Mark 6:1-6

“1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.”

Jesus traveled to many places, spreading the Gospel to many people, and many were amazed by what they heard. This is the power of the Gospel. However, in today’s message, we see that not everyone responds to the Gospel in the same way.

When Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth, the people there rejected Him. Despite hearing His teachings, they were unable to accept them because they were too focused on the fact that Jesus was merely the son of Mary and a carpenter. Their familiarity with Jesus’ human background prevented them from taking His words seriously. In contrast, the disciples mentioned in verse 1 followed Jesus. They believed in His teachings and responded to the power of the Gospel with faith.

Jesus spread the Gospel through those who approached Him with faith, as seen in the stories of the woman with the issue of bleeding and Jairus’ daughter in Mark 5, and the healing of the demon-possessed man in the region of Gerasenes. On the other hand, the people of Jesus’ hometown, despite thinking they knew Him well, could not truly accept His message. Knowing about the Gospel and truly accepting it in our lives are two different matters.

We must also cultivate an attitude of respect towards those around us. We should reflect on whether we tend to overlook those close to us while holding in high regard those who are well-known. Those who sincerely accept the Gospel of Jesus must also respond to others with respect, love, and faith. May we all strive to seek the Lord with all our hearts and to treat those around us with sincerity.

Prayer: Lord, help us so that our past experiences and current judgments do not limit Your will. May we submit to You and see the world as You show it to us. Grant us the grace to love and respect those around us, sharing the Gospel with them and inviting them into a life with You. Especially within our church and among our fellow believers, help us to build a community that respects and encourages one another, becoming a church of disciples who truly follow Jesus. May we not be like the people of Nazareth who rejected You, but rather become true Nazarenes who faithfully follow You. Amen.

(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)

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