See Jesus’ Response To Unbelief!

What is your favorite picture of Jesus? If you were to close your eyes and bring to mind your best loved drawing or painting of Jesus, which one would it be? Perhaps you would recall one the many images showing Jesus as the Good Shepherd. That has been a favorite among Christians for generations. Or maybe your heart is drawn to a classic painting of Jesus holding little children in his arms and blessing them. Your thoughts regarding a beloved picture of Jesus may go in a slightly different direction. You may favor a picture of Jesus performing a miracle— showing care and compassion to someone in need. Or perhaps your preferred picture of Jesus is one connected to his suffering and death. Your favorite picture of Jesus is one of him praying in Gethsemane, or even of him hanging on Calvary’s cross.

If we were to look at all of the popular pictures of Jesus would we see something that they have in common? Generally, Jesus is pictured as the compassionate and caring friend of sinners. Most artists have portrayed Jesus as kind and gentle, or as God’s suffering servant.

Although dearly loved by his followers these portrayals of Jesus are somewhat one sided. There are only a few drawings and paintings that picture Jesus in a very different way. At times Jesus was stern. We know that a couple of times he was indignant and even angry. When he drove the merchants and moneychangers out of the Temple he didn’t look like the meek and mild Jesus so often pictured by artists. And according to the Scriptures we know that he will not look like that on Judgment Day either.

Perhaps because we love Jesus we want to believe that he always looked like he is most often pictured. In our minds we would like to think of him as always being soft spoken and always gentle in his dealings with people. But we know from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry that he wasn’t always that way. At times he presented a picture of himself that was the opposite of those things.

In the Gospel Lesson for today we have an example of a time when Jesus’ face most certainly didn’t look the way artists most often picture him. He was rejected by the people of his hometown. He knew going into the synagogue in Nazareth that he would face unbelief. The people there would reject his message and mission. But still the same, Jesus reached out to them with the Gospel. Since examples like these are recorded in the Scriptures to warn us and to teach us we too need to take this Gospel Lesson to heart. May God the Holy Spirit open our eyes to:

“SEE JESUS’ RESPONSE TO UNBELIEF!”

I. He warns all who reject his message and mission

II. He continues to reach out to all who will listen

The Gospel Lesson for today is a continuation of our Gospel Lesson from last weekend. On a Sabbath Day Jesus visited the synagogue (the local church) in his hometown of Nazareth. He was honored, as a visiting Rabbi (teacher) usually was, by being asked to read the Scripture lesson for the day and to explain it to the people. (The worship service in the Jewish synagogue was very similar to the one which we are using this morning. Psalms were sung and prayers were spoken. A selection from one of the five books of Moses and a portion of one of the Old Testament books of prophecy were read.) One of the readings was then explained in what we would likely call a sermon. Jesus was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Luke tells us, “Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.’” And as we heard in our Gospel Lesson last week and today Jesus rolled up the scroll, and began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

I.

At first it seemed like the people of Nazareth were ready to listen to Jesus. “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.” On the surface the people gathered at the synagogue were impressed with what Jesus had to say. His words were filled with grace—that is God’s undeserved love. However, the people of Nazareth seem to have been taken aback at the fact that although he was raised in their town he had something so meaningful to say.