Ratings Plunge

January 25

(Luke 4:22-28 NIV) “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.” {23} “Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'" {24} "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. {25} I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. {26} Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. {27} And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed--only Naaman the Syrian. {28} All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.”

(Acts 20:26-27 NIV)  "Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. {27} For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God."

(2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)  "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, {17} so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Nazareth was proud of their hometown boy. But then, Jesus spoiled his ratings. The crowd went from applause to hostility in less than a minute. Jesus said He hadn’t come to do miracles that impress, but to preach truth that convicts. He said that God sent the prophet Elijah to live with a widow in the region of Sidon, and to heal a Syrian by the name of Naaman. Sidon and Syria were Israel’s enemies, populated by the hated Gentiles. Lifting up these verses was seen as treasonous by Christ’s listeners. Jesus was saying that God loves everyone -- Jews and Gentiles alike. Those living in Nazareth had placed the love of nation before the truth of Scripture. Patriotism had trumped piety. Then, as many Christians do today, they simply ignored the difficult verses they didn’t like. Don’t travel with this crowd. “All Scripture is God breathed.” Receive the whole will of God. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day