Last week we started with the question Can we really go home again and I reminded you how Jesus ministry was just starting, he returns home after his time in the wilderness. He has been visiting synagogues for the past couple of months. Preaching and performing a few miracles on the way, especially in Capernaum.
I related it to the thought of the college grad returning home. The person is changed by their experiences while they were away. Jesus had the time on his own, Baptism, the Hoy Spirit and the wilderness experience and who knows what else.
He is dramatically changed, but until he gets to the synagogue he has probably acted pretty much as everyone expects.
I shared my thought that as long as you act like everyone expects, act like you always did you can always go home. That means following the same house rules, put your laundry in the hamper and show up for dinner on time.
When we finished last week, Jesus had finished reading scripture and sits to give his teaching on the meaning.
"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
I ended last Sunday with almost the same sudden stop as Jesus did in the synagogue that day. The scripture reading was part of Isaiah’s prediction of the coming of the messiah. Jesus’ lack of additional information, his failure to explain the normal connection to the messiah or other scripture was probably an uncomfortable moment because he was either at a loss of understanding or words or he was claiming that the messiah was on the scene… perhaps even making the claim about himself.
There is also the chance that this statement was just the opening to his words that day. That he preached for a long while. That they were impressed with the explanation of Isaiah, and he may have even clearly stated that the scripture was a reference to himself.
The initial reaction is like going to a piano recital or to a school play. Everyone is complementary. “ Wasn’t that nice.” Perhaps there are even adult situations, you go to hear a lecture or see a movie with other people and you did not like it but they seem to love it. They are your friends or family so you say one thing and perhaps think another.
I am very grateful that I can’t hear other people’s thoughts. Perhaps I am even more grateful that other people don’t hear mine. I believe that most of us will think something that we would never say out loud. Sometimes we don’t even really believe what we are thinking, just questions or doubts that might offend someone or be rude.
So according to our scripture the outward response to Jesus is favorable. Even the Question - “Isn’t hat Joseph’s son?” can be positive.
Perhaps it is the tone of voice or inflection that we don’t have today. Isn’t that Joseph’s Son? The carpenter, a common workman…. A few years ago this man was a helper working on my cart or house. We have known him all his life. Is he claiming to fulfill scripture, to be a prophet,, Messiah???
We can only guess at what the thoughts were, Good or bad. Some may have seen a value in his message exactly because of his apparent abilities.
Maybe the biggest unspoken thing was the request for a miracle. No one ask, but Jesus dialog hints at several potential ideas.
23Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ’Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’ "
That seems like a really harsh response unless something was said or whispered or being thought and Jesus could tell.
Last week we heard that Jesus had taught and been received well in other places. That the people were telling about miraculous things and great teaching. Now he is home and something is different. Something or someone sets him off.
He is doing something unexpected and has challenged the hometown folks. They have to make a decision, perhaps the same decision that for the past several weeks strangers in the other places have already made. There is no room to sit on the fence. You are on one side or the other. Do you believe his teaching or not. Jesus seems to have the ability to be able to tell and know the overall score in the synagogue.
The proverb “Physician Heal thyself” is interpreted to be a reference to take care of yourself and your family. And the it seems to be a reference to the stories or rumors that have been spread around. Perhaps people have already been asking for a little proof of what they heard or maybe they are just thinking. Prove it…Show us a miracle – heal someone or me.. Prove it.
Jesus response :
24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
This home town folks seem to want the miracle before they can have faith. They think a miracle or a sign will make them believe. Unfortunately, the history of human nature shows that the request to prove it normally does not prove anything to someone that does not want or is not already willing to believe.
-What do we think when a death row prisoner says they repent. What is our first thought. Praise God or Yea right!
Do ya’ll remember a time when you saw a magician and you believed in magic. As a kid, I was dazzled by the simplest of tricks. Unfortunately, now I know that “trick” is the key word. At some point I lost my belief that a magician can do magic. Now when I see a magician, no matter how good and how perfect they fool me, I know it is not real. My familiarity with magician, means that I will never accept magic exists.
