The Handicapped Jesus [29mb]

(To download an MP3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon based on Mark 6 regarding the visit that Jesus made to his hometown of Nazareth. It discusses the fact that Jesus could not do many mighty works there even though he desired to do so.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:  This Scripture presents the story of Jesus’ visit to his hometown of Nazareth. I suppose that any normal person would have the desire to do something special for his hometown folks. So it was with Jesus, no doubt. The passage also reveals that He was unable to work any miracles like He had done in many other towns that He visited.

This gives some insight in the debate between the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. In some mystical way, God’s sovereign rule and power works in harmony with man’s free will. In our human understanding it seems as though they are mutually exclusive, but they are not. It is difficult for us to understand how God can be totally sovereign and have sovereign control over this universe, yet allow human beings to exercise free will and have the ability to resist His will for their lives.

I would compare it to the concept of the Trinity. In our human understanding it seems that three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is mutually exclusive to one God, but somehow both one-ness and three-ness are true at the same time.

The fact that Jesus could not do something that He would have done and apparently wanted to do, brings us to the title I have chosen for this message: “The Handicapped Jesus.” This title is a thought that hopefully grabs our attention. It might seem a little shocking! Who would ever think that Jesus is handicapped in any way? Who would think that He is limited or restricted from doing something that He really wants to do?

In our board meeting this week, we were discussing the need to designate two or three more spaces in our parking lot as “handicap parking spaces.” I wonder if we need to reserve one of them for Jesus?

If Jesus were to visit our church this week, would He be restricted, hindered or limited from His normal activity? Would there be something that He wants to do for us that He would be unable to do?

The words mighty works are used to translate the Greek work “dunamis” from which we get our English word, “dynamite.”  Thus, a mighty, powerful, display of God’s ability.

The Scriptures also reveal the reason why Jesus was unable to perform the mighty works that He would have done – it was because of their unbelief.

Mk. 6:6 …He marveled because of their unbelief.

Matt. 13:58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

So, the underlying reason why Jesus was limited and restricted from doing many wonderful things that He wanted to do for His own people of Nazareth was their lack of genuine faith in Him.

Today, I would like to take a little while to explore...

I.     The Cause of Their Unbelief

II.    The Results of Their Unbelief

I.          First of all, I want to discuss the causes of their unbelief.

A.   Their personal prejudices produced a lack of faith.

(v. 3) - They were offended at him.

The word offended means a stumbling block. In other words, Jesus became a stumbling block to them. The Greek word is actually the same word from which we get our word “scandal.” This Man, His teaching, and His wonder-working miracles all appears to be scandalous to the hometown folks.

Some have even suggested, due to the comments of the people about His occupation (carpenter) and His family, that it was scandalous for someone of such lowly upbringing to be this popular with the people. (see Adam Clarke) Earlier in v. 3 - “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary...”

v. 4 – “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

The double negative makes this a little harder to grasp. He is saying that a prophet does have honor, respect or esteem everywhere except among his own kinfolk and his hometown.

They stumbled because of familiarity. They had watched Him grow up and they had seen Him so often as a child and a young man it caused them to doubt that He was anyone special or different than themselves.

I think there is a spiritual lesson for us in this. Has the story of Jesus Christ become so familiar to us that it really doesn’t mean that much any more? For those of us who have been around the church for years and we’ve heard the gospel message over and over, have we gotten so used to hearing it and accustomed to the lessons that it doesn’t really impress us any longer?

His willingness to leave the glory of heaven to be born in a stable; His willingness to die as a sacrifice for the sins of all people; His awesome display of power and victory in the resurrection from the dead; all of these events and more should be absolutely astounding to us, but we just kind of take it for granted and think nothing of it anymore.

This “oh-hum” attitude and lack of awe or wonder with the message of the gospel can certainly put a damper on the work of God in our lives and in our community.

What about His deity? Without a doubt, the townspeople did not really think of Jesus as being divine. They had watched Him grow up. No doubt they had seen some things that made them “scratch their heads,” but He was just the son of Joseph and Mary, nothing special about Him.

What about His divine power? It seems to me that it must have been hard for them to believe that He really had the power that they had heard about. Surely they had heard the stories of the kinds of miracles Jesus had done in other towns, but this was different. He was home now. He’s right here among those with whom he grew up. He looks the same. He seems like one of us.

How about us? Are we really convinced that Jesus is the Son of God? Are we really convinced that He can do anything? Any time that I doubt the ability of God to do what needs to be done it prohibits His working in my life.

B.    Their fear of personal cost produced a lack of faith.

Now this point is not taught in this specific text either explicitly or implicitly. However, I am making this point based on other passages of Scripture that expound on the meaning of genuine faith and what is involved.

If you will remember in the 11^th chapter of Hebrews, many of the examples provided in that chapter gave vivid demonstrations of people who realized that their faith required some commitment and action or response on their part. Genuine faith cannot be divorced from actions that demonstrate our commitment. Genuine faith and trust in someone or something will become the basis for decisions and actions that otherwise would not have been made or performed.

Another example is the story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus, knowing the key obstacle in his life and the thing that hindered his faith in God, tells him to sell all and give it away. The Bible records the sad results of the conversation as it describes him walking away in great sorrow for he had great wealth.

I truly believe that these people might have been thinking, “If we acknowledge that Jesus is different; if we believe what others are saying about Him, what will that require from us?”

There are many people today who either refuse to believe or they are afraid to believe, because of a fear of what it will cost them. It might require more sacrifice and dedication on our part if we were to really believe God for mighty works or miracles in our church.

For me to truly believe and trust God for a miracle might require a willingness to be used by Him in some capacity that I fear. It might require me to get outside of my comfort zone and get involved in some kind of ministry or get involved in a work for the kingdom of God that I am afraid I can’t really do.

If we can just kind of nod our heads in agreement with the nice Scriptures and songs and sermons, but don’t really give serious thought to how God wants to implement His strategy through us, then life can go on real comfortable like and it won’t really require any sacrifice, commitment or disruption for us.

If I really believe in Him, I might have to get involved in things that I don’t think I can do. I might have to give up some other activities that I really enjoy. If I really believe people are lost and on their way to hell, I might be compelled to spend more time in prayer and more time in reaching out in love with the message of Christ.

II.        Secondly, let us notice the results of their unbelief.

Briefly, I only see one result identified in this passage. – He could do no miracles, no mighty works. There was no display of His supernatural power; no display of divine power.

The sad thing, I feel, about this whole story is that these people apparently never realized what they missed. Here was the Messiah, the Son of God right here in their company. He desired to do many mighty works for them. He desired to demonstrate His love and His awesome power. But... they missed it.

I can’t help but think of the passage where Jesus is looking over the city of Jerusalem and says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:37-39)

The people of Nazareth no doubt went on with their lives as usual. The Scripture doesn’t say that God sent judgment and wrath upon them... They just missed out on something wonderful and miraculous that God had for them.

Conclusion:

Wouldn’t this be a sad commentary on our church today?

Friends, I believe that this same Jesus desires to work mighty miracles in our lives, our homes and our churches today. I believe that He loves to demonstrate His power and grace to needy people.

The question is, will He be able to demonstrate His power, or will He have to go away in amazement at our unbelief?

“Lord I believe, Help thou mine unbelief.”

Our closing hymn today is titled, “Trusting Jesus.” (# 190)

This song speaks of putting our full trust in Jesus in all kinds of circumstances. As we sing, let us realize that to really trust in Him requires more than saying words, but it requires commitment and response in our actions.