Chapter 3

Where do you live?

Two of the places that Jesus lived were two towns mentioned in the passage of Luke 4:14-45.  One place was his hometown of Nazareth. We can assume that he lived there over 25 years.  The other place was the town of Capernaum mentioned in Matthew 4:13.

  Now these two towns were different in a very important way. Nazareth was resistant to Jesus and Capernaum was responsive to Jesus.  And I want to suggest to you that, figuratively speaking, you live in one of these two towns.  And I want to warn you that it is very possible to be a Christian, and at this point in your life be resistant to the Lord Jesus.

  In Luke the third chapter, there is the ministry of John the Baptist as the forerunner to Jesus and there is also the Baptism of the Lord Jesus. Luke tells us in Luke 3:21-22

"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

  In the next chapter, we are told about the temptation of Jesus, Luke 4:12

"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered."

  Of course Jesus successfully resisted the temptation by Satan and then began his ministry.

Luke 4:13-15. Now we come to our text.  Jesus will visit two towns where he lived or had lived.  One was resistant to Jesus and the other was responsive to Jesus.  My question to you is where do you live Spiritually? Do you live in Nazareth, resistant to Jesus or in Capernaum, responsive to Jesus?

  Jesus gave a wonderful introduction of himself as Messiah through the presentation in the synagogue. Although the people admitted that they noted his gracious words, they could not get past the fact that he was someone that they knew. They thought that they knew Jesus well, but they didn't.

  Today many have a similar problem. They have heard about Jesus all their lives. They have gone to church all their lives. And yet they really don't know Him. Mention Jesus, and they'll say, "Oh, I know who He is." But they don't act like they know Him and teaching about Him is just shut off. "Oh, I've heard that before!" Christian we are in great danger when we get so familiar with Jesus that we take Him for granted or ignore Him. Don't let Jesus become so familiar to you that you ignore Him or take Him for granted.

  In Nazareth, Jesus knew what these people were thinking. They were using a saying of that day, "Physician heal thyself.” They wanted to see Him perform some miracles as He had done in Capernaum. Jesus used another saying of the day on them. "No prophet is without honor except in his own country." They had the very Son of God living among them for years, and they gave Him no honor. Other places, including Capernaum, did!

  Why did Jesus not work miracles in Nazareth?  It might be found in Matthew 13:58: “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Have you ever wondered why God doesn't do more around here?  Have you ever wondered why God doesn't do more in your life? Could it be that we are just as unbelieving in some ways as the people of Nazareth.