...no asterisk...

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

“1 Jesus left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honor, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.

The Mission of the Twelve

Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

The Death of John the Baptist

14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ 15 But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’

17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18 For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ 23 And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ 24 She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ 25 Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ 26 The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb” Mark 6:1-29.

Dear friends, the first 6 verses of this chapter have always shaken me to the core. This apparently simple story of Jesus being rejected by his own townspeople where He grew up and lived. There are two phrases here that belong together, if you and I are honest with ourselves! Verse 3 says: “They took offense at Jesus” And in verse 6 it says: “Jesus was amazed at their unbelief.” I put these two verses together in a single verse: The people took offense at Jesus because of their unbelief!

I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have looked in the mirror to see one whose behavior towards Jesus reflected my unbelief! And i can’t tell you how many times I have come to know and love others who have done the same thing. The key for me in combining verses 3 and 6 is to look not at what I have said, but at what I have done. The combining of these two verses assures me that actions do speak louder than words!

You see, when In step away from God, and sin, my sinful actions are telling me that my actions, my behavior, my choices in life, sometimes speak louder than my words! When I sin, I have no one to blame but myself.

And when I feel God pulling me back into his heart, I have no one to thank except Almighty God! For nothing I say and nothing I do can ever pull myself into God’s heart but the love and grace of Almighty God!

Another way I look at this is to invite you to remember that the sign that hung above the cross, nailed in by command of the Governor Pilate, was a sign that simply announced, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews!” That sign that hung above the cross contained no asterisk! Everybody was included in what Jesus did on that Cross! No one was excluded! There was nothing you or I could do, nothing no one could ever do, to deserve the death of Jesus! He did this completely on His own! When you and I take offense at Jesus — and sin — He alone brings us back into His heart!

So today I invite you to remember these words: When you sin, you have no one to blame but yourself! But when you do anything good, you have no one to thank but Jesus Christ! Another way of saying this is to consider verses 3 and 6 above: The people took offense at Jesus because of their unbelief!

The other way to look at this is to remember that there was never any asterisk that hung on the sign above the cross. When you sin, you have no one to blame but yourself! But when you do anything good, you have no one to thank but Jesus Christ!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner!