Jesus was home, in his hometown. He was with people he'd grown up with, in the town where he learned his trade (carpentry), where people knew him. He was where he felt that comfortable it's-good-to-be-home feeling. He brought with him those with whom he'd been traveling, preaching and teaching, those with whom he'd been spending most of his time, eating with, and healing with -  His disciples. He was with all the people he loved the most.  His friends, his family, and his disciples. But Mark said in chapter 6 verse 5  " And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them." Can you imagine how Jesus hurt from this? He loved these people. He wanted healing for them.  He wanted them to accept God's greatest gift. He wanted so much for them. But he was unable to do any " mighty work there ".  Why was Jesus unable to do any "might work" there? Was he powerless there, like Superman arou...

John 11:44 "The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." This verse is from the Lazarus story. You've probably read or heard it a dozen times or more.  Did you notice during any of those readings that Lazarus was called "the dead man"?  I didn't.  This was in the Upper Room devotional dated May 30, 2010 , that I read today. (yes, I was behind on my reading.) The story used is the story of Lazarus. It was used to describe Jesus' compassion.  Verse 35 says, "Jesus wept."  The devotion is very good so you might want to read it at the link above. The spark for me today was "the dead man". Lazarus was no longer dead. Jesus has raised him from the dead, but the Gospel writer called him a dead man. I wonder if Jesus cried because Lazarus wasn't able to be in heaven yet because he was raised.  I wonder if hav...