Familiar Yet Unbelieving

And He came to Nazareth where He had been brought up. Luke 4:16 NAS

I can’t imagine what it would be like to be totally spiritually, morally, emotionally healthy with a keen intellect living among the fallen. No self-righteousness but perfectly righteous. No narcissism or struggling with low self-esteem just a profound sense of who He was, “I and my Father are one.” That He knew His purpose early on was evident at 12 when He told his parents, “I must be about my Father’s business”. Now as He stands before them as a man, the maturing and sharpening of that focus is evident:

"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
After Jesus spoke to them and they spoke well of him and were wondering at his gracious words." Luke 4:18-22

Then it seems as if Jesus purposefully provokes them. He simply knew what was in their hearts and what they were thinking. They were offended by Him. He had left home and news about Him was drifting back. Why was He ministering to strangers? Why not start at home? Does He think He’s too good for us?

Luke 4:23-24 And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well.'" And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his home town.

He gives them some examples to prove His point: · Elijah in Israel during the great famine knew many widows but he wasn’t sent to any of them. Only to Zarepheth, in the land of Sidon. · Elisha lived in Israel and there were many lepers, and none of them was cleansed. Only Naaman, the Syrian leper was cleansed.

Oh, there is a warning here for those who have known Him a long time. Are we still smitten by His person and His power? Have we grown so familiar and unbelieving that we scoff and are offended when we hear He is working somewhere else? The offense exploded into a murderous rage: Luke 4:29 and they rose up and cast Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. It’s hard to fathom isn’t it? We know what spirit was behind this, because Jesus unmasks him in John 8:44a "You are of your father the devil and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning.” Most of us would be horrified at the thought that we would turn our hand against Jesus and yet churches and those who call themselves Christians mistreat His true servants. We may not murder, but we may ruin a good name and drive them from our presence.

How did Jesus respond? Luke 4:30 But passing through their midst, He went His way. He left them and their proud unbelieving ways behind. I fear that many churches and people sit devoid of His power and His presence for similar reasons. As we read on in Luke we will see that He goes to Capernaum to teach the teachable and heal the believing. He is ever about His Father’s business with those who believe.

Heart check: How do I react when I hear the Lord is moving in other places or lives? Am I ·

• Discerning or dismissive?
• Joyous or jealous?

We must guard our hearts and honestly evaluate what we are feeling. We must learn to look up and acknowledge to the One who knows our every thought, how we are feeling. Ask for discernment. We need to acknowledge our insecurity and ask Him to remove every barrier so that He can move freely in our hearts or church as well. Read Philippians 1:12-18 the Apostle Paul gives a beautiful example of a healthy, discerning, joyous heart. Our Father needs for His people to rejoice when Christ is proclaimed and when lives are changed. We don’t want to experience Jesus passing through our midst and going on His way.

MY PRAYER: Father, I want a healthy heart that rejoices when I hear that you are at work no matter where it may be. Help me to discern without suspicion and rejoice without jealousy and insecurity. You don’t play favorites and will do your marvelous work in any atmosphere of faith. In Jesus name, Amen!

MY CONFESSION: I will not walk in suspicion but in discernment, love, and the power of Your Spirit. I will rejoice when I hear that you are at work in Your world and Your church.