2/9/2025 - Trusting Jesus Even When Others Don't

Summary:  In Luke 4, Jesus starts his work by teaching in different synagogues, and many people praise him. But when he goes back to his hometown of Nazareth, the people there doubt him. They question, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" Jesus tells them that sometimes people don’t accept prophets, especially when they know them from before. He talks about two special prophets, Elijah and Elisha, to explain that this has happened before. The people in Nazareth get really angry and try to push him off a cliff! But Jesus does something amazing and walks right through the crowd safely.

This story shows how hard it can be to share important truths with people who have their own ideas.

  1. (Nora): So if Jesus grew up in Nazareth, what language did he speak first?
  2. (Alexis): If Jesus didn’t sin while growing up, wouldn’t that make it obvious to the people in Nazareth, especially those who knew him, that he was different?
  3. (Emerson): Was Jesus only rejected and hated in Nazareth, or was it one of many places?
  4. (Emerson): Since Jesus was so powerful, why didn’t he just punish those who believed in him right there and then?
  5. (Wesley): Why do people reject Jesus these days?

Comments

  1. Pastor JamesFebruary 26, 2025 at 3:02 PM

    Question 1 (Nora): So if Jesus grew up in Nazareth, what language did he speak first?

    Good question Nora. Jesus most certain spoke in a Galilean dialect of Aramaic. This was the main language of the period. He probably also knew some Hebrew.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pastor JamesFebruary 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM

    Question 3 (Emerson): Was Jesus only rejected and hated in Nazareth, or was it one of many places?

    Good question Emerson! No Jesus was not just rejected in Nazareth, but in many place, especially among the Jews, his own people. But the most important place that rejected Jesus was Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jews. Jesus was ultimately hated and rejected by the Jewish leaders and crucified!

    If Jesus came today, do you think people would love him or hate him? And why?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pastor JamesFebruary 26, 2025 at 3:25 PM

    Question 4 (Emerson): Since Jesus was so powerful, why didn’t he just punish those who believed in him right there and then?

    What a great question Emerson! It's a very human reaction, to want to punish people who are so wicked. So why didn't Jesus punish people who didn't believe in Him and even hated him and opposed him?

    And there's a very simple answer to that! It's the answer Jesus gave to Nicodemus in John 3:16-17, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him."

    Jesus did not come to judge the world (1st coming), and that is also not our job, but save the world and sinners (and that too is our job). Jesus' mission was to rescue sinners NOT to condemn sinners. The next time Jesus comes into the world (2nd coming), he comes to judge the world and to bring complete salvation to those who believe and obey Him!

    So our job is not to condemn but to give hope through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We warn people NOT to receive the grace of God in vain but to take God's offer of salvation seriously! After all, God cares about sinners and desires all to come to repentance, which is why he often delays bringing judgment. God is so patient and wonderful and gracious, but you can't ignore him forever without paying the ultimate price!

    ReplyDelete

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