Jesus comes back to his hometown! At first everyone is amazed at His wisdom and wowed by the miracles. No tickertape parade but it sure looks like everyone in Nazareth will soon believe in Him.
Then something strange happens - They took offense at Him!
To them, things just didn’t add up. They were asking, isn’t this the carpenter’s son? We know His mother Mary. In fact, we know all His brothers and sisters.
How did they get sidetracked on their way to faith? Jesus seems to express dismay more than offer explanation - Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor!
Let’s just call it a syndrome, since it still doesn’t make sense today when people reject Jesus...get off on a detour of doubt!
Overlook the Teacher’s marvelous insight! Ignore the miracles! Focus instead on some distracting questions and then make no effort to follow the trail of evidence that leads to faith.
Well, whatever the causes of doubt and disbelief, here’s the result - And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith!
The Nazareth Syndrome!
The symptoms that converge are lack of faith in Jesus and the absence of His power.
It’s not a good town in which to live.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Pro 14:12
ReplyDeleteAll a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the heart. Prov 16:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Prov 11:2
Why did they question Jesus? Because they thought they knew him, and his family. Why did they question how he obtained these miraculous powers and great wisdom? Because he was supposed to be like them, and not any better. they were his equals, his peers (so they thought.)
So instead of listening, they judged. Instead of accepting the miracles, they questioned the man they knew as a boy. What makes Him special? Where does he get these blessings? What makes him so special? Does He think he is better than us? (reminds of Joseph and his brothers.)
Pride comes before a fall. When we puff ourselves up we can miss great blessings.
What a shame to miss the great teacher while he was among them!
We need to heed the same warnings! If we puff ourselves up - and live as we think best, rathern than how He teaches us life should be lived - we will miss great blessings and may be headed for a great fall!