An Average Joe

Stephen continues his amazing sermon before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:9-16.  The high priest has basically asked him how he pleads to the charge of blasphemy (Acts 7:1).  

Instead of answering the question, Steve begins by flipping open the Bible and proving to the council that Jesus is indeed the long-awaited Messiah that God promised throughout the Old Testament.  

In other words, Steve says the entire OT is about Jesus!

We must not get sidetracked when we study the OT.  These are not a series of moral stories about great men and women who are to be emulated.  Not at all.  They are not the heroes of the story.  

This is God's story!  He is the Hero!  Through the OT, He shows us how He consistently does amazing things through the lives of jacked up, stiff necked, sinful people.  

God is the Hero of the story! 

Steve first tells the story of how God graciously interacted with Abraham, his son Isaac, grandson Jacob and his great grandchildren, "the twelve patriarchs" (Acts 7:2-8).  

Again, don’t take the bait and see these men as great examples.  This is messed up bunch that God graciously used.  

Abraham lied about his wife to save his own skin, not once, but twice.  Isaac was the head of horribly dysfunctional family.  Jacob was a conniving backstabber who schemes to get his brother's birthright.

At this point, I would strongly encourage a reading of Genesis 37, 39-49.  This is the story of Joseph that Steve is about to relate.

This leads us to the twelve patriarchs.  Surely the dozen sons of Jacob were the pillars upon which the nation of Israel stands.  These twelve men are so famous and respected that the twelve tribes take their names from them.  

But there's just one problem with all of that.  It's not true.  Jake's boys put the funk in dysfunction.  These so-called twelve patriarchs are probably better understood as the Dirty Dozen.  

Stephen tells us that "the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt" (v9).  Not exactly the behavior you'd expect from the founding fathers of your faith.

The reason this shouldn't surprise us is that the twelve patriarchs aren't the heroes of the story.  And neither is their brother Joseph.  

Sure, he is less culpable but he's brought some of this on himself with all this immature talk that his brothers and parents would bow down before him (Gen 37:6-11).  Talk about a cocky kid brother!

Joseph is just, well, an average Joe.  There's just one thing different about the boy.  "But God was with him" (v9).  An average Joe accompanied by our awesome Jehovah.  God's great big hand is strongly on little Joe as he rolls into Egypt.  

The presence of God in someone’s life means nothing but lifestyles of the rich and famous, right?  Wrong.  

It’s not long before Joe is wrongly convicted of raping his boss’ wife and tossed into prison for decades.  But he was able to stand strong because "God was with him” (v9).

Joe didn't use any great skill or wisdom to break out of prison.  Nope.  This was God at work.  

Don't forget, God is the Hero of Joe's story.  It's God that "rescued him out of all his afflictions" (v10).  

But this amazing comeback story of our average Joe doesn't stop there.  God then "gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt” (v10).  From the prison cell to the throne room.  Talk about a turnaround!

God eventually places Joseph as number two in authority of the Egyptian government under Pharaoh.  Our sovereign Lord then brings Joe's family to town looking for food during a famine.  Eventually, Jacob and the entire fam pack up and move to Egypt.

God is not only the Hero of average Joe's story, He's the Hero of the Old Testament.  He's the Hero of the entire Bible.  And He's the Hero of my story.  Hopefully, He's the Hero of your story.        

The story of Joseph reminds us that any average Joe that God chooses to use will do great things.  Because He is the Hero of the story.

©2011

Jay Jennings

Not Your Average Joe

When Life Goes off the Rails

Put yourself in Joe’s sandals for a minute. 

You’re a simple, hammer-swinging carpenter from the boondocks of Nazareth. You recently popped 

the question to that cute girl named Mary who lives across town. You breathed a huge sigh of relief when she said “yes!”

Before Joe and Mary can plan their wedding, life goes completely off the rails. You can read all about it in Matthew’s bio of Jesus (Mt 1:18-25). 

Joe’s Crazy Dream

Suddenly, she’s a pregnant teenager and says it’s God’s baby. He plans to call the whole thing off. Quietly, of course. Let’s keep the embarrassment to a minimum.

