Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] All right, let's go back to Matthew, chapter two, if you would ask you a few questions.
[00:00:25] So we look at a few verses here, try to wind the chapter down. Matthew, chapter two. And I would like you to look at verse 15.
[00:00:40] Says this, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, out of Egypt have I called my son. Does anybody know where the original location of that verse is?
[00:01:03] What's that? Hosea. What? Eleven.
[00:01:06] What? Correct. Hosea, eleven one. Very good, Ben. Very good, Ben. These are just for you Bible scholars. This is what's called this reference is in Hosea eleven one is called a double reference. It refers both to in the original context, refers to Israel being the son that was delivered out of Egypt, but is a double reference to the Lord Jesus as well. Look down in verse number 17, if you would.
[00:01:39] It says this then was fulfilled, that which was spoken by Jeremy. That's Jeremiah, the prophet, saying in Ramah was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they are not.
[00:02:02] Does anybody know where this verse is quoted from?
[00:02:08] He gave you a hint because it says Jeremy. Yes, ma'am.
[00:02:11] Correct. Jeremiah, chapter 31, verse 15. Another double reference, likely a reference in its original context to the captivity of the children of Israel. Children of Rachel, of course. Rachel is the husband, the wife of Jacob, and one of the mothers of the tribes of Israel, prophetically referring to them, but by extension, and later also referencing the children of Bethlehem.
[00:02:45] And then I would like you to peek down in verse number 22.
[00:02:51] But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go, thither notwithstanding. Being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee, and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets. He shall be called a Nazarene.
[00:03:15] This last quotation, where is it quoted from? Does anybody know?
[00:03:26] No.
[00:03:31] No, that was a trick question. I'm sorry. That's a trick question. The reason I want to look at this verse is because nobody in the world knows what this is quoted from.
[00:03:45] This is one of those little gotchas where you expect there's going to be something easy, where you can just look in your cross reference like I was just doing, by the way, and you can easily find it. But there is no place that says this. The word Nazareth is not anywhere in the Old Testament, it's not even there. So the question is, why does it say this? Now I'm not going to be able to give you a definitive answer because nobody knows the definitive answer. But I'm going to give you my version of it, which I think is my best guess. And it is a scriptural answer to the question. And if you have a different view, I'm not going to hate on you about it. Okay? Because this is one of those.
[00:04:27] There's several places in the Bible where the Old Testament appears to be quoted but nobody knows what the original verse is. And just a couple, not even a handful, but this is one of them. So let's pray and then we'll dive into this verse. Our Lord, thank you again for your grace and your presence with us. Lord, thank you that you are a father and that you are always blessing. Lord, the reading and study of your word. If we come at it with a heart that is open, a heart that is tender, you'll help us. Lord, we ask for your help tonight because, lord, we confess that we need your help. Lord, especially in the hearing of your word, give us a heart inclined to receive what it says. Lord, help our heart to be tender. And Lord, I pray that you would bless your people by your word tonight and help me to say what you'd have me to say in Jesus name. Amen.
[00:05:25] So there are three, there are three theories as to what this verse might refer to. Number one, some people think that the word he shall be the phrase sentence, rather he shall be called a Nazarene, is a reference to the times in the Old Testament in which Jesus is referred to as the capital bhide branch. And the reason they think that is because the hebrew word that's translated branch is in some kind of vague way it has some of the same consonants as this word. Nazarene, Nazareth. Okay, it's like Netzer, n e t z e r. So that's the first one. And maybe that's the answer. I don't think it is, but maybe it is.
[00:06:18] Theory number two is that Jesus is called, will be called a nazarene is a reference to being a Nazarite, which is a vow that someone, a temporary vow generally in the Old Testament that someone would take in which they vowed to not touch a dead body and not to eat anything that came of a vine, a grapevine, whether grape wine, whatever.
[00:06:47] And they did that for a particular purpose, usually for a specified amount of time.
[00:06:53] Samuel, the baby. Samuel was a Nazarite. Samson was a Nazirite, not this one, because of course he has a haircut and brightly, so. Right o. Right o. Wouldn't want a long haired nazirite in our church.
[00:07:07] Not that we're under the law, but anyway, the dirty little secret about Nazirites is that they didn't just have long hair, they also had a long beard. They weren't allowed to shave anything, any part of their body. So that's just kind of nasty. I don't know.
[00:07:25] No offense, John the Baptist or whoever.
