Matthew 13:57, 58....
Today's verses are Matthew 13:57, 58 which reads,
And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
Jesus had just got done speaking a series of parables and then teaching in the synagogue in his hometown. No doubt they have heard about what Jesus had been saying and doing all over the countryside (miracles and such) and now they have a front row seat to Him. They are astonished but they also question how Jesus could have all this wisdom. They knew his mother and His brothers and sisters and Jesus' earthly father's occupation. Maybe they thought that Jesus thought Himself better than them and they took offense. Does this sound familiar?
I have noticed that when someone turns their eyes to Jesus and see and accept Him as their Savior and then put Him first place in their lives by going to church and spending time with the Bible and maybe quoting it in conversation and patterning their life after their Savior, Jesus Christ that they receive the same response of offense. The response of offense ("so you think you are better than me") to this natural action of following a savior (the definition of what you do when someone saves you from peril, you seriously follow them) is usually offense by others. They think you are trying to look better than them. They confuse your motivation of love for Jesus through your actions and words for a motivation of the world to elevate yourself over others. You are at a crucial point because you are at the first "Y" in the road to seeing if this decision is real. Which way will you go? Will you cave to their offense and downplay that decision or will you continue to stand with and go the way of your Savior?
Remember that they are offended not because of you but because of who you have decided to pattern your life after. This happened to our Savior and therefore we should not be surprised that it happens to us too. Jesus' response was not to defend Himself but to continue on with life. Our response should also be the same.
Pastor Adam
And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
Jesus had just got done speaking a series of parables and then teaching in the synagogue in his hometown. No doubt they have heard about what Jesus had been saying and doing all over the countryside (miracles and such) and now they have a front row seat to Him. They are astonished but they also question how Jesus could have all this wisdom. They knew his mother and His brothers and sisters and Jesus' earthly father's occupation. Maybe they thought that Jesus thought Himself better than them and they took offense. Does this sound familiar?
I have noticed that when someone turns their eyes to Jesus and see and accept Him as their Savior and then put Him first place in their lives by going to church and spending time with the Bible and maybe quoting it in conversation and patterning their life after their Savior, Jesus Christ that they receive the same response of offense. The response of offense ("so you think you are better than me") to this natural action of following a savior (the definition of what you do when someone saves you from peril, you seriously follow them) is usually offense by others. They think you are trying to look better than them. They confuse your motivation of love for Jesus through your actions and words for a motivation of the world to elevate yourself over others. You are at a crucial point because you are at the first "Y" in the road to seeing if this decision is real. Which way will you go? Will you cave to their offense and downplay that decision or will you continue to stand with and go the way of your Savior?
Remember that they are offended not because of you but because of who you have decided to pattern your life after. This happened to our Savior and therefore we should not be surprised that it happens to us too. Jesus' response was not to defend Himself but to continue on with life. Our response should also be the same.
Pastor Adam
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