Beholdthe Lamb
of God
Jesusis Rejected
INTRODUCTION
Matthew Mark & Luke all record Jesus’ rejection by the people of Nazareth. Luke gives us the fullest description of the conflict.
It is hard for us to understand why the people of Nazareth rejected Jesus. Today, small towns everywhere celebrate their sons and daughters who have “hit the big time.” If you go to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, you discover the Judy Garland Museum, celebrating their most famous citizen. In 2014, Grand rapids held a big celebration marking the 75th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz”, which skyrocketed Judy Garland to stardom.
The people of Nazarethdid not respond to Jesus in the same way Grand Rapids has responded to Judy Garland. Instead of celebrating Jesus, they forced him out of town. In hindsight, Nazareth was the big loser in that deal.
Sometimes the hardest people to accept instruction from are those closest to us. When I was in seminary, the pastor from my home church asked me to come home and be his associate, with the intention of taking his place. I declined, in part, because I knew that I would always be viewed, by the long term members of that church, as the little red-haired boy who ran around in the church basement.
Jesus was the Lamb of God, but the people of Nazareth were too close to recognize him.
Study 1: Luke 4:14-15
After Jesus’ baptism and his temptation in the wilderness, he returned to Galilee. The majority of Jesus’ ministry took place in Galilee, although John informs us that Jesus did go down to Jerusalem from time to time.
1. There is a recurring, and important, theme that links the stories of Jesus’ baptism, temptation and rejection. (vs. 14)
a.What is the recurring theme?
b. Why do you think Luke continued to emphasize this?
2. Luke tells us that news about Jesus quickly spread throughout Galilee.
a. What kinds of things would people have been talking about?
b. Why would people be excited that Jesus was in their area?
3. Jesus intentionally made his presence know.
a. What did Jesus do to introduce his message to the people?
b. Why would Jesus do this?
c. What was the general response to Jesus’ teaching?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1. Have you ever been in a place where a well-known person came for a visit?
a. How did people respond when they heard that this person was coming?
b. What was the reaction of the people when the person finally came?
2. Imagine that Jesus was going to come to your town.
a. What would you do to prepare for his coming?
b. What would you expect to hear from Jesus?
c. What would you expect Jesus to do?
d. Where would Jesus go to meet people?
Study 2: Luke 4:16-22
After his brief time away, Jesus went back to his hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue. The Sabbath for Jews begins at sundown on Friday through sundown on Saturday. The term synagogue is similar to the word church. The term synagogue refers both to the congregation and the place where they meet, just as the term church refers to a group of believers and the place where those believers meet.
1. What does Luke highlight about Jesus going to the synagogue? Why would that be important to record?
2. Jesus was given the privilege of reading the scripture.
a. Why might the synagogue leader give Jesus this opportunity?
b. Why did Jesus stand to read the scriptures?
3. Jesus was given the book of Isaiah to read from.
a. What is the significance of the passage Jesus chose to read?
b. In what ways is this passage a reflection of Jesus?
4. After Jesus finished reading, he sat down, which was the customary posture for teaching.
a. What clues does Luke give us regarding the attitude of the people?
b. How did Jesus begin his teaching?
5. What was the initial response of the people listening?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1. If you have lived away from the place where you grew up, what is it like for you to go back home?
2. It is significant that it was Jesus’ habit to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath. What does that say to us about our commitment to corporate worship?
3. In many ways, Jesus came back to Nazareth a different person than when he left.
a. How has your faith changed who you are as a person?
b. How have people responded to the changes in you?
4. The people of Nazareth were puzzled by Jesus.
a. Why was it hard for them to see Jesus as a Rabbi (teacher)?
b. What images do people have of Jesus that keep them from hearing his message?
Study 3: Luke 4:23-30
Luke gives us the Cliff Notes version of Jesus’ message.
1. What do you think prompted Jesus to quote the proverb in vs. 23?
2. How does Jesus’ statement reveal the thoughts and expectations of the people of Nazareth?
3. What is behind Jesus’ statement in vs. 24?
4. For what reasons did Jesus stir things up with his comments in vs. 25-27?
5. How did the people react to Jesus’ teaching? Why did they react this way?
6. What does the outcome of this story tell us about Jesus?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1. Why is it so hard for some people to go back to the place where they grew up?
2. Jesus was challenging the people’s sense of ethnic superiority.
a. What was Jesus trying to point out about God’s grace?
b. In what ways is this an important lesson for us?
c. What can you do you break down the ethnic barrier that often divides us, even in the Church?
3. The people responded violently to what Jesus said.
a. Why do people often turn to violence when their point of view is threatened?
b. Why do people react negatively to the Gospel today?
c. What should be your reaction to these negative situations? Look at Romans 12;17-21.
Study 4: Matthew 13:53-58
This incident seems to have taken place at a much later time then the one recorded by Luke.
1. Why would Jesus go back to his home town after the way they had treated him, as recorded in Luke?
2. Jesus taught the people in the synagogue.
a. Why were they amazed at his teaching?
b. What questions did it raise for the people?
3. The people’s familiarity with Jesus seemed to be a barrier.
a. What do we learn about Jesus’ family?
b. Why would the people be offended by Jesus?
4. How does Jesus respond to the reaction of the people?
5. In what way did the people of Nazareth lose out?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1.What is your attitude toward the place where you grew up?
2. Jesus intentionally preached the Gospel in his home town.
a. What does that tell us about Jesus attitude toward his family and community?
b. In what ways can our background get in the way of people listening to what we have to say?
c. What can we expect as a reaction from some of the people who are closest to us?
3. Both Matthew and Luke tell us that the people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. How does Mark 1:22 help us understand this reaction better?
4. What does Jesus’ experience in Nazareth tell us about:
- Jesus
- human nature
- our own response to the Gospel
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