Scripture Reading: Matthew 13:53-58
“Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”—Matthew 13:58
Years ago, school bus drivers were students themselves. Teenagers driving teenagers was a recipe for danger so buses were equipped with governors or regulators, forcing drivers and their buses to remain under a maximum speed. It wasn’t that the bus could not speed; the governor simply limited the driver’s ability to drive at excessive speeds. Just like those buses, we can have governors on our faith that limit us from receiving all that God would have for us.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught with power and authority as He performed healings, signs, and wonders across the region. By the time Jesus returned to Nazareth, his childhood home, the people had heard of His ministry of preaching and miracles.
Yet, when they looked at him, the people of Nazareth only saw Jesus as the son of Joseph the carpenter and Mary. The Nazarenes questioned how Jesus could do these mighty works and speak such words of wisdom. After all, they grew up with him. He hadn’t sat at the feet of the great teachers of Israel to learn under their tutelage. To them, Jesus was one of them; He was just another Nazarene.
So, Jesus did no mighty works in Nazareth. It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t want to heal or couldn’t heal. The problem was the Nazarenes simply did not believe. The greatest miracle worker of all times walked amongst them, yet the Nazarenes expected no mighty works of power. They received what they expected—nothing. God’s unlimited power was available to them but they limited themselves from the blessings that awaited them because of their lack of faith.
Like those Nazarenes, Jesus can pass through our very midst, but leave us the same as He found us because of our lack of faith. Our limitless Savior stands ready to deliver us, but we declare our circumstances are not only too much for us; they are too much for Jesus also. And so, Jesus does no mighty works because of our unbelief.
Once those governors were removed from the buses, the drivers could drive without limitations. Once we remove the governor of doubt from our vocabulary, God moves in our situations without limitations. We just have to believe God will do all that Jesus promised was available to us as believers.
Lesson to Remember: The only thing that limits what God can do in our lives is a lack of faith..
“But 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 diligently seek Him.”—Hebrews 11:6
