More than a Carpenter
Mark 6:1-13
Introduction
Christian author – Josh McDowell wrote these words about Jesus back in 1977: ‘Almost 2,000
years ago, Jesus entered the human race in a small Jewish community. He was a member of a
poor family, a minority group, and resided in one of the smallest countries in the world. He lived
approximately 33 years, of which only the last three comprised His public ministry.
Yet people almost everywhere still remember Him. The date of our morning newspaper or the
copyright date of a university textbook bears witness to the fact that Jesus lived one of the
greatest lives ever lived.’ [More Than a Carpenter, p. 7]
Jaroslav Pelikan adds: ‘Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him,
Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost
twenty centuries . . . it is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by
His name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray.’ [Jesus through the Centuries, p. 1]
In Dec. 1999 – in Des Moines – at a Republican Presidential debate – candidate George W. Bush
was asked the question: ‘what political philosopher or thinker do you most identify with?’
Bush gave the answer of Jesus Christ – because he changed his life
The figure of Jesus in history is without question the most important historical figure to ever
walk the planet
But – even if one grants that truth – they still may miss the ultimate meaning of Jesus
Ilan Ramon was an experienced fighter pilot in the Israeli air force – and became the first Israeli
ever asked to take part in a NASA space mission – flying on the Space Shuttle Columbia.
This was a hugely significant event not only for Ramon but also for his nation Israel.
To mark the significance of the event – he chose to bring a few Jewish items with him into space.
One item was a Hebrew Bible – which he admitted he did not bring because he believed what
was in it - - - but because he recognized the tremendous significance it has played in Jewish
culture and history.
Ramon also consulted a rabbi on how he might eat kosher while in space.
Ramon and 6 other crew members nearly completed a 16 day mission which included scientific
experiments in space. But – the mission was brought to an abrupt end when the Shuttle broke
apart upon re-entering the earth’s atmosphere - - - making it the 2nd Shuttle mission to suffer the
loss of an entire crew on board.
Ramon recognized the Bible has played a huge role in the lives of the Jewish people – but sadly
he would not take the next step to believe what was in it – or in the Savior who it pointed to
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The Hebrew Bible was an important symbol / historical document – cultural icon - but not divine
truth
Many people make a similar mistake with Jesus
They view Him only as an important historical figure / icon who greatly impacted the world
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In our passage this morning the people of Jesus’ home town – Nazareth will evaluate Him and
miss the true significance of Jesus – they will see Him as merely a Jewish carpenter
We grew up with this guy – he is nothing special
*** Because - They missed the true significance of Jesus – they lost out on the blessings Jesus
could have brought to their lives – had they responded in faith
Instead – they become a footnote in the history of Nazareth - - - While Jesus went on to become
the Savior of lost sinners
In our previous section we saw two instances of faith being presented to us / Jairus / the woman
with a flow of blood – two individuals reaching out to Jesus in faith for their need
In this next section we will see a model of unbelief – a people dismissing Jesus - - - and who
missed out on what Jesus could do for them
Heb. 11:6 – ‘and without faith it is impossible to please Him – for he who comes to
God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
I.
Hometown Crowd – vv. 1-6
The fame of Jesus is spreading – King Herod has even heard of Jesus by now – 6:14
In the flow of history – Christianity will grow outward from Jesus and the disciples as a
minority sect / persecuted religion in the Roman Empire for the first 300 years. Christians
will be variously persecuted / Scriptures confiscated / destroyed
But then an amazing thing happened – around 312 AD - - - The Roman emperor Constantine
converted to Christianity – and made the Christian faith the majority religion of the Roman
Empire
Western civilization – shifted away from polytheism – and the multitude of pagan deities - - to outward profession of Christian belief
Centuries later – Christians referred to as Puritans would bring their Christian faith to the
new world of America seeking freedom of worship – and to establish a society built on
principles derived from the Christian Scriptures
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There was a fascinating study done where two professors reviewed thousands of documents including 2,200 books, numerous pamphlets, thousands of newspaper articles with explicitly
political content – that were all printed in America during the period of 1760-1805 – when
our government was taking shape. These were written by the founding fathers of our country.
