Matthew 13:53-14:12 Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

Both Jesus and John the Baptist suffered the rejection of their own people. Jesus’ homecoming was characterized by judgmental comments about him being just the carpenter’s son. How can he claim to be the Son of God? They took offense at Jesus and he could not perform many miracles there due to their unbelief. Jesus like many other prophets of the Old Testament, including John, saw firsthand the unbelief of his own people to his message.

Herod thought that Jesus was John the Baptist resurrected. John the Baptist had been imprisoned for pointing out Herod’s sin of adultery, taking his brother Philip’s wife: Herodias. At Herod’s birthday party Herodias’ daughter pleased Herod with a dance and promised to do anything for her. Herodias coached her daughter to ask for John’s head and so Herod, reluctantly, ordered his execution. John enjoyed some support from the people, but not enough to keep him alive.

I am not above my master. If he was rejected, I should expect the same treatment from the world. At times, those closest to me will be the ones who have more difficulty listening to the message of reconciliation because they know me too well. After my conversion, it took many years for my sister, and then my mother to come to the Lord. After thirty years, my father still wrestles with the Gospel I share with him. Maybe, in part, it is because a prophet does not enjoy honor in his own land. To follow Jesus is to suffer rejection especially by those closest to us.

Father, help me be strong in the midst of rejection especially from those closest to me in the family. Grant me perseverance and endurance to be your messenger until the end.

Matthew 8:28-34 Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons

Jesus decides to pass by Gadara, a Gentile town near the sea of Galilee. He chooses a path that seemed to have been guarded by two demon-possessed men for quite some time. They were so fierce that no one dared to go that way. When they meet Jesus, they are able to identify that he is the Son of God who will send them to be tormented on the day of judgment (Rev.20:10) and wonder if his presence on earth is to torment them before their time. The demons begged to be sent into a herd of pigs that was nearby and Jesus casts them out of the two men and into the herd of pigs. Unfortunately, the herd rushed into the sea and drowned. The herdsmen fled to the city and told everything. The people came out to meet Jesus, but they asked him to leave their region.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is sovereign over diseases. He is in control of nature. He rules over the spirit world as well. These demons give testimony to the reality of a future judgment and hell. During his temptation, Jesus overcame the devil. Such event represented his victory over sin and evil in the world. Now again, he confronts the powers of darkness to demonstrate his sovereign control of the spirit world. The drowning of the herd of pigs gives us a picture of the reality of the spirit world. Many of us have fallen into the belief that evil is simply bad choices devoid of the reality of personal, spiritual entities who roam upon the earth to oppress us even possess us if possible. While Jesus is the Son of God who has sovereign control over the spirit world, he is rejected by the very people he came to save.

Father, may I always welcome Jesus, your Son, into my life and believe that he has sovereign control over the spirit world. Instill in me that I have nothing to fear today or on the day of judgment if I continue to follow him.