Matthew 13:56-58 (NIV) 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
At first, the people in Jesus’ hometown were impressed by him. When they realized what He was saying, they tried to find reasons to be mad at Him. If someone doesn’t like the message, they will soon become critical and start to find fault with the person who brought it. The word for offense in Greek is skandalizo, which comes from the word for scandal, skandalon.
The word for the thing that sets off a trap is “skandalon.” The trap springs shut when the lever is pulled. When we try to find faults in other people, we are looking for something to use as a reason to blame them. Satan is the one who accuses the brothers. We don’t realize that when we seize that trigger, the trap closes in on our mind. From that moment on, we see all of that person’s good qualities as flaws. We give people reasons that were never in their minds because we think that makes us more spiritual. Remember that people who are not saved always find fault with the church. It’s not a sign of being spiritual, but of being young.
Even though Jesus read the call on His life from the Bible, the people from His hometown did not accept it. “How could this man be the person about whom Isaiah wrote? We’ve met his sisters. He didn’t study under a great rabbi! How dare He claim a relationship with God that is greater than ours and instruct us?” When Jesus shared that His message would go to the Gentiles and reminded them of examples of the same in their own Bible, they tried to kill Him. It’s too bad that they didn’t believe and have faith so He couldn’t do miracles there. The trap they had sprung on themselves not only kept the miraculous from blessing the city, but it prevented them and those they influenced from entering the kingdom of heaven. People who had seen Jesus grow up as a good child, teen, and young adult among them turned down the salvation they had been waiting for.
Don’t touch that button! If you have already done so, repent! If you admit your sin, God can help you get out of the trap. When you see someone making a mistake, you should pray for them, not judge them. Don’t you want Jesus to treat you like that? (Eph. 4:32; Matt. 6:14, 15)
Caution: Don’t let a critical spirit control the way you think. Always look for what’s right, not what’s wrong. (Romans 12:21)
The Great Tribulation
It is our belief that the Great Tribulation referred to in the New Testament Book of Revelation (chapters 6-11) is unfolding before our eyes. In the near future, we will devote the “Tribulation” tab on our “Trending” menu to this emerging reality. As people continue to unplug from mainstream media, our commitment is to present the truth and encourage our audience to understand current events from a Biblical perspective. Click here to begin the journey.
The Watchman
In the Bible, the Watchman is responsible for keeping watch and warning others of potential danger or impending judgment. The role is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 33:6, God says to the prophet Ezekiel, “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.” Click here to begin the journey.
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