Luke 4:14-30
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.
23Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' "
24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian."
28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
Jesus is in the local town where He grew up...He was in the local synagogue...It was His custom to read scripture...Jesus stood up to read...Jesus reads from the Book of Isaiah in his hometown of Nazareth...He tells the local townspeople that He is the One that fulfills this scripture...The local people, who He knew did not believe, He was the One...
Jesus reminds us of the powers God gave to the prophets Elijah and Elisha...Many who needed help or suffered could have sought them out, if they only believed (that they could help or heal them)...
To have faith and keeping faith can be a difficult thing...There are always obstacles to belief...The people knew Jesus and did not believe Him...He had been to the synagogue many times, which was His custom...But there can be other reasons for doubting...When you truly believe in something, you move past your obstacles to find the Truth...
Faith requires moving past obstacles...St. Thomas doubted...He probably is the most famous of doubters...Jesus had been with him for probably three years...Jesus knew that Thomas doubted Him...Jesus knew He could not leave Thomas faithless and He had the power to show Thomas the truth...Thomas in his guilt, after touching Jesus wounds from the cross, fell to his feet and says, My LORD and my God...After studying with all our minds, our hearts, and our strength Jesus asks us to stop doubting and believe...