Target
Sometimes we say and do tings that make us a target.
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'" And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian." When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. - Luke 4:16-30
If Jesus had visited his hometown before word spread of his miraculous cures and healings, there would have been no expectations among the crowd.
No one would be looking for him to do those things here, where he grew up.
Surely, though, they would have been surprised to hear him say that the scriptures were fulfilled in his reading of them.
What could that mean? Who is this guy? Isn't he Joseph's son who grew up here?
I can't help but think that Jesus is intentionally baiting them.
In a way, he is acting like the guy who shows up at his 20 year high school reunion sporting an expensive suit and driving a Tesla, but he won't let you go for a ride in it.
Jesus has made himself a target and I am not sure why he would do that.
His hometown neighbors and friends want proof that the Tesla and suit aren't rented, and he refuses to comply.
I think I would be disappointed as well. We have all heard stories of athletes who have made it big who come back to their old neighborhood and do something special for the kids who adore them.
Wouldn't that be something we would expect of Jesus?
I guess there is more to this guy than we can understand. He is not like us. And we struggle to figure out how to be like him.
Maybe the message is that if you follow me (Jesus) you will be a target regardless of what you do or what you don't do.
More to come...