A Concord Minute: A rejected prophet by family and friends

“And [Jesus] rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4: 20-22 ESV

According to Luke, Jesus began His ministry with His family in His hometown of Nazareth. Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day in the town where He was reared. Upon opening the scroll of Isaiah, Jesus read the Word of God and then explained to the people how that Word was being fulfilled in Him. This was quite the statement, especially among Jesus’ own family and friends. They looked at each other and began to say, “is this not Joseph’s son? How can he say that he’s the one to proclaim good news to the poor, that he’s the one to bring liberty to the captives, that he’s the one to recover the sight of the blind? Isn’t this little Jesus, the carpenter’s son?” Jesus’ words were an affront to His family and friends. Jesus’ family and friends answered Him by attempting to throw Him off a cliff. Jesus was a rejected prophet. Jesus was rejected by His own dearest loved ones. Yet, Jesus did not give up.

Jesus knew why He came into the world. Jesus knew why He was to live and to die and to rise again, even if His own family did not understand. Jesus knew that His Father had anointed Him to be the Christ (the Anointed One). For what purpose? To proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to recover the sight of the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. How? By His own death and His resurrection. It is ironic that Jesus would fulfill Isaiah in front of his own family at the cross. Moreover, Jesus would fulfill the words of Isaiah in front of His own people, His own nation. Jesus seemed to be that rejected prophet by His family and friends. Yet, by His death, the world would regain life, light, and immortality.

When we talk to our family about Jesus, we can be confident that (for the most part) we won’t be thrown off a cliff. If our family rejects what we’re confessing, that isn’t the end of the world. For we know that our Lord Jesus has already “been there done that” with his own family; yet he did not give up. There are others throughout the world - even the SEMO area - that still need to hear the illuminating, liberating Gospel. Thanks be to God when our families listen to our confession of faith and believe for themselves! Thanks be to God that Jesus allows our family and friends to hear the Gospel: that their sight has been recovered, that their captivity has ended, that their oppression is over. Though you and I might be rejected by family and friends for the faith, Jesus is steadfast to you. Even if a cliff is our end for confessing the faith, Jesus is faithful to us. Jesus will not reject His family. Jesus will not reject His prophets of the Gospel. Jesus will not reject you.

The Rev. Matthew Berry is pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston, Missouri. Based in Sikeston’s Historic North End, Concordia is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), a theologically conservative, biblically sound, Christ-centered church.