Skeptical Reception

 

 Matthew 13:54-58

Hometown Reception

⁵⁴ Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. ⁵⁵ “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”

⁵⁸ And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Jesus was not a hit in his own hometown as he was met by skepticism from those who knew him from his childhood into his adulthood: Joseph the Carpenter's son...who was he to be teaching and expounding on the Word of God? Their lack of faith prevented them from hearing his message and accepting him as a teacher. As a result of their lack of faith and trust, he could not work many miracles there.

Is my faith thin, fragile, and untrusting? When I pray do I really believe God hears me?  We can never say I have enough faith; there's always room for it to grow and deepen.

Bro Rene

Dear God, increase my faith, remove any sense of cocky complacency, I humbly pray. Amen.