That’s when he has a crazy dream about an angel who tells Joe to pump his brakes. According to the angel, everything his fiancee´ says is true! 

Wife-to-Be, Mother-to-Be, Savior-to-Be

God’s messenger lets Joe know that he’s should not only go through with the wedding but that he’s gonna be the adoptive dad of the long awaited Hero from heaven. And I thought my nightmare about being running naked to take the final I didn’t study for was out there!

Despite all the chaos, the blue collar guy from Galilee hangs in there. He does what God says. He stands by his wife-to-be who’s a mother-to-be carrying the Savior-to-be. 

Why? He’s not your average Joe.

How It All Went Down

Matt the disciple tells us how it all went down. “This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit” (v18).

There’s a LOT going on in this verse! Thousands of years ago, God promised to send One to the rescue (Gen 3:15). But He won’t be born into privilege to some young power couple. Nope. As a matter of fact, He’ll be at the center of a small town scandal.  

Not That Kind of Girl

Joe and Mary haven’t gotten married yet. They’re still engaged. Now engagement back in First Century Israel is WAY different than it is today. It’s a legally binding commitment. So much so that it would take a divorce to end the relationship.

This is even more shocking because Mary doesn’t have a rep around town of being that kind of girl. Despite never sleeping around, there’s no question this teenage girl has a bun in the oven. 

Who’s the Daddy?

And have you heard who she’s said is the daddy? She claims “she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit” (v15). That’s crazy talk! Nobody’s buying that. Especially her fiancé. 

Let’s face it. It’s not exactly kosher to send out birth announcements before mailing the wedding invitations. You don’t get those things out of order…especially in ancient Jewish culture.

Keep It Quiet

Matt tells us what’s going through the carpenter’s head. “Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly” (v19).

Joe’s first thought is to end it. But he won’t make it a big deal. Best to keep it quiet. The phrase “disgrace her publicly” is actually just one word in Greek (Gr. παραδειγματιζω/paradeigmatizo). 

It means to make somebody a public example in order to openly shame and expose them. Think of a nasty political campaign when one candidate does everything possible to dig up dirt on their opponent. That kinda thing.

A Target of Rocks

If he makes it public, Mary will become more than just the object of shame. She becomes the target of rocks. The law of Moses calls for the execution of any woman who gets pregnant before walking down the aisle (Dt 22:23).

Scribbling in the Dirt

As a matter of fact, death by stoning is the pretty much the punishment for most sexual immorality for God’s chosen people. That’s what’s at stake when the Pharisees drag a woman caught in adultery to Jesus for His take (Jn 4:1-11).

After scribbling a few things in the dirt, the Lord gets her accusers to drop their rocks and walk away. I have to wonder if He thinks of what could have happened to His own mom as looks into eyes of this broken woman.

Has this Galilean craftsman personally witnessed the public execution of someone who’s been caught sleeping around? Has he actually participated in one? 

A Righteous Man

Whatever the case, Joe just couldn’t do that to Mary. Her story may be out there but that’s just not how you treat somebody. Why? We get a tip in the description of him as “a righteous man” (v19). 

The word “righteous” in the original language is δικαιος/dikaios. In the strictest sense, that means someone who is perfect. Never doing the wrong thing. Always doing the right thing.

None. Zip. Zero.

Is THAT what Matt means when he paints his picture of Joe the Carpenter? Nope. A thousand years before, King David wrote lyrics to a song that say it’s not possible for anybody to meet that impossible standard.

It goes a little something like this. “All have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” (Ps 14:3). None. Zip. Zero.

A Heavenly Bundle of Joy

That’s the same psalm a former rabbi named Paul quotes in a letter to fellow Jesus followers in Rome. “No one is righteous (Gr. δικαιος/dikaios)—not even one” (Rom 3:10). 

Notice how he uses the very same word? Well that eliminates Joseph. As well as you and me. The only one who checks that box is the sinless the Son of God. That little bundle of heavenly joy in Mary’s womb.

