Is Jesus Welcome among Us?
Mark 6: 1-6
I trust we have met tonight to worship the Lord. He is our Savior, the Master of our lives, and the Rock upon which the church is built. Ours isn’t a civic organization conducting community business, but a living organism concerned with heavenly business.
We spend a lot of time at church, but is Jesus the focus of our gatherings? Are we determined to worship or have we come simply because we feel it is expected and we are obligated to attend?
It is very likely that many will meet tonight, in the name of Jesus, but He will be pushed aside for man’s agenda. In our text, Jesus came unto His own and His own received Him not. I would like to examine the details within the text as we consider the question: Is Jesus welcome among Us? You might consider that an odd question, but really it isn’t.
I. The Place of Nazareth (1) – And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. In order to fully appreciate the text, we need to take a moment to consider the previous chapter. Jesus had healed the demonic of the Gadarenes. He had healed the woman with the issue of blood; and He had raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. These were miraculous works, and now Jesus has come into His own country, the city of Nazareth. We find:
A. It was Familiar – This was the city where Jesus grew up. He had lived and worked among the people who lived there. They knew who Jesus was; His family lived there as well. Nazareth must have been dear to Jesus; this was His hometown.
Jesus knows all about us, even the secrets of our hearts, but are we familiar with Jesus? Do we enjoy a close relationship with Him? The presence of the Lord ought to be very familiar with those who belong to the Lord in salvation. Is Jesus wanted and welcome in our lives as He ought to be? Certainly we need to be familiar with Jesus.
However, as we will discover, it is possible to become too familiar with Jesus. Many have grown so accustomed to attending services and living a Christian life that they have lost their awe and wonder of the Lord.
B. It was Favored – This wasn’t the first time Jesus had returned to Nazareth since beginning His public ministry. He had been there very early in His ministry. Luke 4:16 – And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. During His first visit, the people wanted to throw Him down a hill and kill Him. He wasn’t received then, and yet Jesus has returned in the third year of His ministry. Although He had been rejected, He loved them and wanted to minister to them.
Aren’t you glad that His love and care for us doesn’t depend upon our attitudes, actions, or affections? There have been many times when I have failed to welcome or recognize Jesus, and yet He continues to care for me! His gracious love exceeds our failures. Luke 13:34 – O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
II. The People of Nazareth (2-4) – It is important to remember, these people knew Jesus. Some were family members, and many were likely friends of His. You would think Jesus would have enjoyed a fruitful ministry in Nazareth. Consider:
A. Their Opportunity (2a) – And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: Jesus was always about His Father’s business. Many times He is found in the synagogues teaching the Word to those who will hear. They enjoyed a great privilege, having the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn of Him as He expounded the Word.
We have never had the opportunity to sit at His feet in person, but we do have the opportunity to learn of Jesus every time we come to church, or open the Bible for that matter. We have the written Word that reveals the Living Word through the direction of the Holy Spirit. The people didn’t realize the magnitude of their opportunity. We are guilty of the same. Often we come with a half-hearted attitude, our mind on everything but the Lord, and leave wondering why we didn’t receive anything at church. Many give the Lord no thought prior to arriving for service.
B. Their Immaturity (2b) – 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? This was Jesus, the Son of God standing in their midst. They must have known the account of His miraculous birth. Surely it was evident that Jesus was divine, not the average man. They had heard His teaching, witnessed His miraculous works and yet they questioned His authority. Their spiritual condition wasn’t mature enough to receive the works of Christ. They never accepted Him as the Christ.
Many Christians fail to enjoy a victorious life because of spiritual immaturity. Consider your life for a moment. I know it’s difficult, but how much have you matured in the Lord? An immature Christian will never be able to receive the things of God. 1 Cor.2:14 – But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. We must reach a spiritual level where we trust Christ for all things.
C. Their Uncertainty (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. Jesus wasn’t recognized as the Messiah. They had the attitude of, “who does he think he is?” He was only considered the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of those who dwelt there. He was robbed of the deity He possessed. They couldn’t accept the Man they knew as the Son of God.
Hopefully, none of us would deny Jesus is the Christ. I pray we have all trusted Him as our Savior, but we have been guilty of robbing Jesus of His deity. We question His ability to meet our needs every time we doubt as we pray. At other times we deny His deity when we go our own way and refuse His will for our lives. We need reminded of who He is. Jesus isn’t a God who is far off, unaware of our needs. Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
D. Their Accountability (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. Jesus gives a solemn word to those in Nazareth. They had witnessed His works, heard His words, and yet rejected Him. He was received in other places, but not in His hometown. The people had rejected Jesus, but they would be accountable for the Light they had denied.
We too will give account for the Light we have received. I believe we are accountable for every time we meet. Rom.14:12 – So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. God has given us much and He expects much of us. Luke12:48b – For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Do we give Jesus the honor He deserves? Do our lives testify of the faith we have in Him? If anyone should honor and lift up the name of Jesus, we should!
III. The Problem in Nazareth (5-6) – The attitude of the people in Nazareth created a problem, which was three-fold. We find there was:
A. A Lack of Focus (5b) – And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. The work Jesus performed in Nazareth was limited to healing a few sick folk. There is no record of any believing on Him as the Christ. A few desired a physical need be met, but no spiritual needs were addressed.
I hate to admit it, but that sounds a lot like the modern church. We no longer have a burden for revival; we’re not interested in a closer walk with Jesus or seeing souls saved. Much of our emphasis is on physical needs. Our evangelism has been replaced with entertainment, our burden has been replaced with boredom, and our worship has been replaced with personal works (activities and programs). Oh that God would rekindle that fire within our souls! I pray that our focus would center on spiritual needs and growth instead of only emphasizing physical aspects.
B. A Lack of Faith (6) – And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. Jesus marveled at their unbelief, their lack of faith. These were His people, His kinsman, and yet their faith was weak. He would’ve expected that from Roman Gentiles, but not His own people.
We must be a people of faith. Our faith, or lack thereof, affects our influence in the church, as well as the community. A little faith goes a long way with the Lord. If we could only have faith as a grain of mustard seed, we could move mountains.
Our churches have lost much of their faith. I remember a day when saints of God exercised their faith through prayer and God honored their faith. Mark 9:23 – If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Where is our faith? Do we truly believe God can save our loved ones, that He can bring revival, and all things are possible in Him? We must believe!
C. A Lack of Fruit (5a) – And he could there do no mighty work…These words gripped my heart. I know that God is sovereign and will accomplish what He desires, but God’s people have an impact on His work. Their doubt and unbelief hindered the work of Christ.
A spirit of unbelief is contagious. If we never show genuine faith, then likely others never will. Those here tonight are the backbone of the church. We must not hinder the work of the Lord by grieving the Spirit. I fear we will be sorely disappointed as we stand before Jesus and understand all that could have been accomplished if we had only been obedient in faith. I don’t want to be a hindrance to the work of my Lord. I don’t want to be the reason a lost man never got saved. May our eyes be opened to the things of God! Let’s continue for the Lord as long as we live!
Conclusion: This passage has certainly challenged my heart to live closer to the Lord. If we would be honest, Jesus is not always welcome as He should be. He wants to do so much through our lives, but we must be willing to welcome Him. Has God spoken to your heart? Are there issues you need to bring before Him? Seek Him that you might live pleasing unto Him!
Maybe you are like many in Nazareth who denied Jesus as the Christ, never receiving Him as their Lord and Savior. You have heard the truth. How will you respond? Will you embrace Jesus as your personal Savior or continue to deny Him? He alone can save from sin. Come to Him by faith and receive salvation if you haven’t yet!
