August 15 Really?

Luke 4:22 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.
 
AGAIN I repeat a verse from the previous reading. In that lesson, we focused on Jesus’ gracious words to his hometown people. Now let’s consider the question, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
    The question can be heard in two ways. First, we can hear it as, “Isn’t this a great thing that Jesus grew up among us? We know his father and mother. We are so excited!”
    The second way to hear this could be, “Really? We know Jesus’ father. Jesus grew up working with his dad in stone and wood construction. How could this common carpenter pretend to be anyone special? How could ‘this Scripture be fulfilled’ through this uneducated man?”
    This second attitude apparently was the attitude in the Nazareth synagogue that day. We can know this from Matthew 13:54-57a Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. Whoa! They took offense at Jesus’ gracious words. They didn’t trust his wisdom. There was no understanding that he had any special knowledge to fulfill any Scripture! That’s a tough response to the Lord’s grace. 
    But this two-edge response to Jesus wasn’t isolated here. In fact, the “amazed” and “Who do you think you are?” responses are the conflicting reactions to Jesus’ preaching that will mark his ministry. The gospels often describe two things were true about those who heard Jesus’ teachings. First, they were amazed at what he taught them. Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching. Second, they found reasons to doubt, negate and ignore the teachings.
    This is so true of ministry. How many times have people said to me and other pastors, “Good sermon. That’s just what I – they – we – needed to hear.” I thought at first that when I heard this, change would come to those who reacted in this way to God’s Word. I thought, “God is working!” But I quickly tired of such language because I learned most people walked out the door and stepped directly back into the way they were before the sermon.
    Remember, it’s not a good sermon until you become as God teaches you to be. The Jews were eager to hear good, grace-filled teaching – especially teaching that may have negated the Romans, Pharisees and Sadducees who ruled over them. But very, very few entered into Jesus’ teaching to become his disciples.
    This has been mankind’s issue since Eden. When Satan put doubt into Eve’s mind, disobedience moved to the human soul and has remained. All of us need to change. Living into God’s Word really does change us. It’s time we believed it and become the people God teaches us to be.
 
Prayer: I pray, Lord, I will truly live Psalms 119:2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.  In the Spirit’s power I pray, amen.
 
Note: Heading out for a few days-back the end of the week. Please see the attached pictures to learn what God is doing in Kenya. Our Lord’s grace is upon men and women who long to be more as God. The Lord God has provided much to our ministry One with God. Our donations feed 150 orphans monthly and regularly supply pastors and church leaders with biblical instruction. These emails you read encompass Africa as well as the U.S. Recently we supplied funds for 200 Bibles and 462 books to Kenya and Ghana. If you feel God leading you to help us expand his grace to Africa, please go to http://www.onewithgod.website/donate-here.html. Or you may send an offering to One with God, Inc 6001 Garret Valley LN Arlington TN 38002. We are very humbled in the ways God is using us to proclaim his Word, as we seek to help God’s people become one with Him. We did not anticipate such a work as we left Wisconsin. But if I believe anything about what I write, I know I cannot say, “No, Lord.” This work he has given to Barb and me is what we must do as our Lord leads us.