“And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22).
TEXT — Luke 4:22-30
The Hebrew’s proverb “Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest violence” best describes the congregation’s attitude to Christ’s ministry at Nazareth. Their reaction to Christ warns us of the danger of prejudice and how it can blind people to the truth.
Jesus came to Nazareth, His country home, and taught in the synagogue. He announced that the purpose of His coming was to preach the gospel to the poor, deliver the oppressed, and proclaim the year of God’s jubilee. At first, the people were amazed at His teaching and confessed that His words were gracious. However, their initial favourable reaction soon turned to scepticism and rejection.
The people of Nazareth were hindered by their prejudice against Jesus. Looking at His poor background, they doubted how He could be the Messiah. Their notion of who Jesus was prevented them from seeing the truth He presented. They also expected Jesus to perform miracles to prove His claims. However, Jesus never performed miracles for sceptics or to satisfy the curiosity of men.
Jesus reminded them that, naturally,a prophet is not esteemed among his own people. He cited the examples of Elijah and Elisha, who were not appreciated in Israel, and God sent them to Gentiles. These illustrations infuriated the people of Nazareth. Boiling with rage, they closed their hearts to the good news of Jesus and attempted to kill Him. However, He passed through their midst and walked away, never to return to Nazareth.
We must not allow prejudice to hinder us from receiving God’s truth and blessings regardless of the instrument God decides to use. God can use your familiar friend, spouse, children, someone from another race, or lowly background to convey His blessings to you. Avoid allowing undue familiarity or contempt for anyone to be a barrier in your life.
Thought for the day
Open-mindedness creates open doors to divine blessings.
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.
