The faith of the Canaanite mother

The faith of the Canaanite mother

Scripture:

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Matthew 15:21-28

Observation:

Upon entering the region of Tyre and Sidon, the Lord encounters a desperate Canaanite woman who entreats Him to heal her daughter who is demon possessed. She seems to be well versed with Jewish affairs, even calling Him Son of David, alluding to His Messiahship.

At first, the Lord does not answer a word, but the disciples urge Him to send her away as she keeps hassling them. So the Lord explains that He is only sent to the lost sheep of Israel. In the order of God’s plan, it was necessary for the Lord to first preach to Israel before the gospel was preached to the Gentiles i.e. all other nations. It is not that the Lord does not love the other nations, but Israel was chosen first from among the nations to be the light of God, and so they too must receive the Gospel first. In the day of judgment, this order will also be the same, with the Jew judged first before the Gentile. The Lord is just in all His ways.

The desperate mother does not give up but kneels before the Lord and begs Him to help her. Then, the Lord gives her what seems like a surprising insult, saying “it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs”. However, the Greek word used for “dogs” here does not refer to outside, stray dogs, but beloved household pets like puppies who hover around the table near the children. In the parallel passage in Mark, he records this statement a bit differently as “first let all the children eat all they want, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs (household pets). Thus, the woman would not have taken it as an insult, but would picture a typical household image in her mind. Jesus was using a parable to explain that His ministry and miracles was first for the Jews before coming to the Gentiles.

Incredibly, the Canaanite woman then makes a surprising reply, saying that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table. Using the same allusion, she was saying that even the slightest display of the Lord’s power was sufficient to heal her daughter. Amazed by her faith, the Lord tells her to go for her daughter is healed, and so she is. Although His ministry was primarily for the Jews first, the Lord made an exception for her because of her great faith.

Application:

How strong indeed was the faith of the Canaanite woman. She was not a Jew yet she understood that God is a God of miracles, and nothing is too hard for Him. Even the crumbs of His power is already far more than sufficient to bring about great miracles and healing. We need to pray to God for faith like that. He is truly our Mighty God, perfect and powerful in all His ways.

Another thing we notice is also the great perseverance of the woman. She really persevered and did not give up despite the Lord’s initial refusal to listen to her pleas. This is such an important lesson for us in prayer, not to give up, but keep praying and praying and entreating God until our prayers get answered.

One more area we can learn regarding prayer is that sometimes God seems silent, and we may seem to be praying to ears that do not listen. However, the Lord was aware of her presence all along, and was gradually leading her on to show her great faith to His disciples as a lesson to them. Again, if we are praying, and God seems silent, do not lose hope, but remember that eventually the Lord will answer, in His good timing.

Prayer

Praise thee, Lord, for the marvelous lesson of the faith of the Canaanite woman. Give us faith like she had O Lord, that even the slightest effects of Your great power is already far more than sufficient to bring about great miracles in our life. Smoothen our paths O Lord, deliver us from trouble we pray. Blessed be Your name forever.

Grant us that strong perseverance even as we pray. Teach us to tarry, to hold on to You like Jacob of old. Let us persevere and be patient in our prayers, help us prevail until You, O Lord, answer us, for You will never let the righteous fall! Bless Your name forever, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

But what comes out of the mouth

But what comes out of the mouth

Scripture:

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.” Matthew 15:10-20

Observation:

After stinging the Pharisees with His sharp words, the Lord then turns to the crowd and proclaims to them yet another great teaching - it is not what comes out of a person’s mouth that defiles them, but what comes out of it. The disciples don’t get it, and the Lord has to tell them plainly that a person is defiled not by food coming into the mouth from without but by words coming out of the mouth from within, for it is words that betray the evil thoughts of a person’s heart. In James 3, we see again the same theme, where James warns us of the dangers of the tongue that no man can tame. Ultimately though, it is out of the overflow of the heart that a man speaks. Therefore, if a man’s heart has good thoughts, he will say good things, while if his heart is full of evil thoughts, he will say evil things, in private if not in public. The Lord also lists down the typical evil thoughts of a person – “murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony and slander”. Before they are even committed, all these sins first begin in the heart of a person.

Besides that, the Lord’s disciples were also alarmed their Master had offended the Pharisees, and brought up their concern. However, the Lord simply replied in parabolic form how every plant not planted by God the Father would be pulled up, and that the Pharisees were blind guides. Effectively, Jesus was likening the Pharisees to the weeds He mentioned in an earlier parable, which were planted alongside the sons of the kingdom, looking closely like wheat but only showing their true identity at a later stage. The comical analogy of the blind leading the blind has now become a popular saying in the English language and indeed Jesus was warning His disciples that those who followed the spiritually blind Pharisees would also fall into the pit.

