Keep Going

Mark 6:7-34

When you’ve been to your ‘Nazareth,’ possibly even expecting to be received with wonder and awe about the possibility and potential for your newly-expressed life in ministry – and been rejected as a poser – what is your response?

Well, I think we can safely say this is why Jesus went to ‘His Nazareth’ in the first place. It was to demonstrate to us what is likely to happen in our hometowns and in our hometown families; which is, in a word, unbelief.

Do not expect those who know you well to immediately believe your life has been transformed by God. If they disbelieved this happened in Jesus’ life, it is even more likely they will disbelieve it has happened in yours.

How are we to respond to this unbelief and doubt in our Godly transformation and calling – especially when it is expressed by those who know us better than anyone?

The example here is to spread the ministry. Deepen it. Broaden it. Call more people into it.

The thoughts of unbelief toward us in our hometowns should be employed as springboards to expand our ministry effort, and never to turn back or stop.

Following His rejection at Nazareth, Jesus greatly expanded His ministry by locating His 12 apostles and sending them out with the same authority of ministry He had been granted by the Father. His response was to expand His ministry 12-fold. He did not turn back, He kept going in an even broader way.

Upon hearing of John the Baptist’s murder at the hand of Herod, Jesus did not turn back. He gathered together with His guys to lick their wounds in private, and then He taught a massive crowd, publicly demonstrating He would keep going. Nothing could or would stop Jesus from delivering the gospel to those in need.

-Pastor Bill