February 3, 2019 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

21And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30But passing through their midst, he went away. Luke 4:21-30 ESV

Over the years I have heard pastors say they do know what to preach about. From the passage above I can think of at least a dozen sermons which can come from it. I chose to look into the idea of hometown.

I cannot remember the person but I remember the quote that “Church people could not receive a full dose of Christianity because they have been inoculated against it.” WOW! Could this be true?

We see Jesus facing the church people problem in His hometown. By now word of the miracles and crowds which followed Jesus had spread to His hometown and many would expect a warm welcome from the “homies” (this means either close friends, supporters or those who come from the same place).

They could not see beyond who they thought Jesus was to see the revelation of who Jesus is!!! The claim of Jesus to be the Messiah rocked their beliefs and understanding. Like many who face this whiplash they went from shock to fury! Even to the point of murder!

We may be shocked, horrified and disgusted by the actions of the “homies” but if we are honest we do the same thing today. If we are uncomfortable with the Bible we either ignore it or explain why the Bible is out of date or misunderstood. We teach “Bible stories” so we do not have to see who Jesus is and what we should be!

Be honest, the Bible is scary and uncomfortable to us. There are parts of the Bible I do not like and I argue with God about. But God is God and so I must bow (literally) to God's wisdom and teaching. To not do so is to push Jesus away or “kill” Him in our lives!

Who are you? Are you a “homie” who when you disagree with the written word, the Bible, push away the Living Word, Jesus the Christ or to be more blunt do you think you are god? Or have you received the revelation of the Living Word, Jesus, through the written word, the Bible, and are willing to take the leap of faith with Jesus?

It is my prayer you will choose Jesus by faith and discover who Jesus is through the Bible guided by the Holy Spirit!!!