RULE #10 - KNOW YOURSELF!

"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." - Luke 4:21

READ LUKE 4:14-30

      Is this a bad sign?  I have a job interview in my hometown today.  I start the day by reading my Bible and the title of the section I'm on is - "Jesus Rejected in Nazareth."  It's the story how Jesus was rejected by the people in his own hometown!  Oh boy!

      OK, let's get past that!

      We're still looking at how to treat people, and it's been a couple weeks and we haven't really seen Jesus interact with anyone.  I promise He will at some point!  But, for today, let's lay a little more groundwork. 

       Did you notice that Jesus was pretty clear on who He was?  He didn't say, "Today this might be fulfilled."  He didn't say, "Today this is kind of going to be fulfilled."  He just came right out and said it, "I am the Messiah!"  Everyone back then would have known what He was saying.  Everyone would have realized the implications.

        That's why they tried to throw him down a cliff!  (Can't you just picture all these people backing Jesus down, while Jesus just walks right by them!)  People were not happy about this.  People didn't say, "WoooHoooo, here's the Savior!"  But Jesus said it anyway. 

       Jesus was so clear about who He was that He could treat people the way He did.  What about us?  OK, we're not the Messiah.  God has never parted the clouds and said, "This is Tony....."  We don't have Bible verses predicting who we'd become.  But, I think God makes it pretty clear who we are, what we believe, how we can use our talents and abilities, and what we stand for.

       It's the same story over and over - once we figure out ourselves, we don't have to worry about us anymore, our lives can be spent thinking about them!