Your 9-1-1 Call

If he’s not sinless, what exactly is Matt’s point? The term also can mean someone who’s virtuous and upright. You probably know the kind of person he’s talking about. That good friend who won’t let you down. I’m guessing they’re your 9-1-1 call. 

In other words, he’s not your average Joe.

Kooky Christmas Dreams

As Mary’s fiance´ tries to figure out how to pull this off and keep things on the down low, something crazy happens. “As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream” (v20). 

And you thought Ebenezer Scrooge had some kooky Christmas dreams! Wait until you hear about Joe’s wild night.

Doubling Down on Mary’s Dream

As his head hits the pillow, he clearly has his doubts about Mary’s story. Remember what she told him? Another angel named Gabriel tells her how God’s Spirit has come upon her and that she’ll soon be the miraculous virgin mother of Messiah (Lk 1:26-38).

The angel in carpenter’s dream doubles down on just about everything Gabe has told Mary. “Joseph, son of David…do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the Child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit” (v20).

An Angelic Gender Reveal

Whoa. As if that’s not enough, the messenger keeps spitting prophetic truth about this Baby on the way. “And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (v21).

Talk about a gender reveal! Nobody’s beating this one. Seriously, an angel in a dream letting the adoptive dad that this unborn Infant is a boy. No blue balloons, confetti, cake, or smoke. Get an angel for your gender reveal party and then we’ll talk.

No Need for Baby Names

Joe and Mary also don’t have to worry about coming up with a name for their baby Boy. No need to 

search the web for the hottest names. This one comes straight from His Heavenly Dad. Jesus.

The angel explains why this will be the Child’s name. “For He will save His people from their sins” (v21). In many cultures throughout history, names carry purpose and meaning. Over and over in the Bible, we see that connection. That’s what’s going on here.

God to the Rescue

A closer look at the name “Jesus (Gr. ‘Ιησους/‘Iesous)” does just that. It literally means “Yahweh Saves.” It’s actually how you say the Hebrew name Joshua in Greek. So when God tells you to name your Son “God to the Rescue,” it’s kind of a big deal!

Notice what Jesus will save folks from. Not the Romans. Not high taxes. Not the liberals. Not the conservatives. From. Their. Sins.

The Enemy in the Mirror

What a powerful reminder that our biggest enemy is staring back at us in the mirror every morning. Can we talk frankly? Thanks. Aren’t most of your biggest issues self-inflicted? Yeah, me too.

Because of that, Jesus has come to save us from OURSELVES! 

Calling This Shot

And get this, Isaiah called this shot 700 years before it happened. “All this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet” (v22). Josh McDowell says Jesus checks the box on at least 300 predictions of His coming in the Old Testament. This is just one of them.

Specifically, prophet predicted, “Look! The virgin will conceive a Child! She will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (v23, Is 7:14). 

Our Divine First Responder

And for those of us who don’t know ancient Hebrew (which includes just about everybody, including me!), Matthew unpacks what’s behind that particular nickname for our Savior. It “means ‘God is with us’” (v23).

This is what really smart folks like to call the incarnation. God puts on the earth suit of human flesh makes as our divine First Responder. Jesus leaves the luxury of the heavenly palace and makes the ultimate dumpster dive to save us from our sin.

What We So Desperately Need

He can’t do what we so desperately need done for us without getting personally involved. Only when God is with us can He live the perfect life we fail to live, die the death we should have died, and rise to the new life we don’t deserve.

In the Morning

Next thing Joe knows, it’s morning. Can’t you see the Galilean carpenter rubbing his eyes and wondering what happened? Was it really an angel or just the pizza he had for dinner?

He soon realizes what he was told is legit. “When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife” (v24). A quiet divorce is off the table. He goes through with the wedding despite his fiancee´ being pregnant.

Joe’s Supernatural Assignment

Joseph ignores the rampant rumors and small-town scandal. He has a supernatural assignment as the husband to the Messiah’s mom and the adoptive dad to the Son of God. 

After the wedding, Matt tells us the newlyweds didn’t do what usually newlyweds do. “But he did not have sexual relations with her until her Son was born” (v25). Her new hubby waits patiently for a few more months. 

