Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Luke 4:23-24
It’s hard for Nazareth folk to take Jesus seriously. Can you imagine their comments that precipitated Jesus’ response to them?
- “Can you believe what we’re hearing about Jesus? We knew him all those years and he never did one miracle in Nazareth!”
- “We knew he was special but claiming to be God? What’s gotten into him?”
- “I’m curious. Let’s see if Jesus will come here so we can see if what he’s doing other places is legitimate.”
- “Quite frankly, it’s a little much to believe the stories being told. I mean, he’s just Mary’s son.”
To the curiosity seekers of Nazareth, he was an anomaly to be explored. To the unbelievers of Nazareth, he was someone to watch perform in order to discredit. Were there any true seekers? Perhaps, but they were the tiny minority. Why would Jesus indulge his hometown people when they merely wanted to see what he could do?
Hometowns don’t give their prophets much credence. They will forever regard them as the children they once were; as the student they taught in school, as the playmate they engaged on the playground, as the person they once dated, and even as the teenager who once rebelled. The stereotypes are cast in stone in hometown settings and rarely are people willing to see someone new.
As one who came out of a small town of 1200 people, and as one who grew up to gain some notoriety, I can attest first hand to some of the challenges. In my youth and immaturity, I wanted nothing more than to prove myself to family and friends. I could see early on that they weren’t bent to take me seriously and that made me work all the harder. At some point, I gave up and a period of bitterness set in. If only I had reviewed and understood this passage about Jesus and his own hometown. I’d have better understood the dynamics and let it go.
How the people of Nazareth missed out! Never had any villager loved them like Jesus loved them. In his childhood and adolescence, he forgave every sharp word spoken to him. He answered every angry tone with gentleness. He was a loyal friend to the underdog. And yet love was spurned when the truth of the Gospel and the Kingdom were preached. Convulsive reactions to the conviction of sin will always trump any warmth someone might feel when in the presence of Love. Human pride runs to the core of our DNA. Oh, what we miss when we refuse to stand in the presence of Jesus and see our sin and His holiness – then His great love and mercy.
Don’t let my familiarity with You blind me. Amen
One can prove almost anything with a bible verse if it is isolated it from its context and from the total revelation of God’s Word. Cults are formed on partial, misrepresented scriptures. Picking and choosing verses at whim and calling them ‘words from God’ is not living by faith. That’s not to say that God doesn’t, out of the clear blue, give us a verse. He does. But if this comprises my way of life to form my spiritual compass, I need to be careful.
What if there were a new book released entitled, ‘One Thousand New Discoveries on the Person of Jesus?’ It would be a worldwide best seller. But for what reason would it fly off the shelves? I’m convinced that many unbelievers would buy it for pure historic value. Jesus is the most influential person ever to have lived. But many believers would purchase it so that they could learn interesting tidbits to share at their next Bible Study. Sadly, they comprise the disciples who thrive at being reporters.
Nancy is the one who suggested a makeover. I’d never thought of it. Imagine my excitement when I discovered I could strip the chandelier down to the frame and replace all the parts. I was even able to buy a lot of lead crystals for almost no money from a lighting store that posted a small palette of crystals on eBay. So here’s the thing. When stripped bare, the frame turned out to be a real antique and quite stunning. Then, everything I added to it just made it more beautiful. By the time I began to add the crystals, I was almost speechless as I saw my chandelier come to life. The crystals even glistened in the moonlight that shone through the window. It’s the most fun I’ve had creating something in a long time.
David asks for God’s help in today’s scripture. He petitions for spiritual understanding of the scriptures so that he will be able to meditate in a heartfelt way. Understanding precedes meditation. Truth must always be a heart thing!
Do you know someone who expresses no remorse? They are simply unable to recognize what their sin against another causes. Many wives and husbands are cruel to each other. Hurtful things are said and treacherous things are done. When the one who feels betrayed speaks up, backs up, and expresses pain, remorse is absent. But when the pain of consequences is felt, a token “Sorry!” is expressed. There is an expectation that everything should be back to normal. He, or she, fails to know the repercussions of his actions.
Lord, forgive us for looking to broken cisterns for living water. As your children, we may live wanting, groaning for your kingdom to come, but we will not be crippled by uncertainty. We will not succumb to the anxiety of second guessing our future. Our leaders disappoint us but You rule perfectly. Our joy and confidence is in Your Kingship. Each of us pray this out loud today until our whole beings believe it.
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