“WHAT MAN’S NAME IS MENTIONED ON THE LIPS OF MAN MORE THAN ANY OTHER, YET IS REJECTED MORE THAN ANY OTHER MAN? HIS NAME IS -- JESUS”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about this MAN Jesus who in this 21^st century, is still hated and rejected by so many …

…In reading through the New Testament Gospels of the Christian Bible, one can quickly see that Jesus Christ, the focal point of all its writers, was received in various ways by the people to whom He ministered. However, amazingly enough when Jesus first began His ministry, we discover a text of Scripture that tells us a lot about human nature, and mankind’s response to His coming and presence among men. We’ll go directly to the Gospel of Luke chapter 4:16-30 where we read the following,

Luke 4:16-30 (NIV)  “[JESUS]  went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. 23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” 24 “I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

Amazingly enough, what happened that day in the Synagogue in Nazareth is still happening today, for when Jesus speaks to hearts, the overwhelming majority of people still want to get rid of Jesus. Let’s pause once more for another musical moment, then I’ll tell you about why these people rejected Jesus and what He actually said to them that caused their wrath to boil over on Him that day….

…As I read the text to you a moment ago, we discovered that Jesus’ first sermon in His hometown, in human terms, was a terrible failure. What a negative response Jesus received from His message to His own townspeople. Unlike many preachers today who make an altar call following a sermon, and many people come forward to receive the message’s invitation, Jesus got the opposite response. In fact, more so, following His message to the Jews at Nazareth, they rose up and forcefully pushed Him out of the synagogue. Furthermore, to permanently get rid of Him they dragged Him to a nearby cliff to throw Him off and kill him! Yes, many wanted to permanently get rid of Jesus. Now who were these angry religious people? Who is it that wants to get rid of Jesus? Well my friend let me catalog such people, for times haven’t changed much in this arena.

We see first those who wanted to get rid of Jesus were, THOSE NEAREST TO HIM – Yes, these were the very townspeople, relatives and family friends who Jesus grew up with. In fact, it probably included His own immediate family! We read that when Jesus rose up to preach for God, even his immediate family of brothers and sisters rejected Him, even considered that He was mad and deranged. The Bible tells us this, for in another occasion when Jesus was preaching we find,

Mark 3:21-22 (NIV)  When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub ! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

Yet that first day in Nazareth, when Jesus arose to speak those closest to Him rejected Him. You know, it’s not uncommon to have the same response today. When someone turns to Christ, accepts Him as their God and Savior as the Bible calls for, often immediate family members and close friends reject them and their new found faith. My own family rejected me when I turned to Christ as a young man. Oh, we still had relationships, but that closeness was severed, and I was considered to have gone out of my mind. I’m sure many in the listening audience can identify with that. How sad for Jesus and for all who experience this. Indeed, those closest to Him rejected His message and did everything to get rid of Jesus. They simply could not accept that this common person who grew up with them, could now have a special relationship with the Father God and be His called and ordained servant to minister on God’s behalf.

Now the Second question we must ask is, WHY DID THEY REJECT HIM? Let me give you four reasons that apply to many who reject Jesus today. Yes, vast majorities today reject and want to get rid of Jesus because,

1. THEY DO NOT THINK THEY NEED TO BE SAVED FROM ANYTHING – The message Jesus gave that day was one of being saved from the wrath of God coming upon lost sinners. So Jesus said to them,

Luke 4:18-19 (NIV)  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

You see when Jesus mentioned God’s love and grace was only for those who sought Him, the people became angry and threw Him out! Jesus told them the people of Israel through disobedience forfeited God’s blessings because they rejected God’s Word. The text for our Lord’s message was taken from Isaiah 61:1–2. There it describes what Jesus came to do and what He is still doing in lives today. Unfortunately, the people in the synagogue wanted a comforting sermon from Jesus, not a convicting sermon about their sins. How like so many today.

