Mark 6:1-6a—He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Jude and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who has walked among us. Amen.
I hope everyone from time to time enjoys a good book. Whatever genre you like, I hope you sit and read. Mark’s Gospel reads like a good story. Mark has a lot of action and plenty of drama, and it tells about a lot of things that are just plain amazing. Homework assignment: Read Mark in one sitting this week. It is only about 25 pages, you could read it in an hour quite easily.
Sometimes, when we read, the story just remains words on paper or pictures in our minds. The characters stay imaginary. This is especially true, unfortunately, when we read Scripture. We underestimate a Character in the Gospel of Mark Who was and is the Son of God in the flesh. This Man came and dwelt here on earth in history.
We forget that Jesus was in the womb of His mother, and we forget that Jesus was actually born. We sometimes forget the fact He grew up; He experienced what it was to be a boy. He learned how to eat, speak, and walk. He experienced fatigue, pain, hunger, and thirst. We forget that He lived in an actual town and in a real house. We forget that He had neighbors and that He had (half) brothers and sisters. Too easily and too quickly forget that Jesus was a Man.
He experienced every aspect of being a human just as you experience it, and yet He remained sinless.
Jesus’ hometown was Nazareth in northern Israel. Archaeologists have dug it up and have estimated the population in Jesus’ day was about 400 people. Most of you, if not all of you, know about small-town life. Small-town life means everyone knows everything about everyone.
When Jesus was about 30 years old (Lk. 3:23), He left Nazareth and traveled south to be baptized by John in the Jordan River. After this, Satan unsuccessfully tempted Him to fall into sin; Jesus remained sinless. Jesus returned to the northern parts of the country where He grew up and began to preach and teach “The Kingdom of God is at hand.”
Jesus healed; He cast out demons; He commanded even the wind and the sea; and He even raised the dead. People from the north and south were thronging around Him (Mk. 3:7-8) and following Him. They were listening to His teaching. This dramatic action goes on for five whole chapters, and Jesus is going full throttle.
But then comes Mark 6. It is not just that the breaks are hit, this is like running into a brick wall. Not everyone is impressed with Jesus.
As Jesus comes back to His hometown after having traveled through the area, the crowds were dumbfounded and even repulsed. “Where did this Man, Jesus, get these things? What is this wisdom that has been given to Him? He’s a carpenter! We know His mother and brothers and sisters, they live just down the street. We remember Jesus from when He was this tall. Hey, remember when He ditched His parents and stayed in Jerusalem when He was twelve (Lk. 2:41-52)?” And they are scandalized by Him.
Jesus’ friends and acquaintances from Nazareth hear Him and are repulsed. Jesus comes back to His hometown when He is 30’ish and the ‘Nazarethians’ think He is trying to be something greater than they knew that He was—their neighbor, a carpenter. They robbed Jesus of His divinity. They look at Jesus, and all they see was the “little boy from down the street.”
The crowds in Nazareth that Sabbath doubted Jesus’ identity and ministry. They thought Jesus was something much less than He actually was and is.
Who else, gathered in churches throughout this country, minimizes Jesus’ identity and ministry? Who gathered in the pews of congregations throughout this city believe that Jesus is a Man Who taught a higher standard of morals and broke down the socio-economic walls of His day? Who here in this sanctuary does not believe in the person and work of Jesus?
Too quickly and too easily, you diminish Jesus and make Him something far inferior than what He actually is.
Who is this Jesus? Who is this Man Who heals, casts out demons, and has authority over the wind and sea? Who is this Man Who lived in Nazareth and was a carpenter Who had relatives?
To quote The Princess Bride, “[Him not] Who you think Him is.”
Jesus is the divine, eternal Son of God Who became flesh and dwelt among us.
Jesus is the One Who Himself bore your sins “in His body on the tree that you might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24). Your sins are not just debts recorded against you in God’s ‘naughty or nice’ list. Christ wrapped Himself in your sin. Either you bear your sins in your body or Christ does in His. When Christ bears your sins, those sins are defeated sins. Jesus is not Who you think He is.
Jesus is the pure, spotless sacrifice for sins. The crucifixion was no accident. Christ came in order to lay His life down for you. He says, “No one takes My Life from Me, but I lay it down of My Own accord” (Jn. 10:18). Jesus is not Who you think He is.
Jesus testified against Himself; He didn’t plead the 5th Amendment. Instead, Jesus was “numbered with the transgressors” (Is. 53:12; Lk. 22:37). God had commanded that His people keep themselves separate from the sinful and unclean. But Jesus didn’t. He ate with the tax collectors and sinners so often that people accused Him of being a “glutton and a drunkard” (Mt. 11:19). Christ wasn’t separate from sinners; He was right beside them in the muck and filth. Christ is the “holy, holy, holy Lord of hosts” (Is. 6:3), and He has fellowship with sinners. Jesus is not Who you think He is.
Jesus entered His sinful creation which was in open rebellion against Him. Jesus was “born of a woman, born under the law” (Gal. 4:4). When the law of God found Jesus living among robbers, liars, adulterers, murderers, and thieves, it condemned Jesus as a sinner—as a robber, liar, adulterer, murderer, and thief. Jesus is not Who you think He is.
Jesus is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). You were like sheep who had gone astray and turned to our own way, but God laid on Jesus your iniquity (Is. 53:6). He is the Lamb of God who takes and confesses your sins as though He had done them. Jesus is not Who you think He is.
Jesus is the Robber of sins. He is the Divine Thief. He takes what is not His Own—the sins of the world—and dies for His robbery. If Jesus has taken away the sins of the world, than He must have also taken away your sins. Jesus robs you of your worst, secret sins, but He also robs you of your best, righteous deeds—things you have done that you think will please God but are only filthy rags (Is. 64:6). Jesus is not Who you think He is.
Jesus became a curse (Gal. 3:13) not just ‘cursed.’ Jesus became sin itself (2 Cor. 5:21). All of this for you. Jesus is not Who you think He is.
The people of Nazareth did not believe the person or work of Jesus Christ. They did just the opposite of the people in last week’s Gospel text (Mk. 5:21-43). Rather than believing, they did not believe and were scandalized.
Because of this, Jesus could do (lit.) “no work” there [You do have to love Mark’s ironic side note, “Well except for healing those few sick people.”]. Mark gives one of the most human insights into the mind of Jesus, “He marveled (was amazed) because of their unbelief.”
This is why the Gospel of Mark should be read in one sitting. This text follows immediately after Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter. Mark contrasts faith and unfaith. He contrasts Jesus’ works of power and the crowd’s sinful doubt.
Faith is not simply a belief in the power of faith. This faith is in Christ’s ability to deliver what He promises. Can the Son of God deliver you from sin, death, and the devil? “If the Son has set you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn. 8:36).
Trust Christ, not your feelings. He is more than what you think He is. Amen.
May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Pastorsamwise 