[00:07:28] I don't know. It's just my take on it.
[00:07:31] I don't think that's what it was. Because Jesus was not a nazarite.
[00:07:37] He drank fruit of the vine. The Bible said that was the Lord's supper. He drank that he raised dead bodies to life. So he's definitely not a nazirite because, remember, the Lord Jesus Christ was a jew under the law. So if he was a nazirite, he would have kept it. He would have kept it. And that's not what he was. It's just a coincidence, I suppose, that Nazirite and Nazarene are similar words.
[00:08:01] The third one is the one that I think that is the right one. And again, this is my best guess, but I think there's reason to think.
[00:08:10] I think that this verse, number 23, the very last sentence, says he shall be called a Nazarene. If you notice, unlike the other two that reference a prophet. Verse 17, Jeremy the prophet, verse 15, spoken of the Lord by the prophet, verse 23 says that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets, plural, which indicates this was not a quotation from necessarily an individual, but perhaps there's a broader meaning to it. And this is what I believe that this is likely referring to is that he shall be called a nazarene is basically an insult.
[00:08:57] It's a derogatory terminal to describe the Lord Jesus. Now, is anybody here from Mississippi?
[00:09:06] Is anybody here from West Virginia? Okay, I'm safe.
[00:09:13] I'm safe.
[00:09:15] No, if someone listens to this after. Because these are on the Internet and things. No offense by this, but, you know, Mississippi is that of Louisiana is widely known as the poorest states in our country. Right?
[00:09:31] West Virginia is widely known for what it's known for. And everybody knows what that is.
[00:09:39] And sometimes we use these terms to describe, well, he must be from West Virginia, you know, or Mississippi. And, you know, in other words, I know this is what I'm describing here is nothing in severity and degree is nothing like that. We use that kind of jokingly, but it would be something similar to a derogatory term referring to someone like as an example, saying, it's a reproach that's put upon Jesus, he'll be a nazarene, something that's used to deride him, specifically referring to his, the reproach and the reputation he would have as one who was despised. And that is something we have strong scriptural grounds for. In fact, we have scriptural grounds for both of those. Let's look at them really quick. First of all, look at Isaiah 49, if you would.
[00:10:37] Isaiah 49, and then Isaiah 53. Just a couple of verses to show you. This is a clear truth prophesied of the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament.
[00:10:55] This is the thing that seems to elude the Jews, that has eluded them for two millennia, is that it was told in the scripture that Jesus, when he came, would not be a grand kingdom, but he would be despised and rejected. This is a plain teaching of the prophecies concerning the messiah. And somehow they missed it. They missed it. Of course, the Lord is blinding eyes, and that's a truth as well. But look at Isaiah 49, verse number seven. Thus saith the Lord, the redeemer of Israel. Notice. And his holy one to whom man despisethe, notice that.
[00:11:42] Not necessarily a particular man, but this is general statement, man despiseth. And let me tell you something. I'll get more into this in a minute. But man to this day still despises the Lord Jesus. Now, there's a version, we talked about this not too long ago. There's a version of Jesus that man likes, but sadly, it's not consistent with the version of Jesus true version, the real deal found in the scripture, but the one found in the scripture is the one who to this day, men despise. Sometimes, living in the south, we forget this. Everybody goes to church, everybody loves Jesus. You know, they all say that, but there really is a, even here, an undercurrent of people that really don't like the Lord Jesus. They really do not like who he is.
[00:12:45] And just pay attention. Pay attention.
[00:12:50] So it says, to him who man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth. This is a prophecy about Jesus. To a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise. Princes also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithful and the holy one of Israel, and he shall choose thee. Now, again, just as a note, as we pass on by to 53, is this is what, this is the principle. I'm looking at you, Sam, the gap principle, because within this verse, you have both the reproach of Christ in his first coming, as well as the glory of Christ in his kingdom in one verse. And you can't tell that there's a huge gap. But there is. But there is. And the Lord described that as well. Look at Isaiah 53, if you would, verse number three.
[00:13:43] Speaking of the servant of the Lord, which is Jesus, he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. You know, this is not only referring to the cross, although ultimately refers to the ultimate act of rejection, but this is also a reference to the Lord in his life because this is also seen.
[00:14:15] So let's look at a couple of other, a couple of places.
[00:14:20] I want to show you a few things about this name, Jesus of Nazareth, which is the equivalent of saying Jesus the Nazarene. Okay?
