What Jesus Did! 'Refusing to Believe' — Mark 6:1-3

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, "Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?" Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
— Mark 6:1-3 NLT

Key Thought

"He's just..." There wasn't anything about Jesus' early life that attracted the attention and fascination of his fellow townspeople. He was just another kid from their town. They knew his family, and they expected no great thing out of him. So they were offended by actions that captured the hearts of other people, and they refused to believe what so many called compelling evidence of his divinity. Despite thousands of years of witnesses, the faith of many in the scientific community, and the testimony of their close friends, many today refuse to believe. For some, the problem is pride. For others, it is a lifestyle they don't want to change. For still others, it is a lack of interest, or there are some intellectual hangups. But underneath it all, there is a refusal to believe... a refusal to seek after something that doesn't quite fit their experience or they can't analyze with empirical investigation. So which are you, one who refuses to believe and denies faith or one who seeks after truth and finds faith?

Today's Prayer

O Holy and compassionate Father, stir my heart to seek after you. I want to know truth... physical truth and spiritual truth. Correct me in my wrong-headedness and beckon me in my truth-seeking. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • John 7:16-17
  • John 12:37-43
  • Colossians 1:19-21

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Illustration

Illustration of Mark 6:1-3 NLT — "Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?"

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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