1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Striking to me in this text is not what Jesus is doing, but what Jesus is NOT doing. There is an inextricable connection between the ongoing and powerful work of God and the level of receptivity and response. The creative and restorative power of God is present but there is an unwillingness to believe and follow.
Are there things that I know God has called me to do but in my lack of faith have been unwilling to step forward and do? Obedience is not what earns the favor of God on me, but it is the avenue through which I experience the power of God in my life.
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Amen.
Ken Brown, Pastor
Christ Community Church – Walnut Creek
AMEN! Well said, P. Ken–the invitation to believe…the challenge to DO out of that belief! Belief, obedience, power. Oh, that “Believers” were really such…believing, obedient, and walking in power. Oh, that people would say of me: “What’s this wisdom that has been given [her]? What are these remarkable miracles [she] is performing?
I was journaling and praying about these very things last night–faith/belief, authority, wisdom, power to ‘perform mighty miracles’–to see Kingdom breakthrough in my life like never before. What does that type of obedience look like where “even the demons flee and the dead are raised?”
Help me understand my identity in You, Father. Help me walk in the authority You have given me, grow in wisdom, and perform the works You “prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph 2:10)–that it might be said again that “with great power they were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all (Acts 4:3).
I’ve been spending the past week in Moab, Utah. I just look around and believe.
No wonder the neighborhood cannot receive Him as God: They cannot even receive Him as Man. They have to put their own brand, their own hierarchy on Him first. “Look, He’s just a carpenter, and that Mary’s kid–the one with all the brothers and sisters. Nothin’ special going on there, if you know what I mean.” So unbelief becomes a barrier–unbelief borne out of pride.
This is the human condition: Pride. It is not God who locks us out of receiving His blessings, but we do it to ourselves. We are the ones who consign Jesus to the place of being unable to help or minister or bless or heal or love or care because we are (dare I say “I am”) the one who only wants Him on my terms. He couldn’t possibly understand my situation because if He did, my circumstances would be different.
“Come in my way, Jesus. Come help the way I think you should. Appear in my time according to my kind of expectations and then , , , then maybe, I will believe.”
Confining Jesus to such conformity locks out the real miracle that He would otherwise have performed. Today, I repent of such pride . . . and simply believe.
This scripture says, to me, that we will receive more spiritual blessings when we decide to love Him more and walk in His footsteps.
I’ve come across a lot of people who need real healing in their lives but seem so cynical and hard-hearted that they close themselves off to God. And I confess I am less likely to share my faith with them, not because of their lack of faith but because of my own.
I need to step into that place and let God do the rest. What I hear in this passage is that faith comes before healing. ‘Don’t be afraid, just believe’ to quote the passage from the other day.
I see Jesus “amazed at their lack of faith.” I imagine he’s saddened, too. How much blessing do I miss because I’m unable to simply receive what God gives? How much do I miss because I’m too busy asking questions? How much do I miss because I’m trying to re-shape Almighty God to fit my little world view?
Today, God, help me set me aside even for a moment to receive just YOU.
“Obedience is not what earns the favor of God on me, but it is the avenue through which I experience the power of God in my life.” A very good reminder – Thanks Ken. My faith-filled obedience is to listen to the people God brings me in contact with more intently and to bring forward prayer more readily.
A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home. – Made me think of parenting. If ever there is a place that needs the word of God spoke in real and relevant ways it’s in our families today. Too many think they do not have good to give their kids and do not guide, do not speak prophetically into the life of their children. Too many children, get a few years under their belt and reject the prophet – the parents within their own home. Too many parents, speak with power and without representing God’s values, without God’s character . . . love is patient, kind, etc. Too many children today do not experience the power of God in their life because they diss the God-given prophets (parents) put intentionally into their life.
Today I will honor my parents. I will encourage other parents to rise to the appropriate place of prophet in the life of their children. I too will encourage the children, to listen to the voice of the prophet in their own home.
Today my do has been to have faith in the place God has put me in.
Today has been a rough day , but peice by peice I was able to walk through it with faith. At points I doubted my position, but I raised my head said a prayer and kept going… I have to conclude that by now the end of the day it all turned out ok. Everything worked out and i am still very Thankful for the Learning opportunities God continues to place in my life.
Continuing with what God was saying to me in yesterday’s passages, our world is either trying to keep us from drawing closer to Jesus by dampening our faith, or in these verses challenging the core of who Jesus is thus rendering our belief in Him foolishness. Wait a minute, who has the power here? We as His children do! We must do more than abide in His strength, we must THRIVE! To do this we must be willing to: 1.Listen to God’s direction, 2. pray for understanding of His desires, 3.Act on what we know we are to do in His strength and genuine humility.
Lord, i pray that i never deny who you are through my speach or my actions. I believe you are who the Bible says you are. I love you my Lord, my prayer is that others can see that by my life and that you can use me to reach others for Your kingdom.
I hear Jesus saying, Sean you often become so familiar with me like people from my home town. You get locked into your tradition and ways of seeing and interacting with me that you cant believe I work in other ways. I’m in the Covenant church we “believe” in healing in our heads, but we don’t actually practice it at church (synagogue). What I believe God is asking me to do is be a charismatic. Break out of your home town unbelief and embrace a broader orthodoxy. We are one church in many congregations. There is a lot more Jesus out there than I am allowing in.
Amen.
“Are there things that I know God has called me to do but in my lack of faith have been unwilling to step forward and do?” YES.
“Obedience is not what earns the favor of God on me, but it is the avenue through which I experience the power of God in my life.” TRUE!
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Amen.
Well said Ken.