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)
Following this, Jesus returned to Nazareth and is rejected by the people in His hometown. On the Sabbath, He taught the people in the Synagogue and they became furious at His teaching. So much so that they literally sought to throw Him over a cliff. (Luke 4:28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.)
Upon leaving Nazareth, Jesus went to Galilee and called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be His Disciples. (Mark 1:16-20) It was at this time that Jesus healed Peter’s Mother-In-Law as well as a multitude of other sick people (Mark 1:29-34) Jesus then traveled throughout the region of Galilee preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God and doing many miracles. In one of the towns He cleansed a leper. (Mark 1:40-45) Upon returning to Capernaum Jesus healed a paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof where He was teaching. (Mark 2:1-12) Later, He went up on a mountainside and officially selected the 12 men who would become His Apostles (Mark 3:13-19) Following this He delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)
Jesus again returned to Capernaum where He healed the centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1-10) Then He traveled to Nain where He raised the widow’s son. (Luke 7:11-16) After traveling throughout Galilee preaching about the Kingdom of God. Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee to the land of the Gaderenes. When He arrived Jesus was met by a man who was posseted by a legion of demons. Jesus delivered him and cast the demons into a nearby heard of swine. After this He returned to Capernaum He healed a woman who was suffering from an issue of blood and then raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. (Mark 5:24-43) Then He heals two blind men and casts a demon out of a mute man. (Matthew 9:27-34) After all of this (and so much more) Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth.
- Today, I would like to take some time and consider:
I. THE REUNION IN NAZARETH
Reunions can be a beautiful thing. There is nothing like being reunited with a person or a group of people that you have been separated from for a long period of time. Unfortunately, Jesus’ reunion with the people of Nazareth was not a pleasant experience. I would like to examine all who were involved in this reunion. We will begin by looking at:
A. THOSE WHO WERE WITH JESUS
When Jesus returned home He took some new friends with Him. (v1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.) By this time Jesus had selected 12 Disciples from the multitude of followers who were with Him. In the very next passage we will see where He sent those Disciples out “two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.” (v7)
These men had surrendered themselves to Jesus and they followed Him wherever He went. As a result of following Jesus, the Disciples had been a part of some amazing things. They had witnessed the many miracles. They had heard Him teach with great power and authority. By this time they had followed Him for about a year and a half. After how the multitudes had responded to the works of Jesus, I am sure that they were a bit surprised to see Him rejected and ridiculed by the people in His own hometown. Jesus knew how the people were going to respond to Him in Nazareth. Even knowing that they would reject Him, He went there and gave them the opportunity to receive Him. This is a great picture of His mercy, grace and love.
Today, 2,000 years later, He still gives people who do not deserve Him the opportunity to receive Him. Unfortunately multitudes continue to reject Him. But thankfully, there are a few who will receive Him.
Another benefit of this trip to Nazareth was that Jesus would prepare the Disciples for what they would soon experience. In the near future He would send them out to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. He knew that they would face similar rejection when they went to the surrounding areas and shared Him with others. Jesus addresses this in - Mark 6:11 and whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city!"
Jesus knew that His Disciples would face the same rejection that He had experienced in Nazareth and beyond. Jesus explained this truth to them in great detail just before He was crucified. (John 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.)
If we faithfully share the Gospel, we will face the same kind of rejection that the Disciples faced. When this happens, always remember that they are not rejecting you… they are rejecting Jesus. Jesus knew that the people of Nazareth would reject Him and He went to them anyway.
Even knowing that we will be rejected, we should have the same love and compassion that motivated Him to reach out to people who hated Him. And as we will see later in this passage, there were a few who did receive a miracle in Nazareth. I can assure you, though most were “offended at Him” those who received Him were thrilled that He loved them enough to come to their town. We don’t know who will receive Jesus and who will reject Him, therefore we should share Him with others and leave the results up to Him.
- Not only do we see Those Who Were With Jesus, Mark also shows us:
B. THOSE WHO WERE WAITING FOR JESUS
Verses 2-3 show us how the townspeople responded to Jesus and His message. Whereas there were usually large crowds waiting for Jesus everywhere He went, that was not the case concerning this reunion in Nazareth.
It is important that we understand the demographics of Nazareth in Jesus’ day. John MacArthur describes Nazareth in Jesus’ day as a town of “about sixty acres on a rocky hillside on the road to nowhere. The best guess is the town had about five hundred residents”. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Mark 1-8)
Even if the whole town had come to the Synagogue, the crowd would be smaller than the number of people that gather in some churches in our area. Jesus was not completely rejected by the people of Nazareth. They respected Him enough that He was invited to teach in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. When He had addressed the people in this synagogue on His previous visit to Nazareth, they “marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. (Luke 4:22) They tried to kill Him when the message was over, but they were intrigued by the authority in which He taught.
