Jesus Rejected In His Hometown: Are You Offended Or Faithful? Series

“Three elements of personality are involved in making a decision to become a Christian, or in making any significant decision for that matter. They are the emotions, the intellect, and the will.

For example, a young man meets a young woman. They are immediately attracted to one another. They both say to themselves, "Now there is someone I'd like to marry." At that point, if the emotions had their way, there would be a wedding. But the intellect intervenes, questioning the impulsive emotional response. Would we be compatible? What is she really like? Can I afford to support her? Both conclude it would be better to take some more time and answer a few questions before they proceed. So the two begin spending more time with each other. He eventually concludes that she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Now his intellect has sided with the emotions on the idea of marriage.

But the final and heaviest vote remains to be cast -- that of the will. It stops the march toward the altar with the questions, "Am I willing to give up this lifestyle for another? What about my freedom -- is it worth the trade? Am I willing to assume the added responsibility?" The marriage will occur only when the will finally agrees with the emotions and the intellect. And so it is in coming to Christ.”

-Jim Peterson, Living Proof, NavPress, 1989, p. 170.

We’ll be looking at two key moments in the life of Jesus, first the moment when Jesus visits his hometown and is rejected by them. Secondly, we’ll look at a moment when Jesus sent out his disciples to do ministry.

Mark 6:1-2 says this: “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.”

Their first reaction is a good thing, they were amazed at the teaching of Jesus. We should also be amazed at the teaching of Jesus. Are you amazed by the Lord? There are days when I’m honestly amazed by the Lord and what he’s doing in my life and in the world. Aren’t you? When were you last amazed by God?

I think it’s really, the cream of the crop of life, when we are honestly amazed by God. But that implies something. It means we’re actively watching what God is doing in our lives and in the world.

If you aren’t watching God, you won’t be amazed. If you are watching God. You will be amazed. Point number one today, observe what God is doing, and you’ll be amazed. More so, be in relationship with God and you’ll be amazed.

And when we are amazed, it changes us. Being amazed by God gets us excited. When we get excited, we get more active in our faith.

But next, the people question him. They start struggling. They doubt.

It says this: (2-3) “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.”

They were offended by Him. They rejected his wisdom. They say, hey we saw this guy when he was a kid. He can’t be anything special. They saw Jesus grow up as just an average kid in their hometown. So they refuse him. They get upset.

I recall after I got saved people in my hometown were offended at me. We know this guy, he’s nobody special, he doesn’t have our permission to do anything special.

People almost try to keep you in the box that they’re used to seeing you in. I bet many of you can relate to that! If you try to do something special with your life, and begin to change, people may get offended. But keep following God. Watch the miracle. But people may come against you.

But they were offended at Him. Sometimes we get offended at the truth too. We come across a particular scripture that we don’t like. Something in the Bible convicts us. And we get offended at that scripture. We reject that scripture. We come into unbelief. We get angry and upset. That’s happened a few times at our life group, or at church, people get upset at the truth. But the truth stands firm.

Sometimes when we get right down to the truth, it gets harder to accept. But wrestle through. Wrestle with God through it. Don’t reject it. But enter into it, engage with God on it, pray about it, and wrestle, and then, God will help you to embrace some very hard truths. Like struggle, like pain, like divine judgment, like hell, like sin, and the harder parts of God’s word.