During Children’s Church on January 31, we had a very special visitor.  Our guest was none other than the Master Teacher, Jesus (otherwise known as Jeremy Anderson or Peyton and Shane’s Dad!).

(L-R Back Row)-Jayson-Assistant, Jeremy (Jesus), Olivia (Helper), Ryleigh (MIddle Row)-Shane, Miguel,Reagan, Hunter (Front Row)-Micaela, Kacie

Our lesson centered around Luke 4:22-30 and was titled, Jesus Is Rejected In His Hometown. The children were to pretend that THEY were the people meeting at the synagogue in the town of Nazareth one Sabbath.  On this particular day, a man named Jesus was at their synagogue.

The children were given given cards that said “yes” on one side of their cards and “no way” on the other side. They were to listen to Jesus as he read from the scroll and either agree or disagree with what he had said by a show of their card.

It’s hard to know how we would have reacted to Jesus because we already know so much about him. The Jews were looking for the Messiah, but when Jesus said things they didn’t agree with, it was hard for them to believe that he was the Messiah. Jesus wanted the people to understand that he was the Messiah and that he was for all people.  It’s easy for us to understand that Jesus is for everyone, but it wasn’t all that easy for the Jewish people. For hundreds of years, they’d heard that they were God’s special, chosen people. They didn’t think that people from other nations were as good as they were. In a way, they were prejudiced against people who weren’t Jewish, but they really just didn’t understand who Jesus was and who he came for.

Praise God for our relationship with Jesus. But let’s not be prideful like the people in his hometown, who thought only they—and not the Gentiles—were worthy of the Messiah.

Weaving Faith Into Your Life: Put yourselves in the shoes of the Jewish people in Nazareth as you re-read Luke 4:22-30. Examine your life and think of times when you may feel people are not worthy of God’s grace. Why do we at times believe only a certain type of person can receive God’s grace? Now list reasons you should be grateful for what the Lord has done for you.