The Fourth Sunday of Advent (GA)

Mark 6:1-6

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ² And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? ³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And he marveled because of their unbelief. 

And he went about among the villages teaching. 

Where does the son of carpenter get any brains?  Have you ever looked at the parents of really smart people?  I have known some pretty smart people who had pretty smart parents.  But I have also known some pretty smart people whose parents were not real intellectuals.  But how smart is a carpenter?

Jesus makes it back home for a Sabbath.  He does some amazing things or at least the people have heard about the amazing things Jesus has done.  The people remember his childhood and family, which leads them to ask these questions.  They want to know how he got this knowledge.

You know the rest of the story.  Jesus did not get his knowledge from Joseph.  Jesus did not get his knowledge from some education plan.  Jesus got his knowledge from his Father.  Jesus does these marvelous things because he is the only Son of God.

We should not judge people based on their family, but based on their savior.  We should remember that Christians are not molded by their past actions, but by Christ and the Holy Spirit.  Remember this.