A Tale of Two Cities (Maybe Three)

Community Service

Good morning, friends.

My name is Jimmy Sourile - I have the honor of serving as the Pastor at The Seed Community Church, and I also work as a church-planting pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. It’s my honor to be able to open up the Word this morning, and to Proclaim that we have a savior and a king. A God who came to take away the sins of the world - Jesus Christ.

Today I want to tell you a tale of two cities - maybe three. A Tale of what it looks like when King Jesus arrives in town.

I want to look at two different examples in Scripture, when Jesus came to Nazareth, and when he came to Jericho - I want us to pay particular attention to how people responded to Jesus.

If you have your Bibles, please open them to Mark Chapter 6:1-6. Jill read this for a us just a moment ago. Let me set the stage: This is a homecoming story. While Jesus was born in Bethlehem, you may remember that Mary and Joseph resided in Nazareth. So in this section of scripture we find out, what happens when Jesus comes back home to visit.

Mark 6:1–6 CSB

He left there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom that has been given to him, and how are these miracles performed by his hands? Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended by him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” He was not able to do a miracle there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. He was going around the villages teaching.

The Homecoming story of Jesus. The tale of this city is a bit shocking.

It starts fairly normal. Jesus tradition, as a rabbi, would be to visit the local syngague on the sabbath in order to preach.

And he was an incredible teacher! We’d say - no duh, it’s Jesus! But notice how the people in his hometown responded:

They were astonished. They couldn’t believe it! They couldn’t believe that this guy had such authority and ability to teach from the Scriptures.  And they ask“Where did this man get these things?”

Remember this was the Town where Jesus grew up. These people knew him as a child, before he started his ministry and before he started preaching the gospel. So They go on and say: “Isn’t this guy Mary’s kid? We know all his brothers and his sisters.”

And because they were so familiar with him - they were offended by Jesus. Their preconceived notions of who Jesus was and what he should be like, made it so that when they encountered him they were offended. 

Because of their offense - when Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to preach to them, they weren’t encouraged - they were annoyed.

And notice Christ’s reponse: Jesus himself, mentions that  a prophet is not without honor except in his home town. Meaning he expected this reaction.

The Scripture says that he was unable to do a miracle except heal a few people.

And the last verse in this section - he was amazed by their unbelief. He was amazed that they didn’t have faith. That is not the way I want to amaze Jesus: “Wow you are SO faithless it’s amazing!”

Jesus then left and went around to other villages.

Notice the tale of the first city: When Jesus had come to Nazareth - he was offering what he always offers - truth and life and healing. Ultimately Salvation and a new way to be human.

But his message was met with offense instead of faith. Christ amazed at their unbelief.

Moving on to our second tale

If you have your Bible, please turn to Mark 10:46-52 This is a tale of When Jesus came through Jericho. Many know Jericho from the Old Testament - it was a fortress blocking the Israelites from entering the promise land. God broke down their walls, in that story.  This is the new Testament - but we will see, God will still tear down boundaries in a different way. Let me read it for you:

Mark 10:46–52 CSB

They came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many warned him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, “Have mercy on me, Son of David!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage! Get up; he’s calling for you.” He threw off his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Rabboni,” the blind man said to him, “I want to see.” Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has saved you.” Immediately he could see and began to follow Jesus on the road.

Unlike his visit to Nazareth, Jesus visit to Jericho is quite different. We don’t get a ton of details in this account during his time in the city itself, but we see that there is a large crowd of people following him as he leaves - so it seems apparent that his time in Jericho was at least marginally successful!

And as he and his entourage start leaving, a blind man named Bartimaeus, who is begging on the side of the road - hears that it is Jesus of Nazareth who is walking by him.

So he starts shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

And it says that people were trying to get him to be quiet - he was being too noisy - maybe they were embarrassed for him.  They didn’t think he was responding correctly to Jesus.

Sometimes responding in faith makes us act in ways the world is uncomfortable with. Sometimes acting in faith makes us do things that even those in the church are uncomfortable with.

But it says that Bartimaeus kept saying, all the louder: “Have Mercy on me, Son of David!”

Why did Bartimaeus keep it up? Desperation, and faith. Bartimaeus needed help - and he heard Jesus could save. So he ignored the crowd and cried out to Jesus.

What’s Jesus response?

He stops. Jesus stops and the large crowd following him all stops too.  and calls for the Blind man. The crowd lets the blind and know that Jesus has called him and Bartimaeus, leaves his coat, jumps up, and comes to Jesus.

Jesus asks him “what do you want me to do for you?”

What an incredible Question! He called out for Jesus, and Jesus responds: What is it you want. Why did you call?

