Sermon Central
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Pedigree Of The Messiah-Good Out Of Nazareth Via Bethlehem! Series
Contributed by Victor Ramlall on Apr 2, 2013 (message contributor)
Summary: In identifying with mankind Jesus took on flesh and was born through a line with an abundance of character defects yet without sin and is forever an example of one who will be triumphant in despite circumstances and ancestry!
John 1:43-46 KJV The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. John 7:52 KJV
Jesus was referred to by many names and titles in the gospels: Son of God, Son of Man, Rabbi, Master, Messiah, Son of David, Holy One of God and also Jesus of Nazareth! He is referred to as Jesus of Nazareth at least 17 times in the gospels!
Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth seems to be a rhetoric question for the reputation of Nazareth and its locality was common knowledge.
Apparently even in the days of Solomon the region where Nazareth was located was not looked upon favorably! And if that was so then by comparison the reputation of Nazareth stood out among them! Way back in Solomon’s time Hiram of Tyre was not pleased when Solomon gave the neighborhood to him as a gift!
1 Kings 9:11-13 KJV (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. 13 And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day
Nazareth was a town of skeptics and unbelievers in the teachings and ministry of their homeboy Jesus. And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. Mark 6:1-6 KJV
They were willing and ready to murder him because of his teachings And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 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, that they might cast him down headlong. Luke 4:28-29 KJV
The regions around Galilee were regarded with contempt but it seems as though Nazareth was the worst of the worst with Nathaniel speaking in contempt of it! Philip had no argument but simply said come and see!
Can any good thing come out of Nazareth is a question that can be compared to “Can any good person descend from such a band and group of cheats, cowards, connivers, schemers, plotters, defective, miserable company of ancestors?
It goes all the way back and on its way makes a significant connection with Ruth in Bethlehem! Remember Ruth? She’s the Moabitess widow from a hateful country, of people descended from an incestuous act between a drunken father and his daughter!
The amazing grace of God is manifested in the genealogy He chose! We may see only the greatness of Abraham, David and others but we also need to see the dysfunctional traits of the families!
Everyone likes to get a boy or girl from a decent family for a spouse. No one likes to think of the skeletons in the closet that may one day rattle out in an embarrassing manner! When we look back at the human ancestors of Jesus we find in surprise that there were a lot of dysfunctional individuals and families in the family tree.
In it all He identified Himself with all the infirmities, imperfections and irregularities but yet came out with no sin?
