Not Many Miracles in Nazareth
February 13, 2023
Matthew 13:44-58 | Philippians 2:4
Here are more Kingdom parables and a visit by Jesus to his hometown, which doesn’t go so great.
Does it surprise you to read that Jesus couldn’t perform miracles much in his hometown of Nazareth? Is it weird to receive that as comforting news? That even Jesus himself ran into situations working so hard against him that he didn’t have as much success as he would have without the resistance?
Take heart.
Matthew 13:44-59
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that somebody hid in a field, which someone else found and covered up. Fu “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went and sold all that he owned and bought it.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that people threw into the lake and gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, they pulled it to the shore, where they sat down and put the good fish together into containers. But the bad fish they threw away. That’s the way it will be at the end of the present age. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the righteous people, and will throw the evil ones into a burning furnace. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.
“Have you understood all these things?”Jesus asked.
They said to him, “Yes.”
Then he said to them, “Therefore, every legal expert who has been trained as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings old and new things out of their treasure chest.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he departed. When he came to his hometown, he taught the people in their synagogue. They were surprised and said, “Where did he get this wisdom? Where did he get the power to work miracles? Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother named Mary? Aren’t James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? And his sisters, aren’t they here with us? Where did this man get all this?” They were repulsed by him and fell into sin.
But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometowns and in their own households.” He was unable to do many miracles there because of their disbelief.
Philippians 2:4
Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.
Prayer
God,
First off, thank you for today. It’s a new work week. Monday.
Lord, help me to affect what I can today. Give me the grace and wisdom to do so. But when things do not go my way, give me the same: grace and wisdom. Help me be gracious to people as I make effort to team up with or collaborate with them. And then give me patience all the more when they do not return the goodness. Help me to remember Christ, whose effort was always there, but wise enough to know when to move on.
By your Spirit and in Christ, Amen.