FAMILIARITY CAN BREED CONTEMPT
The people of Nazareth were offended at the authority of Jesus’ teachings because of their familiarity with him. They knew his family. They had seen him grow up. “Who does he think he is coming back home preaching to us?” They thought.
Two ways we might relate to this passage:
One, we might relate to the Nazarenes. We sometimes respond without respect to Christ because of our familiarity. We’ve been believers for a long time, so we feel we’ve heard it all before. We’ve sung all the songs. Listened to all the sermons. Attended all the holiday events. We lose sight of our “first love.” We become like the people of Nazareth. And we do not see Jesus do mighty works in our lives because of our unbelief. We don’t really know Jesus.
Two, we might relate to Jesus. We sometimes experience rejection from our family and friends when we bring Jesus home with us. We are able to share our testimony of faith with strangers and see them accept Christ, but our own family members and closest friends act offended when we offer the same to them. Like Jesus, we have no honor in our own house.
How do you relate to this passage?
PRAYER: Dear Father, help us not to take for granted our relationship with Jesus. For we sometimes mistake our familiarity Him as a growing relationship with Him. We want to do more than know about Him. We want to grow in truly knowing Him. And Father, help us as we tell our friends and family about Jesus, so that they see Him as He truly is. In Jesus’ name, amen.