“Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?

Matthew 13   Jesus Revisits Nazareth

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. ⁵⁴ He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? ⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” ⁵⁸ And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

In this brief portion of scripture from today's daily reading in the One Year Bible(link available on links page), we see no accounts of miracles, no parable or teaching. What is here though is an important truth for us to understand. Verse 58 says He(Jesus) did not do mant miracles there because of their unbelief. It says He did not do many miracles. It would seem from the wording in the text that perhaps upon His arrival Jesus did begin to teach and minister in Nazareth as in other towns. The statement by the people says, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? It was then after their questioning that Jesus no longer did many miracles.

This leaves us with the question: Was it the unbelief which prevented the miraclulous? Jesus does say that we are to pray believing. "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
(Mark 11:24), and many times when He healed people He said that there healing was according to their faith. If it is true that unbelief could inhibit Jesus  ability to heal when He walked on earth then it leaves little question as to why there may be a reduction in the amount of miracles we see today. Even in the church today, there are many, who for a variety of reasons do not believe that miracles are part of our normal Christian life.

What I would like to look at today is what I believe to be the root of the problem. What we see in this text also exists today even in the church. The reason the people of Nazareth questioned Jesus authority, that is truly what they questioned, His authority to teach and His authority over natural circumstances and conditions, the reason they questioned His authority was because they knew Jesus as a man. They were familiar with Him. They knew that He had grown up among them as a child, then a young man and He was no different then them. They based their belief or their unbelief on a world view or perspective of who Jesus was, a man.

Within the church today there is an interesting dynamic that exists. Very often if people do believe in healing and miracles they are more likely to believe at healing service with a person who is recognized as gifted in healing than on a Sunday morning in church with the people they know well. Even in our following of Jesus there is a tendency to focus on the humanity of Jesus. WWJD, what would Jesus do, became a catch phrase that received a lot of attention and focus a few years ago. It is not that it is a bad thing to try to emulate the life of Christ, to act in love, mercy and grace. It is not wrong to show compassion to the needy, feed the hungry, the list of ways that we can follow Jesus example is unending and it is good and right that we do these things. But to reduce Jesus life down to His humanity is to deny His deity!

WWJD needs to acknowledge that Jesus was more than compassionate and loving. Jesus was and is Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus did love the unloved. He was compassionate and caring. Jesus also opened the eyes of the blind. He caused the lame to walk. He cast out demons. Fed thousands with a young boy's lunch. He raised the dead. Jesus says of His followers, Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.(John 14:12) If we are to truly do what Jesus did we need to do more than emulate His tremendous humanity. Service and compassion while vital elements of the Christian life can be reduced to works of the flesh, things we do in our own strength.

Jesus said the greater works would come because He goes to the Father. Listen to what Jesus says will happen when He goes to the Father. John 15:26 from the amplified Bible describes who Jesus will send to be with us.

 when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He [Himself] will testify regarding Me.

Just as Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us and to follow Him we need to fully recognize and accept His diety. Jesus and the Father have sent the Holy Spirit with all of His diety to live in us. Following the man Jesus can lead us to a life of good works. But if we are truly to fulfill Christ's words and call about and to us we need to follow God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit our  Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby). If we will see ourselves and fellow believers as the vessels of the Holy Spirit which we are, then we will be able to receive the working of miracle on a Sunday morning in church or on a Sunday night at home group or Monday morning at work, school or in the market place. While service and compassion can be good works, miracles are of the power of God.

 He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Will we continue to live our lives knowing the humanity of Jesus or will we determine to know His deity and experience the greater works He calls us to?

Fill me Father God, Jesus, Emmanuel and Holy Spirit with a heart full of your humanity and Your Spirit and power.  Amen