Slideshow image

December 13

Title: Nazareth, Really? 

Text: John 1:46 

I grew up in Woodland, California. An agricultural city. About 50,000 people. Now the majority are hispanics—migrant workers who have assimilated into civic life, because farming is becoming less and less profitable. Baseball is big. Not really football or basketball. But my hometown did shape me to some degree. 

Jesus grew up in Nazareth. A town (really a village) that scholars say had at the most 400 people in it. Probably more like 200 people. That is small. Everybody knows you. 

One author says this: 

"Nazareth was a small community, not near any major roads, so it likely did not get many travelers or visitors. It would have had just the basics to sustain itself and the families who lived there. This indicates it was a simple village with not much to be desired, nor would it have anything of worth or importance to entice visitors. Yet the life of Jesus forever changed how Nazareth would be seen and remembered.

It is no wonder that Nathanael said these iconic words. 

Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:46)

And yet the only reason we know anything about Nazareth is because of Jesus. But this still raises the necessary question—why did God choose Nazareth? I mean—even in Galilee in Jesus’ time there were two much larger, much more influential cities—Tiberias and Tsipori, both having about 10,000 people. But again, God chose Nazareth. Why? No idea honestly. But if I would guess, I would say that it had to do with the glory of God and Jesus’ development as a human would be better suited in Nazareth and not Tiberias or Jerusalem. The humanity of Jesus in some ways is just as mysterious as His divinity. I still don’t understand how Jesus, the Son of God—increased in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). But since God never does anything without a purpose, we are left to conclude that Nazareth was necessary for the development of Jesus’ human nature. Fascinating. 

But what do we do with this obscure fact of Jesus’ hometown? In one sense, nothing. God chose it. He is wise. And quite frankly, nothing could prevent it. But in another sense, there must be some application for us—since ALL scripture is inspired by God and profitable for our sanctification (2 Timothy 3:16-17). So here it is: Nazareth likely reinforced that God’s ways are not our ways. Furthermore, God chose a shepherd boy to defeat Goliath and not King Saul. God chose Paul (who was not a great speaker) and not Apollos. I mean—God used the Gerasene demonaic to preach the gospel to the Decapolis. That. Guy. The guy that hung out in the tombs, naked and cutting himself. So to think that God can’t use you is—ridiculous. 12 days till Christmas.