Back Where It All Began (Part 1) Series

BACK WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Mark 6:1-6

Twenty-one-year-old Steven A. Wowwk arrived as an infantryman in the Army’s First Cavalry Division in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam in early January 1969 to fight in an escalating and increasingly unwinnable war. By June, Wowwk had been wounded twice—the second time seriously—and was sent back to the United States for treatment at Boston’s Chelsea Naval Hospital.It was after returning to the U.S. and while en route to the hospital that Wowwk first encountered hostility as a veteran. Strapped to a gurney in a retrofitted bus, Wowwk and other wounded servicemen felt excitement at being back on American soil. But looking out the window and seeing civilians stop to watch the small convoy of hospital-bound vehicles, his excitement turned to confusion. “I remember feeling like, what could I do to acknowledge them, and I just gave the peace signal,” Wowwk says. “And instead of getting return peace fingers, I got the middle finger.” (https://www.history.com/news/vietnam-war-veterans-treatment)

Other veterans tell of returning home to insults, profanity, threats and even being spit on. These men did not receive the welcome home that they deserved.

Mark Chapter 6 tells of a time when Jesus returned to His hometown and like those veterans, He did not receive a very warm reception. The people of Nazareth did not take Him seriously. They refused to see Him for who He was. Though He had been welcomed by large crowds in many other areas, the people where He grew up rejected Him. I would like to examine the events that took place one Sabbath day in a Synagogue in the town of Nazareth and preach on the thought “Back Where It All Began”.

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I realize that Jesus’ journey did not begin in Nazareth. John tells us that Jesus was present “in the beginning”. (John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.)

God the Son has always been in existence, and in God’s perfect timing He left Heaven and came to earth to become the sacrifice for our sins. The Bible tells us that He was born in Bethlehem. (Matthew 2:1 …Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king)

Following His birth, Jesus and His family spent some time in Egypt. (Matthew 2:13 … an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.")

After the death of Herod, Joseph was instructed by the Angel of the Lord to return to Israel. (Matthew 2:19 when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.)

Between the His early years in Egypt and His baptism in the river of Jordan, Nazareth was His hometown. Nazareth is where Joseph and Mary lived; Luke 2:39 calls Nazareth “their own city”.

This is where the angel announced the birth of the Messiah to the Virgin Mary. (Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!")

From the time He was an infant until He became a man, Nazareth was His home. (Luke 4:16 says that Jesus “came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up”)

For the better part of 30 years Jesus lived among the people of Nazareth. This is where He grew up with His brothers and sisters. Joseph was a carpenter and it is very likely that Jesus served as his apprentice. Jesus is identified by one of the people of Nazareth as a carpenter in verse 3.

At the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:9) He then was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. (Mark 1:12-13) In Bethabara He meets Andrew & Peter (John 1:35-42) He also called Philip & Nathaniel to follow Him (John 1:43-51) Sometime later, Jesus attended a wedding in Cana and there He performed His first miracle (turning water into wine). (John 2:1-11) Jesus traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover and cleansed the Temple, overturning the tables and casting out the moneychangers. (John 2:13-25) Jesus and His Disciples spent some time baptizing in Judea. (John 3:22) He went to Samaria and encountered The Woman at the Well. (John 4:1-42) Next He healed a He healed a Nobleman’s son. (John 4:46-54) Later He travels to Jerusalem for a Jewish festival and He heals a man near the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-9)