Occasionally I will get a phone call or email from someone who needs to share their frustration with someone who understands them. They have witnessed to someone and carefully reasoned from the Bible, explaining each point and underlining each truth but to no effect. “Why –can’t – they – just – see it!” they exclaim. Have you ever been there? I have often and it is so – frustrating to be sure.
Jesus faced this dilemma as he entered his home town and began to teach in the synagogue. The people were amazed to be sure but soon began to doubt as they declared:
“Isn’t this the carpenter’ son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where did this man get all these things?”
We are told that “they took offence at him.”
Things were not looking good for Jesus. His cousin, John the Baptist, had been murdered by Herod (Mt.14:1-12); people’s early enthusiasm was waning as he proved not to live up to their expectations (see the last Briefing); the Pharisees had taken a stand against him, which must have worried a lot of people and in response Jesus, instead of coming out fighting, withdrew privately to a solitary place (Mt.14:13).
We are told that Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are. That he is able to sympathise with our weakness (Heb.4:14-5:3). In our frustration we can turn to him and he will know and understand. He also shows us some important lessons in how to deal with things when doubters and detractors fill our world.
1. He withdrew to a solitary place, as he often did in his ministry, to seek God in the peace and solitude (Mt.14:13, 23). We need to remember that God is our strength and find those times to draw strength from him, especially when the world seems to be so against us. Too often we see people worn out, running here and there as though if they stopped for a moment then the plans of God would go awry. We must allow God to refresh and renew us so that we are better prepared for the work he has given. God’s refreshing gives us a clear kingdom perspective.
2. Jesus despite the criticism and stubborn doubt of many still saw the great need in people and continued to have compassion on them. He continued to heal and to care for people’s practical needs, as in the feeding of the five thousand (Mt.14:13-21) Compassion for the needy is a characteristic of kingdom living and it reaches out to people, whether they especially understand or not.
3. Although Jesus had stopped openly demonstrating his authority with the proofs of miracles, signs and wonders yet to his disciples he still showed himself as the King of Glory such as when he walked out to them on the water (Mt.14:22-33). The result was that they worshipped him. Even though some reject and refute the evidence we must be prepared to show to those who honestly seek God that he is ever there and ready to meet them where they are.
Refreshing from God, compassion for the needy and the evidence of Christian lives and witness for those who are seeking, these are our compass points as we walk through our days and seek to serve our God and reach the lost.
