Luke 4:15-32 KJV
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

Writing this morning I am reminded of my love of reading fictional books, novels, and mysteries, but even so unless a book holds my attention the words become a blur on the page as to what I was reading. If something does not hold your attention, you probably will not read it unless it be for school or business. If it forced upon you, you will read it day after day, week after week with either meaning of the world your currently in, or forget by the time you move from where you were sitting. The repetition of verse can seem vain at times, in fact it can even loose it meaning, like a good song, or story. Where is the tranformation in the words moving from your seat to working in your daily life. Jesus had come out of the wilderness after a fast and began preaching in the Synagogue and the eyes of those in Nazareth Synagogue that day were fasten on him, watching and listening to Jesus. He spoke from the book of Isaiah about who he was; "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord". Jesus sat down and begin to speak/preach about how a prophet is not accept in his own country and so forth. Nazareth then cast him out of their city. And Jesus went and preached in Capernaum where he was received for they were astonished at his doctrine. For Christ words had power(meaning behind them). Actor on stage has no value unless what he speaks makes a crowd pick up their ears to listen, otherwise the auditorium become a place for idle chatter in whispers. Have church lost their saltiness and pews become idle chatter when ministers are speaking, or singer singing.

Nazareth would of known who Jesus was, but they received him not in their own village, and yet Jesus goes North eastward and finds a village who wants to hear him as a teacher and preacher. Who lives in Galilee but they are a mixture of gentiles and Jews. This is revelant to understanding the make up of fundamental leaders in their synagogues only controlled by Jews and those outside their synagogues that may of been followers of God, but would of been shunned because of ethnicity of birth. This is a problem in cultures still today. Yet where do we draw a line between faith, culture, and fundamentalism. Are we people of faith, culture or fundamental ideas that control the way we act, live and function in society? No doubt people of faith may of even lived within culture ideas of a region, much like some Amish communities, some living very strict, while other bridge out accepting some of culture of others have to offer, from things that effect the business world and so forth, but not their living style. Advantage of primitive living, knowing how to produce food, perserve it, and also how to raise it, like livestock for meat. Farmers are a mixed of Amish life style themselves and yet often fair will to city or culture living. Yet the ideas that are not produced in cities are not the culture of countrysides or small villages.

Capernaum was mixture of Roman culture, Jewish culture and any other group that was present there. Each adopting probably business techniques, military skills and who know what else, perhaps trinkets of trade, with keeping in line of faith unside the fundamentalist realm that says no to almost everything except prayer, worship of God and hard work. Why would Jesus be rejected in Nazareth, perhaps one of two things, one his perfection even as a boy and his knowledge or two they had to much dirt on Jesus as he was growing up that would of been common to any little boy growning up. Jesus perfection probably what did it, and his ability to tell stories and speak the language of scripture would allowed him to be a teacher in Capernaum through out the rest of his earthly life. There are certain attributes we want of our religious leaders, from their perfection of doing what is right and their ability to speak to more then one group of people listening, that all enjoy. Jesus seemed to have that gift, because he was the Son God but he also knew faith was more the legalism in a culture.

Jesus knew no stranger, meaning he does not allow people difference to effect him. God of the Old Testament does show bigotry to some, what is the difference is God of the Old Testament the same as Jesus. Cain killed his brother, because he was not willing to obey God, but God did not kill Cain for this, no he marked him to protect him from being killed. The very oldest sin outside the garden of Eden. What about other sin? God just let sin and evil go until it got so severe he knew he had to do something. What changed after the flood and going into the wilderness? Society was being built on the foundation of faith, love, and both religious and political mixed together to form one government head that was to be law. Israel was not the only nation that did this, but what it caused society without a government was ethnic cleansing. The need for separation of church and state was needed. The problem with statehood there can become no need for religious order that can cause nazism and communism, with no freedom of faith, because all the trouble of cliques forming within faith groups. Only way to solve the problem is to form a business unity of many religions and cultures that will unite together as one to keep society going and functioning within cultural separation if one desires it. Now with this in mind what then occurs is a democracy if all play by the same legal laws without religion being the divider or any other culture group. However what you do have is segregation that is taught by private groups of people, religious or otherwise. If someone draws a line not to belong but are forced to belong then what, they are either adopted or sacrificed for not fitting in, because of their misfit status.

We might not want to think of culture having social lines and even shunning practices, but some culture do just that. How come Jesus fit into Capernaum, one he stood up to religious leaders and two he made friends with non religious leaders as well as religious leaders that were part of doing away with segregation culturally. Jesus was not the only begotten Son because of his ability to be teacher to different groups of people, he was the Son of God because he was the Word of God in the flesh, the prophecy given to Isaiah to King Ahaz who did not want the prophecy of the Messiah. It would not effect his reign, or his society of tyrancy without faith in God. In general people received Christ, except for religious leaders, who were by the strict code of the law in opposition to Rome, yet could have their laws to the point of them having freedom to believe whatever as long as they were not rebel riser against the society. Then why are people not more like God and Jesus when it comes to people being different. Probably because of the strict relgious codes they enact on themselves or the religious, or social group. It a standard of living or code. Yet these groups alone that enact code of conduct effect everyone in disagreement unless it by civil laws that govern both state and federal government. These people are rebel rousers that refuse to allow laws to dedicate their way of living, instead beating up constitutional minded people.

Jesus believed in doing the will of God even at the cost of being punished by society. He went to his cross obeying God and not man. Has the Son of God Jesus knew his destination was heaven to be with his Father once more in person. He knew where he came from and where he was returning too. If you going to take a stand for faith try and do it based not on forgiveness, but on society rules that way if you fall, society rules will punish you or should punish you the way others are to be punished by the same rules.

Capernaum was under Roman law like all of Israel was, but this area was already non segregated perhaps. People in general got along despite beliefs beyond the religious fundamentalist. We think Jesus would be a fundamentalist, and he is in one since, in another he accept the laws of society, and did not destroy them because they have been since the beginning of outside the garden. Jesus is teaching people that will listen to God and the Holy Spirit would be the one writing the laws of God on the heart of man with the new covenant, be writing the laws of faith, the greatest law being love.

Dear Heavenly Father, Help us as believers give people the same freedom we want, knowing that you are still Lord of the earth and your word will reign in the end. Help us to follow your will for our life as Christ did, knowing we to may pay the consequences for it. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

The good samaritan law is legal in some states and not in others, but who is not going to aid a person in trouble if they know how to help. Think on it. Taken in a stray kitten and feeding it by law makes it yours in the state of VA or a few years back I was told by officer it was. What then do you let a kitten starve or do you feed it. If you let it starve his death is on your shoulders, and if you feed it, and do not want it, it still yours even if the law has no room for it. The story true but it is true that sometimes doing the right thing makes no sense at all. If you let it die your responsible probably to bury it if found in your yard. Makes no sense, but rules are enforced for a reason, to protect kittens with no ability to fend for themselves, or to bury them. Some one that other day ask you got a second dog, you need a dog, but you got a stray kitten you did not want or ask for. Yes that is true. And sad thing I am a good samaritan occasionally to animals. However my pet limit is reached. All are angels in my home.

Continual Scripture Study: Acts 5:29 KJV
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.