When God Says …
“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 KJV).
The Lord Jesus Christ is in His home turf, so to speak. A familiar ground among people He grew up in and with. The Lord’s presence in His hometown of Nazareth is met with a mix of admiration and skepticism. While the people "spoke well" of Him and were amazed by the "gracious words" (or "words of grace") His mouth spoke, they also questioned His identity, saying, "Isn't this Joseph's son?". They're enthralled by His aura of wisdom and eloquence as He speaks but struggled to reconcile His authoritative declaration with His humble upbringing.
“Isn't this Joseph's son?" This is a question of skepticism. They knew the Lord Jesus from childhood and couldn't imagine Him being the Messiah, someone who would possess such profound wisdom and authority. They were struggling to reconcile their familiar knowledge of Him with His claims. Their reactions give meaning to the idea that familiarity breeds contempt. They’re blinded to see the divine source of His words and dismiss Him based on their limited understanding of who He is seen through the lens of their religion..
Yes, they’re being blinded by the eye patches of religion they wear. They totally missed it like many today who are sadly continuing to wear religious blindfolds, despite the truth they already heard from God's holy and written words. The enemy successfully utilized the concept of religion to keep many from recognizing that the Lord Jesus came not to establish religious enterprises. He came to be in us by His grace through our faith in Him. The Lord Jesus declares this truth, when He uttered this prayer for us with the Father: “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:21-23 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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