Anchor My Faith

The Hindrance of Unbelief

Scripture: Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:5-6

At the end of our last lesson, the people of Nazareth drove Jesus from the synagogue to the top of the hill on which their city was built, to throw him down the cliff, which was found there, to his death, but Jesus simply stops, turns around and passing through their midst, he went on his way with no interference. It is clear that Jesus allowed the people to take him to the point of his death, but then to walk away from them to demonstrate that he was in control and had power over them. No one, not even the devil himself could take the life of Jesus until he had finished the work he was sent to do.

Here in his home town of Nazareth, “[Jesus] did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief” (Mt 13:58) The people he grew up with could not accept the fact that he was sent from heaven through a virgin birth; that he was the Messiah that he read about that day from the book of Isaiah. In their minds they had formed a story of what the Messiah would be like and how he would come and this Jesus who grew up among them clearly was not the one they were looking for.

Because of their unbelief in who he was, “he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them” (Mk 6:5). Jesus will not perform his miracles on a people who are hostile and skeptical toward him. Jesus still loves these people, but it goes against his character and will to heal those who reject him and are unwilling to believe who he claims to be. Hard hearts and rejection of Jesus prevents the Spirit from healing, just as they prevent the forgiveness of sin. The Holy Spirit will not work among a hostile, skeptical audience like we see here. Think of how this might apply to the fact that the church is growing under persecution, but is dying here in the west?

“[Jesus] marveled because of their unbelief. [Then] he went about among the villages teaching” (Mk 6:6). As Jesus experienced the reaction of the people toward him, try to imagine what he might be thinking. He knows their outcome if they continue in unbelief. He knows that he is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through belief in him. Jesus can’t let their unbelief stand in his way so he leaves them and goes to other villages to teach there and perform miracles among those who believe.

Prayer

Father, this lesson reminds me of a question asked by a student of a Bible class I was teaching in China. I was asked what miracles God had performed through me. That question caused me to realize that they wanted to know if my words were associated with power or not. I knew that some of them had suffered for their faith and some had served time in prison and had seen God’s power at work and they wanted to know how God was using me. In the western culture there are so many things that we can let hinder us in our growth in faith. Father, help us overcome our areas of unfaithfulness.