THE FAMILY CHURCH MESSAGE NOTES
Title: Emmanuel: Receiving the Real Gift, Overcoming Rejection
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-23 NLT
Speaker: Pastor Ted Winsley
Date: December 11, 2016
Matt. 1:18-22 NLT 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother,
Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took
place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of
the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to
disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As
he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph,
son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For
the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a
son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their
sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:”
23 Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they
will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
Introduction
This is the time of year when the world begins to focus on a little baby in a
manger. This baby becomes the excuse for the world to focus on buying and
receiving gifts from each other. Often times this season ends with people
focusing on what they did not get. Emmanuel is more than a name; it is the gift
of God Himself (God with us)! As we receive who He is, we will discover what
He has given. The gift of Emmanuel is God’s single greatest expression of His
acceptance of you. This revelation breaks the stronghold that rejection uses to
rob, kill, steal, and destroy. Emmanuel is the gift that money can't buy.
Three keys to overcoming rejection (any problem)
1. Acknowledge the problem – If you’re not willing to acknowledge the things
that bother you, then you will never receive a breakthrough. What is it
that robs you of your peace? Stop living a lie!
2. Define the problem – What are the patterns associated with this problem?
What is the common denominator? Why do I upset so many people? (If
there are 3 or more people that are mad at you and you feel fine, there is
something wrong with you!)
3. Take immediate positive action – Find the solution in God’s word and put
it into practice right away. A solution requires action (faith without works is
dead).
Rejection – pushes you to a place where God is not and it will cause you to
become what you were never meant to be!
The deadly cycle of rejection
1. Rejection – the feeling of not being good enough and not being accepted
2. Bitterness (aged anger) – Being rejected makes you angry.
Often times we just don’t know how to let go!
3. Hatred – (to loathe) an overpowering distain, the inability to bless
The hatred of others is always illegitimate.
4. Murder – the unlawful premeditated desire or action of taking a life
The first murder took place as a result of the feeling of being rejected.
Gen. 4:4-7 NLT 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from
his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain
and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. 6 “Why are
you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You
will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right,
then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you
must subdue it and be its master.”
How do we deal with rejection? If you know one thing, you can deal with
the two ways that rejection comes.
Eph. 1:4-7 NLT 4 Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us
in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. 5 God decided in advance to
adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.
This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. 6 So we praise
God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear
Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with
the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
My truth must be “that God chose me” – 1. before people rejected me and 2.
before sin consciousness and religion could separate me from His love and
blessings.
Rejection from people
Matthew 21:42 AMP Jesus asked them, Have you never read in the
Scriptures: The very Stone which the builders rejected and threw away has
become the Cornerstone; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our
eyes?
• Often times people reject you because they can't see what God knows and
often reject what they don't understand. Don't allow man’s rejection to
change you because in time, the very ones who rejected you will need you
and accept you!
Rejection from religion and sin consciousness
Matthew 15:21-28 NIV 21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of
Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying
out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed
and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came
to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman
came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not
right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,”
she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is
granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
• When you know that God sent His son (Emmanuel/The Gift) to you as an
expression of His total and complete acceptance of you, God's acceptance
gives you the boldness and humility to believe beyond rejection. Nothing
can be withheld from the one who knows that they have been accepted!!!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Men's “Fatherhood” Breakfast Workshop Q & A – 12/17/16 9am-11am Big
Picture Learning Academy (1875 Park Blvd., Camden, NJ 08103)
• Christmas Celebration – 12.18.16 at both services.
• NO SERVICE ON CHRISTMAS DAY 12/25/16. ENJOY YOUR FAMILY!
• "Set a Fire" New Year's Eve service & concert – 12/31/16 7pm-9:30pm
Eastern Regional HS (1401 Laurel Oak Road, Voorhees, NJ 08043)
• Small group ministry Life Groups begin in January. Sign up at the
Welcome table or on the My Church mobile app by Elexio
• ***Starting January 2017 – Sunday services will be held at the following
locations: 8:45am – Catto Community School (3100 Westfield Ave.,
Camden, NJ 08105) and 11:00am – Eastern Regional High School
(1401 Laurel Oak Rd., Voorhees, NJ 08043)
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• Join us in 21 days of prayer and fasting January 2 -22 . More info to
come…
• SAVE THE DATE! – Renewed Love weekend retreat for married couples
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and engaged singles Feb. 10 -12 Wyndham Hotel Lancaster, PA
• For more info, please go to www.thefamilychurchnj.com or download
the mobile app, My Church by Elexio.
THE FAMILY CHURCH MESSAGE NOTES
Title: “Emmanuel” Receiving the Real Gift,
Overcoming Rejection
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-23 NLT
Speaker: Pastor Ted Winsley
Date: December 11, 2016
The Family Church is a Local Community with a Biblical Mandate
to Change our World by Restoring God’s Family!
www.thefamilychurchnj.com
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