Home, Cynical Home, Part 2

When sharing Christ with friends you ever feel defeated. Do not think that because you have spoken of Christ, and it wasn't received that it will never be meaningful to your words no doubt will never be forgotten. Our brains have a way of creasing them into the cell.

Sometime life's most difficult turning points. We remember things when a hometown hero returns to his life began is not unusual for friends and neighbors to post a parade released a party to celebrate the occasion.

We love it when one of our own achieves notoriety, success. But that's not what happened to Jesus when he made the trek home to Nazareth were surprised to learn that friends and neighbors treated Jesus with disregard today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll recounts this defining moment in the application for us today, Chuck titled his message home, cynical home.

We step aside from the busy activities of our lives to be still to be quiet to listen and to learn father as we journey 20 centuries back to a scene that was familiar to our Savior, but is unfamiliar to most of us today.

May it be as though we were right there with him. May we relive the account as though his hometown were our hometown. We feel the barbs that came from those who thought they knew him, and though they had spent 30 years alongside him did not know him at all. In the process.

Father I pray that you would guard us from a perfunctory spirit where we are around the familiar, but we lose the significance because of the familiarity, which is bread contempt, encourage us.

I pray as we see through this story and we learn from it.

Lessons for life in the journey from earth to heaven. There are many things we must learn some of which are learn the hard way and I pray for those going through a hard time.

Some of loved ones who are desperately ill. Others have lost the that meant the most to them. In recent days. There are some who struggle with addictions going through time of fractured relationships, and others who simply have lost their assessed for life. Maybe realize our father that your son Jesus has the magnificent ability of transferring his triumph to office in his ability to conquer can be ours as well.

But remind us again and again Lord that that's a process and we learned some of life's best lessons slowly and painfully pain often plants the flag of reality and the fortress of a rebel heart so I pray today for those who are rebels. I pray that you will break through get their attention turn their hearts toward you. I pray the Christians will not get on the way of this will be part of the answer rather than the problem that will know how to be a friend to those who are awash.

It was patient's grace understanding, forgiveness and mercy and a dozen other traits that don't come easily or naturally as you minister through us to those who have lost their way. We are grateful father for the change of seasons and the reality that nothing in you changes. You are the same yesterday today and forever. You have no winter temperament or summer or spring or fall. You are always the same. We never interrupt you.

We never catch you offguard. You're never surprised by what we do, what you are sometimes grieved.

Pray that you will touch us in a deep way minister, especially to those who need encouragement. May we be reminded that our help comes from the Lord and really only from you. That kind of help that is life changing. Because of that transformation.

We learn to be generous and that's why today we give with such joy and we learn that we are not the center of attention that your son is that he has first place in everything and whatever crowns that may come our way. We will crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon the throne whom we worship and adore, to whom we give today and for his sake alone. Previous everyone said this is insight for live to study the book of Matthew Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures going to insight world.or/study another message from Chuck called home, cynical home pressure isn't going away. The crowds of his followers is there enlarging and he is doing a wonderful work among them.

He is healing the sick, even though paralyzed hand gave life to it. Those with demons, he delivers them, and those who are hungry, he feeds them in his ministry is is just packed with people how they must've come. Sometimes by the thousands ministered to people in large numbers and you've done it day after day week after week. You know the meaning of the word exhaustion is draining your love the people and yet those needs never end and there always those expectations are always greater than the ability to supply, except in this case he could meet whatever the need, but it drained him of his energy now on top of all of that, there were those who despised him, never doubted. Even when he is done no wrong. They found wrong when he and his disciples a grain on the Sabbath. They found fault in that though it wasn't breaking the law. He confronted them and he refused to be intimidated by that also is energy draining and then they had enough. According to Matthew 12 and verse 14 called a meeting and they plotted how to kill him know if you have ever been stalked but I know what it's like some of you may know that anyone ever wanted to kill but they did him as pressure fact that that seems to be the way we get into the story. At the end of Matthew 13 when Jesus had finished telling the stories and illustrations. He left that part of the country and the return to Nazareth hometown so he took the journey they walked. Of course, about a two day walk the live finally came to that little sign that says Nazareth maybe didn't mean as much to the disciples as it did to him because it was there he had spent almost 30 years of his life working in Joseph's carpenter shop. It was there he went to school in the synagogue. It was there he met the neighbors and they knew him. It was there. Mary had her other children, four boys, and other number of girls were not told how many or ever told her names was a big family lived in this little place and all the things you went through. He went through was there. He played with his buddies. It was there that his mom called him to suffer was there.