[00:14:32] This name is one of the most common ways that Jesus is referred to among people in his earthly ministry.
[00:14:41] He's the Nazarene.
[00:14:44] He's called this name in Mark, chapter one, verse 24. He's called this name by devils. In Mark, chapter 16, verse six. He's called this name Jesus of Nazareth by the angel after he rose from the dead in John 1919. This name is written on the title that is placed on the Lord's cross, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.
[00:15:09] In acts 22 eight. I mentioned this morning the Lord refers to himself by this name to Saul on the road to Damascus, which is significant because Saul, Saul was contemporary with Christ. He lived simultaneously with Christ. And I think it's highly likely that Saul actually definitely heard of Christ because he was in Jerusalem under Gamaliel and probably had met Christ. And I mentioned this before, some people think the rich young ruler was actually Saul. Maybe, maybe not.
[00:15:45] And then this name, Jesus of Nazareth was, in acts 24 five used, not Jesus of Nazareth, but the connection with Nazareth. Nazarene was used as a label for Christians. So because of their association with the Lord Jesus, not only were they called Christians as in Christ, but they were also called Nazarenes, Nazarene. And there are few honors higher than to be named after the Lord Jesus. You know, in Cambodia, they would call Cambodian, the word for Jesus is yesu. And they would call christians at times, which is Jesus. People, you know, that's an honor. That's an honor. But, you know, here's the thing. But with that honor comes the reproach associated with that name.
[00:16:39] Isn't that kind of a weird contradiction? We count it an honor, but it's a reproach. They say it as a reproach.
[00:16:46] But it's actually an honor.
[00:16:50] Now go to Matthew, chapter number four.
[00:16:58] I want to look at these people in Nazareth really quick. In Matthew four, we're also going to peek at Luke chapter four, so we can read just one verse, two verses in Matthew. And then we'll go to Luke four, Matthew 412. The Bible says this.
[00:17:18] Now, when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee.
[00:17:24] And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt at Capernaum, which is upon the seacoast and the borders of Zebulun. It says here, nephtalem. All right, so you got that? He left Nazareth. Sounds like a very uneventful trip. He goes home, says, hi, mom. And then he heads on to Capernaum. Got that? Now look at Luke four, Luke four.
[00:17:57] Luke four reveals what actually happened at Nazareth.
[00:18:01] Look at verse number 16.
[00:18:08] Now, in Matthew, it says, he left Nazareth. In Luke 416, it says, and he came to Nazareth. This is again Matthew four and Luke four. A parallel, because the temptation of Christ has just happened. His public ministry is starting in both chapters. So this is parallel content, right. Same events. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written. This speaks to what we were talking about at lunch, the way they did their services at the synagogue. He reads, the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He HAthez sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book and gave it again to the minister and sat down. Don't you love how the Lord is just so low key?
[00:19:13] He just reads it and just sits down.
[00:19:16] I love it.
[00:19:19] And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. In other words, everybody's looking at him like, okay, you got to explain yourself what you just read.
[00:19:32] Like, everybody's staring. And so perhaps in response to their stares, he says, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears and all bear him witness. And wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, is not this Joseph's son? Now, where are we in this passage?
[00:19:53] We're in Nazareth.
[00:19:55] You know, from what I read, nobody really knows. Nazareth is a big city now. I mean, it's a substantial city, but at this time we're talking maybe a couple hundred families. That's it. This is an agricultural city, basically on a hill. It was a city, a town on a hill, and down in the valley they would do agriculture and they'd come back, you know, that was it. And this is not a large place at all. So everybody knew who Jesus was?
[00:20:26] Everybody.
[00:20:28] He had lived there apparently for 30 years.
[00:20:31] Everybody knew Jesus.
[00:20:35] And he said unto them, ye will surely say unto me this proverb, physician, heal thyself. Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, verily, I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of the truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up, three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land. But none of them was Elias. But unto none of them was Elias sent save unto Sareptah, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseuse the prophet, that's Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, save Naaman the Syrian.
[00:21:20] And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things were filled with wrath. Why are these people so angry?
[00:21:29] Jesus just insulted their race.
[00:21:33] This is the Jesus that a lot of people don't like.
[00:21:36] This is the version the Lord said, and you know, and he says, remember in verse 22, all bear him witness. So even while he's saying these words that are cutting straight to the heart, it's full of grace.
[00:21:54] His attitude is just perfect. Think about that.
