John 1:43-46 KJV The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. John 7:52 KJV
Jesus was referred to by many names and titles in the gospels: Son of God, Son of Man, Rabbi, Master, Messiah, Son of David, Holy One of God and also Jesus of Nazareth! He is referred to as Jesus of Nazareth at least 17 times in the gospels!
Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth seems to be a rhetoric question for the reputation of Nazareth and its locality was common knowledge.
Apparently even in the days of Solomon the region where Nazareth was located was not looked upon favorably! And if that was so then by comparison the reputation of Nazareth stood out among them! Way back in Solomon’s time Hiram of Tyre was not pleased when Solomon gave the neighborhood to him as a gift!
1 Kings 9:11-13 KJV (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. 13 And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day
Nazareth was a town of skeptics and unbelievers in the teachings and ministry of their homeboy Jesus. And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. Mark 6:1-6 KJV
They were willing and ready to murder him because of his teachings And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. Luke 4:28-29 KJV
The regions around Galilee were regarded with contempt but it seems as though Nazareth was the worst of the worst with Nathaniel speaking in contempt of it! Philip had no argument but simply said come and see!
Can any good thing come out of Nazareth is a question that can be compared to “Can any good person descend from such a band and group of cheats, cowards, connivers, schemers, plotters, defective, miserable company of ancestors?
It goes all the way back and on its way makes a significant connection with Ruth in Bethlehem! Remember Ruth? She’s the Moabitess widow from a hateful country, of people descended from an incestuous act between a drunken father and his daughter!
The amazing grace of God is manifested in the genealogy He chose! We may see only the greatness of Abraham, David and others but we also need to see the dysfunctional traits of the families!
Everyone likes to get a boy or girl from a decent family for a spouse. No one likes to think of the skeletons in the closet that may one day rattle out in an embarrassing manner! When we look back at the human ancestors of Jesus we find in surprise that there were a lot of dysfunctional individuals and families in the family tree.
In it all He identified Himself with all the infirmities, imperfections and irregularities but yet came out with no sin?
In Genesis 12, Abraham, in a moment of cowardice, passed of his wife Sarah as his sister to the Pharaoh of Egypt, in order to avoid being possibly killed because of her beauty! God had to come to his rescue! Did you think he learned a lesson? No! About somewhat more than twelve years later in Genesis 20 he did the same thing – AGAIN – with king Abimelech of Gerar. God had to come to his rescue again.
Isaac his son proved to be no better! In Genesis 26 he also did what his father did years ago in another famine and another time but in the same place, same reason! A cowardly desire to save his own skin! He passed his wife Rebecca off as his sister! Like father like son and he also had to be rescued by God!
Jacob Isaac’s son made a mess of his brother Esau’s life by first robbing him of his birthright. He connived with his mother and deceived his aged blind father and robbed Esau of his father’s blessing! He then had to run for his life from a vengeful brother. Talk about dysfunctional and disturbed families! And what in the world was Esau concerned about most? His belly before righteousness!
Jacob’s sons following in true family style dysfunction plotted to kill Joseph their brother and ended up actually selling him as a slave. They then banded together and reported to their father that a wild animal had killed Joseph!
Then one of Jacob’s sons Judah, who loved messing around with harlots, got trapped in his roving tendencies, by his own daughter-in-law Tamar who played the harlot with him and got pregnant! Two more sons Simeon and Levi deceived and slew the men of a city in revenge!
Salmon fell in love with the harlot Rahab of Jericho and married her. From that union we have Boaz who married proceeded to marry Ruth a Moabitess. Two generations and two inter racial marriages!
Think of David the mighty giant killer who fell without a shot being fired at the sight of another man’s wife. To cover it up he retrogressed from adultery to deceit and finally outright murder of one of his most faithful soldiers!
His children were no better. David’s son Amon raped his half sister Tamar and was then killed in revenge by his half brother Absalom, Tamar’s brother. Absalom then tried taking the kingdom away from his father David and on unsound political advice, slept with all David’s concubines on the rooftop of the palace! It really beats the soap operas of today!
Then we have Solomon and his thousand women harem and all the strange gods he honored for his women’s sake. He was referred to as the wisest man who lived but it sure did not help his commitment to God!
Solomon’s son Rehoboam thought he was the best thing that ever got elected king and, being full of himself, refused to listen to the wisdom of the wise men, preferring the advice of his close buddies who care nothing for the welfare of the people. As a result of his arrogance, conceit and narcissism, he split the country into two! (1 Kings 12)
Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram killed all his brothers when he became king. (2 Chronicles 21)
When his son Ahaziah who became king after him died, Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah murdered all the royal offspring except Joash who was hidden. (2 Chronicles 22)
After that we eventually reach a list of kings who were so evil, who continuously rejected the warnings of God’s prophets even persecuting them to death, that God allowed the Babylonians to take Judah captive for 70 years, a really distressing situation indeed.
Yet from all this mixed up soup of confusion, deceit, evil and intrigue, the Father chose to have His Son, our Savior come forth! The purest Lily sprouted and grew in the messed up filth of degraded humanity! And have you ever wondered why God who can do anything, chose to be born in a manger to a lowly couple and not some fabulously wealthy king of the most powerful nation on earth?
It was God’s sovereign choice and in it all we see God’s grace, mercy and love for all despite what we may have lurking in our minds. He is truly a universal Savior who chose to be born in a manger in Bethlehem to humble Nazarene residents and chose to announce his birth to some lowly shepherds in a field. He was willing to identify with the worst in us to bring His best to us! Who would have thought that with such a pedigree He would be the Savior of the world? Note how he was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus really identified Himself with man in such a way that none may be barred from approaching Him. May we never allow the hideousness of our past to hinder the honor of a having a heavenly future with Him! If as He emphatically proved, good can indeed come out of Nazareth, then He can take the worst among us and make something beautiful of our lives. It matters not where you came from or who your ancestors were. It matters not what your life has been thus far or what others have branded you. Look at who He picked for disciples! What matters is that he is willing to take you as you are, if you will allow Him, and He’ll turn you into something beautiful for God! It matters not how messed up your life may seem to you and to others. He is able to do something wonderful with it! Allow him to make heavenly music in your life!
Ruthing for Christmas!
The little genealogy at the end of the Ruth reveals the main reason behind the story -the Moab Connection between Ruth, David and Jesus. In addition to that God gives us the powerful type of our Kinsman Redeemer - Jesus the Messiah!
It's a Christmas story because it projects the birth of the Messiah.
It's a Christmas story because it promotes the spirit of giving.
It's a Christmas story because it portrays restoration of lost hope
It's a Christmas story because it promises Redemption through Messiah!
It's a Christmas story because it preaches:
1. The need for salvation,
2. The seed of salvation,
3. The deed of salvation.
Therefore let's pay earnest heed to the deed and avoid the greed as we feed the souls in need and speed the creed of the gospel!
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16 KJV
I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me, A sinner, condemned, unclean.
Refrain:
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for me.
For me it was in the garden He prayed: “Not my will but Thine”,
He had no tears for his own grief, But sweat drops of blood for mine..
In pity angels beheld Him, And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows He bore for my soul that night.
He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calv’ry, And suffered, and died alone.
When with the ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see,
‘Twill be my joy thro’ the ages To sing of His love for me.
Music and Lyrics: Charles H. Gabriel