And the man responds: “Rabboni (or My Lord), I want to see.”

Again - desperation and faith. and So Jesus responds, and hear these words: “Go, your FAITH has saved you.”

Where Jesus was amazed at Nazareths’ lack of faith

Jericho hosted a crowd who followed Jesus and a man who’s faith saved him from Blindness.

Where Those in Nazareth had put Jesus is a box of their preconceived ideas of who Jesus was, Those in Jericho seem to have responded to Christ and decided to follow him, because they were desperate for him, and they believed in him.

Two Cities, Two Different Stories.

What was the difference? Faith. Belief.  Specifically in Jesus as Christ, or the messiah. and allowing what he says about himself to be the truth of the matter.

And, many of us, know this - Listen to these well known verses in John 3:16-18:

John 3:16–18 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Jesus is the hope of the World. Jesus is the gift of God for the world for salvation. Anyone who believes, has faith, in him, is not condemned, but is saved.

And if that’s true - it changes everything. It changes life, and it’s worth crying out for desperation. Anyone who does not believe is already condemned - but he is the one who gives life!

I think it’s clear that the tale of Jericho, the tale of Bartimaeus is the proper response.

So What will it be for us?

Let me say it this way - What would the tale of our city be if Jesus came here?

If Jesus came down main street here, and walked among us, in the park

What would our response be? How would we receive him?What would his response be to us?

Would we be like Jericho and Bartimaeus?

Bartimaeus knew he was blind - he was desperate and he knew he needed help and healing: For the blind can’t gain their sight just by opening up their eyes.

No, Bartimaeus needed a savior - he needed Jesus and he called out in faith! He knew that Jesus had the power and authority to heal - so he called out in faith.

Would that be our response to Christ? Recognizing that we are blind in sin, in need of salvation, and would we call out in faith to Jesus to save us, then follow him on the road? He as lord, us as servant?

Or… would we be more like Nazareth?

Jesus comes and speaks truth, his words, But instead of honoring him as King and hearing his words as truth - would we be offended by him?

There is a infamous phrase that get’s thrown around: Familiarity breeds contempt.

For some of us - we’ve spent our whole lives as “Christian” at least in a cultural sense, that we’ve lost the awe and respect that is due to Christ. We don’t recognize our need for Christ as our savior anymore.

We want him to saves us from hell, and give us hope, but we don’t really care to trust him as lord.

Perhaps we don’t hold contempt for the faith, But perhaps indifference. For us it may be that familiarity breeds indifference.

Do we really believe that Jesus is who he said he is?

Or do we like to keep him reserved for Christmas and Easter, and the rest of the year pack him up with the rest of the decorations and leave him in the attic.

That’s what we see in Nazareth in Mark 6:

They felt they knew Jesus, so they refused to listen to him. They didn’t have the faith to see who Jesus is. And because of that - they missed out on so much good! T

But for us, for Hurley what will our tale be? For Viborg, Davis, Centerville, and the rest - what would it look like if Jesus came to town? How would we respond?

Jesus is the Son of God. He comes with life to offer, and as John said - whoever believes in him, eternal life. Salvation.

The key difference between Nazareth and Jericho is faith. Therefore the question to us is: Will we believe that he is who he says he is? And will we change our lives as a result.

I believe! Jesus came to heal,Jesus came to love,Jesus came to saveJesus came to forgive

I believeJesus came to show us a better way to live He came and told us that his Kingdom has come near and that it is coming again.

I believe that Jesus is on the move again in south eastern south dakota, and that his kingdom of grace is transforming peoples lives our culture.

We’ve experienced it. I’ve heard incredible stories of faithful saints starting churches and helping those in need, and proclaiming the Gospel. Many of us here come from a heritage of faith that has been passed down for generations. 

But we must not let our familiarity with Christianity make us blind to the Lordship of Jesus Christ!

Is he your God? Do you trust him? Do you listen to him?

What about you? If Jesus came and visited. Would you call out to him to save you? would oyu leave behind your coat and follow him?

Or would you be too busy? If word came that JEsus was in town, would you say: “Oh I’ve already heard what that guy has to say, I can’t be bothered.”

No - let’s not be like nazareth

Let’s be a town of faith. Let’s be a town that knows who Jesus is and seeks to follow him. Let’s be a town and a people who boldly proclaim the name of Jesus as the one who can give life, healing, salvation, and joy.

Let the tale of our city be that of faith.

Let us be a place that loves God, Loves others, that does justice, loves mercy, and walks humbly with our God.

Would it be in Hurley as it is in heaven. Let’s pray.