MY THOUGHTS ON; LUKE. 4: 24 – 30, Matthew. 13: 53 – 58, Mark. 6: 1 – 6 and John. 7
In Luke 4:24-30, Jesus Christ speaks about a prophet not being honored in his home/home town. Christ Himself testifies to being treated dishonorably, by His own in the town of Nazareth.
Note: Because of their unbelief, Jesus performed few miracles in His home town. This to me seems to explain the grumbling in the Church concerning Church leadership. Often times I hear some Christians, especially those who tend to think that any sign of weakness in a church leader means that leader is a false prophet/pastor/preacher e.t.c. Many a times they defend their stance by asking me; If that preacher is real and if his/her miracles are real, why don’t they heal every one in Uganda, why aren’t their crusades as big in Uganda as they are when they go to other countries. Do these questions sound familiar to you?
Let me say this though, I wouldn’t want to believe and I don’t think it should be, that a genuine minister of the gospel refuses to use the gift of healing that God has given him/her, simply because of the grumbling/opposition against him. I say this because I don’t believe Jesus intentionally refused to perform miracles in Nazareth, but rather, however much He desired to heal the Nazarenes, their lack of Faith hindered Him. That is to say, He was willing and ready to heal them, but they lacked the faith to receive the healing.
So if I’m right to think this way and at the moment I must confess I feel right about this, then the reason many of our pastors tend to have greater exploits outside Uganda than in Uganda is more a case of the unbelief, the grumbling of the people, than it is about the church leaders being fakes, false prophets or what ever else we call them when controversy comes knocking on their doors. I don’t doubt that there are fakes masquerading in the church, but I will disagree with anyone, especially fellow Christians who hold the misplaced belief that mistakes or even outright failures by preachers necessarily mean they are false/fakes.
Below are some of the interesting things I have noticed about Jesus.
Though He was dishonored in Nazareth, today all over the world people Praise and glorify the name of Jesus. More than that, the Father Himself-God has honored Jesus so much by giving Him (Jesus) a place at His (the Father’s right hand). Also the Father has given Jesus all Authority in Heaven and on Earth, so much that at the Name of Jesus, Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. (Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:18-23……). This means that though the world dishonored Jesus, the time is coming where by all means this same world will have to by all means bow to Him, after all the world is His footstool.
I also find it comforting to know that though the world rejected Jesus Christ, Heaven honored Him, though death dishonored Him (He died), Life honored Him (He Resurrected), though He was dishonored at the cross while on earth, He is right now honored on the Throne in Heaven, though the world dishonored Him with a crown of thorns, Heaven honored Him with the Crown of Life, though He was humiliated by being nailed to the Cross, today He is elevated and highly lifted up in Heaven, though in being falsely accused He was shown injustice, today He is the Righteous Judge, rewarding all men according to their deeds. He was so much dishonored that a thug-Barabbas, was released in his place, That He an innocent man was hanged between two genuine criminals. Though the god of this world-Satan dishonored Him (Temptation, Death etc), the God of Heaven honored Him by receiving Him. And what about this one, though sinners killed Him, today they turn to Him for LIFE.
So to all the church in Uganda and to the rest of the Church world over, if they hated Christ, they will by no means love you. Just now this and take heart.
Those who dishonored Jesus in Nazareth, though He loved them as any other people and though He willed to do great things for them, they never got to taste the fullness of all His miraculous power as He would have loved for them. Likewise, those who hate you will not taste of all the goodness of god in you, not because you don’t love them, but because their hatred and grumbling block them from fully partaking of the blessing that is in you. Those that love you and receive you with eagerness will taste the good which God is doing in your life.
Nazareth was just a town in Israel, so where as He was dishonored there, the rest of Israel even in Jerusalem (the Triumphant Entry) received Him eagerly and so witnessed so much of His miraculous power
Also, the dishonor Jesus witnessed in Nazareth in nothing compared to the honor He receives today world over, given that Nazareth was and is a small area compared to the entire length, breadth and width of the earth.
Dishonor did not take away the Power of Jesus Christ and just like today, though you are dishonored by men, it does not negate the power of God resident on the inside of you. So like Jesus, go on and live your life and do the things God has called you to do, use all the gifts on the inside of you and you will be honored by our Father in Heaven.