Application:

Throughout His ministry, the Lord always prioritized the inner holiness of a person. On the outside, a person may look nice and beautiful, but on the inside, he may be wicked and evil. It is no use to change the outside but not the inside. It is in transforming our hearts first, that our actions and lifestyle will follow accordingly. Therefore, we need to pray earnestly like the Psalmist “Create in me a pure heart, O God” and seek the righteousness of God, while allowing Him to change us. The process may not be pleasant or easy, for we have an old man who resists the Lord, but if we persevere in seeking and following the Lord, we will increasingly find that the new has come, and the old has gone.  

Pay attention to the words that we speak, especially in what we say to those closest to us, for it is our words that expose the true state of our hearts. Commit our hearts and tongues to God. May the meditations of our hearts and the words of our lips be acceptable to the Lord, our God and our Redeemer!

Beware of the many blind guides in the world, many of whom lead masses to destruction. Dig deep and become strong in the Word of God by regular Scripture reading and earnest prayer. Remember not to be deceived by outward appearances, but ask God for wisdom to look to the true inner state of things.

Prayer:

Praise You, Heavenly Lord, for the beauty of Your creation. We praise thee, O Lord, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We bring our hearts to You O Lord. Change it, transform it, mould it to Your will we pray. As the Psalmist prayed, O Lord, create in us a pure heart! Let the meditations of our heart and the words of our lips be acceptable to You O God. Inspire us, quicken us, lead us in Your way everlasting! Protect us O Lord, from blind guides and deceitful men. Grant us wisdom and discernment to know what is right and true. May Your name be praised forever, O Lord. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

They worship me in vain, their hearts are far from me

They worship me in vain, their hearts are far from me

Scripture:

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,    but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain;  their teachings are merely human rules.

Matthew 15:1-9

Observation:

In this passage, we see yet another encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees and teachers of the law, the religious elite of Israel in that day. It starts off when they condemn the Lord’s disciples for not following the traditions of the elders by not washing their hands before they eat. Now, this act should not be misunderstood as merely a good practice for hygiene purposes. Instead, this was a special ritual washing instituted by the religious elite as an act of cleansing from a Jew’s typical interaction with money and Gentiles in the marketplace. It was just another man-made practice instituted as a show of one’s supposed personal holiness.

Amusingly, if the religious elite thought they were well justified in their condemnation, they must have been rudely shocked when the Lord straight away exposed the fallacy of their man-made traditions in one single stroke.  One of their strange traditions was to create a loophole for getting out of their responsibility to help their parents financially by saying it had been “devoted to God”. The Lord points this inconsistency out clearly and rebukes them for breaking the command of God for the sake of their tradition. He then goes on to call them hypocrites and quotes Isaiah’s prophecy on how they honor God with their lips while their hearts are far away, and make teachings that are merely human rules.

Application:

There are 3 main applications that seem to stand out here.

Firstly, the Lord reminds us of the great importance of honoring our parents. As the first commandment attached with a promise, the 5^th commandment instructed the Israelites to honor their father and their mother, so that they may live long in the land. In Ephesians 6, Paul repeats the importance of this command for us today, to honor our father and mother, so that we may live long on the earth. Now, we may not agree with everything our parents say or do or think, but in everything, we can be respectful towards them.

Secondly, we need to be careful regarding man-made traditions. In every culture, we have certain traditions and they are mostly good in a sense, for example the Chinese traditional emphasis on filial piety (devotion to parents) and being upright and hardworking. However, we need to weigh up the traditions we practice against the Word of God. In everything, obeying God is always more important than following traditions. In the Asian culture, many traditions have religious elements and many have to do with fear of offending spirits. We need to pray for wisdom in dealing with traditions, how to be sensitive yet firm in our convictions should some traditions be contrary to our faith.

Finally, our hearts are far more important than our words. Lip service is useless, and God does not value empty words at all. He always looks at the heart, whether we are genuine in really worshipping Him. We really need to pray that God will give us a heart of worship, focused upon the Lord instead of straying far away.

Prayer:

Praise thee, Heavenly Lord, for the great wisdom that You give us. Teach us O Lord, and give us a heart of compassion to always care for our parents and family members. At times when we become impatient, sustain us and give us Your special grace, that we too may show grace. In regard to traditions, teach us to differentiate right and wrong. Give us the wisdom how to show sensitivity and peace when dealing with those of different opinions.

