They Could Have Had Jesus

For Those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture passages read prior to the Message. Today's assigned passages are 2 Samuel 5:1-10; Psalm 48; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 and Mark 6:1-13.

A saying that goes back as far as ..." Publius" the Syrian... in 2 BC.

And we see in today's Gospel text ...... how this happened to Jesus... when he returned... to his hometown ...of Nazareth.

Beloved... "Familiarity ... breeds contempt".

Yet ...Hear me on this.

"Familiarity breeds contempt" ... only ... only ... with ...... contemptible things ... or among ...contemptible people. REPEAT

The contempt shown by the Nazarenes... said nothing about Jesus Christ, ...yet ... it said a great deal... about ... them!

I am convinced ... that people ... are not opposed ... to having someone from their hometown ...become successful ... or even famous.

Yet......we are so familiar ...with those we grow up with... that we often fail... to see the potential ...the greatness ...in them.

How often ... have we heard someone place a slur ...toward some successful person... that they knew in their youth...instead of rejoicing... for them.

They seem to be surprised ...and even suspicious... of their success.

If we are not careful ... we could miss much ...of what is important in life... if we limit ... our vision. (Pause)

There was a vegetable juice commercial... where someone would drink a soda ...or some other type of juice.

And then realize ... that they had missed out on something better.

The commercial would end, ... (Lift the can) "Wow... I could have had ...a V8.

That was a catchy phrase ... but when it is applied to life... missing out on what Jesus has for us ... can have eternal consequences.

We must have an open heart ... to the movement of God.

You do not want to miss out...on what the Lord... has in store... for you.

Do not settle for less ......When you could have had Jesus. (Pause)

In our text ... Jesus returns to Nazareth ... where a year before ......He had been... rejected by the people ... and evicted ... from the synagogue. (Luke 4:16--30).

Jesus returns to Nazareth ... where he is rejected by the people ... evicted from the synagogue ... and driven from his hometown.

It was certainly an act of grace on His part... to give the people ...another opportunity ...to hear the Good News.

Another opportunity ... to believe, ...Another opportunity ... to be saved.

Yet their hearts ...remained ... hardened.

They could have had Jesus ... yet they chose unbelief.

In the previous chapter... Mark records how Jesus had performed... great miracles ... throughout the Region.

He had healed A man... possessed by a legion of demons. (Mark 5: 1-20)

He had raised Jairus' (Jair-us) 12-year-old daughter ... from the dead (Mark 5:21-43).

And now in our Gospel Text ...we see Jesus' returning home ... to Nazareth.

Our Lord had moved away from the crowds... in order to find rest.

Our Lord's reputation ...had once again preceded Him, ...so He was permitted ...to teach... in the synagogue.

We read from God's Word: 1. BIBLE "On the Sabbath ... he began to teach in the Synagogue ... and many who heard him ... were astounded" END (Do Not Put Bible Down) (Mark 6:2).

Mark does not actually tell us... what flamed the controversy.

Instead ... judging by the response ...he leaves us with the impression ... that what Jesus taught ... must have touched the very core ... of their souls.

For we read how the Nazarenes responded:

2. BIBLE "Where did this man get all this?"... "What is this wisdom that has been given him? ... What deeds of power are being done by his hands! ... Is not this... the carpenter, ...the son of Mary ...and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon ...and are not his sisters here with us?"...And they took offence ... at him." END (Mark 6:3)

They were offended by Him ... they took offense at him.

The contrast between a peasant carpenter of Galilee ......who had earned His daily bread ...by the sweat of His brow.

With the Person... who delivered those wonderful discourses ...and performed those miracles, ...was too much... for His townspeople.

Remember the words of Nathanial one of the twelve ... when he heard that Jesus came from Nazareth?

"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46)

It was a town ... with less than a stellar ... reputation.

They took offence ......they were astonished... The Greek verb is ek-ples-so ... means "to strike out, to expel by ...a blow...".

The verb is imperfect, ...indicating ... that this condition of being beside themselves ... continued ...for some time.

Their astonishment was so great... that their composure ...was exhausted.

The discourse ... and the miracles of our Lord ...struck them so forcibly... that they were astonished ...to the point of losing control... of themselves.