[Madison / Adams / Jefferson / Franklin]
From these writings they identified more than 3100 references to source material. [i.e. – who
these political founders were reading and influenced by]
Guess who the source most often cited by the founding fathers was?
The Bible [34% of all citations] [Christianity and the Constitution, pp. 51-52]
No other source comes even close
Individual thinkers quoted were legal and political scholars like Montesquieu [8%] /
Blackstone [Engish law scholar] [8%] / Locke [3%]
Montesquieu was a Frenchman – Roman Catholic – political thinker – made this statement:
‘a moderate government is most agreeable to the Christian religion, and a despotic
government to the Mohammedan.’ [p. 55]
i.e – if you want to be ruled by a despot / tyrant – just go somewhere where Islam is the
majority religion and law of the land
That’s what a major thinker who influenced the founding of this country said
34% of all outside citations of the founders – from the Bible
Who does the Bible point to? [Jesus Christ]
The OT points forward to His coming
The NT tells us He came – and He’s coming again!
This Jesus had to grow up somewhere – God chose Nazareth
Jesus was born in Bethlehem [fulfilled prophecy] – but He grew up in Nazareth
When He left Nazareth a few years earlier [29 A.D.] – He was a common carpenter
Jesus has been doing miracles – and becoming a public figure of some notoriety in Israel
He now returns to Nazareth with a group of disciples about Him – He acts like He thinks He
is a rabbi - - - but He hasn’t been to Rabbi school
He gets up to teach at the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day
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Many take notice of His teaching - - - the miracles - - - but they stumble over His ordinary
roots in their town
Who does this guy think He is?
Isn’t this the carpenter? [v. 3] – that’s all he is to us
We know his family
I was his first grade teacher / etc.
I used to babysit Him!
They refer to Jesus as the son of Mary – which was a bit of a slur – because children were
always identified by their father – [i.e. – sons of Zebedee / etc.]
This probably means that the people of Nazareth may have bought into the idea that Jesus
was an illegitimate son
‘Isn’t He – the son of that woman – Mary?’ – a cheap shot
Because of their response – Jesus does not do many miracles there / healings
Kent Hughes: ‘Jesus could not because He would not.’
Matt. 13:58 – ‘He did not many miracles there because of their unbelief’
*** Unbelief robs us of spiritual blessings we might have received – should we have
responded in faith to Jesus
The people of Nazareth have just been robbed - - - by themselves
Recently – someone has been getting into cars around Sully – and taking items
When I was a teen – someone stole some cassette tapes out of my car
I came out – they are gone – some dirty dog took my music - - we don’t like that
J.C. Ryle: ‘unbelief has a power to rob men of the highest blessings’
The people of Nazareth robbed themselves of blessings by refusing to believe in Jesus
When Naaman the Assyrian army captain came to Elisha for healing [II Kgs. 5] – Elisha told
him to go dip in the Jordan River 7 X
There was nothing magical in the Jordan River – that was how Naaman would show his faith
in God’s Word
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Naaman balked – ‘What kind of cure is this? - - - this is not what I expected at all.’ – he was
ready to depart empty handed – no healing
But his servants said: ‘if the prophet had told you to do some great thing – would you not
have done it? How much more when he says to you – wash and be clean?’
i.e. – Have a little faith - - - He went – He was healed
How often do we hear Jesus is the gospels – ‘Your faith has made you well’ [Mark 5:34] - - or ‘be it done to you according to your faith.’
