“Men of God Rejected by God”

Note: I preached this sermon at Shield of Faith Baptist Church in Boise, Idaho (Pastor Joe Jones).

The title of the sermon is “Men of God Rejected By God.”

I am not speaking of hell in this sermon. I am not speaking of God throwing His people into hell. There’s no way in hell that will ever happen. I am speaking of Men of God being rejected by God.

Not a spiritual rejection but a rejection nonetheless. Are men of God rejected in the Bible? Yes they are. Why am I preaching this today? Well, we get rejected by God many times. We get rejected by people.

Learning to Handle Rejection

We don’t get what we want all the time. THANK GOD FOR THAT. You and I get rejected in this life many times over many different things. Many people don’t know how to handle this rejection. It’s important to learn how to take it.

Please turn to 1 Samuel Chapter 8 in your King James Bible, the perfect word of God in English. I hope this sermon will help you in any rejection you have faced, may be facing now, or might face in the future. I am preaching this to you today so you know that you aren’t alone in being rejected. And you need to know how to take this rejection.

When soul winning, you get rejected most of the time. But you keep going and going and going until you find that one person who wants to hear the Gospel. So, for those who win souls to Christ, you know a little about rejection. But let’s go a little deeper today.

1 Samuel 8:7-8 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

God Knows Rejection

The Almighty God of all Creation knows rejection. He says, “BUT THEY HAVE REJECTED ME.” His own people, the children of Israel, rejected their Creator and Savior. Turn a couple chapters over to 1 Samuel Chapter 10. Look there at verse 19.

1 Samuel 10:19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

They pretty much said, “We don’t want you, God. We want a king over us.” So, if the Almighty God of all Creation is rejected, don’t you think you might face some rejection too? Isaiah Chapter 53 verse 3 tells us that Jesus is “despised and rejected of men.” He is a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He was despised and we esteemed Him not.

Remembering Our Own Past Rejection of Christ

So, always remember this. You didn’t always believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I didn’t. It took me a long time to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You have rejected Him in your life at some point and many points.

So, do you deserve rejection at times? I sure do. What happens when the Lord is rejected? Let’s see. Please turn to 1 Samuel Chapter 15. Remember, we want to focus on men of God rejected by God.

Look there at

1 Samuel 15:23-24

. We’re going to read through verse 28.

1 Samuel 15:23-24 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

1 Samuel 15:25-27 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. 26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

1 Samuel 15:28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

Saul: A Saved Man Rejected as King

King Saul, the very first king of Israel, rejected the word of the Lord AFTER he was already saved. He was a man of God. He’s in heaven right now. I am 100% sure that Saul is in heaven.

God gave Saul another heart. He became another man the Bible says. He was saved. He believed in God. And God saved Him. He received everlasting life.

But did that mean Saul would never be rejected by God? No, it didn’t. The Bible says, “He hath also rejected thee from being king.” We see that Saul says, “I pray thee, pardon my sin.” He is sorry for what he had done. He repented of that sin. But it’s too late.

“He hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.” Verse 28 says, “The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day.” “And hath given it to a neighbor of thine that is better than thou.” Hey Saul, there’s someone better than you.

Learn to Accept Rejection

When God says that to you, it hurts. It’s the truth. THERE IS SOMEONE BETTER THAN YOU. What if your pastor said that to you? “Hey pastor, I want to do this.” “Hey, you’re not doing that because there’s someone better than you.” REJECTED.

How would you take that rejection? Are you going to accept it because it’s the truth? Or, will you get angry, walk in the flesh, and want revenge for this rejection? Will you just quit?

Please turn to Romans Chapter 12. I want you to see this. You need to understand that you aren’t all high and mighty. You are not God. You are not Jesus Christ.

We all need to learn to respond to rejection the right way. I’ve been in many churches in my life and especially during the search for a great church. If the feelings of someone get hurt due to some type of rejection, small or large, they leave. Look at verse 3 there in Romans Chapter 12.

Romans 12:3-5 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

A Sober Mindset

So, we need to learn how to take rejection or we’ll end up out of a great church. And we’ll find ourselves doing absolutely nothing for God. Why? Because our feelings got hurt. Don’t let your feelings of rejection take you away from God Almighty.

“To every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.” “But to think soberly, as GOD HATH DEALT to every man the measure of faith.” These are words they we are to live by right now. SOBER THINKING.

We are not all the same. Other men are far greater than me. Men in this church right here are far greater than me. Other men are far greater than you.

There are others who are better than you. “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats.” “And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting.” Do you think any of those 24 men sitting in those seats think they’re better than you? No, guaranteed that they think soberly.

They wouldn’t be sitting in those thrones. They don’t think of themselves more highly than they ought to think. Most likely, we aren’t going to be sitting in those 24 seats. These men are better than us. Is that tough to hear?

Striving for Perfection

A man like Job might be in one of those seats. Could you do what Job did? Would you want to? I want to be in one of those seats. I want to serve God with all my heart, soul, and mind. I do.

But, sometimes, you have to take a step back, take a look, and realize there are others better than you. David was better than Saul. Why? Because he listened to the word of God. What will you do?

