Can Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth?
Nov. 24, 2009
Priscilla Van Sutphin
I was listening to the gospel of John and this scripture stood out “ Can anything good come out of Nazareth and felt the Lord wanted to say something about it. I looked up Nazareth in the Zondervan Pictoral Encyclopedia of the Bible. In essence, Nazareth was known for rebellious types and was obscure, population wise. At the end of Jesus’ life the term Jesus of Nazareth to the Pharisees and those who opposed him was used in a derogatory way, with disdain.
Isa 53:1-3, 9, 11 NKJV
53 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him….
9 And they made His grave with the wicked — But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Phil 2:5-8 NKJV Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross
Let’s go through John 1:43-51…
John 1:43-51 NKJV Philip and Nathanael
43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 And Nathanael said to him,"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." 51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
God loves to take and make something out of nothing. He loves bringing light into the darkness. He loves taking a nobody and making them special. He said in Micah He would take the LAME and make them a strong nation.
He said in Zechariah 10, He would take those of Judah [praise] and make them His strong horse in battle. He deliberately chose people who were nothing in the eyes of others to confound the wise in their own opinion as is said in 1 Cor 1:
1 Cor 1:18-19 AMP For the story and message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to us who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing. [Isa 29:14.]….and
1 Cor 1:24-31 AMP But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. 25 [This is] because the foolish thing [that has its source in] God is wiser than men, and the weak thing [that springs] from God is stronger than men. 26 For [simply] consider your own call, brethren; not many [of you were considered to be] wise according to human estimates and standards, not many influential and powerful, not many of high and noble birth.
27 [No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. 28 And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might depose and bring to nothing the things that are, 29 So that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God.
30 But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, [revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as] our Righteousness [thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God], and our Consecration [making us pure and holy], and our Redemption [providing our ransom from eternal penalty for sin]. 31 So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord. [Jer 9:24.]
God makes it clear that this is His by the BLOOD OF JESUS ALONE, not our works, not our striving to be good, not by our pretentious religious posturing, not by anything we can DO. It is soley by FAITH in Christ alone.
You can go to church till the cows come home, but it’s not going to gain you brownie points with God. Doing and striving do NOTHING to make you righteous. It is only by the POWER of HIS HOLY SPIRIT that anyone can BE holy or attain holiness. Keeping the law can never acquit us from the law.
ONLY JESUS DID THAT! We cannot take pride in keeping the law, because
If we are able at all to do it, it is because of HIS GRACE which comes from intimacy with HIM. If you think it is because you are so much better than others, or by your own great efforts and striving, then God will cut you down to size till you realize it is only by HIS hand, HIS GRACE, that you can do anything.
John 15:4-8 Complete Jewish Bible
4 Stay united with me, as I will with you — for just as the branch can’t put forth fruit by itself apart from the vine, so you can’t bear fruit apart from me. 5 “I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can’t do a thing. 6 Unless a person remains united with me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire, where they are burned up. 7 “If you remain united with me, and my words with you, then ask whatever you want, and it will happen for you. 8 This is how my Father is glorified — in your bearing much fruit; this is how you will prove to be my talmidim.
The Amplified says it this way:
John 15:3-11 You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you]. 4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.
6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. 9 I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me]. 10 If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father's commandments and live on in His love. 11 I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.
Keeping intimacy with Christ Jesus is VITAL to attaining the grace you need to do anything. Apart from HIM, we can accomplish nothing, and noone can change us but the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD. HE is the ONE Who sheds love abroad in our hearts. HE is the ONE Who convicts, Who reveals, Who gives us the grace to repent and change, to obey what He tells us to do. We must abide in HIM, and HIS WORD. We can have the word alone, and not be loving which is a part of the fruitfulness. It takes the Rhema and the LOGOS, the Presence of GOD and the WORD of GOD, the Word and the LIVING WORD to make us whole.
Now back to CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH ?
The still small voice…
“ I am the LORD, and there is no other. I AM THE LORD, and there shall be no other gods before ME. I am removing the gods of America ! I am removing the idols out of the land. I AM removing the God of Mammon that the GOD of Mercy and TRUTH may be revealed as LORD OF ALL. There is no other God like ME. I am JEALOUS for the souls of AMERICA and I am JEALOUS for the souls of the WHOLE WORLD.
You are not more precious to ME, than the saints in Iran, China or Russia !
Yet the words of false prophets continue to laud this nation as above all others, and worthy of more mercy than others, and worthy of more intervention than others. And it is true, that it’s foundation was in ME at one time. It is true that I love you. But it is because I love you, that I have allowed growing disdain for the greed and avarice, for the perversion within the church.
I am about to turn everything upside down ! I AM GOD and NO MAN will glory in himself when I get through. You have left your first love oh Harlot church and I have warned you ahead of time to COME OUT OF HER that you may not partake in her judgments ! I have warned and warned and warned through many prophets, yet you continue in your harlotry and whoredoms oh Western bride, as if I will not execute judgment on unrighteousness.
James 5:1-6 NKJV Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. 4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.
“If this is the judgment for the world, what will it be for the church who should know better ? Not only have you heaped up treasure, but you have
kept others who should have entered into blessed communion and righteousness from attaining it because of your example. You have set a poor example of greed and unjust balances. You are like the Pharisees of old who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel ! Corrupted from the love of money, and twisting the word of GOD to your own benefit, and utterly disdainful of the poor and needy.
What is coming on America will make the whole world tremble. What is coming will alter the face of Americans, and alter the face of the ground this nation is on. Yet I WILL ARISE IN THE PEOPLE OF GOD WHO KNOW THEIR GOD, WHO WORSHIP ME IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH. I WILL ARISE WITH GREAT MERCY AND GRACE EVEN IN THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TAUGHT WRONGLY, THAT THEY MAY HAVE A CHANCE FOR KNOWING THE TRUE ME ! I WILL execute MY judgments in the nation, and the people will LEARN righteousness.”
Isa 26:9-10 NKJV With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 10 Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness;
I have found in the remnant true lovers who want truth and mercy in their hearts, and who fight for justice and against all unrighteousness. It is TIME for a change. WATCH and see what I will do beloveds ! All is at hand!
DO NOT DOUBT what I’ve spoken on for years. Your faithfulness will be rewarded. For I do not see as the Pharisees do. I do not disdain you ! I do not reject you ! I do not marginalize you, or put you in a box and limit you !
I am sending help beloveds, for My GLORY WILL COVER THE EARTH as the waters cover the sea ! ARISE AND SHINE. This is your finest hour beloveds. ARISE to the call. I will fight along side you. Be UNAFRAID ! I AM the LORD and there is no other like Me ! My LOVE will conquer death and every unseemly thing that lifts it’s head against ME ! “
