The Rejected King

Scripture about suffering for the King

Matthew 5:11 NASB95

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

Matthew 10:22 NASB95

And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.

Philippians 1:29 NASB95

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

1 Peter 5:10 NASB95

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Sermon

Life won’t be easy, part of the reason Jabez prayed so wisely was because he would need God’s help, he would need God to guide him and to keep him from evil.

Often we are afraid of what God will ask us to do or what people will say. There will be rejection and there will be bullies. You will have to make hard choices and leave some people behind but you do not have to ever worry about the results.

The results are up to God-Our job is obedience, praying for the opportunities and walking through the doors He opens.

1 Corinthians 3:5–6 MSG

After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

1 Corinthians 3:7–9 MSG

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

- God is the one who makes things grow - so the results we can leave up to him.

- The fear of being rejected is real.

- Jabez name meant pain - from the time he was born he was rejected labeled as pain, he would have been mocked for it but he was an honourable man

- he did not let his name and the taunting ruin him, rather he determined to be better, to do better, to live the life God planned and bare his suffering with the King and for the King.

We must remember when we tell people about Jesus and they do not want to hear about it - they have not rejected you, they have rejected Jesus. It may hurt still but it is not for us to take personally rather it is for us to trust that a seed has been planted and leave the rest up to God.

- When we are rejected or suffer because of Jesus and we endure, press on… (into verse)

Romans 8:17 NASB95

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

2 Timothy 2:12 NASB95

If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.

Hebrews 11:24–26 NASB95

It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

- Looking forward to the reward - Jesus was the suffering servant, rejected by his own people, indeed he was killed by them. Suffering and dying for those who would reject him, for you, for me, for the people we all tell about Jesus - for the ones who will eventually come to Him. It was worth it for Him. God is love, He is relationship and all He has ever wanted is our fellowship.

- The question today is - Is it worth it for you. Is it worth it for you to pray like Jabez to honour your suffering, rejected, incredible King?

Acts 5:41 NASB95

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.

- Some days will be very exciting and people will come to know Christ, ask questions and make changes because you took the opportunity, others you may feel rejected like Jesus was but consider it an honor that God considered you worthy to suffer for His name. Anything we get to do for the King is a privilege and a gift. We may not know all the results on earth but one day He will show us the blessings, the fruit that came from it all and that will be one of the best gifts you ever receive.

Home work:

Last week we encouraged you to……

1 Listen to the audio if you haven’t

2 Pray the prayer each day

3 Write out the prayer and tape it to a mirror or a door or the inside of your bible - somewhere you will see it each day to remind you.

4 Make a calendar or a checklist where you check it off each day that you did the prayer (motivates and holds you accountable)

5 Listen to the audio book once a week and ask God to give you new insights each time you listen. Mark it off on your calendar or list that you listened.

This week we would like you to add……

6 Tell one person you are doing this prayer, invite them to join you and or ask them to help hold you accountable to doing it, check in with each other and share your stories

7 Keep a journal or record of the changes, the opportunities, divine appointments and blessings that happen

(Pray the prayer of Jabez and pray about the Rejected King.)

Prayer of Jabez

1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.