FCA ResourcesDevotional
Hometown
Ready
“When Jesus had finished these parables, he left there. He went to his hometown and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does he get all these things?’ and they were offended by him. Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.’ and he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.” - Matthew 13:53-58
Set
When the Lord called me to work for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, I wanted to work in any city but the one I was raised in. I wanted a fresh start, where I could minister the Word of God without the eyes of everyone I knew upon me. We are all sinners who would rather not revisit the past, and the thought of ministering at my high school, which was filled with memories and regrets, was not appealing. I was plagued with doubts about my ability to minister to my former teachers and coaches. I had no desire to be met with questions and doubts based on what people thought they knew about me. Some say the most challenging place to share the love of the Lord is with your friends and family.
Jesus shared this struggle of being met with doubts and judgments when He returned to minister in His hometown of Nazareth. Unlike me, Jesus was not afraid of facing his past. What caused Jesus to leave His hometown was the consistent unbelief of the people closest to Him. They could not get past the Jesus of Nazareth, whom they thought they knew. Instead of being able to see Jesus as the Son of God, they only saw Him as the little boy of Mary and Joseph. This unbelief led to Jesus not performing many miracles there because the unbelief of the townspeople was too great.
Do you struggle to see Jesus as He truly is? Maybe you grew up with perceptions of Jesus that cause you to lack belief. Perhaps you see Jesus as culture does; as 'just a nice guy.' Maybe, as a Christian, you struggle with doubts surrounding the Trinity and the fact that Jesus is the manifestation of God Himself.
We did not know Jesus as a little boy in Nazareth. But, our doubts and unbelief in who He is can lead to the same outcome. Our faith is what opens our eyes to be able to see the mighty works of Jesus around us. If we continue to subscribe to the doubts we have, we will never be able to see the word that God is performing all around us. Don't let your preconceived ideas of who you thought Jesus was stop you from pursuing Jesus for who He really is.
Go
- What are some misconceptions you have about Jesus?
- Do you have a hard time ministering to your loved ones?
- Why is it hard to walk in the light in a place that was once filled with darkness?
Overtime
"Lord God, You give us the truth in Your Holy Word. Forgive us for our doubts and misunderstandings of who You are and who Jesus is. Let us not be afraid to share Your Word even in the most frightening places. Give us Your strength and wisdom and, most importantly, the faith to believe in the mighty works of our Savior, amen."
Group