O Lord, we know that You seek that which is innermost within us, our very hearts. O Lord, teach us to worship You in spirit and in truth. Teach us, Lord, to surrender our hearts to You. Forgive our iniquity. Lead our eyes and heart to seek You earnestly. Let us not worship only in words but having minds that go far astray. Let us learn to worship You deeply with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our strength! ,May Your name be praised forever. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

He walked on water

He walked on water

Scripture:-

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.  Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him  and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. Matthew 14:22-36

Observation:

In this passage, we see one of the most remarkable miracles in all the gospels. After dismissing the crowd of 5,000 men, the Lord sends his disciples on ahead in the boat so he can go up on a mountainside alone to pray. Later, shortly before dawn, Jesus then goes out to join his disciples, walking on water! 

His disciples are of course terrified, initially thinking it is a ghost, but the Lord immediately tells them “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid”. Peter, in his normal, impulsive self, asks the Lord if he can come and join him on the water. The Lord says “Come”, and Peter actually starts walking on water as well! At first Peter is amazed, but soon gets terrified of the wind and the waves and begins to sink, screaming out to Jesus for help! The Lord immediately catches him and rebukes Peter for doubting. They climb into the boat and the disciples worship Him as the Son of God.

Crossing over to Gennasaret, the people there soon recognize Jesus and crowds begin to bring the sick to him, begging the Lord to heal.  Their faith is so strong that they believe even touching the edge of the Lord’s cloak will heal them, and in accordance to their faith, they do receive healing.

Application:

This was indeed a great passage and also rich in applications, three of which we will look at there.

Firstly, just as Jesus saved Peter from the waters, He too is our Savior from troubled waters. Life in a way is like the waves of the sea, often tossing and turning as the wind blows. However, our Lord is still in complete control, and no matter how terrifying the situation seems, we can still look to our Savior, who will save us from sinking. He will never let the righteous fall!

Secondly, consider the Lord’s words “Take courage, it is I, don’t be afraid”. The disciples could not recognize Jesus at first because of the darkness and the rough seas. Sometimes, when we are faced with darkness and troubled waters, we can lose sight of the Lord. If we are in such a situation remember His words “Take courage, it is I, don’t be afraid”. In life there are many fears and worries, but in the Lord, we can take courage. We need not ever be afraid.

Finally, consider the potential of faith. Earlier we saw how the Lord spoke of a tiny mustard seed could become the largest of garden plants. Peter started off strong but wavered once his faith level dipped. How can we continue to walk on troubled waters? Our faith must be strong. We must stop looking at the waves and the wind but focus on Jesus. When our eyes are fixed on Him, we have life, and are able to even do the impossible.

Prayer:

We praise thee Heavenly Lord for Your wonderful grace. Even in troubled waters, You are there to save us. We need not fear any troubles for You are there for us. Help us look to You, Lord Jesus, and keep our eyes on You that we will not waver or sink. Keep our faith strong O Lord, and lead us in Your way everlasting. Bless You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.   

Only five loaves of bread and two fish

Only five loaves of bread and two fish

Scripture:

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children Matthew 14:13-21

Observation:

Upon hearing of the horrific death of his cousin John the Baptist, the Lord seeks some time alone, withdrawing by boat privately to a solitary place. John the Baptist had been the voice in the wilderness that prepared the way for Him. John’s life and ministry had been all about being the forerunner for Jesus. His death would have had a deep impact indeed on our Lord. Furthermore, the manner of John’s death was also a stark reminder of the cruel death Jesus Himself would have to go through in the not too distant future. The Lord needed to spend some time alone with His Father in Heaven to be comforted by their deep and loving communion.

However, when Jesus landed on the shore, a large crowd was already there, traveling ahead on foot in anticipation of his arrival. Even in spite of His troubles, the Lord no longer though about Himself but was filled with compassion for the people, many of whom were suffering in sickness. The word for compassion means literally to feel as the other person would. Jesus felt their pain, their distress, their sorrows like no one else could.

Soon, evening approached, and at that solitary place, there was a major problem because there was no food nearby. The disciples bring up this predicament to Jesus, asking them to send the crowd away so that they can go to the villages and buy food. The Lord instead gives them a surprising challenge. “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat”. Incredulous, the disciples remark that they have only found 5 loaves and 2 fish but the Lord simply asks them to hand those over. After directing the crowd to sit down on the grass, the Lord thanks God for the food and proceeds to give them to his disciples who pass them on to the people. Miraculously, the disciples find that the bread and fish never runs out, We can scarcely imagine how this multiplication kept on happening, but at the end of it, 5000 men as well as women and children are fed to the full, and there is even 12 baskets full of leftover food.