[00:21:58] But he says, basically, the Lord sent Elijah to Sidon, which is a gentile city, to help a widow that was a gentile. And the Lord sent Elisha to heal the leper, and the leper was Naaman Assyrian. Neither one of those people are jewish people. And yet the Lord, in other words, the Lord saying, this is the state of the jew, right at this time, the Lord didn't go to heal any of the jewish people, but to the Gentiles, and that they could not abide. They could not. They hated the Gentiles so much. So verse 29, and rose up and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built. When you have a chance, look at google earth and go to the, it's called the city of the precipice.
[00:22:57] Forgot the name precipice. Of something.
[00:23:01] It's basically a rock kind of outcropping and it's just.
[00:23:05] It just falls down. I mean, it's not like a cliff, but it's rocks. It's very steep where if you got. If somebody pushed you over, you dead. It's like probably 50ft down.
[00:23:18] So led him up to the brow of the hill whereon the city was built, that they might cast him down headlong, but he, passing through the midst of them, went his way. What do we see here? This is. Remember, this is that little town where Jesus was raised. Everybody knew him. They mentioned his stepfather, Joseph. Everybody knew Joseph. They've known him his whole life, right? And even in his own town, they basically. The first time that he stands up in the synagogue and reads the scripture and says a word, even though his word listen, even though his attitude is just perfect, it's gracious, even though that's the case, what happens? They literally try to push him off a cliff and kill him.
[00:24:06] He shall be called a nazarene. These are his folk. Right? These are his folk. So not only is I think he should be called a nazarene, a reference to a despised people, he shall be called a West virginian or whatever, you know, whatever thing you want to.
[00:24:26] I really did try to think of something equal to that kind of idea, but I just couldn't think of one that would have been nice and g rated.
[00:24:38] But even in Nazareth, this is illustrated for us. For the Lord in his own home hometown was despised and rejected.
[00:24:49] So beyond the name of being from a town that was the town itself, would have been despised.
[00:24:57] Yet in that very town, he was despised.
[00:25:02] Look at Matthew, chapter 13. If you would.
[00:25:15] Let this be a lesson to us in the same context in which Jesus speaks and cuts right to the heart, right.
[00:25:22] And provokes them to anger, but not his attitude, his words. Let that be a reminder to us that a negative response when we try to share the gospel with someone, or even not the gospel, or even just truth in some kind of more general way, a negative response does not mean that you said something wrong.
[00:25:46] It does not even mean that your attitude was wrong. And sometimes that gets very discouraging. How many of you have tried to witness to somebody got a negative response? You were like, man, what did I say I felt that way? Did I say something wrong? Well, the Lord Jesus not only said everything right, but he said it in the right attitude, full of gracious words, and yet he. They tried to kill him over it. So just let that be a lesson to us that that's not the best judge. The way people respond is not always the best judge. If you listen, if we have a bad attitude, we've got a bad attitude, we need to get it right. But if our attitude's right, what we're saying is right.
[00:26:22] You know, we just need to understand that sometimes people reject the truth.
[00:26:28] Matthew 13, verse 54.
[00:26:36] Verse 53 for context.
[00:26:41] This is another one of his visits to Nazareth. It's amazing he went back.
[00:26:46] That would have been an awkward return, wouldn't it?
[00:26:52] Hey, guys, I hope you're not mad at me still.
[00:26:56] Verse 53. And it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said, whence hath this man this wisdom in these mighty works?
[00:27:12] Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas and his sisters?
[00:27:23] Are they not all with us? Whence then, hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him?
[00:27:31] But Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honor, save in his own country and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Again, once again, the Lord lived up to his name, the despised Nazarene.
[00:27:53] But I want to ask you this.
[00:27:56] If the Lord had such a difficult time with those that were closest to him by way of kin, by way of people familiar with him, that grew up with him, should it be any surprise if we find it the most difficult, the most difficult people that we have to reach, to talk to, to witness, to are people that grew up with us, that have known us our whole lives, that are family members and friends, that those are. Everybody is in agreement with this. Those are the most difficult people to talk to. They are. And you know what?
[00:28:34] They are also the ones that are frequently the ones that will reject what we're saying simply because of their familiarity with us. As they say, familiarity breeds contempt. Right? But conversely, what we're going to see in just a minute, that sometimes the people closest to us are the people with whom we have the greatest opportunity to give the gospel, the people who will be most open.
[00:29:08] So both are true at the same time.
[00:29:14] Look at John, chapter one.
