Preaching to Your Own Family

We are Not Going to Win Everyone

Luke 4:24 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.

In the days of Elijah, only one widow was miraculously ministered to by the prophet. In the days of Elisha, only one leper was healed. In the days of Jesus, not many mighty miracles were accomplished in His hometown because of their lack of faith.

The thing is, Jesus' homeboys just couldn't buy it that He was the Messiah. Not because of anything wrongdoing on His part, for He was perfect, but because they were so conversant with His life and we know that familiarity breeds contempt.

He played games on the streets with the other kids. He sneezed when He got a cold. He put up with acne and stomach aches. He was the son of Joseph, trained in the craft of carpentry. He attended synagogue with them for 30 years. How could this kid be the Messiah? They just couldn't see the forest for the trees.

Perhaps you have experienced this very anomaly among your own kin. You find that your family is the hardest to witness to because they know you the best.

Silly, but the home folks won't forgive you for being you, for being their neighbor. They hold you responsible for being related to them. Preaching to them is mostly futile because the whole time they are remembering changing your diaper or encouraging you through puberty. They recall your voice cracking in the school play.

Oh well, it happened to Elijah, Elisha and Jesus, so you are in pretty good company.