A Trophy in God’s Grace Case
-From Brokenness to Blessedness-
A Sermon Series by Pastor Jay Dennis
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“Grace For Rejection (Hagar)”
Genesis 16:1-16; 21:9-21
Sunday, June 7, 2105
Rejection is the awareness of not being accepted, not being a part of, not being included,intentionallyleftout.
Rejection says…
I don’t want you.
I don’t need you.
I don’t love you.
I don’t want to be around you.
I don’t accept you.
Two ways we see rejection playing out today are through divorce and abandonment.
Bear in mind, Jesus Christ was rejected!
Isaiah 53:3
God had promised Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) that in their old age, they would have a child, the child of promise.
Genesis 15:4
At 80-something, nothing had happened.
Hagar was a servant girl from Egypt who was brought back by Abraham from the time he lied about Sarah being his sister.
Genesis 12:14-20
It is a dangerous thing to rushahead of God,to try to help God, or to come up with your own solutions.
Hagar conceived and like human nature, felt superior to Sarah. Sarah was reaping what she had sown. She then blamed Abraham (16:5).
Sarah treated Hagar with harshness, bitterness, rudeness, contempt, hatred, and malice.
Genesis 16:7
The Angel of the Lord appeared to her. This is the Lord JesusChrist.
Psalm 34:18
Genesis 16:8
He asks her two questions, “Where have you come from,” and “Where are you going?”
If you are running from your past and not addressing the pain, the hurt, the wrong, and the feelings, you will bring all that into your future.
Genesis 16:9
Hagar had an experience with Jesus Christ.
“Go back and submit to Sarah’s authority.” When you submit to authority, you are then placing it in God’s hands.
Genesis 16:11-12
She would bear a son and name him Ishmael, which means “God shall hear.”
Because Abraham got ahead of God,and they took matters into their own hands, we have a conflict chapterthat shows up on the news every single day.
Genesis 16:12
Then in Chapter 21, we pick up the story. Sarah does conceive,and at age 91 she has a son named Isaac.
Genesis 21:9
Hebrews 13:5b
Ishmael was mocking Isaac, making fun of Isaac.
Islam had its unofficial beginning here.
Genesis 21:10
Rejected again.Hagar was thrown out of Abraham’s house by Sarah.
Genesis 21:15-19
Grace is the bridge that allows you to go from brokenness to blessedness.
How Do You Handle Rejection?
- Ownyour own part if you contributed to the rejection.
- It’s what Godsays about you that matters, not what others say or how you feel.
Romans 8:31
- Get to the rootbefore focusing on the fruit.
- You have to make a choice:the will of God, or being accepted by others?
5.Obediencemust trump feelings.
- Stop running.
7.Release your rejection.
- Tangibly demonstrateyour choice to do the right thing.
If you have been rejected, I want you to think about ways that you can tangibly demonstrate your love for the person who rejected you.
9.Don’t hold everyone in contempt because of oneor a few people’s rejection.
10. Think about God and rejection.
Matthew 7:21-23
Matthew 25:41
John 6:37