Devotion - Tuesday, March 13

In Mark 6, Jesus tries to go home. This experience leads to the often repeated phrase, "You can never go home." The verse in scripture reads, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country."

The issue is that when Jesus gets there, they continue to think of him as the little boy who grew up in the carpenter's shop. They see him as the son of Mary, brother of James, Joses, and Judas and Simon, and unnamed sisters.

In this account, we learn of Jesus' inability to do what it is that he normally does. The verse reads, "he could do no mighty work there." "No mighty work"? What do you think this is a reference to?

Quite often, when I hear folks speak of Jesus' might work(s), I hear of healing. Being healed or being made well are usually up there near the top. But in this account, we are told that while he "could do no mighty work," he does lay "His hands upon a few sick people and heal them." So, healing is not, this account might suggest, the mighty act.

At one point Jesus turns to the crowd (some might say he turns on the crowd) and asks them whether they are coming out to him because he provided food for their bellies (this happens shortly after the Feeding of the 5,000) or if they are coming out to him in order to hear the word he proclaims.

I wonder if Mark 6 is another place where we are being reminded that it is not the healing of a few sick people which constitutes the mighty. The mighty act of Jesus is to proclaim the Word of God.

When Jesus realizes he will not be accepted in his hometown, this is what he does. He leaves and "he went about about the (other) villages teaching." He goes to where he can proclaim God's Word.

As we speak of the mighty acts of God, let us not forget that the first is the Word which God speaks. Speaking that Word called forth the whole of creation. That Word has become flesh and dwelt among us. This Word is the word of salvation. Sure, healing the sick, feeding thousands with a few morsels of food - these are impressive. But the mighty work is making known God's love and God's hope for our lives.