And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
At Nazareth in His own country the people knew of His teaching and healings elsewhere yet would not receive Him as the Christ when He returned, and He left without returning. Their unbelief grew as they questioned who He was and held prejudice in their hearts that even miracles could not break down. Because of that unbelief He could do no mighty work there, though He laid His hands on the few sick folk who were open to His blessing and healed them. Unbelief hinders the exercise of His mighty power by separating people from divine help, shutting out help from the closed heart, and leaving no place for God's Spirit to rest and work. That same compassionate power to forgive and to heal continues for the sick today, and human need is an opportunity for God to act through faith, prayer and opening the heart to truth.
Setting and Meaning
In His own country at Nazareth He came back to those who already knew of His teaching and His healings elsewhere, yet they would not receive Him as the Christ. Their refusal held back the work He did among them, and after that return He left the town without returning.
Their unbelief grew as they questioned who He was and let His gracious words fade from their minds. Prejudice settled in their hearts so firmly that even His miracles could not break it down.
Because of that unbelief He could do no mighty work there. Still He laid His hands upon the few sick folk who were open to His blessing and healed them.
Unbelief Blocks Divine Power
Unbelief hinders the exercise of mighty power, so that even where the source of all power was present few mighty works could be done beyond healing a few sick people. It separates people from divine help and weakens faith, leaving no place for God's Spirit to rest or to work through human instruments. A closed heart shuts out the help that could reach it, and when the Spirit's influence is rejected or feared the manifestation of power is hindered. In this way unbelief keeps people from receiving the Spirit's rich grace and prevents the mighty work that would otherwise be done for them.
By treating God's evidence and the Holy Spirit as unimportant, unbelief binds about the work and holds back what Christ would do among people. Lack of faith is what leaves no mighty work done there except the healing of the few. That same unbelief that hinders mighty power is what keeps the rich grace of the Spirit from being received.
The hindrance operates in the present as in Christ's day, when those in responsible positions do not believe and many mighty works cannot be done. At the conference precious light had been opened as a blessing, yet unbelief hindered mighty works. The converting power of God is needed before His word can be understood and before those in responsibility will humble themselves as learners.
If unbelief obstructed the work of Christ Himself, His frail servants cannot overcome moral darkness among God's people where they are unwilling to respond. They should not force their way into churches, but the way must be prepared before they labor there. Doubt that questions identity and lets gracious words fade from the mind resists evidence, and to resist the Holy Spirit now repeats the resistance that hindered the works Christ could do at Nazareth.
Christ Still Heals Today
Even in His own country, where unbelief shut out many mighty works, He still laid His hands upon a few sick folk and healed them, revealing His compassionate power both to forgive and to heal that continues for the sick today. His healing of those few shows that His power can still be revealed through faith and prayer, and that human need is an opportunity for God to act. With treatments given to the sick, simple fervent prayer is to be offered for the blessing of healing. That prayer points sufferers to Christ as the compassionate Saviour and advocate in the heavenly courts whose gracious providence can restore them. He will heal the sick and reveal Himself in sanitariums to save those who submit themselves to Him, when they repent and cease to transgress the laws of God, uniting in prayer, confessing sin and receiving pardon.
Prejudice and unbelief hindered people from receiving His power, so that even His miracles could not break down the prejudice in their hearts, though He healed a few sick people. The lesson is to seek God in prayer rather than argue, and to open the heart to truth.
At Nazareth in His own country the people knew of His teaching and healings elsewhere yet would not receive Him as the Christ when He returned, and He left without returning. Their unbelief grew as they questioned who He was and held prejudice in their hearts that even miracles could not break down. Because of that unbelief He could do no mighty work there, though He laid His hands on the few sick folk who were open to His blessing and healed them. Unbelief hinders the exercise of His mighty power by separating people from divine help, shutting out help from the closed heart, and leaving no place for God's Spirit to rest and work. That same compassionate power to forgive and to heal continues for the sick today, and human need is an opportunity for God to act through faith, prayer and opening the heart to truth.
Setting and Meaning
In His own country at Nazareth He came back to those who already knew of His teaching and His healings elsewhere, yet they would not receive Him as the Christ. Their refusal held back the work He did among them, and after that return He left the town without returning.
Their unbelief grew as they questioned who He was and let His gracious words fade from their minds. Prejudice settled in their hearts so firmly that even His miracles could not break it down.
Because of that unbelief He could do no mighty work there. Still He laid His hands upon the few sick folk who were open to His blessing and healed them.
Unbelief Blocks Divine Power
Unbelief hinders the exercise of mighty power, so that even where the source of all power was present few mighty works could be done beyond healing a few sick people. It separates people from divine help and weakens faith, leaving no place for God's Spirit to rest or to work through human instruments. A closed heart shuts out the help that could reach it, and when the Spirit's influence is rejected or feared the manifestation of power is hindered. In this way unbelief keeps people from receiving the Spirit's rich grace and prevents the mighty work that would otherwise be done for them.
By treating God's evidence and the Holy Spirit as unimportant, unbelief binds about the work and holds back what Christ would do among people. Lack of faith is what leaves no mighty work done there except the healing of the few. That same unbelief that hinders mighty power is what keeps the rich grace of the Spirit from being received.
The hindrance operates in the present as in Christ's day, when those in responsible positions do not believe and many mighty works cannot be done. At the conference precious light had been opened as a blessing, yet unbelief hindered mighty works. The converting power of God is needed before His word can be understood and before those in responsibility will humble themselves as learners.
If unbelief obstructed the work of Christ Himself, His frail servants cannot overcome moral darkness among God's people where they are unwilling to respond. They should not force their way into churches, but the way must be prepared before they labor there. Doubt that questions identity and lets gracious words fade from the mind resists evidence, and to resist the Holy Spirit now repeats the resistance that hindered the works Christ could do at Nazareth.
Christ Still Heals Today
Even in His own country, where unbelief shut out many mighty works, He still laid His hands upon a few sick folk and healed them, revealing His compassionate power both to forgive and to heal that continues for the sick today. His healing of those few shows that His power can still be revealed through faith and prayer, and that human need is an opportunity for God to act. With treatments given to the sick, simple fervent prayer is to be offered for the blessing of healing. That prayer points sufferers to Christ as the compassionate Saviour and advocate in the heavenly courts whose gracious providence can restore them. He will heal the sick and reveal Himself in sanitariums to save those who submit themselves to Him, when they repent and cease to transgress the laws of God, uniting in prayer, confessing sin and receiving pardon.
Prejudice and unbelief hindered people from receiving His power, so that even His miracles could not break down the prejudice in their hearts, though He healed a few sick people. The lesson is to seek God in prayer rather than argue, and to open the heart to truth.