The devil has plotted against you like the Jews plotted against Jesus, and on occasions he may bring you down, just like he inspired the death of Jesus, but like the Father in Heaven raised Jesus from the dead, He will pick you up also from the fall. Like He lifted Jesus up to Heaven, you too will be lifted up into God’s eternity (the Rapture), and like He has honored Jesus at His right hand, given Him the Crown of Life and the Throne of Glory and Majesty, so has He honored you too, with a seat in the high places and in due season you will be rewarded with a Crown for your perseverance, when you finally get to meet the Lord in Heaven.
Just as the world rejected Jesus-God’s own Son, you too will be rejected, but have no worries, for you have been adopted as sons/children of God (John 1:12), so though the world may hate you, God loves you so very much.
Just like Jesus was made the High Priest by God the Father, yet the world rejected Him, you too have been made a royal Priesthood by faith in Jesus, yet many will call you false teachers. But be not troubled, if Jesus is God, and He is God, when you sincerely seek after Him- in Truth and in Spirit, He will give you the strength to stand in the midst of all your troubles.
Yes the world plotted against Him, Satan plotted against Him, so did they do for many others of God’s men. The same is for us who believe in and are serving the Lord Jesus. The world plots our downfall too, but as God raised Jesus from the dead, we too will be raised and will dwell in God’s Eternal Life. Like Jesus, let us not be afraid of those who can only kill the flesh but cannot kill the spirit.
Just like Elijah, Amos went to heaven alive, there are those who will face dishonor, yet will not taste death, but will be taken alive and ushered into heaven when the Lord returns to take His Church (the Rapture).That could be you, if Jesus returns in your life-term and every indication is, this is not wild guess.
Also, just like Jesus tasted death, there is no doubt that some who are in Him today will die too, but just as he resurrected, so too will all who die in Him.
If the rest of Israel then and the world today honor Jesus, yet Nazareth dishonored Him, you too will be honored by the rest of the family of God even as some with in treat you otherwise. Your extended family will honor you, even when the nuclear family treats you otherwise. Other nations will honor you, even when you receive no honor in your country. Do not fret then because God has all your bases covered.
I love this one. Though darkness surrounded Him in the middle of the night, He was transfigured in the glorious light of God. You may be experiencing darkness around you, but fear not for the Light of God is upon you, you are the light of the world (This is the time to arise and shine. Isaiah 60)
Death was not afraid of Him, death dishonored Christ so much that in the garden of Gethsemane, the prospect of carrying all the sins of the world upon Himself, the prospect of death on the Cross heavily weighed Him down, He was grieved almost to the point of death itself, so much He prayed to the Father to lift the cup of suffering off Him, was Jesus contemplating giving up the call of God on His Life? I believe so, unless otherwise. And how often do we come close to giving up the fight especially when hardships of ministry come into play?
But the Power of God gave Jesus the strength to stand and He completed His mission (John 17:4); just as He (the Holy Spirit) does strengthen us today, so we may accomplish God’s purpose for our lives.
You are in the world, but you are not of the world. This to me seems to say, that though you are in this world which because of sin is dishonored before God, you yourself are an object of honor, for you are of God’s world, godly honor is your portion.
In conclusion therefore, I believe; by suffering dishonor, Jesus suffered our entire dishonor-that which because of sin was meant for us in the eyes of God. This to me means those who are in Christ Jesus and diligently seek after him shall never be shamed by God, neither shall they suffer dishonor by Him. He has reserved dishonor for those who are of the world, who live in sin and those who claim to be in Him, yet have not forsaken their sinful ways-having a form of godliness, but denying the power.
When God looks at you-the believer, He not only sees you but also His first-born Son, He sees His Holy Spirit in you. And in these, He sees two things; His Power and Authority. Remember a kingdom divided against it self can not stand. God will not shame you when you diligently seek after Him because in you He sees His power and authority at work. He can not dishonor His Son and His Spirit.
So now you can live life knowing that though the world hates you, your Father in Heaven loves you dearly and honors you.
THIS IS THE REASON I SAY, YOU ARE DISHONORED, YET HONORED.
