Text: John 1:10-13, “(10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Jesus always looks for those whom the world sees as rejects.
He knows what rejection feels like and He knows how it feels to be seen by others as a reject.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.[1]
“…touched with the feeling of our infirmities…” – Jesus understands all your weaknesses, all your hurts, for he faced all the stuff you have faced, everything, especially rejection.
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
It was prophesied that he would be rejected:
(3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.[2]
Rejected, but Accepted
Because Jesus can sympathize with the rejects, the untouchables, the marginalized
He is drawn to people who recognize their need for Him – no matter how aware they are of Him.
There is a magnetic pull…a vacuum if you will…that Jesus is compelled to fill.
Jesus specializes in reaching for people many would not cross the street to talk with.
Men and women that society has deemed somehow unacceptable.
They have been called godless, useless, prodigals, wastrels, discards…trash.
Certainly, there were people when Jesus walked this earth in shoe leather and there are people now considered by the majority to be “rejects.”
Remember the moments when Jesus took time to come to the rejected:
- Zacchaeus – “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.”[3]
- Other Jews did not like Zacchaeus, a Jew, because he chose to work for the Romans, and as a publican he was treated as a traitor to his people.
- When the people saw that Jesus was going into Zacchaeus’s home, “they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner” (Luke 19:7).
- Zacchaeus had risen to the top of the ranks of swindling tax collectors, he abused his authority by getting rich off the hard-earned money of others, and they rejected him.
- The people rejected him, but Jesus accepted him.
- Mary Magdalene – tormented by seven evil spirits, she was rejected by the people of her coastal hometown on the Sea of Galilee, but Jesus accepted her.[4]
- The Cleansing of the Ten Lepers – unclean and standing far away from Jesus and His followers, but “they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” [5]
- They were rejected by people and the Law of Moses, but Jesus accepted them.
- The man of Gadara – He was so full of unclean spirits that they called themselves “Legion” (possibly 2,000)
- The people there rejected him, but Jesus accepted him
- Thief on the Cross – ultimate form of rejection is when society demands your death – capital punishment.
- The legal system rejected this thief, but Jesus accepted him.
- Woman of Samaria – came to the well in the heat of the day. Rejected by the women of the city and perhaps the shame of her past caused her to reject herself, but Jesus accepted her.
Like so many truths found in Scripture, often the one most in need of spiritual rejuvenation, Holy Ghost regeneration, and Bible salvation is unaware of just how far they’ve fallen from grace.
Worthless, without value, insignificant – these are words sometimes used to “put people in their place,” by people who have forgotten the place where Jesus found them.
The sinner who has never come to Jesus before KNOWS she is lost, but the religious soul who has trusted in man’s tradition, in the trappings of religiosity, in the intellect of their own mind, and not in the power of the Holy Spirt – he has no idea just how lost he really is.
The fall of the haughty, arrogant and prideful is rarely overnight, but little-by-little.
Luke 18:9-14 highlights this truth:
(9) And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: (10) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus reminding them, and us today, that we are blessed “…with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”
He goes on to tell us, the Rejected, But Accepted: “…We have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.[6]
A permanent change is coming to us.
We who were once rejected are about to be eternally accepted:
(50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
- The saying that is written (Isaiah 25:8), “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.”
(55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- We who were one time rejects are accepted in the beloved Lord Jesus Christ.
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
- So, don’t stop serving Jesus, keep reaching for fellow rejects, and loving each other the way Jesus showed us to love one another.
Do you feel broken, marginalized, rejected?
Have you ever felt that way?
Your acceptance is as simple as believing and obeying the very words of Jesus:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).
[1] Hebrews 4:15
[2] Isaiah 53:3-5
[3] Luke 19:5
[4] Luke 8:2
[5] Luke 17:11-19
[6] (10/26/2025, Sanctuary of Praise, Culloden, WV, Pastor David Gentry)
The Pillar and Ground of Truth 