An Unexpected Road Trip to Bethlehem

In this way, Mary maintains her virginity until after giving birth to her baby Boy. You’ve probably heard that part of the story. The two make unexpected road trip to an overbooked Bethlehem. 

They end up bedding down with the livestock. Mom goes into labor. They turn a feed trough into basinet. Angels sing. Shepherds visit. But that’s another story for another time.

One Last Thing

There’s one last thing for this new dad to do. “And Joseph named Him Jesus” (v25). Joe makes sure to finish the job given him by the angel by giving the Baby His name. 

We really don’t know much more about Joe after Jesus’ birth. Matt describes how he has a couple of more dreams with angels. 

Two More Angel Dreams

The next time it happens, the messenger tells him to skedaddle with his new family to Egypt before the king kills every baby boy in Bethlehem (Mt 2:13-18).

It’s happens a final time when it’s time to move back home to Nazareth (Mt 2:19-23). Gotta wonder if this is the same angel who shows up all three times. I’m kinda thinking so.

A Parent’s Worst Nightmare

Then there’s the time Joe and Mary lose young Jesus during a visit to Jerusalem (Lk 2:41-52). Talk about a parent’s worst nightmare! Imagine putting out an Amber alert for the Son of God!!

After that, Joseph disappears from the pages of Scripture. We’re not sure what happens to him but at some point it’s clear Mary’s a single mom (Mk 3:31-35). That means Jesus knows the heartbreak of losing your earthly dad. 

Far from Perfect 

As we said before, Joe’s far from perfect. He needs Jesus to save him too. But God handpicks this specific hammer swinger from Galilee as the one to raise His one and only Son.

What a powerful reminder that our Heavenly Dad can use anybody He chooses. He’s not just looking for the most impressive resumes or LinkedIn profiles to take part in His plan.

Ability or Availability?

The crazy thing is that He absolutely loves using folks that everybody else considers useless. God consistently selects the overlooked, the nobodies, and the powerless to get the job done (1Cor 1:26-29). That way, He gets all the credit.

So what’s the quality the Lord’s looking for? Willingness. His favorite ability is availability. Take the time He asks for volunteers, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” (Is 6:8).

Ready to Roll

Before hearing the details of the assignment, a man named Isaiah steps up and says, “Here I am. Send me” (Is 6:8). That’s good news for folks like you and me. No special training or certifications needed. Just a heart that’s ready to roll.

Sounds a lot like our man Joseph. Hard working. Eager. Available for God. Obedient to God. Sadly those folks are few and far between.

That’s why he’s not your average Joe.

©2019

Jay Jennings

Hometown Time Machine

Have You Seen a TARDIS?

My hometown has a time machine. I’ve never seen it, but I’m totally convinced it’s around. I’ve never noticed a TARDIS, a souped up DeLorean, any Flux Capacitors, or a WABAC machine. But I know it’s there somewhere.

Why? Because every time I go home, I travel back in time. I suddenly become twelve years old again. Instead of being a husband, dad, and grandfather, I believe the lie that I’m still an underachieving, awkward middle schooler.

Who Says You Can’t Go Home?

Let me put it another way. Jon Bon Jovi asks the musical question, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home?” In many ways, author Thomas Wolfe seems to have the most appropriate answer. “You Can’t Go Home Again.”

In Mark’s bio of our Savior, Jesus apparently has a similar problem. We read about the time the Lord comes back home only to be dismissed by the people who watched Him grow up. Prophet? Messiah? Are you kidding me?!? He’s just Joe and Mary’s Boy.

Who Is Jesus?

It’s a key moment in Mark’s account of Christ. The mega-theme of the first eight chapters focuses on His identity. Who is Jesus? The author provides story after story where people wrestle with this question. As a result, Mark drops it all at our feet and forces us to decide for ourselves.

Here in Mark 6:1-6, we see our Savior heading back to His hometown after some very crazy days. It all begins with Jesus’ weird, bug-eating cousin baptizing Him and the other two Members of the Trinity show up to fully endorse Him as the Son of God (Mk 1:4-11).