The people are familiar with Jesus to the point that they want to see a trick, so Jesus performs no miracles.
Jesus knows that they have already rejected the message he has brought and in doing so have rejected Him.
He brings up a history lesson of Elija and Elisah. The lesson is a reminder of times when people refused to respond to God’s messengers. Israel had already gone through several periods of idolatry and unfaithfulness. And God moved his blessing and mercy outside the nation. He fed Gentile widows and healed Gentile lepers while Israel suffered.
So he is not going give them any PROOF of special powers or knowledge like he has supposedly done else ware.
The situation: he comes in acting like he knows God and he suggest right there in the synagogue that they are unrighteous. His teaching has said God may bless the gentiles and reject Israel.
The crowd responds to the message poorly. They don’t prayerfully consider the message and decide not to ask him to give the lesson again. They get mad and grab Jesus in anger; they just leave worship, no closing prayer or benediction.
People don’t like to be reminded of when they really messed up or were wrong. Jesus is challenging how they have received the news of the messiah, they feel he has blasphemed God. How dare this young wipper snapper act this way in Church?
They started out thinking that Jesus is a pretty good guy. A good teacher, but he is no messiah. He is the carpenter’s son and is the best he will ever be.
If they let him get away with talking like this they have all sinned. We better get rid of this guy. They head for the cliff on the edge of town and are going to throw him off. -- Jesus walks away from the crowd.
-- Can you go home again?
Last week I suggested that if you stay within the hometown’s expectations you are always welcome. Today, the text suggests that if you insist on making sure that they know you have changed and that they may need to change too, it can be deadly.
-- Perhaps the Question is not about us.
Maybe the question is - can we let Jesus Come home again?
- How would we react if he speaks to us and tells us our priorities are in the wrong place?
- How would we react if he looked at what we value and asked why?
What would we do if he said to us you missed the whole point.
- Would we kick him out the door?
Some people have and even some churches have. Sometime Jesus walks in dresses simply and is quiet and when no one notices - he slips out. We don’t have to get angry and throw him out. He knows when he is not welcome and moves on to work in a place where faith already exist. A place where they are watching for miracles because they know they will happen. They pray with the knowledge that Their God can and does hear them because the messiah has come.
What do we expect from Jesus? Do we know him to the point hat we expect him to just be good and don’t expect us to do anything? We ask for a miracle but don’t want our lives changed or demands placed on our resources.
Jesus wants us to be familiar with him. Which means that we don’t mold him to our expectations, we must mold to His!
All Glory be to God!
Communion:
Today I mentioned that I did not believe in magic. I did not say that I don’t believe in miracles. I believe that God works miracles in our world all the time and he does not get the credit most of the time. Good luck or good planning or something else is given the credit. Today we are again invited to approach our Lords table. If we are in the family of God we automatically have a place.
Every child of God will have his or her place at the table. There will be exactly enough chairs because Jesus has an exact count of all who have claimed their place through him. The interesting thing is that there are some people that we looked at and thought we knew we would NOT see. And yet there they are sitting at a place of honor. And unfortunately there will be some faces missing the we were positive would have a place . There will be no empty chairs because for Jesus it was never a surprise.
We all have to make our own claim. We all have to make our choice. There is no room on the fence.
To me the biggest miracle in my life is that I have a place at the table. It seems so hard to imaging that God’s grace extends to an imperfect sinner like me.
The Lords table is open to all who seek to have a relationship with him. All who want to know or understand him better!
When you come to the lord’s table this morning, you are saying that you believe in miracles. That there is something that we can’t explain that happens and you want to be a part of it.
Our alter is never closed, if you want to spend some time on your knees alone or if you want someone to pray with or for you there is no better time that now.
Let us Pray!
