"Nazareth"! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see" said Philip, one of Jesus' disciples. They walked toward Jesus and Jesus recognized Nathanael as a "true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Nathanael wondered how Jesus knew anything about him, a stranger. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael, surprised by Jesus' knowledge about him, said, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." He knew he had met "the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45-49 NIV).
On a recent trip to Israel, our group was taken to the hills which overlook the town of Nazareth. From the hills we looked down on a quiet, ordinary small town, no different than any small insignificant town anywhere. But as I gazed down at it, I remembered this was where Jesus spent His childhood as the son of an ordinary carpenter, Joseph. Jesus must often have come up here to sit where I sat; the hills have not moved or changed in the last 2,000 years! A baby, born in Bethlehem in a cattle's feeding box, growing up in Nazareth to learn His father's trade as a carpenter...it seemed an unlikely beginning for a life that changed the course of world history!
In our time, we are witnessing a strange phenomenon. Many churches have been born throughout the world because of the life of Jesus. However, Christians often have been unable to agree on issues of doctrine, so they split into a multitude of denominations so each could worship in its own way.
There is a world-wide ecumenical movement among liberal churches and all world religions today who hope to bring in a new world order where all will be peace and harmony. But true renewal and revival must be a unity of those who worship Jesus Christ as Lord. Otherwise the unity is outward and not of the heart. His kingdom for which we pray in the Lord's prayer can only come when all hearts in the whole world love and worship Him "in Spirit and in truth" as Jesus said they eventually would (John 4:23).
Today a renewal of unity in the Spirit where the gifts of the Spirit are allowed to operate is indeed taking place. It began in the 1960's and is quickly gaining momentum around the world. Everyone will have a chance to hear the Good News before the final world events outlined in the Bible take place (Matt.24:14).
As I worshipped last evening in a group composed of Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Missionary Alliance, Anglicans and United Church members, I realized these people are the true church of Jesus Christ, the `Bride' for whom the Bridegroom, Jesus, will return. They have not left their own denominations, but have joined in heart with the true body of believers throughout the world to worship their King, Jesus of Nazareth. What an unlikely scene when you think of it!
I thought of Nathanael's question, "Can any good thing comeout of Nazareth"? Matthew tells us that Nazareth was the one place where Jesus "did not do many miracles because of their lack of faith" (Matt.13:58). I then asked myself, "Can any good thing come out of today's churches--today's Nazareth"?
God has always chosen the most unlikely people and situations to carry out His plans. Fishermen for disciples! A murderer, King David, for Jesus' family tree root! A murderer of Christians, Paul of Tarsus, to become the first great missionary and to write much of the New Testament! And me to write these articles!! Yes, there is revival in Nazareth. That is because Jesus Christ lives there.
© 1999, Doreen Palmer