A Rapid-Fire Pace

With the rapid-fire pace of an action movie, Christ stares down the devil (Mk 1:14-15), assembles His ragtag team (Mk 1:16-20; 2:13-14; 3:13-19), performs one miracle after another (Mk 1:23-34, 40-45; 2:1-12; 3:1-7, 10-12; 4:35-41; 5:1-43), and teaches like nobody before or since (Mk 1:21-22; 4:1-34).

While Jesus draws huge crowds, He also draws the attention of Jewish religious leaders. According to them, He’s preaching and teaching without a license (Mk 2:6-7, 16, 24-26; 3:2-6, 22). Even His own family has serious doubts, not just about His identity but His sanity (Mk 3:21, 31)!

No Garden Variety Teacher

If you’re scoring along at home at this point in Mark’s Gospel, it’s becoming pretty stinking obvious that this radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth is no garden variety traveling teacher. Could He be divine? Could He be the long awaited Hero God promised to send?

As Jesus rolls back into Nazareth, He’s stepping back into the hometown time machine. The folks living there just can’t see Him as anything but Joe and Mary’s oldest Boy. The carpenter’s kid. And who can forget the local scandal her pregnancy caused?

Heading Home

Mark picks up the story with Christ and His team hitting the road from Capernaum, which was just the scene of doubleheader of healing (Mk 5:21-43). “Jesus left that part of the country and returned with His disciples to Nazareth, His hometown” (v1).

He’s heading home. Ah yes, Nazareth. These days, just about every person on the planet knows it as the city where Jesus grew up. It’s a destination vacation. To this day, the local chamber of commerce leverages their hometown Boy made good. Don’t forget to visit the gift shop on your way out!

A Hick Town in the Boondocks

But a couple of thousand years ago, Nazareth is anything but famous. It’s a hick town in the boondocks of Galilee. The population of this bump in the road is a couple of hundred if you’re being generous.

If you want to confirmation of its image as a hillbilly hamlet, check out what one of Jesus’ own disciples had to say about it when found out that’s where He’s from. ‘“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. ‘Can anything good come from there?’” (Jn 1:46).

A Second Chance

This isn’t Jesus’ first homecoming after beginning His ministry. Luke tells the story of a previous visit to the local synagogue when our Savior reads from Isaiah 61 and basically announces that He’s Messiah (Lk 4:16-31). Take about a mic drop moment.

Yeah, that didn’t end well. Local yokels not only aren’t buying it. They just see Him as Joe’s Boy, NOT the Anointed One. Next thing you know, they run the Lord out the synagogue and try to throw Him off a cliff.

While some much smarter Bible experts think Mark tells the same story Luke describes, I tend to agree with A.T. Robertson. He believes Jesus is giving Nazareth a second chance. And why not? It’s where His mom and the rest of His family lives.

Our Savior on the Sabbath

When the next weekend rolls around, we see Jesus making His return to the local house of worship. “The next Sabbath He began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. They asked, ‘Where did He get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?’” (v2).

No surprise to finding Him teaching in the local synagogue. If it’s a Saturday, chances are you’ll probably find Jesus teaching God’s Word at a worship service somewhere (Mt 4:23; 9:35; 13:54; Mk 1:21; Lk 4:15, 31; 6:6; 13:10; Jn 18:20).

A Sucker Punch

When Jesus teaches, you can count on people being blown away. Some things just go together. Peanut butter and jelly. Bacon and eggs. Batman and Robin. Anytime you see Christ on the platform, you’ll find an audience in the palm of His holy hand (Mt 7:28; 13:54; 19:25; 22:33; Mk 1:22; 7:37; 10:26; 11:18; Lk 2:48; 4:32; 9:43).

Mark’s word choice that the NLT translates as “amazed” is interesting. It’s the Greek verb εκπλησσω/ekplesso. It literally means to punch unexpectedly, like a surprise attack or a sucker punch. It’s being shocked almost to the point of panic and fear.

Jesus teaches in a way that catches us off guard. He shocks. He astounds. He overwhelms. He bewilders. That’s exactly what happens this particular Saturday at the synagogue in Nazareth.