You’ve got a chance to be better now. Don’t just give up and quit. Strive for perfection. BE BETTER. We are to humble ourselves.

When someone tells me I need to do better, I listen. At first, I might want to tell them what they can do, but that’s the flesh speaking. They’re right. I need to do better. Don’t think of yourself highly. GOD GAVE YOU A GIFT. You didn’t earn it.

Moses – A Man of God Rejected

If you were so great, Jesus Christ wouldn’t have died for you. Please turn to Deuteronomy Chapter 32. Moses was a man of God rejected by God. Did you know that? Yes, he was.

Are you better than Moses? Think about that. Do you know what Moses went through? Guaranteed you’ve been through nothing like Moses. I know that I’ve had it easy compared to Moses.

He went camping with a bunch of complainers for 40 years. Imagine that. Have you been camping before? Imagine camping with a bunch of complainers for 40 years. I haven’t even been camping for 40 days. Look at Deuteronomy Chapter 32 verse 45.

Deuteronomy 32:45-47 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: 46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. 47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

So Moses speaks to the children of Israel about going over into the promised land. And then look at the very next verse. God speaks this to Moses in the same day.

Deuteronomy 32:48-50 And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, 49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: 50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:

Deuteronomy 32:51-52 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. 52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.

God Rejected Moses’ Entry to Canaan

Think about that one. Leading the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years. THE LEADER. God says, “You can take a look at the land from the mountain, but you aren’t going there.” “Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.”

Instead, Moses, you go up into that mountain and die. Talking about hurt feelings. Think of that. We ought not think so highly of ourselves. Don’t trespass against the Lord in thinking highly of yourselves. We all do this and have done this in our lives. “DON’T DO IT,” God says.

Putting This Rejection in Perspective

God had a plan for Moses. And Moses was a picture of something far greater than himself. Moses is equated to the Old Testament. God has something better in the New Testament. Hey, Moses, there is someone better than you.

Maybe you’re getting rejected because God has greater plans for you. TAKE THE REJECTION LIKE A MAN. Take the reproving like a man. Take the rebuke like a man. BE STRONG.

We live by the word of God. We do not live by our feelings and emotions. Remember these things when this happens to you. Please turn to 2 Corinthians Chapter 12. Do you know what you do when you get rejected?

You keep doing what God told you to do. God deals with everything else. You just keep going. “But someone did me wrong.” Vengeance is mine. I will repay saith the Lord. It’s not your job.

Keep Doing the Job God Gave You

Don’t get off track. You just do the job God gave you to do. Stop comparing yourselves to others, and just do what God says to do. If you get rejected, OKAY. It’s not the end of the world. KEEP GOING. Do what God says to do.

Look at verse 12 in 2 Corinthians Chapter 12.

2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

It’s not wise to compare yourselves among each other. Just stay on the track to serving God. You will never be perfect in this body. Measure yourself to Jesus and know you aren’t perfect. Then, when someone says you didn’t do a good job or you aren’t good enough, it won’t hurt so bad.

There is no time to worry about these things. God gives us time in this life and this time is holy. Spend it wisely. If you get rejected because someone else is better than you, then get better. How?

Glorifying God, Not Ourselves

Proverbs 25 verse 27 says: “It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.” Give glory to God. Get back on the right track right now. Win souls to Christ. Win more souls to Christ.

Don’t worry what others are doing. Go to church. Read your Bible. Read it more. Meditate therein day and night. When you sin, repent of that sin. Ask forgiveness. Pray without ceasing.

Please turn to Genesis Chapter 4. You have many things to do for God. You are out of time for other things. There is no time for hurt feelings because of rejection.

Don’t Be Like Cain

Who can you think of early in the Bible who was rejected by God and didn’t take it so well? The first son of Adam? Cain was rejected by God. He wasn’t a man of God, though. Don’t act like Cain. Don’t get your sword out and kill another man. Don’t backbite another man.

Genesis 4:5-7 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

So, don’t follow the ways of that wicked one. Don’t act like Cain. Get it right. If someone in leadership rejects you over any little thing, don’t act like Cain. DO BETTER NEXT TIME.

Step it up. Adam and Eve received curses from God. This is a type of rejection. Why? Because they hearkened unto another voice. We know what God tells us to do. Let’s do it.

Even Jesus Was Rejected

There is a first Adam. But we know there is a second Adam who is far better than himself. The first Adam was rejected. He was kicked out of the garden of Eden. That’s a rejection by God.

The first man of God is rejected of God. He wasn’t perfect. The second Adam is Jesus Christ who is perfect. Even the second Adam was rejected by God. Hey, you know you aren’t perfect.

Expect Rejection in a Fallen World

So expect rejection in your life because you aren’t perfect. Expect chastening from the Lord. Expect to not get everything you want all the time. Why? Because you are a man of God.

Isaac was better than Ishmael. Jacob was better than Esau. Jesus is a better priest than Aaron. There are many out there who are far better than us. We need to understand this.

The new man is better than the old man. The new immortal body is better than this old flesh that I have here. Being born again is better than being born. We must humble ourselves to be born again. We must go through rejection so that we can get better.

