The Gospel
In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
The Offering
From Deb Peeples
Jesus had been teaching and healing in places other than his hometown. He taught about the prophets and their work and talked about his work and how he fulfilled the prophecy. His work and the prophets work before him were focused on loving and taking care of the poor, the sick, the oppressed. This same message was shared in his hometown and at first those listening were interested and amazed. But later they were angry and wanted to kill Jesus.
What happened? I think Jesus was not “a prophet in his own hometown” because those listening finally figured out that he was talking to them, not others, about what God required of them – to love others, even those not like them and to care for the sick, the poor, the oppressed. I hate to think how many times I haven’t liked the messages sent to me about what God wants me to do. For me, not liking the message can translate into not loving and not doing!