The Crowd Turns Ugly

But without warning, the crowd turns ugly. That’s when the time machine does it’s magic. They suddenly don’t see Him as the Teacher of God’s Truth. Wait a minute! That’s Joe and Mary’s oldest Boy.

“Then they scoffed, ‘He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And His sisters live right here among us.’ They were deeply offended and refused to believe in Him” (v3).

Christ the Craftsman

First of all, did you know this is the only time Jesus is called a carpenter in the entire Bible. Yup. You’re looking at it. As a matter of fact, the only time someone refers to Christ as “just the carpenter’s Son” in Matthew’s version of this same event (Mt 13:55).

Actually the word we translate as “carpenter” (Gr. τεκτων/tekton) actually means craftsman, artisan, builder, or maker. It describes someone skilled in using a variety of hard materials like wood, stone, and metal (possibly all three).

Swinging a Hammer

If you’ve ever been to Israel, you know there’s not exactly a lot of lumber. Stone was and is the predominant building material in the land. I’m not saying Jesus and His adoptive dad weren’t carpenters. But chances are, they weren’t simply carpenters.

For instance, there was a massive construction project in Caesarea Philippi at the time. It’s just 38 miles from Nazareth. Did Joseph and even Jesus work there as craftsmen, carpenters, and masons?

It does seem clear that the Lord clearly carried on the family business, swinging a hammer just like His earthly dad. The Son of God isn’t some squeaky clean holy man afraid to get his hands dirty. He’s a blue collar laborer who knows what it means to put in a hard day’s work.

Building and Restoring

So what does being a carpenter have to do with being our Savior? I love how David Naugle puts it. A craftsman makes what is needed and restores what is broken. In very simple terms, he creates and redeems. That’s EXACTLY what Christ does. For us. For His creation.

Jesus is the Master Craftsman. He’s making something special in each one of His followers. No matter what you’re like now, He guarantees to complete the project (Phil 1:6). You can bet we’ll all be His masterpiece (Eph 2:10).

Dredging up an Old Scandal

Mark points out how the locals refer to Him as the “son of Mary” (v3). Either Joe has already died or they’re dredging up the old scandal of being conceived before His parents were married. Probably both. In other words, they see His status as Messiah and prophet as well as His birth as all illegitimate.

NOT an Only Child

Check out the size of Jesus’ family! He’s got at least seven siblings. Some religious traditions try to say Christ was an only Child. There’s just one little problem with that. The Bible. Kinda difficult to work around that.

Jesus is the first born and the oldest of five boys. While His brothers and sisters didn’t believe their big Brother was Messiah at first, that all changes when He came walking out of the cemetery three days after His funeral.

James not only ended up believing in His big Brother, but went on to lead the church in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; 1Cor 15:7; Gal 1:19; 2:1, 12), and write a book of the Bible called, what else, but “James.”

Kid brother Judas, also known as Jude (you DO understand why he would shorten his name, don’t you?) also wrote a letter to the followers that’s in the NT.

Triggering Trouble

The naysayers mention Jesus’ family as a way of dismissing Him. So much so that they’re “deeply offended” (v3). This is a powerful word in the original language (Gr. σκανδαλιζω/skandalizo). It’s where we get our word “scandal.”

It means to totally reject someone or something while at the same time becoming angry and indignant. It comes from the Greek word σκανδαλον/skandalon which describes the trigger or trip wire in a trap.

Who Do You Think You Are?!?

What Jesus says and does in the synagogue that Saturday triggers trouble among the people of His hometown. They’re memory of Him trips them up. They didn’t just blow Him off. They blow up.

Can’t you just hear them? I can’t believe You would do such a thing!  How dare you!! Who do You think You are?!?!? Spoiler alert: He’s EXACTLY who He thinks and says He is…the one and only Son of God.

Powdered Butt Syndrome

When the hometown crowd turns ugly, it’s almost like Christ saw it coming. “Then Jesus told them, ‘A prophet is honored everywhere except in his hometown and among his relatives and his own family’” (v4). This is apparently a common saying back in the day.

