Rejected No More

Having Red Hair

Do you have stories about how you were born?

Anita - walking to St. Joe’s

Childhood stories - Childhood traumas of missing out

Luke 2:4–7 CSB

4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Luke 2:4-

Jesus’s story isn’t sweet, it sucks because it shows rejection

No one made room for Jesus to even be born.

Have you ever been rejected?

line of pickup games

rejected by rules

doesn’t get easier when we start going after boyfriend/girlfriends

rejected by money - in college

getting rejected by jobs

rejected by position

rejected by race

rejected by race

Yet all of us were likely welcomed into the world nicely

Jesus, “knock, knock, knock” no room for you

We serve an amazing and awesome God and He will not be stopped by rejection.

God made a celebration. Angels appeared with the birth announcement

Luke 2:14 CSB

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

Then the world tried to reject him again.

His family was poor peasants

Before it even happened God was preparing Jesus family to have to run from corruption

God provided gifts though the wise men

The person in power thought he rejected the threat through murder.

In every instance of Jesus’ rejection. He changes the rules

His first miracle - someone’s wedding party runs out of money, runs of wine total embarrassment, Nope water into wine

Guys who aren’t smart, got passed over, nope Jesus says I want you, you will be my disciples!

Women who are rejected for sexual immorality, nope, you will be part of a new life,

Yes Jesus teaches you must be Born again

John 3:3 CSB

3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

And into what kind of New Life are you born into?

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Mark 12:31 CSB

31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

Mark

You are invited in to a Kingdom where no one is rejected, there is room for everyone and in this kingdom you will love everyone.

This is hard to take. People rejected us but we also reject others. So immediately when people heard this they began to question Jesus.

Well who is my neighbor?

If I know my neighbor, than I know who I must accept and I can figure out who I can reject.

As an example, Jesus picks the most hated race, the most hated person people didn't know and tells the story of that man helping, “the story of the good samaritan.”

Jesus ended the story by asking the man “who proved to be a neighbor?

Jesus rejected the idea who is my neighbor as they are qualified, but instead told us being a loving neighbor is one who shows mercy to anyone. Who who shows love to everyone. We have to love others so that we know we are neighborly.

Followers of Jesus reject rejection and welcome our neighbors in

I still hear people trying to change this command.

Mark 12:31 CSB

31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

Today we don’t ask who is the neighbor but falsely ask another question, “do I love myself.”

Today we don’t ask who is the neighbor but we ask another question, “do I love myself.”

I’m sorry I don’t love myself I have to take care of myself first before I can love others. I have to make sure I’m ok. I have to make sure I feel good enough to help. I have to make sure I’m comfortable.

So I reject you until I can love myself.

NOOOOOOO!

Love your neighbor! The test is are you loving others!

When I came to New Day I was almost rejected because I was too young. Even though God talked against this rejection

1 Timothy 4:12 CSB

12 Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.

God rejects the worlds standards for rejection.

We have tried to be a church that rejected no one.

If you are a kid, your welcome.

If you are poor or rich your welcome

If you are smelly, you are welcome

If you are immoral, you are welcome

If you are weird, you are welcome

And yet God has pushed us even farther.

Many come in to New Day and find that people will love them here but then we ask you to make friends with people you don’t like.

It’s not enough to realize that God doesn’t reject you. If you commit to follow God, you must love those He loves.

Love them as He loves them. He welcomes us no matter what and invites us to new life

Eddie Rosas was a child, and just like any child, he tested every boundary he could. He really just wanted to play and be excited. But children need to learn while they play. Children need to learn to read and write yes, but they also need to learn right and wrong, love and respect of others, manners and none of our children know that immediately. Not my children, all of our children don’t know. They must be taught.

To not teach a child is to reject them and to cause them to keep getting rejected later in life.

To reject a child, to push a child away until they behave correctly, is to tell them there is no room for them in the inn.

Children break rules to learn rules.

The temptation is to go, not my child, not my problem. They won’t listen to me. I have to care for myself. I have to be some place where people aren’t so annoying. Do you hear the rejection?

Did God give up on you because you didn’t listen to what God was saying to you or you didn’t like listening to what He was telling you?

I don’t know if we always took time to love Eddie. Many have come to me saying they could have saved his life that day, they could’ve helped but they kept to themselves.

But that moment wasn’t anymore important than going out of our way for Eddie any other time. Eddie showed up with us for many, many years.

The last time I hung out with Eddie, he forgot to show up on time to get volunteer hours. But eddy was welcomed in.

He hadn’t learned it is not necessary to be high, that Christ is our strength But we still worked. The odor of pot reaked so it opened the door to our conversations as we worked together. He worked hard and kept asking for food. I said got the munchies huh, “Yeah, hook me up with some chips.” To which I responded let’s keep working. Children have to learn.

Eddie worked hard with me on that photo display. Then he would walk away as any child does because work needs to be learned. His brothers have learned it and work hard. Then he would come back and work hard with me again. He was proud of how beautiful it turned out.

The second to last time we were together, we had a conversation, that if I didn’t have it I wouldn’t believe it happened.

I looked and smelled Eddie and I said, “this has got to stop. All this stuff has got to stop.” Like any rebellious teenager Eddie knew not to tell on himself and so he said, “What?” I didn’t take the bait and I said something like all the stuff God wouldn’t have you do. He said, “You mean like the weed? I’ve been smoking since I was 13.” I kept going and saying something like all of this, there’s more life, than it’s a good time to stop. I’m worried about you. I so badly wanted Eddie to give his life 100% to Jesus. He replied, “You don’t need to worry about me Bill. I’m ok. I got more time.”

My friends I love Eddie, as did many of you. I love his mother, his brothers, his sister and I have just met his father, his aunts, uncles, cousins. I mean no disrespect. I’m not telling you my judgement on Eddie. I’m just saying that day, He rejected Jesus.

Eddie died four weeks later.

Revelation 3:20 CSB

20 See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Matthew 7:7 CSB

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

Revelations 3:20

For all of us, we can join in the rejection that took place in Christmas 2000 years ago or we can finally let Jesus in!

We can let Jesus in and we can let Jesus show us how to let others in! We can love others because there is no more time! There is no guarantee of tomorrow!

1 Timothy 2:4–6 CSB

4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

1 Timothy 2:3–6 The Message

3 This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. 4 He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: 5 that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, 6 who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out.

1 TIm 2:4-

If your young, there is no time for foolishness, there is no time to seek to be the one who doesn’t feel rejected. Nothing you buy, no relationship you have, will cause you to not feel rejected by something else. JESUS IS OUR ACCEPTER

If your young, there is no time for foolishness, there is no time to seek to be the one who doesn’t feel rejected. Nothing you buy, no relationship you have, will cause you to not feel rejected by something else. JESUS IS OUR ACCEPTER

If your old, you are accepted by Jesus, there is room for you in the Father’s Kingdom. Now here on earth and after!

If you’re immoral, you no longer need to feel rejected, God welcomes you into new life in His Kingdom.

You are accepted

There is room for you!

You are accepted! There is room for you!

There is room for you!

BUT YOU HAVE TO ANSWER THE DAMN DOOR!!!

Open the door, let Jesus in to your life

Pray with me know.

Open the door, let Jesus in teaching you to love others. To laying down your life , your comfort, to love others

Pray with me know

Proof: How will I know?

Some of you need to be baptized, Your going to commit your life to following Christ. That’s how you’ll know that you answered the door.

Some of you need to love others more.

I’ll know because our leaders will be overwhelmed by people willing to serve every week. Will know because people will show up early to make sure others feel welcome when they come to church. I’ll know because I’ll have to