“And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house” (Matthew 13:57).
TEXT — Matthew 13:55-58
Message
Abraham Lincoln once said that, “if I tried to answer all the criticisms of men and all the attacks levelled at me, this office would be closed to all other businesses. My job is not pleasing men, but I am doing my best. If, in the end, I am found to be wrong, ten legions of angels swearing I was right will not help me; but if the end proves me to have been right, then all that is said about me now will amount to nothing.”
Today’s text centres on Christ’s discourse with a mixed multitude, His disciples, and many others who were sceptics and would query and find fault in his activities and teachings. While the disciples sought clarifications after such expositions, the multitude and fault-finders always looked for ways to fault His words, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecies that though they have eyes and ears, they did not see, hear or perceive the purpose of God for that hour. The ground of their scepticism was their supposed knowledge of Christ’s lineage. “Is not this the carpenter’s Son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man these things?” (Matthew 13:55,56).
Familiarity, in this case, has bred contempt. The suspicious people in His country home got offended and could not enjoy the accruable blessings of God in their midst through faith in the Messiah. He was the one anointed of the Father, and indeed, He went about and did good, healing all that the devil oppressed because God was with Him—they remained in their calamities.
Scepticism has always hindered the enjoyment of God’s goodness. Though the power of God is still in operation today, many languish in sicknesses, diseases, guilt, poverty, weaknesses, defeat, and sin because of their familiarity with God’s ministers and the wrong assumption that the era of the supernatural ended with the apostles of Christ. Anyone who hopes to receive God’s blessings must come in faith, trusting God. To be free from the critical and judgmental spirit, you need genuine repentance and faith in Christ.
Thought for the day
It is dangerous to be too familiar with the move of God.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
1 comment
Happy Mid Week, Welldone and Greetings.Thanks for the Bible Expositions of Today. It reminds us of God’s Grace, Redemption and Love.We also Thank Jesus for His Teaching and Showing us the Ways of God and we also that God for His Faithful and Loyal Servants who take up the who take the Mantle of Jesus to Teach, us and also Work Wonders.I pray that we will be Joint Heirs of the Kingdom of Kingdom of God Almighty.
Happy Mid Week, Welldone and Greetings.Thanks for the Bible Expositions of Today. It reminds us of God’s Grace, Redemption and Love.We also Thank Jesus for His Teaching and Showing us the Ways of God and we also that God for His Faithful and Loyal Servants who take up the who take the Mantle of Jesus to Teach, us and also Work Wonders.I pray that we will be Joint Heirs of the Kingdom of Kingdom of God Almighty.