Miracles Of Jesus: No No Nazareth Series

NO NO NAZARETH

MARK 6:1-6

I. THE SITUATION: JESUS IN HIS HOME TOWN

A. Jesus arrives in his hometown of Nazareth

1. His disciples are with him which means it is a large traveling group and he would be noticed as He

returned home. This could have been a big deal / big event.

2. The people of the town know Jesus because He grew up there.

3. The people are still familiar with Jesus’ family because they still live and work there.

a) We get a small insight to Jesus’ family and we know He had at least 4 brothers.

b) We get a small insight into Jesus’ family and we know He has sisters.

B. Jesus speaks in the synagogue when everyone gathers for worship.

1. Verse 2 tells us that at first the people were amazed at His teachings

a) The temple guards: “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (John 7:46)

b) The crowds who heard: “the crowds were amazed at His teaching” (Matthew 7:28)

c) The people who heard: “The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as

one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.” (Mark 1:22)

2. Verses 5-6 tell us that Jesus did not do a whole lot in His hometown. There was no faith. Jesus only

healed a few sick people and it was not a productive time. He did just a little teaching. The people were

not interested. Verse 4 tells us Jesus told them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his

own house is a prophet without honor.”

II. THE COMPLICATION: LACK OF FAITH

A. The complication is that in verse six it tells us that there was a lack of faith.

B. Where does lack of faith come from?

1. The lack of faith in Nazareth was tied to their offense at Him in verse 3. Maybe it is the same for us:

a) We are offended when God does not work things the way we want them to and so we have no

faith. We want God to run our lives the way we want… which means we really are running the

show.

b) We are offended when God does not decree the things that we think are right. God has set

down many things that are right and wrong that many people struggle with. Some teachings in the Bible offend people when they study… even Christians.

1) living together / sex before marriage

2) homosexual lifestyle

3) how to treat others, forgiveness issues

2. The lack of faith in Jesus comes because we believe in other things more:

a) our own efforts, ideas, abilities, and talents (believe in ourselves more)

b) our own way of doing things (believe in our own way more)

c) our own decisions and the way we want to live our lives (believe we know better than God)

III. THE RESOLUTION: NO MIRACLES

A. The result of the offense of the people of Nazareth is recorded for us in verses 5-6: “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.”

1. Jesus did only a few miracles

2. Jesus moved on

B. The eternal spiritual principle: lack of faith means God does not work

C. A related passage that helps us understand is Mark 9:19-24:

1. terms: lack of faith, faithlessness, unbelief

2. Verse 23: “Everything is possible for him who believes”

3. Verse 24: “help my unbelief”

D. We must have faith for God to work in our lives and do miracles. We must be willing to allow Him to work in His ways and not put our own restrictions on Him.

1. We must let God be God and all other worry fall aside: Luke 10:41-42, “Martha, Martha," the Lord

answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has

chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

2. We must absolutely trust that His ways are the best ways: Isaiah 48:17, “This is what the LORD says-

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for

you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your

peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”

3. God wants faithfulness from us.