The Bible does not advocate some kind of mystical faith in faith - - - but rather faith in Jesus
is where the power lies / trust
The people of Nazareth could write a book: ‘How to limit your life: unbelief / doubt God /
doubt Jesus / doubt His Word’
Someone could get up and say: ‘I doubted Jesus – I thought he was a just a carpenter - I was
a fool – lost out on many blessings’ - - - maybe some came to faith after the resurrection
[we’ll find out some day]
How to limit your life – push the Bible aside / don’t read it / definitely do not study it or
pray over it – or ask God to show you what it means / if you do happen to be exposed to it –
quickly move your thoughts onto other things more practical like business, sports, money,
politics
Or just treat the Bible like a significant historical document
We can kiss the Bible – have one on our coffee table
Or we can believe it / heed its words / enjoy the blessings that come from that faith
II.
Sending out the Twelve – vv. 7-13
Here Jesus sends out the twelve – in pairs – to preach the kingdom of God / repentance
The disciples would be learning that Jesus’ power extended beyond His immediate presence
– as they too would cast out demons / heal the sick
In the overall mission of Jesus – these disciples would form the core of the 1st century church
The word apostle comes from the Greek word  – to send
Even Jesus was sent [within the Trinity]
‘In this is love - not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to
be the propitiation for our sins.’ – I Jn. 4:10
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John 12:49 – ‘I have not spoken on My own authority but the Father who sent
Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.’
Jesus came in the authority of the Father
His disciples are sent out in His authority
Jesus would say to the apostles, ‘He who receives you – receives Me – and he who
receives Me receives Him who sent Me.’ [Matt. 10:40]
This is important in our day and age where people do strange things to the Bible - - - they
will reject certain teachings of Paul - - - pretend that Jesus would have nothing to do with
what Paul said
They will say – ‘We like Jesus - - - but we don’t like Paul’
Paul was homophobic / a sexist / - a product of first century ignorance – but we still believe
in Jesus – we like Him!
Paul was an apostle – sent by Jesus
*** Rejection of the apostles and their writings was the equivalent of rejecting Jesus
Luke 10:16 – ‘the one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects
you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.’
Jesus says: ‘Don’t tell Me you like me but are rejecting the words of My apostle – the one
whom I sent’
Paul told the Thessalonians – [I Thess. 4:8] – ‘he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the
God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.’
Rejecting Scripture – is to reject the God who spoke
The apostle’s journey was to be characterized by simplicity and faith
This was a faith venture / dependence upon God
Luke 22:35-37 – Jesus shows that some of these instructions were temporary
As Christians – we are always to trust that God will provide for our needs
They were to go out in faith / trust God to provide food and shelter thru the hospitality of the
Jewish people
When we moved to CA for seminary - - - talking to the admissions guy about finances / etc.
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His response was – ‘You’d be amazed at how God provides for people here - - - just come
and see what happens. If it’s meant to be – it will work out / God will provide.
i.e. – come in faith
We should travel light thru this world
In faith ventures – we are to be seeking and open to the Lord’s will in all matters
Why by twos?
Probably for fellowship / and to strengthen the witness
In the OT – it was often required to have two serve as witnesses to establish a fact
Jesus forewarns them of rejection – and tells them how to respond in such cases
Jews often shook the dust off their feet after leaving Samaria or some other pagan land before
–re-entering Israel
Such an act by the disciples would tell the Jews – they were acting like pagans
Acts 13:50-51
Shake the dust off - - - a symbolic gesture showing to the people that they had repudiated the
gospel
Conclusion
Warren Wiersbe: ‘A tourist eager to see everything in the art gallery ran from picture to
picture, barely noticing what was in the frames. “I didn’t see anything very special here” –
he said to one of the guards as he left. “Sir”, the guard replied: “it is not the pictures that are
on trial here – it is the visitors.”
So it is with us – as we encounter Jesus in the gospels / in the Bible / in the church
What do we see?
Is He just a carpenter as the people of Nazareth decided – or is He much more? [The :Son of
God – who came to redeem sinners]
The gospel according to Paul – by which we are saved
‘Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures – was buried and was raised on the third
day.’
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