What Would Your Home Town Visit Be Like

Mark 6:1-6 Jesus left there and went to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given Him? What are these remarkable miracles He is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

When I read these verses, I read them in all sorts of emotions. Jesus was coming home for a "home town visit" which has all sorts of emotions in that of itself . In verse 2 where they start asking questions; I believe they start out with a true curiosity and awe tone. I think like in any town, there are those who ARE open to what God is doing in and around them. Here in these verses, they are amazed and in awe, at first. They have either seen or heard of the miracles that Jesus has performed with His disciples. So they are truly wondering how He has this knowledge and wisdom as well as amazed in the miracles He has performed. THEN, like in any town meeting, big group, or family even – there is that ONE person that starts the seeds of doubt and asks a question with just a twinge of ‘off-color’ tone in their voice…. “Isn’t this the carpenter?” this is that person that starts the spreading of the seeds of doubt. Who knows what shame they evoked in Jesus’ family at this moment, but it does say in the bible that His brother James was NOT a believer/follower of Jesus here, when Jesus came back home. So I can imagine that the rest of His family, His brothers and His sisters felt the pressure too.

It’s like that one person in a family that just has a special gift or talent. Or the person in a family that has an illness. Good, bad, or indifferent – that person gets a LOT of attention. Not always intentional by the parents, but it happens. The rest of the family and or the kids, start jabbing at the one that is getting the attention. Imagine, if someone in your family was “the bad-guy” from any of the troubles that are going on in our world today…. Then, the news people find you and your family. Sure, they start out asking simple curious questions – but it doesn’t take long before the questions go towards accusations. Pretty soon, you can’t go anywhere without someone following you, or yelling out after you because of your family member that is doing wrong. Well, back then, in Jesus’ time, it was NOT for the ‘regular person’ to do or perform miracles. It was left to the High Priest, the leaders of the church. Funny, if they just would have looked back into their own history – they would have remembered that God uses “imperfect, regular, simple” people for His work all the time – and now, Jesus who was perfect and without sin – TOTALLY different than anyone else ever, and they chose to be afraid of Him and His work for God.

Of course the imagination in me, wonders about the persons that “knew” Jesus growing up, and heard of all that He was doing in the name of God – then were a part of the ‘shaming’ here in these verses. What were they like when Jesus was being crucified? How did their beliefs change after His resurrection? I picture some of them being ‘fair weather friends’ to Mary and His brothers and sisters during this time. I’m sure there were a few that followed the family when they followed Jesus. There are always those ‘tag-along friends’ that balance out the ‘fair-weather friends’ in peoples lives. I then see the light bulb of faith go off after they see Jesus raised from the dead. Can you imagine how all of the shame is turned back on them at that moment of realization?!?! THIS is the same as the moment now, today, when someone realizes they need Jesus to be their Savior. When they realize that all of their comments like: “look at those Jesus freaks” “here we go again with another Jesus post” “who do they think they are talking for God?!” “I’m not as bad as some, I don’t need this” on and on… Then one day, God sparks something in their hearts and they hear a message that seems to be directed right at them! Or they witness something that has no other explanation than God performing a miracle in the lives of someone they know. It is at that very moment, they have an option a choice, to accept or deny. The people in Jesus neighborhood and town had that same timing too. According to these verses, there were some who did believe. They were the ones that Jesus was able to lay His hands on and heal.

The very last part in these verses got me! “He was amazed at their lack of faith.” I mean, He was very human in that comment of being amazed at their lack of faith. He already knew their thoughts and such – but for God to allow the words to be said “He was amazed at their lack of faith” means that we too when we are witnessing about Jesus and our faith – there WILL be some that just don’t get it! And we too, will be amazed that they have such a lack of faith. See! We are not alone! Here is just another moment of proof that Jesus CAN relate to us in our situations we face here, now, today. What is your "home town visit" like when you go back to visit your family?

Today, I pray, that you are bold about speaking out about your faith and what Jesus has done in your life, through you, and for you. Praise God through the ABC’s again, and ask the Holy Spirit to show you God’s proof in your life. Be safe, be well, and be VERY blessed today!