Among the worship lyrics by Michael W. Smith is this: “Crucified; laid behind a stone. You lived to die, rejected and alone; like a rose trampled on the ground, you took the fall and thought of me above all.” It’s true that while crowds of people flocked to see and hear Jesus, many others rejected him and even tried to get rid of him. Without God’s protection, those who rejected Him might well have killed him before God’s time arrived. To their shame, people in Jesus’ own hometown rejected Him. We read this in Mathew 13, “He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, ‘Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?’ Then they scoffed, ‘He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers-James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. All his sisters live right here among us/Where did he learn all these things?,” We read “they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.” Today we must be very careful that we do not ignore or reject Jesus. That is because He is God’s Son who speaks with divine authority. And He is the only one who offers eternal life to those who accept Him.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