Application:

This story is rich with many applications but we focus on three. Firstly, we would do well to seek the Lord’s compassion for others. In today’s society, we are mainly preoccupied with ourselves and our own needs. The Lord, however, always looks to the concerns of others, especially the sick whom He heals graciously. Ask the Lord to help us truly empathize, to feel what others feel.

Secondly, our part is to bring what we have to the Lord, and He is able to make something far greater than we could ever hope for or imagine. Out of five loaves and two fishes, the Lord fed thousands. We may be small, we may be nobodies, but in the Lord’s hands, we can be powerful instruments indeed for the extension of His kingdom. Our part is to bring what we have to Him, our limited talents, experience and personality, and trust in the Lord to bless it exponentially for God’s glory.

Finally, the Lord’s blessing is never just enough, but always overflowing, always over and above what we need. The Prosperity Gospel likes to focus people’s attention of abundant wealth, big bank accounts, big mansions and flashy cars which of course attract masses. However, God’s overflowing blessings simply put is always having more than enough, day by day – enough for our own needs, and some extra to be a blessing to others.  God does not promise every Christian will live in mansions and drive big cars. He knows what is best for us at our particular point in life. Nevertheless, one thing we know, is that in Christ, we will always have more than enough, never lacking anything because we have a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

Prayer:

We bless You, Father God, for the great things You have done. You created the whole world, and made everything beautiful and perfect in Your will. Bless us O Lord, and grant us a heart of compassion like our Lord Jesus, that we may feel what those who suffer feel. Lead us away from selfishness, but enable us to be a blessing to others.

We thank You, Lord Jesus, that with so little, You can make so much. Though we do not have much, we bring what we have to You, trusting that You will use us, and create something truly wonderful out of the little we have. We entrust our lives to You, O Lord, for in You, we have true meaning and hope.

Bless You, Heavenly Father, for Your abundant blessings, that are always overflowing. We thank You, Lord that day by day, we have more than enough. We always have room to even bless others. Give us that simple faith day by day, that You O Lord will provide for us. In the midst of economic uncertainty, we trust in You O Lord as our Great Provider. May Your name be praised, Heavenly Father, precious Lord Jesus, sweet Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.

A deadly birthday promise

A deadly birthday promise

Scripture:

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus

Observation:

In this passage, we encounter the sad incident of yet another great servant of God being martyred by wicked men. John the Baptist had been speaking out against Herod the tetrarch for his sinful relationship with Herodias, who was the wife of his own brother. Because of this, Herod actually wanted to kill John, but he was afraid doing so would make him unpopular with the people who considered John a prophet. Instead, he arrested John and put him in prison.

Meanwhile, the evil woman Herodias kept a grudge against John the Baptist and looked for an opportunity to have him killed once and for all. That day came on Herod’s birthday, when Herodias’ daughter danced so well for the guests that he carelessly promised on oath to give her whatever she wanted. Her evil mother quickly prompted her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod knew he had been caught in a trap, and unable to lose face to his dinner guests, acceded to her morbid request though he was distressed at having to kill John.

In great sadness, John’s disciples came and took their master’s body and buried it and they informed Jesus what had happened.

There are at least four important lessons here that we can learn from this passage. Firstly, is the importance of speaking the Word of God without fear or favor. John the Baptist bravely rebuked one of the most powerful and dangerous men in Judea, fully aware that Herod would most likely kill him. In fact, John the Baptist was calling Herod to repentance and end his sinful relationship with Herodias. John was true to God’s Word and his ministry regardless of who the audience was.

Secondly, whether we are great or small, famous or unknown, we all must have right relationships. Herod perhaps thought he was above the law because of his high position, but in God’s eyes, whether king or beggar, all alike are accountable to Him.

Thirdly, do not give foolish open promises. Herod foolishly let Herodias’ daughter ask for anything, promising her in advance whatever she asked would be fulfilled. A similar incident was Jephthah vowing to God that whatever living thing he saw first after returning from victorious battle would be sacrificed, and it turned out his daughter came first. We would do well to follow the Lord’s teaching not to make vows flippantly but simply let our yes be yes and our no be no.

