Jesus decides to go back to his hometown and all his disciples followed him. No doubt eager to see old friends, relatives, and childhood playmates and introduce them to his new friends, Jesus didn’t get the reception we would expect.
Jesus has changed since his days in Nazareth. He is a Rabbi, a teacher now. Filled with Holy and supernatural wisdom and power.
We don’t know a lot about Jesus’ childhood but we do know that He grew physically and in human wisdom; “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52 ESV
Mark 6 gives us a brief glimpse of Jesus’ return home.
“He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”
And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.”
Mark 6:1-6 ESV
“And he marveled because of their unbelief.”
If you’re born again, redeemed and saved by grace, you are not who you used to be. Not even close.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
Some people from your past will try to hold your past against you.
Family can be the best and can be the worst at holding the past. They know your screw ups. They knew you as a child and even some of your massive failures as an adult.
I’ve heard it myself. “How can someone who has done ‘that’, now be in ministry.”
Jesus heard it too.
“Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?
And they took offense at him.”
Pay it no mind.
Jesus gives us a great example.
“And he went about among the villages teaching.”
He went about His Fathers business.
You have an assignment, a purpose now.
Let no one make you question your identity in Christ! Especially your past!
Notice that Jesus didn’t waste a lot of energy and emotion in trying to convince them who He was.
He didn’t spend emotional time arguing that things were different now.
He just went about His Fathers business.
“Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.”
Luke 6:47-48 ESV
Rak Chazak Amats
Tracy Markum
STRONG WARRIORS |STRONG FAMILIES