse. He goes from following with the crowd some distance from Jesus, to sitting in the courtyard among them.
From the servant girl at the fire, looking to see who he was, to the final look from Christ (verse 61). We cannot try avoiding looking like Christ followers and ever hope that the Lord would look at us with approval. Luke 21:9 confirms this, if we deny him on earth he will deny us before the Father.
Now, there is a huge difference between Judas and Peter’s rejection. Judas intentionally sold Jesus out, John 17:12 describes him as the son of destruction. He was unrepentant and destined for destruction.
Peter on the other hand, fails Jesus despite an honest commitment to him. That is why Peter is restored after the resurrection. He intended to withstand the pressures of the world, but his courage failed him. Wickedness receives condemnation, weakness receives help and comfort.
In your rejections of Christ, are they a result of wickedness or weakness? The Lord rejects the wicked but says he receives the weak. In Matthew 11:28 he invites the weak: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Have you rejected or condemned the Lord? Have you ever been upset at God’s response to your prayer and said: “why won’t you do this for me?” In that case, we are no different than the soldiers that would hit him over the head and demand him to prophesy who hit him.
Have we acted like Judas and used betrayal, violence, or cowardice against God or against his people? Have we turned to our flesh crying out and allowed it to respond and therefore reject the way God has called us to live despite our intimacy with him?
Or are we Peter, thinking we can follow from a distance. Have a little bit of Jesus, but also sit among sinners too. Do we think Christ will look upon us approvingly regardless of our sitting on the fence. One foot in the world, one foot in the kingdom. Christ demands all, and deserves all.