The Wisdom of Jesus

July 19, 2020 Background Scripture: Mark 6:1 – 6; 7:1 – 23 Lesson Passage: Mark 6:1 – 6 Many young adults have been frustrated while trying to lead ministries in congregations they had grown up around. The members of those congregations were initially very complimentary of them. However, when they attempted to show some true leadership of the ministry, they were quickly reprimanded and reminded that the older members remembered when they were born. They didn’t mind cheering you own for getting involved in some church work, but they were not about to let you tell them how to do it differently. They knew your place and they expected you to stay in your place. They were happy that you “went off to college and graduated” and came back home. They don’t know why you are acting different now and appearing to know more than they know. Many young adults were frustrated to the point of either giving up on ministry or finding a totally different church to join. They could not continue to do what they were doing without some answers to their dilemma. What they needed more than anything was the wisdom of Jesus. It is difficult deciding where to start when it comes to talking about the wisdom of Jesus. Everything we think we know about salvation is because of Jesus’ teaching. Certainly, everything we know about God is based on the knowledge Jesus shared about the Father. We didn’t even know that we could call God “our Father”. Jesus taught that a person’s connection with God should not be a religion but rather a personal relationship. Yes, it is difficult for us, and yet, this is the only way we have known Jesus. What about those who knew Jesus “back in the day”? How about the ones who saw him growing up as a boy? Our lesson’s text gives the answer to those questions. People who knew Jesus as a boy could not readily accept him as a man. The wisdom he shared with them while he taught astonished them. The problem was they could not receive his wisdom because they thought they already knew him. And the Jesus they knew did not have this type of wisdom. They knew everything there was to know about him. They knew his daddy, momma, brothers, and sisters. Where does he get off acting like he’s somebody else? Sadly, they were so familiar with the boy Jesus in Nazareth that they could not accept the man who was teaching an uncommon doctrine and working miracles. Before Jesus’ trip home, he had healed a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years and raised a little girl from the dead in Jerusalem. But after he arrived at home, he could only lay hands on a few sick people and heal them. There was too much doubt and mental rejection of his ministry for the homefolks to receive the miracles that perfect strangers had glorified God for in Jerusalem. This prompted Jesus to say that a prophet is honored except at home and among his relatives. It requires wisdom to know that there are some people who cannot bring themselves to allow you to bless them. It requires wisdom to be able to help a few people when so many need it but will not receive it. It requires wisdom to know when it is time to move on to other places where your gifts will make room for you. Jesus demonstrated that type of wisdom. Robert C. Hudson June 29, 2020