Finally, we must do the right thing, even at the cost of personal public disgrace. King Herod did not want to kill John the Baptist in that time and manner, but could not get over losing face to his dinner guests. Today, we are so concerned to be politically correct and avoid displeasing others but if it means we will be doing something very clearly wrong, we have to stand our ground even against popular opinion, even at great personal cost or disgrace to us.

Application:

Pray to God for the courage and wisdom to speak His Word without fear or favor when we are called to do so. Remember the importance of having right relationships, regardless of who we are, great or small. If we are stuck in a wrong relationship, ask the Lord for wisdom on what to do. In regard to marriage, Scripture provides some guidance whereby in situations where there is an unbelieving spouse, the believing spouse is not to leave but continue to pray for the salvation of the other. In cases where there is abuse, separation may be necessary but divorce is not to be initiated or encouraged by the believer.

Remember the importance of guarding our mouths from foolish statements or promises. Pray for the strength to make strong decisions to do the right thing even at the price of personal cost or disgrace if need be.

Prayer:

Praise You, Father in Heaven, for You give us all we need. We pray to You this day O Lord for courage and wisdom to speak Your Word and to do Your will without fear or favor when You call us to do so. We submit our relationships to You O Lord. Give us the wisdom in how to handle our relationships. Guard our mouths we pray from foolish words and promises and grant us the courage to make the decision to do the right thing even under tremendous pressure to do otherwise. May Your name be praised forever. In Jesus name, Amen.

Because of their lack of faith

Because of their lack of faith

Scripture:

When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 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. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”

And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Matthew 13:53-58

Observation:

In this passage, we now see the Lord come to his own hometown, where he begins teaching and healing people in the local synagogue. Everyone is amazed because they recognize him as a local boy, as the carpenter’s son. They know his mother Mary, and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas. They even know his sisters. They probably have chairs or tables or beds in their homes that Jesus build with His own hands. After a while, they find they cannot accept Him telling them how to live. They cannot get past looking at his upbringing and cannot believe that someone whom they had known as a little kid can possibly be the Savior of the world, the Son of God. Doubtlessly, no small bit of jealousy played a role here as well.

The NIV version describes their attitude as “taking offense” at Jesus. The translation literally means they stumbled over Him. The Lord sadly tells them “a prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home”. The sad result of this atmosphere was that the Lord did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

There were two main problems with the townspeople. The first was their prejudice, and this prejudice is common among people we know well and live together with. If we look with human eyes, and use human reasoning, we will inevitably be prejudiced. We may doubt how God can raise up the boy next door or a close cousin to become a great evangelist or a famous preacher. We may still be blinded and let a great person for the Lord pass by without our noticing. Jesus came from only a humble carpenter’s family, not from a famous lineage of Pharisees or teachers of the law. Again, we are reminded that we must not judge things from the outward appearance but look deeper into the truth of things, guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

The second problem of the townspeople was their lack of faith. This passage also teaches us how the faith level of a congregation has a great impact on the occurrence of miracles in a place. That is why great miracles tend to be more commonplace in the rural areas where the simple folk have simple yet powerful faith. In the more urban areas, where there are many skeptics, even within the church, miracles are considerably less. Many of us wonder why God does not seem to move much in our lives and why life seems rather dull and unexciting. But how strong is our faith? Are we willing to take a paradigm shift in our faith level, to believe that God truly answers prayer, and that He does miracles today just the same as when He walked the earth 2,000 years ago?

Application:

Beware of our human tendency towards prejudice. Instead of judging easily by our human eyes and human standards, instead look to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and ask “What do You want me to see, Lord?” We need to pray that God will help us look not at the outward appearance, but at the inner truth of things.

Pray to the Lord to grant us a paradigm shift in our faith level. How do we increase our faith? Pray for more faith! Ask God for that special anointing! Believe that God answers prayers today! Begin to see spiritually miracles before they even happen! See the Lord working actively in our lives, leading us from glory to glory, showing us great and marvelous miracles even as we serve Him.

Prayer:

Father God, forgive me I pray for the many times I have looked with prejudice with others, judging them, condemning them, without so much as a thought. Teach me, dear Lord, to learn to look and discern with spiritual eyes, to patiently listen to You, even as we interact with others. Give us that special word, that special knowledge, that we might make a difference in helping someone who is in need.

Help us O Lord, increase our faith, open our eyes and our heart to believe. Move, O Lord, even in our lives. Lead us O Lord, to lives of greater meaning and purpose. Show Yourself strong, we pray. May Your great name be praised forever! In Jesus name, Amen.