His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:12 

I bristle a bit as I pass by it on a daily basis. The sign reads, “Jesus didn’t reject people, neither do we.” I bristle because it is such a shortsighted understanding of who Jesus is. It is a half-truth that leaves anyone who truly believes its message unprepared for the day to come. It implies that I can remain in my sin, and Jesus will never reject me. The evil one rejoices in such half-truths. 

It is shortsighted because it only looks upon Jesus as a merciful and loving Savior. Indeed, He is. He brought living water to the Samaritan woman at the well. He brought forgiveness to the woman caught in adultery. He brought enlightenment to Nicodemus. He brought healing to multitudes. He was even willing to warn the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the teachers of the law. But only as a call to repentance. 

The statement, at best, only has a temporal mindset. It keeps Jesus bound to His earthly ministry, His acts of love and His atoning death. But it does not consider the gravity of Christ’s second coming. It mentions nothing of Christ as our judge, the Christ who will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the chaff, the believers from the unbelievers. On that day, it will become quite evident. Jesus rejects people. 

No clearer verse proclaims this fact than Luke 13:27, And [the master of the house] will say, ‘I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ For the Pharisees and Sadducees and the teachers of the law Jesus warns of His coming rejection with seven repetitions of Woe to you. These three simple words had a clear meaning from the Old Testament. These three simple words had a clear meaning to them: you are about to be condemned, rejected, outside of God’s protection and provision. Matthew 23 is a scathing reminder to these false shepherds that eternal rejection was coming. 

Jesus even warns Christian congregations of impending rejection. In Revelation, Jesus warns the church of Laodicea: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. If only you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (3:15,16) Yes, Christ rejects people, even people who falsely claim to be His followers. In His justice, He cannot allow us to continue in our impenitent lust for sin. 

So, then, what are we to do? What are we to do when we know we, too, could be rejected? We are to take our sin seriously. We are to practice daily repentance; confessing our sin and not trying to rationalize it away or justify it. We are to flee to the mercy of our judge and not to simply assume He would never reject us. And in renewed forgiveness, we are to battle against our sinful nature in gratitude for His forgiveness. Then Jesus can declare, “I know you. I will not reject you.” Blessings, 

Frank Van Brocklin

Principal/Staff Minister 

Events coming up for Immanuel Lutheran School: 

❖ Thursday, December 1 School STEM Assembly - 10:00 AM ❖ Thursday, December 1 School Attends Advent Service - 1:00 PM ❖ Thursday, DEcember 1 Second Quarter Midterm 

❖ Sunday, December 4 K-8 Sings at 10:30 Service, Bake Sale ❖ Saturday, December 10 Junior Handbells Rings at the Library - 9:30 AM ❖ Tuesday, December 13 School Board Meeting - 6:00 PM ❖ Sunday, December 18 Children's Christmas Service - 10:30 AM