November 5, 2023, Mark 6:1-6, "The Damaging Power of Unbelief" (Live)

[Preface.]
Genesis 3, the unbelief of Eve and Adam in God led to the fall and then great controversy that all of creation lives through today
. the snowballing unbelief through the days of Noah (the necessary purge therefore), Moses (the murmurings of the people and his own doubt), Jesus Christ on earth (and Judas' betrayal), and then today

[Unbelief hides what is obvious.]
Mark 6:1, Jesus returned to Nazareth again

very rough paraphrase in run-on sentence form leading up to Luke 4: Jesus was born of the virgin Mary in Nazareth in Galilee, yearly trips were taken to register at Jerusalem, at age of 12 Jesus taught and His parents lost track of Him momentarily, but He told His parents He was about His Father's business (reminding His parents of His passion), became a carpenter after Joseph, John the baptist appeared and proclaimed the coming of Jesus Christ, John the baptist baptized Jesus and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon Him, Jesus was immediately taken and tempted 40 days and nights by the enemy, Jesus could not be tempted, Jesus returned to Nazareth in Galilee

Luke 4:16-21, on His 2nd major return to Nazareth, Jesus Christ proclaimed that Isaiah 53 had just become fulfilled
Luke 4:22-24, Jesus prophesied that his own countrymen in Nazareth would selfishly request Jesus to repeat His works in Nazareth for their own benefit; these were the same countrymen that did not believe the prophets (and therefore did not have their hearts prepared for the Father), and He foreknew they would also not believe that Jesus was the Son of God
Luke 4:25-26, Jesus told them, God did NOT send Elijah (older) to feed the Jews, rather He sent Elijah to feed the Gentiles (don't mix up with 2 Kings 6)
Luke 4:27, Jesus also reminded them that Elisha (younger) did heal the Gentiles (such as Naaman the Syrian)
Luke 4:28-30, and as Jesus prophesied, these people became angry and sought to kill Him by throwing Him off a cliff, but as it was not yet His time, He passed through the midst of them instead

Mark 6:2, the people in Nazareth admitted Jesus' mighty works, however they were astonished rather than prepared to believe in Him, questioning the source of the power given to Him

(please read the whole context instead of just the verses) John 5:36, John 8:46, John 10:37, John 14:10, the testimony of Jesus, which was greater than the testimony of men, and which obviously explained the truth that Jesus was indeed the Son of God
John 11:47, the Pharisees astonished at Jesus; they suppressed the truth (or hold the truth in unrighteousness) rather than believe

[Unbelief lifts up the unrelated.]
Mark 6:3, the countrymen implied that 1) Jesus did not remember His own parents and relatives 2) Mary was not a virgin, but instead conceived by being unfaithful to Joseph
. in the other gospels, of the 8, 9, or 10 children (estimated in the area of ~5 boys and ~4 girls) of the virgin Mary, the children are recorded, questioning the truth of the virgin birth

[Unbelief attacks the messenger.]
Mark 6:3, in addition to astonishment, those who heard became filled with wrath, and then attempted to attack the divine messenger of good news
Mark 6:4, Jesus' own country in Nazareth of Galilee dishonored Him; He went to them, lived with them, but they did not receive Him; they tried to throw Him off a cliff and discredit and shame His biological family
Mark 6:6, Jesus MARVELED their unbelief and astonishment in Him

[Unbelief rejects the supernatural.]
Mark 6:5, He could only save a very few (a few sick folks); unbelief separates people from God just as sin separates people from God
Mark 6:6, Jesus MARVELED their unbelief and astonishment in Him

John 3:36, simply said: he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life -> Heaven
John 3:36, simply said: as for him that does NOT believe, the wrath of God still remains on him -> everlasting torment

[songselect.ccli.com songs]
Everlasting God, 4556538
Shall We Gather At The River, 93731
We Fall Down, 2437367
I Have Decided To Follow Jesus, 6446976