Jesus went home.  And if there’s one place where your message is not heard, it is in your hometown among your relatives. They knew you as a kid and no matter how great the presence of God is in you, they still remember you as that little kid and do not listen.

I remember a mission leader saying you don’t need a word to go into the mission field and into the world, you need a word of the Lord to stay.  And that is especially true in your hometown.  If they didn’t receive Jesus, it’s possible that they will not receive your either,

Then Jesus says something strange.  He said that he could do no miracles there except heal a couple of people.  Was Jesus unable to heal?  Or is there more to the story?

If you look at the places Jesus went to, the people came to come in crowds begging to be healed.  Why?  Because they believed he could.

And in his hometown, if you don’t believe someone can heal, you don’t go to them.  You stay home.  It was because of their lack of faith.

It wasn’t that Jesus couldn’t heal.  He always could.  He always had power.  But if you don’t come to Jesus, if you don’t go to him to find your mercy, there can be no miracles.

In this case only a few people were healed likely because only a few people believed and came to Jesus, asking for healing.

It’s not much different than today.  If you do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world, you will not go to him and find salvation and sacrifice for your sins.  You will remain in your sins.

But for those who go to him, there is forgiveness and new life in Jesus.  There is the promise of eternal life.