Steven A. Bush - August 28, 2016
Jesus was No Hometown Hero
Mark 6:4 says: "And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (ESV) And where did Jesus utter these profound words? In the synagogue of His hometown, Nazareth. Luke tells us that Jesus' hometown 'friends' actually tried to shove Him off a cliff! Jesus grew up and was a carpenter here for almost two decades before His Messianic ministry began. But the homeboys were having none of that. The Nazarenes were fine with Jesus reading about the Christ but not so much with Him declaring He was the Christ. So what about you? Are you opening your heart to Him or pushing Him towards the cliff? It's imperative that we not miss Who Jesus is because He's not what we thought Him to be. And just a warning for all of you true believers (verses nominal posers), your hometown friends are watching and they know where all the cliffs are. But Jesus is always the better choice, the Friend who sticks closer than a brother. As He says in Mark 8:38: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”