When Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Back porch sitting lately…I saw a bird picking on a squirrel. Change up pattern. I have been using it as a change in pattern to hopefully break up any ruts or unhealthy patterns I am stuck in. Now that summer is here, it has also turned into my personal sweat lodge.

Mark 6:1–6 ESV

1 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

[V1] Jesus was from Nazareth before his public ministry life. He now returns, a Rabbi, with disciples in tow.

[V2] The synagogue is where he ends up. Often when a Rabbi would come to town the ruler of the Synagogue (like Jairus) would invite them to teach. Teaching. Many were astonished. Listeners were amazed at His wisdom. They could do nothing but ask questions about the brilliance of what He was saying.

If the passage would end these questions would make you thing they were astonished in amazement. It is like they are on the verge of asking the right questions about Jesus, but cannot bring themselves to believ ein teh greatness of a local boy, a neighborhood kid.

[V3] Quickly it becomes clear that they are not amazed, they are offended. Not at what Jesus said or didl But on who he was.

Carpenter: craftsman of wood, stone, or metal” blue collar - competence to learn as a commoner| Family: that Mary, James, Judas, and Simon. Sisters.

[V4] He quotes to them in the synagogue a well known proverb of the time. OT prophets were often ridiculed, not listened to, and sometimes killed. Kind of an explanation of why they took offense. Kind of an explanation of this pattern in people. And even for us today, to realize we aren’t alone in people being offended at us for doing what God wants us to do.

[V5] You might think if only Jesus would have performed a miracle, then that would have caused some people to believe. But Jesus KNEW their hearts. And when someones heart is hard, it isn’t because haven’t seen, heard, or been offered oppurtunities to believe. No it is that they have made up their minds, resisted the Spirits conviction.

[V6] Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith. So he went to other villages teaching.

Never let what you know about Jesus keep you from what Jesus wants to do today.

Apathy grows when you let let what you know about Jesus keep you from what Jesus wants to do today. Apathy grows in a number of whats one of which is…

It didn’t work, why keep trying…

Why would Jesus let a persons faith keep Him from doing something? If he knew they didn’t believe why would he move on. If he knew they were letting where He was from, family, and so on get in the way of them believing, why would He know convince or teach them otherwise? Why would Jesus move on without making sure these hearts were softened to Him?

While the passage doesn’t specifically answer this…there is Scripture elsewhere that gives insight to these questions…

Romans 1:25 ESV

25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

So for you and me, we have to come to terms with the fact that some people will not because they continuously refuse to let God in. No heart is too hard, except the one that is forever unrepentant.

We should strive with every ounce of our being to help someone turn to Jesus, but when they don’t, it is NOT your fault! That is a false guilt that can hinder you, get you busy wondering what ifs, and hinder you from staying focused on what God wants you to do now.

Sometimes we let the fact that we know God wants people to be saved and then it seems like He doesn’t work in someones heart and life, to hinder us from doing what God wants us to do next. Why try, if we tried before, and it didn’t work. I’m telling you that do not keep trying.

God can still soften hearts. God is still reaching out to people to soften hearts. God wants all people to be saved. He wants you to trust and do the work of ministry in order that some will be saved. He desires all to be saved.

Past focused hearts:

In the text, I know father, mother, brother, sisters, profession…lack of belief. Nothing against KNOWLEDGE, but sometimes what we KNOW keeps people from what Jesus wants us to do today.

If you were part of the church in the 90s, what is one think you miss about the Church of the Nazarene?

“…Sunday night services, Wednesday night prayer meeting with testimonies, revivals, dressing in your best for church, suits and ties, hymnals, Sunday school at 9:45am then church til noon, different specials( solos, duets , trios and quartets) , services when the spirit opens the alter with no preaching and families in church together in all services! Those were the best days!”

“God is still moving and working in our church!I grew up in the days I’m reading about and loved these days. It’s when I first encountered Christ. These days (methods) shaped and molded who I am. However, I’ve chosen to continue to “lean in” to what God is doing today and spent the last week with 10,000 + students who encountered Jesus in incredible ways!He’s still at work, calling young people to serve Him! The message is still the same, while the methods of delivery have changed.If you attend a Nazarene Church, I would encourage you to find a student who attended NYC, and hear their testimony if what God is doing in their life.On a personal level, I miss many of the things listed in the comments, but I see hope for our future!!”

Personal Story…I got was radically saved and transformed New Years Eve 2000. (26 years now as Christian) I love the music from that era and they speak to my heart more than ever. I The good old days are today. Scripture encourage us to continue on toward Christ with our every day. Not to constantly strive to go back.

The people of God often fall into a trap of looking back instead of being present in where God. God delivered, parted seas, gave future, but look back and say…at least we had stuff to eat. We romanticize the past. We often under appreciate the present. And we often forget the hope of the future. If you think about a timeline, the future is always, always, always longer than the past.

God can help you to see, serve, and pray for God to move in the lives of people, kids, teens, adults TODAY! See what is right in front of you. Baptisms…Salvations…Repenteance…New Believers…New Members…Teens growing in their faith and answering the call of God to serve the church…Students of all ages being traine dup and leading worship. This is what is happening today. Celebrate and Be Glad that the God of yesterday is still the God of today. And that lives are being changed.

Apathy and Complacency:

Consumerism vs contribution shows your like of loyalty to Jesus. 

When you are focused on what you get way more than what you put in.

The truth is, for a mature Christian this comparison between get out and put in should be sanded off. It is what leads to disconentment, self-focus, and a trust in works.

Dry seasons in your spiritual life, is not a preachers fault, ss teachers fault, or a churches fault. Sometimes dryness in your spiritual life is a result of unaddressed sin. You feel disconnected from the church and you want to blame it on someone not inviting you. But then again, you never are involved in class, events, spend time with others. You feel disconnected from God, but you never serve others. You feel disconnected from God, but you spend way more time on tv, than in the word. The unaddressed sin could be sloth, laziness, inactivity, or idleness in your service to Him.

Conclusion/Land the Plane/Altar Call:

I don’t want our church to ever be characterized like this town of Nazareth when Jesus shows up. I want when Jesus shows up, we welcome HIm, we long for Him, we anticipate Him, we hunger for Him, we desire Him. We are moved to do whatever He says to us.

-Apathy and Complancy…

-Past Focused overshadows your present and future…

-Why try…what have I got to contribute…