Have you ever been stood up? Turned down? Laid off? Rejected?

If you have, you might relate to the Christmas Story.

The Scandal of the Manger involved Rejection:

1. Mary gave birth in a manger, because no room at the inn. (vv.6-7)

2. Low-class shepherds received the good news first and sent to find the manger first.                         (vv.10-12)

3. The Savior, the Christ, was a swaddled baby in a manger. 

        (vv.7, 12, 16)

John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away  

the sin of the world!”         (John 1:29)

Isaiah: “He was despised and rejected by men.”  (Isaiah 53:3)

Jesus: “But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by 

this generation.”         (Luke 17:25)

Takeaway:

“One man’s rejects are the Son of Man’s treasures!”

Jesus proclaimed (Luke 4:18-1):

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
   and recovering of sight to the blind,
   to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
    to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”