Collage: Portraits of a Revolutionary Message 25
Series: Collage: Portraits of a Revolutionary Message 25 – Rejection in Nazareth Mark 6: 1-6 Mark 6: 1-6 (ESV) 1 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 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? 3 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. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. I. THE TWO VISITS A. First Visit (Luke 4: 13-30) – Early in Jesus’ Galilean ministry 1. Recognized as a Rabbi (with his followers) – He is invited to speak – Read Isaiah 61: 1-2 2. Proclaimed that the Scripture was fulfilled in His coming – People were astonished (Loved His message and the gracious words from His lips – v. 22) 3. Jesus’ message causes rage when He taught that Jewish apathy toward God’s message opened the door to the Gentiles (Elijah and the Phoenician woman – Elisha and Naaman the Syrian leper) 4. The are enraged and attempt to kill him – He escapes. B. The Second Visit (Mark 6: 1-6)
II. FOUR STATEMENTS THAT TELL THE STORY NOTE: What people say (words and phrases) reveals a lot about who they are and what makes them tick. A. Distorted Reality: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?” (v. 3) 1. Distorted reality – The very God of the universe stood before them, yet they did not recognize Him. We often miss the truth because we are affixed on error. a. They could only see him as a carpenter’s son (a carpenter). b. Judging on externals - Nathan anoints David – 1 Samuel 16: 6-7 - 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1) Pedigree – What qualifies him to be heard? Socially, educationally, financially – how we judge people. (2) Family – Wrong side of the tracks c. Understanding value - Old pitcher that sat in our garage in South Florida – left behind – friend took it and sold it at a flea market for $30. 2. Spiritual blindness – Our spiritual blindness causes us to live totally oblivious to that which is valuable. We are often like a monkey in a Mercedes, a dog sniffing a diamond, or a pig in a palace - totally clueless to the value He holds!
B. Offended by God: “And they took offense at him.” (v. 3) 1. Jesus as the Great Divider (Love or hate him) He himself reminds us that He came not to bring peace, but a sword (Matt. 10: 34-36 - 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household). 2. If we choose to follow Jesus, we will experience rejection and our lives may be anything but peaceful. We do not stir up controversy when we live apathetic or mediocre lives. We may be living with the noodle disease! C. Rejected by His Own: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (v. 4) 1. His own rejected him (John 1: 11) - 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 2. Familiarity breeds contempt (The closer we get to someone, the more we see their flaws – and the more they see ours!) 3. Misunderstanding family - Even the members of his own family rejected him and thought he was losing it (Mark 3: 2021) - 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” D. The Closed Door: “And he could do no mighty work there” (v. 5) - “And he marveled because of their unbelief” (v. 6) 1. Unbelief shuts the door on God’s willingness to work. When a group of people fail to recognize Him and
demonstrate no faith in His ability to miraculously touch them, the door slams shut. This could be true for . . . a. Church – Why God does not show up on Sunday b. Community – Rejected Him (It was true in Nazareth) See Mark 6: 10-11 (Matthew 10: 11-15) 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. c. Nation – A message for America 2. The day of opportunity (window of opportunity) for Nazareth slams shut!
WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT JESUS? DO YOU SEE A CARPENTER OR A SAVIOR?
II. FOUR STATEMENTS THAT TELL THE STORY NOTE: What people say (words and phrases) reveals a lot about who they are and what makes them tick. A. Distorted Reality: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?” (v. 3) 1. Distorted reality – The very God of the universe stood before them, yet they did not recognize Him. We often miss the truth because we are affixed on error. a. They could only see him as a carpenter’s son (a carpenter). b. Judging on externals - Nathan anoints David – 1 Samuel 16: 6-7 - 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1) Pedigree – What qualifies him to be heard? Socially, educationally, financially – how we judge people. (2) Family – Wrong side of the tracks c. Understanding value - Old pitcher that sat in our garage in South Florida – left behind – friend took it and sold it at a flea market for $30. 2. Spiritual blindness – Our spiritual blindness causes us to live totally oblivious to that which is valuable. We are often like a monkey in a Mercedes, a dog sniffing a diamond, or a pig in a palace - totally clueless to the value He holds!
B. Offended by God: “And they took offense at him.” (v. 3) 1. Jesus as the Great Divider (Love or hate him) He himself reminds us that He came not to bring peace, but a sword (Matt. 10: 34-36 - 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household). 2. If we choose to follow Jesus, we will experience rejection and our lives may be anything but peaceful. We do not stir up controversy when we live apathetic or mediocre lives. We may be living with the noodle disease! C. Rejected by His Own: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (v. 4) 1. His own rejected him (John 1: 11) - 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 2. Familiarity breeds contempt (The closer we get to someone, the more we see their flaws – and the more they see ours!) 3. Misunderstanding family - Even the members of his own family rejected him and thought he was losing it (Mark 3: 2021) - 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” D. The Closed Door: “And he could do no mighty work there” (v. 5) - “And he marveled because of their unbelief” (v. 6) 1. Unbelief shuts the door on God’s willingness to work. When a group of people fail to recognize Him and
demonstrate no faith in His ability to miraculously touch them, the door slams shut. This could be true for . . . a. Church – Why God does not show up on Sunday b. Community – Rejected Him (It was true in Nazareth) See Mark 6: 10-11 (Matthew 10: 11-15) 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. c. Nation – A message for America 2. The day of opportunity (window of opportunity) for Nazareth slams shut!
WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT JESUS? DO YOU SEE A CARPENTER OR A SAVIOR?
