Rejecting Jesus (Mark 6:1-13)

Mistaken Identity

• The people of Nazareth let their familiarity with Jesus and preconceived notions about him prevent them from experiencing genuine relationship with him.  When we come to Jesus we have to come to him for who he is, not who we want him to be

Mark 6:1-3 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary[a] and the brother of James, Joseph,[b] Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

• Jesus is returning to his hometown.  Nazareth is about 20 miles west of Capernaum, where many of the events we’ve looked at up to this point in Mark’s gospel have occurred.  Nazareth was smaller than Capernaum.  It had the reputation of being a “back roads” town.  Even one of Jesus’ disciples, Nathaniel, when he was originally told about Jesus of Nazareth asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” It’s one of those towns where everyone knows everybody and knows their business. 
• We’ve already seen in Mark how Jesus’ fame had spread all throughout Galilee and beyond.  No doubt news of his miracles and teachings had made its way back to Nazareth. This is like the small town kid who went off to the big city and made it big in entertainment, athletics, or politics and now is coming home to his roots. Likely lots of anticipation surrounding his return, but lots of skepticism, too. (Maybe give a list of really small towns and see if people know the famous celebrity, athlete, or leader from that town) 
  • Abraham Lincoln, Hodgenville, KY
  • Larry Bird, French Lick Indiana
  • Taylor Swift, West Reading, PA
• When Jesus left he wasn’t a rabbi.  He was a carpenter.  He hadn’t trained under a famous rabbi.  There was likely even jealousy.  The religious leaders in Nazareth had heard about the fame and following Jesus had been gathering.  
• In typical Mark fashion, he gets right into the action. In Luke’s version, which we read in Luke chapter 4, he goes into more detail about what Jesus taught in the synagogue to cause everyone to wonder “where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 
• They are amazed and astonished at the teaching of Jesus.  When they say”isn’t this the carpenter”, it is an insult.  Not that carpentry was looked upon as a dishonorable trade, but he had no formal training.  He didn’t have the endorsement of any prominent rabbi, or any rabbi for that matter. 
• Calling him the son of Mary was also an insult.  It was contrary to Jewish custom to refer to a man as the son of his mother, versus the son of his father, even if his mother was a widow.  This could also be an accusation that Jesus was an illegitimate child.  That rumor had circulated in the small town of Nazareth where everybody knows everybody. Likely something Jesus and Mary&Joseph had dealt with when he was a child. 
• We then see a reference to Jesus’ brothers and sisters.  Mary and Joseph had other children.  Mary didn’t remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus. 
• When we come to Jesus do we have preconceived ideas about who he is? For the people in Nazareth, their preconceived ideas caused them to be offended and they refused to believe in him.  We have to come to him on his terms, not our terms.  
• Colossians 1:15-16Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,[e]16 for through him God created everything    in the heavenly realms and on earth.He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.    Everything was created through him and for him.
  • He has all power and authority.  When we come to him, we submit to his rule in our life. 

Limited Miracles

• Our lack of faith in Jesus limits the miraculous.  This isn’t because he is incapable. It is so illogical and unfounded for us to not have faith in Jesus, he marvels at our disbelief.
• Mark 6:4-6 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.
• Jesus had throngs of people following all throughout Galilee.  They had come to see him from as far away as Tyre and Sidon, yet those from his hometown didn’t honor him.  That rejection had a deeper sting. Do you feel rejected? Do you feel like no one gets you? Jesus has been there.  He knows how you feel.  We have a great high priest who has experienced all of the pains and trials that you and I will experience.  
• In Luke’s version Jesus said, “You will undoubtedly quote this proverb: physician heal yourself – do miracles here in your hometown like you did in Capernaum.” They wanted to see miracles, not because they believed Jesus could do them, but because if he didn’t do them, they wouldn’t believe in him. But because of their unbelief, Jesus performed few miracles there.  
  • “Only If” Faith vs True Faith
  • What is faith?
• Are you experiencing miracles in your life? If not, is it because of unbelief? Do you doubt that God can work miracles in your life?  Have you stepped out in faith when God has asked you to do something?  Have you honored him even when it put you at risk – relationally, financially, physically?  If we don’t ever step out in faith, we don’t give God opportunities to show up in miraculous ways.  (Share a story of a miracle we’ve witnessed.)
• We see Jesus marvel at two things in the NT, two things that cause him to be amazed.  He marvels at the faith of a gentile and he marvels at the unbelief of the Jewish people. Unbelief has to be a monstrous sin for it to cause Jesus to be amazed.  What in your life would cause Jesus to marvel – your faith or your unbelief?  
  • Mk 5:42 (NLT) And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.

Shake the Dust 

• When Jesus sends us out, we need to recognize our dependence on him. Our job was to preach a message of repentance, not change the hearts of the people.  Only God can soften someone’s heart. We shouldn’t be encumbered by the worries of the world, but focused on the task at hand
• Mark 6:7-9 And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil[c] spirits. 8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money.[d] 9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.
• When he sent them, he sent them with authority. 
• There was a rule from the Jewish rabbis that you could not enter the temple area with a staff, shoes, or a moneybag, because you wanted to avoid even the appearance of being engaged in any other business than the service of the Lord. The disciples were engaged in such holy work (preaching the gospel and bringing God’s healing) that they could not give the impression that they had any other motive.
• By traveling light, they would be dependent upon God for his provision.  Each day would be a reminder that God had met their needs.  
• Mark 7:10-11 Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. 11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate
• Their job was to preach a message of repentance, not change the hearts of the people.  Only God can soften someone’s heart.  They weren’t to feel responsible for someone who wouldn’t receive it.  They weren’t to stay in that town beating a dead horse.  
• Shaking the dust off of their feet as they left was something Jewish people did as they exited a gentile city they had traveled through.  This would have been an even greater judgment on the unbelievers of that town and would have been more of an insult – “If you don’t believe this message, you’re like a gentile”. 
• Think back to the parable of the soils we looked at in chapter 4.  Our job is to scatter the seeds.  If the soil is hard, it isn’t up to us to try and force it in. 
• Mark 7:12-13 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.
• They went out.  They did it.  They were obedient.  They could have come up with plenty of excuses: we’re not ready, what if people don’t believe us?, what if they report us to the religious authorities?, what if we don’t say it the right way?  – What are your excuses? 
• They preached a message of repentance. They didn’t try to pick and choose who they thought would receive the message -” telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God”.   They also cast out demons and healed sick people. This was part of the original instructions given to them by Jesus. 
• We’ve also been sent on mission – Great Commission. Our orders are to go and make disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them everything Jesus commanded.  Are we focused or are we letting worries of the world get in the way? Are we going out and doing it, or are we coming up with excuses?