The Life of Christ

“And He began to say unto them, ‘today is this scripture fulfilled,’” and it seems He then continued to speak on.

Lk. 4:22 And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’ s son? ”

Their first reaction was overwhelmingly positive!

•

“They spoke well of him.”

• They heard in their ears "gracious words."

But then, in the midst of this magical dream, they suddenly awoke!

• “Isn't this Joseph's son? How could this be ? ”

• The prior reality had been momentarily suspended by this powerfully anointed word — this is the mark of great preaching!

• When attempting to negotiate these two opposing realities, they stumbled on their incompatibility.

• To receive new truth or further revelation usually forces us to expand our frame of reference.

These people in Nazareth had thirty years of opposing data stored up that kept them from grasping the truth!

• It will be their “ unbelief ” that prevents Jesus from performing His typical display of miracles. Only in Nazareth are His miracles suspended!

• This is the only time in the Gospels when Jesus doesn’t pray for people to be healed, perhaps, knowing that they wouldn’t recover because of their lack of faith.

• Unfortunately, doubt is what most often prevents a miracle!

• Those who have the hardest time overcoming their doubt are the ones with years of prior disappointments in the realms of faith.

• Their mental circuitry has deep ruts of unbelief carved into the brain, creating a natural historic path for the usual assumption of unbelief.

Lk. 4:23-26 And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. 25 But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.”

In Zarephath was a Gentile widow, who lived in Sidon, a border city of Israel.

• Honor was given to a woman — not a man; a widow — one not even married; a Gentile — not a Jew.

• Jesus said this to warn them that God can always choose to favor the Gentiles if He so desires.

64