Jesus Christ! Do you know Him? - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Mark 6:1-3

Jesus Christ! Most people know His Name. But who really knows Him? He grew up in Nazareth, at that time an insignificant town. Mark begins his report in Jesus' 30th year, when He began His public ministry.
Jesus appeared before His people as the long awaited Messiah (Christ), sent for their salvation. God had seen to it that before His appearance there were those who pointed to His coming: the prophets of the Old Testament, and later Simeon and Anna in Jerusalem, John the Baptist and others. So it was possible to know something about Him even then.
But what about Jesus' claim to be the Son of God? For that, too, there were clear indications: alongside the testimonies in the Old Testament, there were the Lord's extraordinary signs and miracles, and on several occasions the voice of God Himself. Can you understand the angry reaction of the people in Nazareth? They were quite convinced that they knew Him. Jesus Christ had lived and worked among them inconspicuously and unpretentiously for many years.
That anger has not ceased. But before anyone joins the choir of His enemies, sounding forth their hostility, he should think of the sensation His death on the cross caused, of His well testified resurrection and of the many whose life have been changed for the good by Him. A mere carpenter, or the Son of God? Believers will reply: "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).
Today's reading: Ezekiel ch. 32