Overcoming Familiarity: Recognizing Jesus' True Identity

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? What wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. [00:00:48]

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. [00:01:40]

And many of the people were astonished. That’s another word that reaches the very top of the frequency list of Greek words that are found in the New Testament, because everywhere Jesus goes according to the writers of the gospel, His teaching, His power, His miracles provoke a response of astonishment, thaumazein. They᾽re amazed at the wisdom of Jesus, at the power of Jesus. [00:05:42]

What surprised these people was that Jesus of Nazareth was going into the synagogue and teaching like a rabbi, and with Him were these students who followed Him everywhere He went. They knew Jesus. They knew He didn’t go to seminary. They know He didn’t go to the university. They know He didn’t study under the great rabbis of the day. [00:06:30]

They didn’t understand that this was the Word of God incarnate Himself who was teaching, who didn’t need a degree from Gamaliel to be an expert in theology. And they were also amazed about the reports of the deeds that had been performed by Jesus, and so they asked this question: “Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. [00:07:43]

Now these questions are questions that strongly suggest ridicule. And we know that legally speaking among the Jews, Jesus was the son of Joseph. So why did they say, “Isn’t He the carpenter, the son of Mary?” Not because they were enamored by the virgin mother. This wasn’t some thinly veiled testimony to the virgin birth, or trying to exalt the status of the mother. [00:11:42]

The New Testament makes much of this, in the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah, that the stone which the builders rejected became the chief cornerstone of the building of God. In that building image, remember it’s the prophets and the Apostles who are called the “foundation” for the church. And there’s no other foundation that can be laid except that one which is laid in Christ Jesus. [00:17:04]

But Jesus knew what was going on, and so He said to them, borrowing an ancient Semitic adage, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, except among his own relatives, except in his own house.” I can’t imagine what this was like for Jesus, going home. I know what it’s been like for me when I go home, back to my hometown, and I see the people I grew up with. [00:18:44]

Now He could do no mighty work there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. Now let’s unpack that for just a second. It wasn’t because suddenly when Jesus went to Nazareth, He lost all of His power, and that healing of the woman with the hemorrhage, then the power went out of Him, and it didn’t come back. [00:21:03]

They didn’t believe in Jesus because God the Holy Spirit had not invaded their hearts, and opened their eyes, and regenerated their souls. Unless God the Holy Spirit opens the eyes, opens the hearts of sinful human flesh, no one will truly come to Him. Before the Holy Ghost opened your eyes and invaded your heart, Jesus was a stumbling block to you. [00:23:33]

I say to you, there is nothing on this earth you need more desperately than Jesus, because if you don’t have Jesus, you have no hope in this life or in the world to come. Let me say it again: if you don’t have Jesus, you have no hope. You’re in a hopeless condition. And frankly, my heart breaks for you if you don’t have Jesus. [00:25:20]

The great danger, dearly beloved, is that God is offended by you, and that Christ will be offended by you. All who trip over the skandalon, the scandal of Christ, will have His offense at them. Let’s learn from these people. Let’s pray. Our Father and our God, forbid that we should ever be offended by our Lord, that we should ever distance ourselves from the glory of God. [00:28:21]