Left Out Because of Christ

The Weight of Being Left Out for Jesus

Scott Uselman began this morning with honest memories of his own journey, times when, before ministry, he avoided pastors, only to find himself years later in their shoes. He shared how, even after he surrendered to Christ, he sometimes felt excluded in family circles or conversations, noting, "I might get left out of the conversations, like they would be quiet when I'd walk in the room." His heart was transparent: the cost of following Jesus can mean being left out, even by those we care for most.

He retold stories from his life, walking with his wife and kids at the Park County Fair in Indiana, dreading running into her pastor, giving short answers just to keep distance from anything religious at the time. Later, as his faith grew, he realized how easy it is to become the one others want to avoid, especially when our simple presence seems to challenge or convict. This pattern of being left out, Scott explained, is not new. Jesus told us to expect it.

A Level Place: Jesus' Words for His Disciples

Turning to Luke 6:17-26, Scott led us to Jesus' teaching on the level place:

"Looking at his disciples, he said, 'Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.'"

Scott lingered on how Jesus spoke these words specifically to the twelve, and that meant something. These were men who laid down jobs, income, even relationships to follow Jesus. He pointed out, "Divine favor rests upon you, my disciples, who have chosen to follow me, because you're being left out on account of me."

He connected the passage directly to our world today, where the cost of following Christ might mean exclusion on social media, workplace risk, or losing friendships. He reminded us that suffering or lack connected to following Jesus is not a random hardship, it is a sign of our shared belonging to Christ. "The normal outcome of following Jesus is that we will be left out."

Scott was careful to make a distinction: “There’s a difference between being poor and needy because you refuse to take care of your responsibilities, and those who are poor and needy because they are being left out because of Jesus Christ.” He urged us not to water down Jesus' teaching or make it about mere economic status, but to see its deeper call: those who go without out of faithfulness to Christ are honored in God’s economy.

Revealing God’s Will Brings Rejection

Scott moved to his second point, bringing the weight of Israel's history and Jesus’ example:

"Jesus told his disciples expect to be left out on account of him because revealing God's will and purpose brings rejection."

He reflected on Jesus’ own ministry, how in Luke, Jesus' first sermons were met with offense, often because He told the truth about God’s purpose in ways people didn’t want to hear. Scott pointed to the prophets, who "were called all sorts of names" and rejected because they spoke for God and not for popular opinion.

He made the connection for us: “If you are more concerned about what people think about you than what God does, you're not going to do it.” The challenge stands today, for Christians who quietly pull back from truth-telling, fearing exclusion or offense. Scott was forthright:

"Christians, you are disciples. And if you're a disciple, that means God is going to use you to tell people what they do not want to hear. But here's what's going to stand in your way. If you are more concerned about what people think about you than what God does, you're not going to do it."

He did not sugarcoat the call: faithfulness can cost us reputation, relationships, and comfort. Yet in that loss is gain: “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.” The world’s reward now is not God’s reward forever.

False Prophets and the Danger of Easy Acceptance

The sermon’s final movement focused on Jesus’ warnings:

"Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets."

Scott urged us not to soften or compromise the truth in order to be more accepted. He shared his own experience: trying to find middle ground or using his role as a leader for self-preservation is a temptation every church and leader must face. Scott was unafraid to challenge us: "Not every disciple is going to make it to heaven. The church needs to wrestle with this stuff once in a while. Not everybody says they're going to follow Jesus actually does."

He reached back to Jeremiah’s time, reminding us that prophets who told the people what they wanted to hear were well-liked, but they led God’s people astray. The cost of false comfort and choosing to please, Scott warned, is much higher than the cost of being left out now.

"If you're telling people things that aren't true and you're just coming up with stuff that you think ought to be true from your own self... truth does not originate in you. Truth seeks you. It originates in Jesus."

He was plain: “I'd rather be cut out of what the world has to offer than to be cut out of the kingdom of God. You should too.”

Living It Out: Courage and Clarity in Following Jesus

Scott brought us to a place of honest prayer. He reminded us that faithfulness today might mean discomfort, exclusion, and loss, but we do not stand alone. The church is called to truth, even when it costs us.

He closed:

“There are just some things that we just don't understand. But one thing that you've made clear, Lord, is that following you doesn't mean everything is going to be a blessing for us in the way we would understand it. Divine favor rests upon your people who suffer in your name.”

Our encouragement is simple: ask God for strength to tell the truth with love, to value God’s approval over the world’s, to stand as witnesses that Christ is living and still calling us home.

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Discussion Questions

1. When have you experienced being left out or misunderstood because of your faith in Jesus? How did you respond?
2. What makes it hard for us to tell the truth in love when we know it might cost relationships or status?
3. Where are you tempted to seek the world’s approval instead of God’s, and how can our church family support one another in standing firm?