Accepting God’s Plan

Life is better than death. Light is better than darkness. Wisdom from above is better than wisdom from this earth. The works of Jesus are better than my works. Elisha was better than Elijah. What??? Yeah, a double portion.

New Jerusalem is better than Jerusalem on this earth. Jesus Christ is better than John the Baptist. The least in the kingdom of heaven is better than the man, John the Baptist. Freedom is better than bondage. The New Testament is better than the Old Testament.

It’s old and ready to pass away. I am getting older and I will be ready to pass away one day. But I hope to leave something behind that is far better than I ever was. I teach my wife and children the ways of God so they can be better than me.

When I die, I am rejected in a way because of my flesh. This flesh isn’t going with me. My flesh will never enter into heaven like this. “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death.”

So, why in the world would I think so highly of myself in this flesh? We ought not to think that way. If our flesh is rejected, we might as well get accustomed to some rejection and not take it personally.

Jesus Was Even Rejected on the Cross

Please turn to Isaiah Chapter 53. As you turn there, let me ask you a question. Right before Jesus died, in Matthew, what did He say? Do you remember? “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Where did Jesus Christ go when He died?

His body was buried in a tomb. His soul went to hell in our place. Who put Him in hell? GOD DID. God cast His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, into hell for you and I. Now that’s rejection.

And we can’t take some rejection? Jesus sure took the rejection. Was it fun for Jesus? No. He knew what was coming. He sweated blood. BUT HE DIED FOR YOU. Is that not enough for you?

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Suffer with Christ

Hey, as men of God, be ready to get some rejection. It pleased the Lord to bruise Jesus Christ. Rejection can come from God, or pastor, or brothers, or sisters in Christ. We already know it comes from mockers. We can take that. We’re accustomed to that already.

But when it comes from someone who is supposed to be on your side, it hurts. Right? Some of you thought your families would listen to you. They say, “I love you.” But they won’t listen. They are supposed to be on your side. But they aren’t.

Dealing with Hurt Feelings

It hurts. Rejection hurts. When Job went through everything that he did, I am sure he felt rejected by God. His wife told him to curse God and die. Job says, “YOU SPEAK AS ONE OF THE FOOLISH WOMEN.”

“Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” Seriously, do we not deserve evil? We don’t deserve good. We deserve evil. But God gives good.

“The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away.” Death is the ultimate rejection. YOU WILL DIE. The death of our body is a picture of the evil that we’ve done in our life. And our body is rejected because of this. Sickness is a reminder that you aren’t perfect.

Maybe you need to be reminded often. Maybe you need a thorn in your side so you don’t get lifted up and think more highly of yourself.

Hebrews 12:9-10 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Embrace Reproof and Correction

We will give reverence to the Godly authorities in our life. God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. Your pastor. Other pastors. Children, obey your parents in the Lord. Wives, obey your husbands.

Wives might not like when their husband says NO. Rejected. Children might not like it either. Rejected. Men might not like when their manager tells them no. Rejected. Hey, get over it. There’s a reason.

No backbiting. No arguing. No fighting. Take it like the people of God have taken it. Who was rejected in the Bible? You can take every man and woman in the Bible, and they were rejected. You are not alone.

Closing Thoughts

Ask Hagar about that. Abraham gave her bread and a bottle of water. Get out. God comforted her. FEAR NOT FOR GOD HATH HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LAD WHERE HE IS. Ask Solomon what happened. God divided his kingdom and raised up adversaries. REJECTION.

Ask all the prophets what happened to Israel and Judah. Don’t allow rejection to get you down. Ask Ananias and Sapphira about their rejection. God humbled them, and they fell down dead. Don’t let it get to that point. When you’re wrong, you’re wrong.

Many men of God and women of God have been rejected by God over and over again. Do not refuse to hearken, pull away your shoulder, and stop up your ears so you can’t hear. If you allow rejection to get to you, this is what you’ll do. Don’t let your feelings get hurt.

Always remember that God has been rejected more than any of us ever can or ever will be rejected. We take the rejection, keep going, and God will glorify us one day. He will give us a new body. But, for now, we must suffer many things including this rejection at times.

Putting Up the Sword

No from a leader means no. I want to say one more thing before we close this out. For example, in my home, I lead my home. When I say, No, I mean no. My wife and kids know that I mean no. This is a rejection of what they want.

When your pastor says no, that’s what he means. No means no. In my house, they don’t take it personally. They don’t get up and leave. In your church, don’t take it personally.

Don’t make things harder on your church. HELP YOUR CHURCH. I’ve seen many people quit church because they can’t take a rejection. And it was a soft and easy no. But they didn’t like it. And many times it is the women who get their feelings hurt. GET OVER IT.

Understand that we all get rejected all throughout our life. BUT DO NOT STOP SERVING GOD. Ever. Will you let hurt feelings from a rejection stop you from serving the FATHER OF SPIRITS? Don’t lift up your chest to God because you didn’t get everything you wanted.

Don’t lift up your chest to pastor or other authority in your life because you didn’t get treated like royalty. You don’t want God to humble you like He did with Ananias and Sapphira.

Let’s pray.