It’s sorta like what financial guru Dave Ramsey likes to call the “powdered butt syndrome.” That’s when people have a hard time taking guidance from whose diaper they’ve changed.

Naugle says sometimes we’re just too close to people and too big for our own britches to recognize the true greatness of others, even if they’re standing right in front of us! Jesus experiences that first hand in His hometown.

The Hero from Nazareth

A couple of interesting points when Jesus uses proverb. Our Savior clearly sees Himself as a prophet. This would be a fulfillment of a prediction Moses made a few thousand years before (Dt 18:15; Acts 3:22; 7:37).

But the locals can’t swallow that Jesus is Messiah, much less a prophet. Ironically, previous prophets had predicted that the Hero whom God promised to send would be actually be a Nazarene, which comes from one of the Hebrew words for “Branch” (Is 11:1; Mt 2:23).

Christ’s Kryptonite?

We then read one of the saddest verses in the New Testament. “And because of their unbelief, He couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them” (v5).

If you’re like me, this has me scratching my head. Did their unbelief limit His divine power? Is their rejection some sort of divine Kryptonite to Christ?

Get into Position

Well, we can be sure of one thing. Jesus didn’t stop being God! I think John MacArthur nails this one. This verse suggests that because the locals don’t believe Him, folks don’t come to Him for healing like they do down the road in places like Capernaum.

Their disbelief put serious limits on their ability to receive God’s blessing. It’s a powerful warning that we need to do everything possible to place ourselves in position to be on the receiving end of His grace!

Knocking Jesus’ Socks off

As God in the flesh, few things catch Jesus off guard. The great Nazarene rejection is one of them. Mark writes, “And He was amazed at their unbelief” (v6). He doesn’t lose His cool. He doesn’t blow His stack. He feels sorry for them.

There’s only one other time when something knocks Jesus’ socks off (well, I guess He probably wasn’t wearing socks, but if He did, they would be off!). That’s when a Roman army officer trusts in Christ’s heavenly authority to heal one of his employees (Mt 8:10).

When People Don’t WANT to Believe

A.T. Robertson finds an interesting contrast between these two events. With the Roman soldier, Jesus marvels at finding faith where you might not expect it. With His own hometown, He marvels at the lack of faith where you might expect it…and that includes His own family!

Here’s the bottom line, the very sad bottom line. Some people just don’t want to believe. There’s nothing you can do, nothing you can say, no evidence you can provide that will change their mind. Jesus is staring back at a synagogue full of those very people.

Nazareth in the Rearview Mirror

And with that, our Savior packs it up and puts Nazareth in His rearview mirror. “Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people” (v6). Mark literally says Jesus went in a circle visiting the other small towns.

A truckload of NT scholars think the last half of verse six probably belongs in verse seven. But take just a moment to consider the emotion of that moment. This is where Jesus grew up. These are the people Jesus He’s known the best and longest. Neighbors. Friends. Family. How it must have broken His heart to get the cold shoulder to the greatest news ever offered.

When You Go Home

What’s it like when you go home? If you’re like many people, you’ve changed a lot since you left. You’ve grown up. If you’re a follower of Jesus, God is changing you from the inside out. He’s making you more like His Son.

As a result, you may think there’s a time machine hidden in your hometown too. When you head back home, the folks who knew you may have a hard time seeing you as anything but that goofy teenager who left town a couple of decades ago.

A Divine Appointment

Maybe you’ve tried to explain the change. Maybe you’ve attempted to share the story of what Jesus has done in your life since you left. Don’t believe the lie that you’re still the same kid they remember.

Take advantage of those opportunities. God is providing a divine appointment to tell them about the One who’s turned your life right-side up. It’s an open door to share the Good News and personally introduce them to your Savior.

Give God the Benefit of the Doubt

And don’t forget to turn that around. Ever run into someone years later and figured they were the same person you knew back in the day? They mention their faith in Christ but you have serious doubts.

Give God the benefit of the doubt. As Jesus says a little later in Mark, “Everything is possible with God” (Mk 10:27). Don’t forget there are a lot of people who aren’t buying what He’s done in your life!

In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for that hometown time machine.