“And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.” Mark 6:3b-6a

Yesterday we read that Jesus, after healing the Gerasene Demoniac, commanded him to, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” He did so, and “everyone was amazed.” Interesting isn’t it, today we read Jesus is in is hometown and he gets no respect. Jesus does nothing without guidance from the Father. We can almost hear God the Father saying to Jesus, “Go to Nazareth, the place you were raised, tell them what you can do for them, show them what you can do for them, show them the mercy of God.” And yet they do not believe. How many of us, read the stories of healing, restoration, redemption, resurrection and the miracles of healing and feeding and yet we do not fully believe, we don’t grasp how deep, wide, long and high is the power of God, the love of God, the grace of God, the mercy of God. Are we amazed at God or is He amazed at our unbelief? In the next section of scripture (Mark 6:6b-13) Jesus sends his disciples out in pairs, with authority over unclean spirits they proclaimed all should repent, they cast out demons, and anointed the sick with oil, curing them. Jesus sends us out to make disciples of all nations, do we go, amazed at God or is he amazed at our unbelief?