One day a man leaving the church following my preaching said to me. “Pastor, when I come to church I want to leave wearing a white hat.” Another time a woman told me she was leaving the church. I asked her why and she said t me, “Pastor, I come to church not to be convicted. There’s too much conviction here for me” Friend, it happens in any day or age when the Word of God is preached in the power of the Spirit’s call. Jesus was rejected because the people were convicted of sin and didn’t want to hear that. Just think though, how many people come to church today not to hear the Word of God, or the Spirit of God’s call to them, but rather to be entertained, and made to feel good about their sins. Many churches grow large and fat when such messages are given. But in reality God sends leanness to their souls… Another reason Jesus was rejected was,

2. MANY THOUGHT HIS PREACHING WAS TOO HIGH AND DEEP FOR THEM – Yes, they did not want the “meat” of God’s Word taught to them. It was too much. They just wanted a sample tasting of religion, not too deeply. So when the fullness of the Word was declared to them, they had no aspirations of going higher and deeper. Just a sprinkling of religion was good enough to comfort their souls and keep away any guilt that might settle in. Yes, today again I say to you, vast majorities of people want religion, but not Christ. They want a touch of God in their lives as a safety precaution, but not the reality of God. The Bible says many in religious circles,

2 Tim 3:5-7 (NIV)  have a form of godliness but deny its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6 They are the kind who… are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

These are the people who get just enough religion not to be happy and joyful, but to rather be miserable. I’m sure you’ve met such people, haven’t you? They are the ones always complaining, ever cranky, constantly dissatisfied, and easily find fault with everything the church or preacher does. These are the kind of people, that if they could, they too would get rid of Jesus! But then there’s a third group that want to get rid of Jesus too. These are those who,

3. WANT TO SEE FABULOUS MIRACLES, SIGNS AND WONDERS – Yes, there are many today that want Jesus to simply perform for them and do spectacular things. We have a whole group in the professing church today that centers its ministry around showmanship. Everyday Jesus must be performing for them. If He is not, they are quick to get rid of Him or the likes of Him. For them such ministry is not of interest. You see this is why they rejected Jesus in His outreach in Nazareth. We read in our text,

 Luke 4:23 (NIV)  Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”

Then Jesus immediately told them more about God’s dealings with sinful Israel in the past. We read further,

Luke 4:24-27 (NIV) “I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

What was Jesus saying in all this? Well, both the widow of Zarephath (1 Kin. 17:8–24) and Naaman the Syrian (2 Kin. 5) were not Jews but Gentiles! Both of them lived during times of widespread unbelief and disobedience in Israel. Jesus’ point was, that God bypassed all the widows and lepers in Israel, yet showed grace to two lowly Gentiles. Since Israel rejected Him, His grace, mercy and love reached out to their enemies. How this enraged the people. They wanted to see miracles performed among them, as Jesus had already done in other towns. That was the condition they would receive Him. Without that, He was rejected.

Well, how about you? Must Jesus perform miracles and wonders for you to believe and follow Him? Is not the miracle of the “New Birth” in your life sufficient to love and follow Jesus? Not for these people in Nazareth. How sad. Now lastly, there’s a fourth group that rejected Jesus and wanted desperately to get rid of Him.  These were,

