Week 7
Share
ICEBREAKERS
- Why is community important to you?
- What is your favorite memory with a friend or family member?
- Share one thing you are looking forward to this fall.
OPEN IN PRAYER
MESSAGE REVIEW
Familiarity is a miracle killer…how do you maintain your passion for things in your life whether it’s your relationships or job? When we become familiar with something, our passion begins to die because the passion is what sustains it to begin with. Jesus went back to his own country to share with the people he loved the signs and wonders that he was experiencing everywhere he went. He decided to take all of that anointing and power back to his hometown. His disciples followed him and when the sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many of the people began to question where Jesus received the gifts he was teaching. They thought…isn’t this just the carpenter, Mary’s son? The people did not believe that he was the one and true Messiah. Jesus was marveled at their unbelief in Him.
“Jesus said to them that a prophet is not without honor except in his own country.” You receive someone the way you perceive them in regard to expectation. The woman at the well could not be influenced by Jesus in any way because she only viewed Him as a Jewish man that did not like Samaritans. Jesus was thirsty and did not have anything to draw the water out with. Regardless, He knew she was His assignment and He had to change her perspective of Him. Jesus instructed her to go call her husband and He began to prophetically look into her life without any natural knowledge about her. She then believed that Jesus was a prophet and she received Him. “If you receive a prophet in the name of a prophet you receive a prophet’s reward.” God oftentimes sends miracles to us through people. We can only be blessed if we are willing to receive what others have to give us whether it’s a word from God or answered prayer. Has there been times where you allowed your perspective to block your blessings?
Let’s dig in and found out more.
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
Read Mark 6:1-6
1“Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.” 2 “When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?” And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” 3 “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.” 4“Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.”5 “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.” 6 “He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.”
Jesus knew that a prophet is not without honor except in his own country because of familiarity. Jesus was already aware that he would not be received once He entered Nazareth. He could not perform any miracles in the land other than healing the sick. The people there were familiar with Jesus and they missed their miracles because of it. When you view people as common, it becomes difficult for us to receive blessings in our lives. Blessings may come from the people that you are familiar with, and you do not want to miss out on it!
Name a time when you missed your blessing or miracle because you lacked faith in what God was trying to reveal to you through somebody else.
Read Luke 7:36-50
36 “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.” 37 “And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,” 38 “and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.” 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 40 “And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 “And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 “Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44“Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.” 45 “You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.” 46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.” 47 “ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 “Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 “And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 “Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
In Luke 7 we read about the sinful woman that was forgiven of her sins. In the Hebrew tradition, whenever someone comes off a journey, they are greeted with a Holy kiss, their feet would be washed, and their head would be anointed. Jesus was with Simon and the Disciples and they have been together for three and a half years. Jesus was no longer special to them because they have grown familiar with His teachings and power. When Jesus arrived, the Disciples did not even give Him the benefit of a common acknowledgment in a Hebrew home.
As children of Christ, we tend to get too familiar with God. We no longer spend time in our Word or praise during worship time at church. If we go back to being intentional about putting God first, we may have something released back into our lives. Let’s pour into God like he has poured into us. We cannot forget how far He has brought each and every one of us in our lives. Say Familiarity will not kill our miracles!
How will you make a change in your relationship with God today so that He will not become too familiar in your life?
PRAYER FOCUS & REQUESTS
Support one another in sharing prayer requests and celebrate praise reports.
Share prayers in which you are “standing in the gap” for someone or something to happen.