“IN HIS OWN HOMETOWN!” | The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost | 07 July 2024 | Mark 6:1-13 | David M. Wendel |

First reading: Ezekiel 2:1-5

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Gospel: St. Mark 6:1-13 English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles

(Jesus) went away from there and came tohis hometown, and his disciples followed him.² And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? ³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary andbrother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And he marveled because of their unbelief.

And he went about among the villages teaching. ⁷ And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— ⁹ but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. ¹⁰ And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. ¹¹ And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” ¹² So they went out andproclaimed that people should repent.¹³ And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

In our gospel lesson today, St. Mark tells us about a time when Jesus returned to His own hometown, going into the synagogue on the Sabbath to offer the sermon. And wouldn’t you expect the red carpet to be rolled out, with a warm welcome offered by all, because this seems to be, so far, a story of “local boy makes good!” By this time, Jesus was a teacher with disciples. He was a rabbi with followers who traveled with Him daily, learning from Jesus, the will of God. And more than that, Jesus had already been preaching and teaching and healing. Just prior to His return home to Nazareth, Jesus had stilled the storm, cast the legion of demons out of the Gerasene Demoniac, healed the woman with a twelve-year hemorrhage, restored life to Jairus’ dead daughter. Even without internet and social media, word of these kinds of things spread quickly, generating a buzz—so much so that Jesus found it hard to enter some towns and villages, because so many had heard of him and were eager to be close to this man who was different because He spoke, not as the scribes and Pharisees, but with God’s own authority and power. So that, returning home, you would think the people in His home church, so to speak, would’ve been overjoyed, proud to have Jesus home again, telling their friends and neighbors, “See, this is Jesus—we knew Him when He was just a boy!”

But that was problem, wasn’t it? “Familiarity breeds contempt”, as the saying goes. Knowing Jesus personally, kept his hometown folk from believing in Him and accepting His spiritual authority. They knew his father, Joseph the carpenter. They probably had business dealings with Joseph or Jesus. They might’ve had run-ins with Mary, or James or Joses or Judas or Simon, as happens in a small village. This is why a pastor today is expected to leave home and family—to leave past behind when called to speak God’s Word and minister with Christ’s own authority. And that’s the way it was for Jesus, as well. That’s what this passage tells us about Jesus. It’s about how Jesus was rejected. It’s about the nature of Jesus’ mission and ministry in the world—not just then, but now—and how even now, there are those who will not receive Jesus, and indeed, will reject Him!

It’s quite telling that St. Mark reports, “Jesus could do no deed of power there—in His hometown.” The Church Father, Gregory of Nazianzen, writing in the fourth century, said, “What does ‘could not’ mean in God’s case?” In other words, what does it mean that Jesus, Son of the Living God, Savior of the world—the Eternal Word—could do no deed of power there? How could Jesus—not do something—anything He wished? Gregory says, “One meaning is simply the limits of human will. Take, for example, the point that Christ could not fulfill any signs in Nazareth—it was due to disbelief on the part of the Nazarenes, something essential for healing is required on both sides—faith on the part of the patients, power on that of the healer. As this can be seen in medical care, it can also be seen here,” writes Gregory of Nazianzen.

So, Jesus could do no deed of power in Nazareth because the people in Nazareth refused it. With only a few exceptions, the Nazarenes chose to reject Jesus and His will and power. And Jesus was amazed at their unbelief. And—where does that now leave us, practically speaking? What is the point, in all of this, for us, as we hear this gospel lesson and seek to apply it to life, to our lives, to our discipleship?

The application comes in the second half of our gospel reading, where we see Jesus calling the twelve and sending them out two by two. For those first twelve, that mission meant going to towns and villages, from place to place, proclaiming the gospel, healing the sick, casting out demons. Their apostolic mission was to spread the good news of the nearness of the kingdom, calling people to repent and believe in the Gospel. Some of us, still, share that apostolic mission, as Christians are sent around the world in Jesus’ name. And to those missionaries, Jesus’ words are clear—travel light and travel with a sense of urgency: take nothing except a staff, no bread, no bag, no money—wear sandals, but don’t bother with a change of clothes. Some of us, God continues to send out in mission to the world.

Most of us? You and me? We are those called, historically, “home missioners!” Most of us are on missions closer to home. Most of us are missionaries to people and places much nearer—like—our homes, our families, our neighbors. We are sent to call brothers and sisters and sons and daughters to repent and believe in the Gospel. We are sent to bring God’s healing power to mothers and fathers who are struggling with cancer, or Alzheimer’s disease, or end-of-life issues. We are sent to help children and youth be set free from the demons of drug and alcohol abuse, lack of self-confidence and poor self-image, the effects of physical or sexual abuse. We are sent to bring back the lost, the lonely, the errant—to invite them back to God, where they can be healed and restored and made whole and made new—in Christ, through Christ’s power at work among us.

And this mission work is just as valid and just as valuable—but also, just as difficult, as the mission of the twelve apostles and the work of global missionaries today, because we are trying to work among our own kin and often, in our own hometown! And, as Gregory of Nazianzen reminds us of the limits of human will—we realize that while some will choose Jesus, others will choose, by their own free will, to refuse Christ and His mission and the good news of His death and resurrection. Jesus tells the twelve and us, that if any refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them. The Lord God says to Ezekial in our first reading, “Whether they hear or refuse to hear—they shall know that there has been a prophet among them—they shall know that God has sent someone to them, to bring them the good news!” That is the mission of Jesus—and that is the mission we share with those first twelve disciples—that people will know, whether they hear the Gospel, or refuse to hear the Gospel—they will know that God has sent someone to bring them good news! As we hope and pray and trust that God will bring that good news, to fruition, in their lives!

And so, as we go forth today, we are asking God to give us opportunities, even one opportunity, to share good news today—this week, with someone who needs good news, with someone, anyone, who needs to the light, the freedom, the peace, that comes with the good news of Jesus’ saving death and resurrection—that the power of God’s Word may work through us in the lives of others—to bring new life and new hope and new joy—because of Jesus in their lives! May God cause these others to hear and receive Jesus, through our words, through our actions, through the witness of our lives!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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©David M. Wendel

d.wendel@grace43081.org

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Westerville, Ohio USA