4. THOSE WHO WANTED A COMPLICATED WORKS-ORIENTED GOSPEL – Yes, like many in Israel that day, a gospel of grace that gave them no place in saving themselves was rejected. Well, friend it hasn’t changed today. Millions reject Jesus and Christianity because it is a “no-works” and “grace-only” salvation. One major group that professes to be the true Christian Church, Roman Catholicism today rejects a grace only salvation in favor of giving its followers a complicated works gospel. Only by following the many sacraments invented down through the years, and obeying the priestly hierarchy, will its followers possibly be saved. This helps the sin nature in man earn His place with God and when he or she does, it will be something the sin nature can be proud of for eternity. A great preacher of the past, Dr. Harry Ironside once said, “There are only two religions in the world – a ‘do’ religion and a ‘done’ religion.” The question is which one are you following? The one Jesus proposed was the “DONE” religion. Jesus’ last words from the cross were “IT IS FINISHED.” Once for all Jesus bought and paid in full, the sins of the entire world of humanity! By offering up His life as the final sacrificial Lamb of God, He paid for all sin forever. That means all the work of saving lost sinners has been completed. There is no more a need for priests to offer sacrifices; no more a need for alters to lay sacrifice on. Yes, true Christianity is a “done” religion! All others are “do” this or that in the hopes of being saved. Yet millions reject the simple and true, for a more complicated works oriented faith that satisfies their sinful desire to be as “good” as God.

Friend, what faith do you embrace? A “do” religion or a “done” one?  Or, do you embrace nothing desperately needing to come to faith alone in Christ. The Bible says to all,

John 3:16-17 (NIV)  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Acts 16:31 (NIV) “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

John 10:10 (NIV)  ; I have come that [you] may have life, and have it to the full.

Now lastly, what came of Jesus’ preaching that fate-filled day in Nazareth? Let’s look at the text again where we read,

Luke 4:28-30 (NIV)  All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

The implication here is unique. It tells us that Jesus instituted a miraculous escape from them, which by the way was one of several others found in Scripture (John 7:30; 8:59; 10:39). Yes  God protected His Son at times, for it was not yet His time to give up His life. Sadly, there is no record that Jesus ever returned to Nazareth following His public rejection by these people. They rejected him and tried to get rid of Him. Alas, in response to their desires, He rejected them forever.

So my friend, how is it with you? Are you following Jesus? Or are you not following Him? Have you rejected Him, and are you trying to get rid of Him in your life? Perhaps God has saved a family member and it’s very convicting to see them walk with God? Perhaps you are sick and tired of hearing the Good News gospel that you can be saved from your sins on TV, or radio? Maybe it’s that annoying neighbor or workmate who constantly invites you to attend church with him or her? If only you could get rid of Jesus who dogs your every path. Well my friend, fear not. God one day will stop annoying you and leave you to your sins and self, and when you die you will be without God for all eternity in His eternal penitentiary called Hell.

Hell is a place for all who want to get rid of Jesus forever in their lives. God one day will grant them that wish. However, when we get rid of God we also get rid of everything we enjoy. For all that you have and enjoy is a gift from God. Paul the apostle once said,

Rom 2:4 (NIV)  “…do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

Yes, look around you everything you are enjoying is a gift from God who created it all for you to enjoy. But remember He gives it to us so that we might seek Him and give thanks. When we do seek Him, God reveals Himself to us in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. He is our God come in human flesh, and He is the One who will care for and love us for all eternity. I’m so thankful God made it so easy to be saved from sin. All we need to do is confess our sins and believe God forgives them in and through His Son Jesus Christ who died for you and for me. Do you believe this? Or, are you like so many that want to get rid of this Jesus. It happened in Nazareth long ago and still is happening today. Yet the Bible says to you and me,

John 1:12 (NIV)  Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

May God so grant this to you today, and may you find God’s love, mercy and grace extended to you through His Son Jesus Christ. Receive Him now and enter that grace and forgiveness. Reject Him and one day you’ll face God’s wrath for all eternity. Many in Nazareth went their way and thought they got rid of Jesus, but now they know what great loss that was. On that day in eternity, how will it be with you?

…Yes, in that day long ago they threw Jesus out of their Synagogue as many have done in their churches today. Liberals, Modernists, and all false religionists today have rejected God’s Word and His Son Jesus in favor of their own brand of religion have done likewise. But one day those who have, will find their religion is but a trap door to Hell, and worse a means to lose the greatest gift ever offered to them – God’s forgiveness and grace though faith alone in Jesus Christ. I pray you will not be among those who have ¾ gotten rid of Jesus.