THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
 
"This is the day the LORD hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."
 
Jer. 1:4-19
1 Cor. 12: 3, 13:13
Luke 4:20-32
Psalm 36
 
Imagine the sad and disappointed feelings Jesus must have had as He left the hometown people who refused His love for them. But Jesus went on to Capernaum and was met with the same result. That's exactly what happened in Nazareth. Luke reports just six chapters after our text that Jesus said: "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths". Capernaum joined other Galilean cities in having Jesus' woe pronounced upon it because its citizens also ended up rejecting Jesus.
 
The LORD was deeply hurt by the failure of His people to hold His Word in their hearts to be constantly renewed and revitalized by it. He desperately wanted His Word to take root in their hearts, to bring them to faith in Him, and to . . .

THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
 
"This is the day the LORD hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."
 
Jer. 1:4-19
1 Cor. 12: 3, 13:13
Luke 4:20-32
Psalm 36
 
Imagine the sad and disappointed feelings Jesus must have had as He left the hometown people who refused His love for them. But Jesus went on to Capernaum and was met with the same result. That's exactly what happened in Nazareth. Luke reports just six chapters after our text that Jesus said: "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths". Capernaum joined other Galilean cities in having Jesus' woe pronounced upon it because its citizens also ended up rejecting Jesus.
 
The LORD was deeply hurt by the failure of His people to hold His Word in their hearts to be constantly renewed and revitalized by it. He desperately wanted His Word to take root in their hearts, to bring them to faith in Him, and to empower them to follow Him. But it didn't happen because they grew tired of His Word. He wanted to lead them to find joy and fulfillment in Him, but they refused to follow.
 
This rejection in Nazareth is a preview of a whole series of rejections, leading to the cross, which Jesus would experience. Let us be warned by the reaction of Jesus' neighbors. We must be careful to come to God without conditions or expectations. We cannot dictate to Him what He will do. and we must realize that God's love is universal. While we are special to Him, others are just as special. It takes true humility to relate to God in this age of grace. We must be humble in relation to the LORD, seeking only to do His will and humble in relation to others.
 
LORD, open now my heart to hear
And through Your Word to me draw near.
Let me Your Word ever pure retain;
Let me Your child and heir remain.
 
PRAY - Almighty God, because You know that we are set among so many great dangers that by reason of the weakness of our fallen nature we cannot always stand upright, grant us Your strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptation. Amen