To be a Nazarene

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

We are pretty distant from what I call “place” in our culture.  We move around a lot, we never get attached to people and places that are geographically contained.  Facebook and Twitter have taken the place of main Street and the local bar.

There is a lot that can be said about this passage where Jesus returned, but I think most important is that Jesus had a geographic title.

He was a Nazarene.

There was a place that was forever associated with him.  It still is.  He is often referred to as Jesus of Nazareth even 2,000 years down the pipe!

So what?

Place was important to him.  Attachment to the land is a value that makes us more human.  If he was always “Jesus the son of God” and never “Jesus of Nazareth” he would seem somehow less human.  But he was human, and the community which he was associated with proves his humanity.

We will see later that this same community had a problem with his reign as king – his divinity.  It was because they knew, they had seen his humanity.

What have you done to get in touch with your own humanity by connecting with your community?  We often seem so far removed from those around us.

Being fully human is the call and the promise of the gospel.  Associating yourself with your community is a part of that.

Be like Jesus, be a part of a community.

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