It was common for visiting Rabbis to be invited to teach in the Synagogues. On this specific Sabbath, the people in the local Synagogue asked Jesus to teach. (v2a And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.) Jesus got up and shared the Word of God with the people who were assembled. And whether they believed in Him or not, they were amazed by His teaching. (v2b And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? )
We are not told of the exact subject matter concerning Jesus’ message on this occasion. But we are told how the people reacted to His teaching. Verse 2 says that they were “astonished”. To put that in terms that we would understand, they were “blown away” by His teaching. This was a common response when Jesus taught the people.
At the close of the Sermon on the Mount those in attendance were “astonished”. (Matthew 7:28 and so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.)
In Mark 1, Jesus spoke in the Capernaum Synagogue and they were astonished as well. (Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.")
In John 7:15-16 we are told of another group of Jews who were astonished by His teaching. (John 7:15 And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?" 16 Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.)
Later in that chapter, we find that there was a division among the people because of His teaching. (John 7:43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?" 46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!")
Whether the people believed His message or not, they could not ignore the power and wisdom that Jesus possessed. Notice what they said in - v3c And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Though they were amazed by His teaching, they responded with unbelief and rejection.
Exactly who were the people in the synagogue on that day? There were several different groups of people in attendance. While they are not identified in the text, it is safe to assume that in the synagogue on that day:
1. SOME WERE JESUS’ FRIENDS
v1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country,
Jesus had spent almost 30 years of His life living in a town of about 500 people. It is likely that He knew everyone in that town and everyone knew Him. I am sure that He had many friends in Nazareth. He was a man of great love and compassion. It is safe to assume that at least some of the people were excited to hear that He would be bringing the message in the Synagogue that day.
- In that crowd, some were friends of Jesus and verse 3 makes it abundantly clear that:
2. SOME WERE JESUS’ FAMILY
v3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?"
Mary and Jesus’ siblings were present in the Synagogue. They were present, but previous events show us that they were skeptical. John states very clearly that Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him. (John 7:5 for even His brothers did not believe in Him.) In Mark 3 we are told of a time when Jesus’ family had come to where He was in an effort to seize Him and take Him home. Mark 3:21 His own people (His family) …went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind." Jesus’ family had heard of all of the things that Jesus was doing and teaching among the people. They had come to the conclusion that He had lost His mind. As a result, they came to where He was with the intention of taking Him home. They did not see Jesus for who He was… they did not comprehend His true identity.
- Some of the people in the synagogue were friends, some were family and verse 3 tells us that:
3. SOME WERE THE FOES OF JESUS
Unfortunately, the foes of Jesus were the aforementioned friends and family. Verse 3 tells us that those who were in attendance were “offended at Him”. The word “offended” literally means “to scandalize”. This literally means to “stumble”, or to become “ensnared” and to fall into sin. This would be a good time to remind you that there is no greater sin than rejecting Jesus Christ. What we have here is an illustration of what John referenced in John 1:11 “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” The Nation of Israel did not receive Jesus. The people of Nazareth did not receive Jesus. His own friends did not receive Him. And even His immediate family refused to receive Him. Sadly, many people today are making the same tragic mistake.
Jesus returned to His hometown, and the people there were presented with a great opportunity. They could have accepted Jesus and entered into a relationship that would have changed their lives eternally. They heard His teaching and were astonished by it. But their unbelief prevented them from receiving the greatest gift that they could have ever received. All they saw was the humble carpenter, the Son of Joseph and Mary, the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon. The very source of salvation was there in the Synagogue with them. They were not merely in the presence of a “hometown boy” who had returned for a visit, they were in the presence of God in the flesh.
We have a similar opportunity today. We are not merely gathered together as an assembly of Christians. We are in the presence of God! And He is still moving today. He is still saving souls, forgiving sins and changing lives. Like those people in Nazareth, you have a choice to make. You must choose how you will respond to Jesus. Will you receive Him, or will you reject Him? I can assure you, all who rejected Him on that day regret their decision. And if you continue to reject Him, you will regret your decision throughout all of eternity.
There is coming a day when you will see Jesus for who He is. (Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.) The people of Israel will one day bow and confess that Jesus is Lord. Every person that was in the Nazareth Synagogue will bow and confess.In fact, all who have ever lived will bow and confess. I encourage you to seize the opportunity to confess Christ before it is too late! (Romans 10:9 if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
The people of Nazareth had a wonderful opportunity and they missed it. I pray that you will learn from their error.
