Learn why Yeshua was Rejected at Nazareth
Matthew 13:53-58 – Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Have you ever wanted so badly to share exciting news with family or friends, and they rejected your news? They didn’t get excited, or even criticized and questioned your news? Remember how it deflated you that the people you loved the most and wanted to really share the news with more than anyone were not interested but in fact were critical?
As a believer and follower of Jesus our Messiah, and having a close relationship with Him, the most rewarding thing you get to do is share the gospel and His love with others. The honor to share so that they might experience the same joy and receive salvation and have their eternity secured with our Heavenly Father. As rewarding as it is to share the gospel with strangers, there is nothing more meaningful than being able to share it with your family and friends.
From Jesus rejection, we can recognize that our friends and family are the hardest to share with because maybe they knew us before we were saved, before we started sharing the gospel. They might see us as the same kids or people we were prior to our salvation and think we haven’t changed. As a result, the people of Nazareth missed out on what Jesus had to offer them because they would not believe. They relied on their earthly knowledge and experiences to justify to themselves that they knew the truth. As sad as that is, the reality is, that if it happened to Jesus, it will happen to us.
In John 15:20 He says, Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. It’s also important to note here, that He shared with His community at the beginning of His ministry and they rejected him, but He didn’t give up on them, He came back again and gave them another chance. Even though they rejected him, He didn’t give up on them. Neither should we.
Let’s dig a little deeper…
Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in? That people didn’t understand you? Maybe you’ve even been rejected by those closest to you. If so, then you can relate to Yeshua. We see in this story that He was rejected by His own hometown of Nazareth. Even though He had done nothing but good, the people there did not want Him around.
But we see in scripture that this rejection did not stop Yeshua from doing what He was called to do. He is setting an example here for us to be persistent like He was in His ministry. He continued ministering and loving others, even when it wasn’t easy or popular. And because of that, we can have hope too. Hope that no matter how many times we are rejected, God still loves us and has a plan for our lives. So don’t give up – keep pressing on despite the rejection!
Yeshua was rejected because He was from Nazareth.
According to scripture, Yeshua had to endure being rejected from His hometown despite being the Son of God. They did not recognize Him as the deliverer they were expecting, but saw Him simply as “Mary and Joseph’s kid”. Just because we may be rejected by those who know us personally does not mean that God sees us any differently than how He sees His perfect Son. We may seem ordinary or overlooked, but to our Lord and Savior we are chosen, royalty, and highly esteemed for He paid a high price for us. Let us trust in Him and press on believing that in His eyes our worth is established by His love. Our identity is in Him; He says who we are, and He loves us.
The people of Nazareth did not believe in Him.
He came to a town full of people He had known since He was a boy, people He had grown up among. He was familiar, He was known. Yet still the people of Nazareth did not believe in Him – He was not what they had envisioned for their Messiah to look like. It’s important for us to remember that God doesn’t always show up in the ways we expect He will to answer our prayers and do miraculous things. He comes and works in supernatural ways that are beyond our comprehension, often through vessels that don’t seem likely at first glance. We mustn’t put limitations on God – He is bigger than any box we try to fit Him in!
They were offended by Him and His confidence and teachings.
Their lack of faith caused them to be offended by His teachings, but He still taught with confidence and love. Yeshua spent His life trying to bridge the connection between mankind and God, and in doing so, gave His followers many invaluable lessons. Though these lessons were difficult for some of His followers when it came to letting go of their own ideas about life, Yeshua understood that this was necessary in order to have a healthier relationship with God. So even though they were offended by Him and His confidence in sharing the truth, Yeshua always showed graciousness towards them with gentle words of encouragement. May we also remember to show patience and grace as we strive to align our hearts with God’s word.
He could not do any miracles there except heal a few sick people.
Despite his power, Yeshua also knew what it was like to feel powerless. At times He could not do anything but offer love and comfort, with several of those occasions taking place in His home town of Nazareth. In fact, during His visit there He was only able to heal a few sick people because the rest were slow to put their trust in Him. Yet even without performing great wonders or miracles, the Lord showed them how powerful love and faith can be. As today, we may find ourselves surrounded by people who are just as skeptical and difficult to persuade, yet Yeshua reminds us that even world-changing power begins with one small act of kindness and devotion towards others.
He left and went to Capernaum, which is where He started His public ministry.
Yeshua left his home town of Nazareth and ventured out to Capernaum, a city by the sea. It was here that Yeshua started his public ministry, and although we not sure what He preached on in the very first sermon, we know that He taught with authority unlike any other before Him. Yeshua had an important mission to fulfill, to bring salvation and forgiveness of sins through the Good News of the gospel. It is a message worth sharing today so that others may enter Heaven’s Kingdom by faith alone in Yeshua our Messiah. As we start each day, let us remember this call to go forth into all the world and teach of the Father’s love.
We need to be careful not to reject Yeshua’s disciples
We must be especially cautious not to reject Yeshua’s disciples based on their hometown or determined opinion. We know so little about what God is doing in the lives of those around us; it is impossible to understand fully how He is transforming and using each person. We do not possess the wisdom to perceive His plans, nor can we comprehend all He is working towards. We must allow those called and chosen by God to set out and serve Him without doubt or skepticism, trusting that He has the best in mind for them. We have no right to stand in the way of that which God has ordained, even if it means coming from our very own town or city. We should accept and embrace all of Yeshua’s disciples with a hopeful assurance in God’s goodness.
We need to be careful not to reject Yeshua’s disciples because they are from our town or city, or because we think we know everything about them already. Let us instead consider the examples set for us by Yeshua and His disciples – They went out into unknown territory and preached boldly even when they were rejected. We should follow their lead by studying the whole book of scriptures and turning back to the Father in repentance. Only then can we hope to have the joy of seeing people healed both physically and spiritually in our own towns and cities.
When you are rejected, give others time, pray for them. Allow God to do what He does, And circle back around when He leads you too. Follow Yeshua our Messiah and He will lead you where He wants you to go. Remember and be encouraged that you are the messenger, and it is the Holy Spirit who is doing the saving.
Don’t burden yourself thinking that you have to make things happen. Seeds are being planted by your actions and the rest is up to the Holy Spirit. It is said that, “Unbelief is the greatest obstacle to receiving Yeshua.”
Pray for the Father to heal the unbelief.
God bless you!