[00:29:16] John, chapter one, verse number, verse number 35.
[00:29:43] Again, the next day, after John stood and two of his disciples and looking upon Jesus as he walks, he saith, behold the lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And then Jesus turned and saw them following and saith unto them, what seek ye? And they said unto him, rabbi, which is to say, being interpreted, master, where dwellest thou? And he saith unto them, come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day. For it was about the 10th hour.
[00:30:12] One of the two which heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
[00:30:19] He first findeth his own brother. This is what I was saying a minute ago, Simon. And saith unto him, we have found the messias, which is being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. See, see, listen. Even though their brothers.
[00:30:33] Yet the reverse of what I just said is true, Andrew. Even the very disciples of the Lord were brought to Jesus by their family members.
[00:30:44] Okay? So, I mean, that's the way the Lord chose to bring the disciples to him. In fact, there were several sets of brothers in the group of the disciples. In other words, that family connection played a huge role in what would end up being the, the twelve chosen disciples of Christ. Isn't that amazing?
[00:31:06] And he says, he goes on to say, verse number 42. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, thou art Simon, the son of Jonah. Thou shalt be called Cephas, which by interpret interpretation a stone. Which is, by interpretation a stone. Verse 43. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and he findeth. And he findeth Philip. And saith unto him, follow me. Now. Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. You see all these, these people have known each other a long time. They're from the same city. These are not big places here. These are like.
[00:31:44] They'd be like neighborhoods, almost, really. They'd be like neighborhoods to us.
[00:31:50] And so verse 45. Philip findeth Nathaniel and Saith unto him, we have found him of whom Moses and the law and the prophets did right. Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
[00:32:03] He gets it wrong a little bit, but we'll forgive him because he don't know everything quite yet. But notice he refers to Jesus as Jesus of Nazareth, verse 46. And Nathaniel said unto him, can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?
[00:32:21] This is why I say that I think the, the theory number three is the right one. In other words, there was already among people, at least in Galilee, can't speak everywhere else necessarily, but in Galilee, because this is in. Is in that vicinity, there already is a. Is a, is a kind of a reputation, a well known kind of negative reputation associated with Nazareth. We have no idea why? We just know that it's so because what Nathaniel says here, so when the Bible says he shall be called a Nazarene, it's like he should be called a Nazarene.
[00:32:57] That's what we're saying. It's a negative reputation.
[00:33:03] So think about this.
[00:33:06] Think about this now.
[00:33:08] Before Nathaniel ever met Jesus, before he ever met Jesus because of the name Nazarene or Nazareth associated with his name, Nathaniel prejudged the Lord Jesus based upon that, did he not? He prejudged him. So in other words, whatever Nathaniel thought about Nazareth, whatever Nathaniel thought about Nazareth that was attached to the Lord Jesus before he ever met him, he knew nothing of Jesus himself, but only his hometown.
[00:33:53] You know, it made me think of when people say things like, oh, I know those christians.
[00:34:00] Oh, I know that church.
[00:34:03] You know, that happened not too long. Who was with me? Was it you? Bentley might have been in that neighborhood there in Berea, someone that happened.
[00:34:13] That happened. And that's old news. That's been what that man said was probably 20 something 25 years ago or whatever. But listen, here's the thing.
[00:34:27] This is exactly how people respond to the Lord. Now, whatever associations are attached in their mind to the Lord, they will therefore prejudge the Lord based upon those things. And you know what? The greatest association that the Lord has in this world, it's you and me. You know that.
[00:34:51] They know us. They see us. They see our lives. They know if we're honest. They know if we're dishonest. They know if we use filthy language. They know if we are hard workers. They know if we are faithful, if we pay our bills. You know your circle and my circle. Right? They know if we're, you know, whatever we are, people around us know. And you know what?
[00:35:14] That is what they're going to use to prejudge the Lord Jesus.
[00:35:19] That's what they're going to use. Just like whatever Nate, Nathaniel knew about Nazareth is what he used to prejudge Jesus before he even met Jesus. And we can say, listen, we can be dishonest, right? And we can be people who are not upright in our life and people who are constantly complaining and murmuring and we can be people who don't pay our bills and who use foul language, right? We can be that person and we can tell them, no, no, no, no. But Jesus is not like that. Jesus is better than that.
[00:35:50] But it kind of rings.
[00:35:54] It doesn't really ring true, does it? Right? It doesn't because someone is. They don't accept, even though I know that's true. And you know that's true. That is not what people believe.
