PJP2 PROLOG 151215 PROLOG Focus Matthew 2:19-23....

Psalm 52:9 (ESV)/(emphasis added/jaj)...."I Will Thank/Praise You Forever, Because of What You Have Done.  I Will Wait for Your Name, for It Is Good, in the presence of The Godly."....

PJP2 PROLOG POST 151215 - Matthew 2:19-23 (ESV)/(emphasis added/jaj)....{The Return to Nazareth}...."But when Herod died, Behold, an Angel of The Lord Appeared in a Dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, 'Rise, take The Child and His mother and Go to the land of Israel, for those who sought The Child's Life are dead.'  And he rose and took The Child and His mother and went to the land of Israel.  BUT when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and Being Warned in a Dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.  And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so That What Was Spoken by the prophets Might Be Fulfilled, that He Would Be Called a Nazarene."....

So on 151213 we pondered over Bethlehem.  Yesterday, 151214, we discussed Jerusalem.  Today, let's take a quick glance at Nazareth.  As I did with both Bethlehem (52 POWS), and Jerusalem (791 POWS), we find there's only 31 POWS that refer to Nazareth.  Yet, our Lord Jesus is often called Jesus the Nazarene (see below).  We also know that Nazareth is a vital back-drop to our Lord Jesus' growth from childhood to manhood (as noted in Matthew 2:19-23; also Luke 2:39-51 is a good reference/jaj).

Our Lord Jesus though at some point, around turning 30 years old, left Nazareth and headed to Capernaum.....

Matthew 4:13 (ESV)...."And leaving Nazareth He went and Lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,"....

Clearly Nazareth was not necessarily held in high-regard.....John 1:44-46 (ESV)...."Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found Him of Whom Moses in The Law and Also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.'   Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?'  Philip said to him, 'Come and See.'”....

I too am guilty, how often have I formed a snap judgment on someone perhaps because of 'something' that didn't match my expectations of what 'good' should be from?  Too often I am afraid to say.  Yet even the 'unclearn spirits' and/or the demonic forces Recognize our Lord Jesus for Who He Is....

Mark 1:23-24 (ESV)....."And Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 'What have You To Do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have You Come to Destroy us?  I Know Who You Are—The Holy One of God.'”

Yet, even with the Testimony of God's mortal enemy, we humans continue to remain blind to What is Right In Front of us....Matthew 13:53-58 (ESV)....{Jesus Rejected at Nazareth}...."And when Jesus had finished these Parables, He went away from there, and coming to His hometown He Taught them in their synagogue, so that they were Astonished, and said, 'Where did This Man Get This Wisdom And These Mighty Works?  Is Not This the carpenter's son?  Is Not His mother called Mary?  And are Not His brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?  And are Not all His sisters with us?  Where Then Did This Man Get All These Things?'  And they took offense at Him.  But Jesus Said to them, 'A prophet is Not without Honor Except in His hometown and In His own household.'  And He Did Not Do Many Mighty Works there, Because of their unbelief."....

So sad that our Lord Jesus was Rejected by even His Own hometown of Nazareth.  I know, though, as I ponder on this thought, I wonder how many of us, where we to go back to our original hometowns might look at us and say, "WHAAAAT?  Aren't you John and Mary Johnson's boy?  I remember you as a snot-nosed, brat of a kid who was always into trouble of some kind!"   Praise God, The Lord Has His Plan for us.

So yes where we come from has an impact, no doubt.  But one additional Lesson I Hear The Spirit Sharing - The Lord can and will take our humble beginnings, and He Will Do Miraculous Works with them, if we will Surrender them to Him.

My Last Point......Even at the Resurrection, our Lord Jesus' Connection to Nazareth is made clear....
Mark 16:5-7 (ESV)/(emphasis added/jaj)...."And entering The Tomb, they saw a Young Man sitting on the right side, Dressed in a White Robe, and they were alarmed.  And he Said to them, 'Do Not Be alarmed.  You Seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who Was Crucified.  He Has Risen; He Is NOT Here.  See the place where they laid Him.  BUT Go, Tell His disciples and Peter That He Is Going Before you To Galilee.  There you Will See Him, Just As He Told you.'”...

Our Lord Jesus of Nazareth is Coming yet Once More.  He is Still Willing to Come into our Hearts as He Did during His First Advent.  Let us Allow Him Room in the Inn of our Hearts.  Let us also be Prepared for His Second Advent as well, for indeed He is Coming Soon....May Revelation 22:12-14 be our Prayer for today and ever.....  Revelation 22:12-14 (ESV)....“Behold, I Am Coming Soon, bringing My Recompense with Me, to Repay each one for what he has done.  I Am The Alpha and The Omega, The First and The Last, The Beginning and The End.  Blessed are those who Wash their Robes,  so that they May Have The Right to The Tree of Life and that they May Enter The City by The Gates."
Lord Jesus May we Surrender all to You.  Holy Spirit, May we Keep our Focus on You in our Lives.  Father God, Thank You for Your Son, our Lord Jesus, and His Story from Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem that we too May Come to Worship Him.  Lord Jesus we Lift Up our Prayers in Your Name....Amen/Amen...jaj

Blessings/jaj