3rd Sunday- "Don't Hinder Your Healing!'

PASTOR'S COLUMN

"Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. And His sisters lived right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in Him. Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among relatives and his own family." And because of their unbelief, He couldn't do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief." Mark 6:3-6, NLT

3rd Sunday- "Don't Hinder Your Healing!'

A recent study by a prominent team of psychologists found that "it is remarkably hard to find a situation where rejection isn't painful." They concluded, "people are hurt by ostracism." Three of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) provide some insight into the personal/social side of the ministry of Jesus. Matthew and Mark, describe the powerful, spiritual gravity of the teaching of Jesus, where He amazed his audience. This was followed by a visit to Nazareth, His unpretentious hometown. Jesus anticipated welcome from his old neighbors and peers. We all assume that the nurture and insulation we receive in our earliest, formative years, will remain with us in the years to come. But this is not always the case. The late Dr. Samuel Dewitt Proctor, described the place of his/our nurturing and acceptance as "a moral incubator." These were, for many of us, safe places. When Jesus reached Nazareth, news of His teaching and healing ministry had reached the town's people. Sadly, instead of a welcoming celebration, people were dismissive of Jesus. Most of them harbored "rejection of and unbelief for" His miraculous ministry. A few believed and were healed; most were not! There was no innate inability on the part of Jesus to" heal" the people. It was the unbelief of the people that hindered their healing. Belief helps the cure!