I Was Born in a Small Town

Introduction

I remember the day I moved away from home to start my university experience. It was a strange time…excited to be living life away from my parents careful eyes…yet, nervously not mature enough to face real world situations. I grew in those years in school, honing my academic skills, becoming more comfortable in social situations. My teenage years quickly fading into early adulthood.

After those three years away at school, I returned home briefly to figure out where my career would take me. Occasionally getting together with old friends was typically fun. But it was quickly became apparent that the old teenage “me” wasn’t the same as the new “20ish” me. And those old high school friends had changed too.

Of course moving back home was somewhat strange too. An adult at the home of your parents, used to the freedom of living on your own, suddenly having to account for your comings and goings.

Awkward to say the least! I’m sure we’ve all had those moments, returning to places of the past, only to feel like strangers: awkward school reunions; the Hometown sports hero returning home after being unable to make it in the major leagues; the war veteran returning home, to find there are no jobs available; the recluse sibling who never felt loved.

As John Mellancamp reminded it “I was born in a small town…probably die in a small town…oh those small communities”

Today we continue our reading of Luke, where Jesus himself returns to His small hometown, reading scripture, and the local fallout from His preaching:”

Reading

Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority. Luke 4:21-32

Isn’t He the Son of a Carpenter?

"Let him who would indeed be a Christian learn from the lives of eminent Christians the best ways to overcome temptation and to grow in every aspect of holiness." William Wilberforce

Isn’t it strange that those moments when we return to our past, people expect us to be the same…as if we never left, never matured, never grew in our relationships, never grew in out knowledge. The people from the synagogue in today’s reading expected the childhood Jesus to appear. This son of a carpenter. And yet, He spoke with authority. He spoke gracefully. They were amazed. But they were furious with this hometown hero’s words and actions, driving Him out of town.

The central issue was that His listeners would not believe in Him. They saw Him only as the son of Mary and Joseph, the boy they had watched grow up in their own city. Furthermore, they wanted Him to perform in Nazareth the same miracles He had done in Capernaum, but He refused. That’s the meaning of the phrase, “Physician, heal yourself.” Do a miracle! At first, they admired the way He taught, but it didn’t take long for their admiration to turn into hatred. Jesus began to remind them of God’s goodness to all peoples, not just registered members of the church.

Pettiness versus maturity

The problem is although we expect others to respect us in maturity, we expect others to be the same as they were in the past! Think about that for a moment!! We need to mature not only in our humble small towns, but globally! The message of the gospel in particular is more important than petty thoughts of how someone has or hasn’t changed: the message is more important than just locally - “corners of the earth”

In spite of the unbelief of the people in Nazareth, the Scriptures declared that Jesus of Nazareth is God’s Son, the Messiah sent to fulfill His promises. The people who do not want Him and who reject “the acceptable year of the Lord” will one day face “the day of vengeance of our God” (Isa. 61:2). How significant that Jesus stopped reading at that very place!

Paul tells it this way:

Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 1 Corinthians 14:12-20

Conclusion

What he said that day in Nazareth is just as true today: Live the life Isaiah proclaimed and God will see to it that all your water is wine—and not just any wine, but good wine, wonderfully good wine that will warm your hearts and make you glad that the Spirit of the Lord has anointed you to do these things and more. All these things and more. Our cups will be filled to overflowing, and all the world will see that the Good News of Christ shines through all that we say and all that we do. This is how we will become a community of Love, a people of faith, hope, and charity – a people who know that we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Rev. Kirk Alan Kubicek, originally ran for Epiphany 4 (C) in 2019.

You and I may have been born in a small town (or a big city for that matter), maybe even still live in that same small town. And well, could likely die in that same small town, oh those small communities. Just remember that as we deeper our relationship with Jesus, we will change physically, emotionally, spiritually. We may not “fit it” to what others expect of use. And others in our circle of influence will likely not live up to the Christian standards we expect. We need to be patient, for the eternal Kingdom that awaits us as children of God is infinitely more precious than the pettiness that materially driven local communities strive for.

Prayer

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel. For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together. They say, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.” Do not be far from me, my God; come quickly, God, to help me. May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace. As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Psalms 71:1-17