His dad bristled when it got dark. It was there that he earned a living.

I'm sure Bill fine furniture and very comfortable you for oxen, perhaps even cabinets for his brothers and sisters lived on taking my time here because I want you to feel what the people of Nazareth felt easy to forget all Nazareth and it's easy to forget all of the memories that surrounded them. There several years ago I was buying a car. And while the paperwork was being done I said in the little office of the salesman. I've never known before and haven't seen him since. But while we were together you strike up conversation is all of you know when we got on the subject of where we were reared said they were review I knew it was from another country and he said actually I'm from the from the Middle East. This is all you really I'm I am intrigued by that prayer particularly said well I am from a little town called Nazareth really I go. Have you ever seen the J&J carpenter shop when you were Nazareth that no said I never have never seen a name carved into a tree named Jesus. See you said. Meanwhile never heard of him.

So we had a chance to get a little better. Quite it was a great talk we had very unguarded as he learned a great deal about the one who also was reared where he was. It's there. Jesus formed his earliest impressions about life. It was their life made up its mind for him so he returned to Nazareth's hometown was interesting is that the synagogue where he went all of his growing up years.

Still, there except in those days he was a part of the congregation, but it's not uncommon to this day when a guest is fairly well-known that the rabbi will invite the person that's known to speak to the congregation to be the guest preacher if you will that day so that happened no doubt worded travel disease name was by now household name all over of what they call them. The Romans called Palestine Israelites Pete it when we called their country. Palestine is Israel, but his name was not all over Israel and and of all things. This this man comes back. But remember their memory is not of the great crowds and in all the significant words that he had spoken that their memory is 30 years of growing up they remember when we played on the Nazareth Neanderthal soccer team they played the Cana cougars and beat him and won the trophy.

Remember that he's just another guy who happened up somehow.

Date of following the hearing, 40 miles away and beyond this Nazareth.

So word travel among the community and did you hear that Mary's son is going to preach no doubt Josephus did never mentioned in his adult life, so Mary gathers the family and no doubt many of them were were married by now and having grown up with Jesus. They had the standard brother opinion and sister opinion.

There he stood, it had their meals with them for almost 30 years they'd seen his work conversed argued had the standard relationship you have. But now he's standing in the synagogue and he speaks with such wisdom and authority. It says look at it. They were just a may place so the Greek word means to be filled with such amazement that one is overwhelmed will they were blown away and never talk like this when he was having supper with us will remember speeches that he gave her great works he did and so they naturally ask where is wisdom, the power to do miracles lately lately would scoff cities as the sun, by the way Joseph had nothing to do with his conception.

But of course they thought Joseph was his daddy and then admit we don't marry his mother and and and and we know our brothers, James and Joseph, and Simon Judas, by the way, none of them believe in all of his sisters. I become. And then we read, they were deeply stunned. So scandalized like the way Eugene Peterson captures the essence of all this goodness he think he is. They got their noses a lot of joint death is like you would if it were your brother or my brother Susie thinking, talking like prickly they didn't really have a clue. 80 Robertson it is finding work word pictures in the New Testament rights but the people of Nazareth could not comprehend was how one with the origin and environment of Jesus here in Nazareth could possess the wisdom which he appeared to have in his teaching that is often possible. People how a boy whom they knew could become the man he apparently is after leaving home. They think they stumbled at him good rendering of scanned the lid so the cost to stumble, they they they stumbled over his words.