[00:36:08] That is not what people believe. People prejudge the Lord Jesus today by his associations, and we are his associations.
[00:36:24] And you know what? Sometimes his associations make it so that they are not open to Jesus himself. Even though the Lord Jesus has done them no wrong, even though they really don't know yet, they prejudge him.
[00:36:45] Should we not be people who are good associates of the Lord so that when they know about us, it draws them to the Lord Jesus? That's the way we should be, right?
[00:36:57] We're salt and light. We attract them to the Lord.
[00:37:05] And these are people who haven't even met Jesus yet.
[00:37:08] Now here's the reality. If they met Jesus, now look what happens with Nathaniel. He prejudges Jesus.
[00:37:14] Philip saith unto him, come and see. Which is to say, I know. I know what you think. I know what you think. Listen. And there's a lot of places that this is true. This is true as far as, even if. Even if christian people are upright and that's the way we should be. But even if that's the case, the name of the Lord Jesus in this world is associated with a lot of things that aren't right. Is that not true?
[00:37:43] A lot of churches that do crazy things and a lot of immorality. You think of all the abuse that has happened in churches, right? That's all associated with his name. It shouldn't be, but it is. All those things happen, and people associate it, and they prejudge the Lord Jesus based upon those things.
[00:38:05] Now, I know I've had these conversations about, with. With people here recently, with the things with our family.
[00:38:13] And one thing, whenever there's.
[00:38:17] This is just me talking. This is just church talk right now.
[00:38:22] But oftentimes in churches where there are accusations of abuse, what is kind of the instinctive reaction? What is the instinctive reaction? Is to hide it, right?
[00:38:36] It has been so bad over the years that our legislature has had to pass laws to criminalize those in positions of authority for not reporting abusers.
[00:38:50] It's that bad. It's happened that often that whether teachers or youth leaders or pastors or whatever have been so. Have been so poor in judgment that.
[00:39:04] That they have not reported these things that should have been reported, and as a result, they pass laws. Now, it is a criminal, is a misdemeanor. If someone in authority, in that way, custodial authority, I think, is what they call it, that does not report when they find out an allegation of abuse of any kind. It's not any particular kind of abuse, but any kind. It's a misdemeanor if that person knew and did not report it to the authorities. Because all the churches were like, all the churches were like, well, we'll deal with it in the church because we wouldn't want the name of Christ to be tarnished. That's kind of the going idea.
[00:39:48] But the problem is that it was never dealt with at all. And now that has happened so much that that has been associated with the name of Jesus. And we look at that and we're like, ugh, that's horrible, because we know that's not the Lord at all, right?
[00:40:06] That's not the Lord at all.
[00:40:09] And so we want to say, listen, I know there's a lot of bad. Christianity sometimes has a bad name, sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for bad reasons. Sometimes the name of the Lord is tarnished because of good things, righteousness, right?
[00:40:28] Sometimes Christians are labeled and slandered, and Christ's name is labeled and slandered. We're Bible thumpers. Or you watch the news, you'll hear people say, oh, well, they take the Bible literally, which is basically just some way to get out of what the actual Bible says, right? You can just throw it away and say, oh, well, whatever, because we take it literally. Or a favorite one these days among religious circles is the fundamentalist, the scary fundamentalist. And you've seen this, how people take terms like that and attach it to Islam, right?
[00:41:07] Islamic fundamentalists, and now christian fundamentalists. In other words, they never come out and say, the christians are going to bomb anything. But it's implied, right?
[00:41:19] Hey, old fire and brimstone. I know. Sister Rita, I don't know if she's listening or not, but Sister Rita told me one time that she likes hellfire and brimstone preaching. But sometimes people use that as a negative.
[00:41:33] Here's the thing. Sometimes the name of Christ has a derogatory reputation for good reason, sometimes for bad reason.
[00:41:43] But in either case, there are always that kind of. There's that kind of reproach attached to the name of Christ. And listen, if we.
[00:41:53] If we are afraid of the reproach that comes with the Lord's name, if we desire to honor men, if we desire, let me restate that. If we desire the honor from men, we're going to be sorely disappointed. If that's our desire, we're going to be disappointed. Or if we desire honor from men, we're going to be disappointed, or we will be. We will be willing to sacrifice the Lord Jesus in order to get it, because with his name comes a certain level of dishonor and reproach.
