THE BULLIES OF NAZARETH:
(A Case Study on Dealing with Rejection)
Afterward, Jesus left Capernaum and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. Mark 6:1TPT
INTRODUCTION:
During His first preaching mission to Nazareth recorded in the book of Luke Chapter 4, Nazareth was impressed by the beautiful words of grace that came from His lips. However, they were offended by His claim and they said among themselves, “Who does he think he is? Isn’t he joseph’s son, who grew up here in Nazareth. Then they mobbed Jesus and threw him out of the City, dragging him to the edge of the cliff trying to kill him. (Luke 4:22,29 TPT)
But Jesus who is not ready to give up in reaching his fellow Nazarene, gathered his disciples with him to try it one last time. He probably knew he will be rejected like before. But to give them one last chance and also to teach his disciples how to handle rejection, Jesus went again to face the Bullies of Nazareth one more time.
So, ladies and gentlemen! Fasten your seat belt and be ready to walk with Jesus to his face-off with the Bullies of his home town!
I – JESUS THROUGH THE EYES OF NAZARETH HIS HOMETOWN
Mar 6:2 On the Sabbath, he went to teach in the synagogue. Everyone who heard his teaching was overwhelmed with astonishment. They said among themselves, “What incredible wisdom has been given to him! Where did he receive such profound insights? And what mighty miracles flow through his hands!
During their time, there are facts and evidences that are available enough to convince them that Jesus is the Messiah.
A – What are the facts and circumstances that leads to Jesus as the Messiah?
1. The signs and wonders he did in other places.
2. Multitudes followed him including the band of disciples
3. The incredible wisdom evident in his teachings
4. They all concluded that he has profound insight
5. The miracles that flows through his hands
6. But they are still skeptics about Jesus
LESSONS/OBSERVATIONS:
1. The people of Nazareth rejected Jesus not because they were not properly informed or due to lack of evidences. Jesus made it clear to them who He is by words and deeds. But they rejected Him simply because they decided not to believe.
2. In spite of the overwhelming facts they gathered that point to Jesus as the Messiah, the Nazarene refuse to believe Him as the One. Why? Because familiarity breed contempt. They found it impossible to worship the man whom they saw in diaper.
3. Even if the people of Nazareth were not prepared to accept Jesus as the Messiah, they have all the reasons to respect Him at least as a prophet. But because He is one of them, he became common to them. Hence, we call it now as Nazareth Syndrome - Nobody has any faith in the hometown kid
4. After series of successful ministry and the signs and wonders he did in nearby places, Jesus have all the reasons to inspire them or even receive a hero’s welcome at Nazareth.
5. But the people who use to believe that nothing good will come from Nazareth - their hometown, could not appreciate other’s success. They despise Jesus because they despised first their own self.
B - What are the skeptical questions in their minds?
Mar 6:3 Isn’t this Mary’s son, the carpenter, the brother of Jacob, Joseph, Judah, and Simon? And don’t his sisters all live here in Nazareth?” And they took offense at him.
1. They question His educational background (Where did he receive such profound insights?)
2. They question his family background (Mary’s son)
3. They question his work experience (carpenter)
LESSONS/OBSERVATIONS:
6. The people of Nazareth question the educational background of the One who is the source of all knowledge and wisdom. It is like interviewing the undercover Boss as a mere applicant.
7. The people of Nazareth ridicule Jesus for having a poor family background. They cannot appreciate the mystery of a God who became human just to reach them out.
8. They were offended and stumbled when they found a simple and lowly Christ. How can they accept and be proud of a poor and uneducated Savior? But what they thought that God’s foolishness is wiser than men. God required humility to understand and enter the Kingdom of God.
9. Nazareth live together with Jesus for over 30 years. But they saw Jesus as only carpenter who can repair their everyday mess. Even today, people come to Jesus because they need only a carpenter who can fix their mess
II – NAZARETH THROUGH THE EYES OF JESUS, THE SAVIOR
A – He did not condemn Nazareth
Mar 6:4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is treated with honor everywhere except in his own hometown, among his relatives, and in his own house.”
LESSONS/OBSERVATIONS
10. The Spirit of Nazareth Syndrome is still very alive today. People who will not believe to the message about Jesus when the speaker that God being used has no good educational or impressive family background.
11. If we find ourselves willing to believe the message of the visiting pastors or foreigner but demean our local pastors who serve us with faithfulness, then we are victim of Nazareth Syndrome
12. Sometimes, the people that we expect to cheer us are the one who will scrutinize us. If we cannot win the battle of rejection in our hometown, the persecution of our relatives and the bullying in our own house, then we can never win the world.
13. Jesus intentionally invited his disciples in Nazareth for them to experience the reality of rejection. For unless you are trained how to deal it, you cannot advance farther to be an overcomer.
B – He still find the ways to heal them
Mar 6:5 He was unable to do any great miracle in Nazareth, except to heal a few sick people by laying his hands upon them.
LESSONS/OBSERVATIONS:
14. We may envy Nazareth for their great opportunity to personally witness and see Christ the Savior of the world. But their great opportunity has been lost because of unbelief. They are probably waiting for someone to come and bless them when the real blessing is already with them.
15. Someday, we will also regret that we never celebrate the presence of people sent to us by God. Because we keep on looking for somebody when the real blessing is already with us today. We will only realize their value when they are gone.
16. It is hard to stand up and believe when you are surrounded with bullies. But few people still believe Him and therefore they received their healing. Choose to be an exception among the armies of unbelier. I will stand and believe even if I am the minority.
C – He did not stop in the place of rejection
Mar 6:6 He was amazed at the depth of their unbelief! Then Jesus went out into the different villages and taught the people.
LESSONS/OBSERVATIONS:
17. The rejection of His own people did not stop Jesus of His mission. Our own rejection experience should not stop us from pursuing our goal even our own mission.
18. The Nazareth experience taught the disciples to be strong. For after that experience Jesus sent them to their very first mission. You can never become a stronger missionary unless you met the bullies of Nazareth. The training on your hometown rejection.
APPLICATION
For Jesus, Nazareth is a place of his ordinary life as a human being. It is also a place of rejection, discouragement and disappointment. But He did not stay there any longer. He arises and move on from his Nazareth.
Jesus has already arise from the level of ordinary life to move on the realm of supernatural. He arise from the place of rejection and disappointment to fulfill His mission from the Father.
Whatever happens, do not be stuck in Nazareth. Do not stay being ordinary. Do not stay to the place of your weakness and limitations. Arise and move on to the sphere of supernatural. To the place of healing, signs wonders and miracles! Move on the place of greatness and victory in the name of Jesus!
For some people, maybe Nazareth is not a place but an experience. A negative and disappointing experience that cripple them to move on and advance to the next level.
You don’t have to stay to the place of your heart-ache and pain. Arise from your Nazareth experience and move on to the place beyond. Move on to your promise land. Fly like an eagle to the fulfillment of your God-given dreams!
For some people, maybe Nazareth is their past. A memory that always remind you of your past failures and limitations. But now God is telling you to break free from your Nazareth. Arise and move on because your victory is waving on the other side. Do not be stuck in your own Nazareth. Arise! Arise! Arise and move on!