Moffat renders that they were repelled by Weymouth renders it. They turned against him. Robertson add it was unpardonable for Jesus not to be commonplace like themselves who does he think he for what it's worth, and it will mean more to some of you than others. Most difficult people to convince of your faith in Jesus is your own family don't answer out loud, but how many of you have attempted to tell them how your life is been changed through the power of Jesus Christ who you think you are telling me that it's is not that they desired to be offensive or or do appear inhospitable… Beyond their ability to comprehend. I love scenes like this because it breaks it all down into a way that everybody can get it. They were they were offended by and we read.

They refused to believe it.

There it is, by the way, that didn't last forever. What we encouraged by that Jude named earlier as the one who Judas who wrote the book of Jude just before the end of our Bible just before Revelation not only did he believe it in but wrote a letter in James did as well and believe until the resurrection. And then when he believe he really did went fullbore and became a leader in the in the early first century church. So they came around gives us hope doesn't doesn't give you little encouragement you who have tried to reach her brothers and sisters and moms and dads and and family members to no avail. To give you little's a little illustration that I hope you won't forget it helps me witnessing to those who aren't ready to receive it is a lot like tossing a log onto a frozen lake.

It hits the ice bounces around and lies there. More snow more ice or sleet sits on top of the lake until one day the sun begins to shine in the weather turns warm and the late fall's and the log sinks in.

Do not think that because you have spoken of Christ, and it wasn't received that it will never be meaningful to them. Your words no doubt will never be forgotten.

Our brains have a way of increasing them into the cell some time. Life's difficult turning points. We remember things when we get a cool reception from someone who seems indifferent to the gospel. It doesn't mean his or her story is finished and one day God may use the words we spoken to melt the heart of someone who wants to join his family. You're listening to Insight for living and keep her place right here in Matthew chapter 13, because there's much more to learn in this passage, and to learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org and then I like to think those who responded to Insight for living in the last several weeks. As you know we're coming up on an important deadline June 30 marks the end of our financial year and your comments and your financial gifts have been a tremendous encouragement to Chuck and the entire staff at Insight for living ministries. It's amazing to receive feedback from all around the globe fact when I last looked weird comments coming in from your fellow listeners in places like the Philippines, South Africa and Papua New Guinea and of course all across this country. Chuck, we often remind our listeners that they're not alone when receiving these daily programs. In reality, we are joined by a multicultural audience and some who speak a different language than her own. That's true. Dave many in our listening family were surprised to learn that inside for living can be heard in eight additional languages other than the English language. Of course no one is more surprised than I am.

Believe me when we started this media ministry back in 1979 I had no clue how God would expand our influence around this world gratefully, God has supplied the resources and the expertise of godly colleagues to help us translate Insight for living into languages not only in English but Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian. Several years ago. This momentum inspired us to declare an audacious goal that only God could achieve. We called it vision 195 and is our dream to cultivate biblical knowledge and application to all 195 countries of our world. There hasn't been a global pandemic and economic crisis, a national election that has deterred our determination to proceed with gusto. In fact, I'm pleased to report that were moving full steam ahead with the course. God has set before us in vision 195 and so today I'm not hesitant to invite you to join me in this mission by giving generously before the financial deadline of June 30, the largest portion of your gift will be applied to providing this daily program to your station and in this country a fraction of your donation is all that's needed to provide insight for living beyond your borders and in the heart language of those who listen. Here is our contact information and I look forward to hearing from you very soon. Like today if you listening in the United States call us at 1-800-772-8888 four. Never once more, 1-800-772-8888, or to give a donation online, go to Insight.org/donate.

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Remember, you can view Chuck Swindoll's preaching and participate in the sacred music online to find all the information it Insight.org/Sundays. Join us again Monday, when Chuck Swindoll continues our study in the book of Matthew right here on Insight for living. The preceding message: cynical hole was copyrighted in 2016 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R.

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