[00:42:30] Jesus said this in Luke, chapter six, verse 22, blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company, listen now, and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the son of Mandev, just like one Peter says, if they're going to reproach us, let it be for the good. We do not for the wickedness that is found among us. Let that not be right. Say amen. Right there. Amen.
[00:43:05] So Philip says to Nathaniel, come and see. In other words, that's what we want to say to people. Yeah, I know. There's a lot about out there. Just come and see. I'm telling you, it's way better than you think. It's way better than you think.
[00:43:17] Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him and saith of him, behold, an israelite indeed, in whom is no guile, which is a little bit of an insult, you know, you think about it.
[00:43:29] But Nathaniel saith unto him, whence knowest thou me?
[00:43:34] Which is like, where do you know me from?
[00:43:37] Jesus answered and said unto him, before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, rabbi, thou art the son of God. Thou art the king of Israel.
[00:43:52] So the answer to Nathaniel's question of, can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? The answer is yes.
[00:44:00] He was proven wrong.
[00:44:02] And really the answer to this question more broadly is yes. Can one who is despised? Can any good thing come of one who is despised? Yes. Yes. The Lord Jesus was despised.
[00:44:17] The Lord Jesus came from these origins. But think about this. Why was Jesus prophesied that he would be despised?
[00:44:27] And perhaps in my theory, given a name to indicate that he's from Nazareth, a Nazarene.
[00:44:36] This is what I thought about, number one.
[00:44:40] It was to demonstrate that it was God's plan that his savior would be despised.
[00:44:47] The fact that all these people despise Jesus says a lot about the world, right? It says a lot about humanity.
[00:44:57] It's a proof of who they are and where they are.
[00:45:01] The second thing, the Lord Jesus came from these despised origins with this reputation to humble the pride of those who, because of their lofty thoughts, would look lightly upon the Lord Jesus. In other words, the Lord. If there's those people who look upon the Lord Jesus and by extension, Christianity, and they think, well, that's not very.
[00:45:26] Let me tell you something.
[00:45:29] A lot of conservative political people are converting to Roman Catholicism.
[00:45:37] Did you know that?
[00:45:39] Because the Bible believing evangelical, and we know that's not a very strict term, okay? But the Bible believing evangelical crowd has a really kind of a dumb, toothless, backwoods West Virginia kind of reputation. That's you and me.
[00:45:59] I mean, you can have a doctorate degree or whatever. You can be the smartest guy on the block. And if you're a person who takes the Bible literally, you're a moron to this world.
[00:46:11] That's a fact.
[00:46:12] And you find these people, these kind of cerebral, intellectual type people are converting to a more respectable catholicism.
[00:46:22] Pay attention, pay attention. There's something going on there.
[00:46:29] See, the Lord uses this despised state of his people and of himself, which is actually the despised state of his people is actually an extension of himself to humble the pride of those who are lofty minded like that and even exclude them because of their pride.
[00:46:54] And the third reason is he makes himself, by being despised, by being lowly, he makes himself accessible and approachable to the lowliest and most despised of people. Does he? Nothing. You know, a lot of people who are come. Who are in that despised category, whatever that might be, a lot of times they don't want to approach somebody that seems like lofty and important and wealthy or whatever.
[00:47:29] They feel out of place, so they won't. That happened on the mission field. That happened so many times. You know, we're, you know, a white missionary family. I mean, we're considered to be filthy rich and, you know, well respected just because of that. And some people would just. Would not approach us. They just would not approach now, you know, we would put our arm around. I mean, we'd go approach them and talk to them and we'd befriend them and all that, you know, play with their kids, everything. But they wouldn't approach us just because of that mentality. But when the Lord Jesus himself was despised and lowly, it said, it tells us that anybody can approach him. Anybody can come to him. And that also tells us one thing, that there is no one in this world that we should be above as a Christian to approach, to love, to care for, to put our arm around.
[00:48:28] No one in this world is so despised, so lowly. No race, no ethnic group, no income level, no background, none. Our Lord himself was that guy.
[00:48:52] I just want to read this to close.
[00:48:54] First Corinthians, chapter one. You know this, but just as a maybe a capstone 126 says this for ye see your calling, brethren.
[00:49:03] How that not many wise men after the flesh. Not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things and things which are despised. Hath God chosen? Yea, and the things which are nothing to bring to naught the things that are. That no flesh should glory in his presence.
[00:49:37] I see Jesus of Nazareth in that verse. Let's pray.
