And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. Mark 6:5-6 ESV

When Jesus traveled about Galilee He made an impression on people because He was willing to touch anyone, even lepers and heal them. Because of this He was continually surrounded by all kinds of interesting people. Mary wanted to sit at His feet, while Zaccheus hoped to just see Him from a distance. The crowd around Jesus often looked a bit like a hospital emergency room, with folks lined up waiting to be seen, while others brought their loved ones and family. But back in Nazareth the scene was quite different. Since they couldn’t believe that Jesus was anything special the Bible tells us He couldn’t do many miracles there. Instead of healing teaching and spreading the good news, Jesus found himself unwelcome and even though there were just as many in need of His healing power, almost no one was able to receive it.

So why not ask ourselves if the picture in our local church functions more like Nazareth or Galilee? Do sick people show up regularly but find that there is only a small staff on hand to help? Do we operate like a hospital with nurses out on strike and whose doctors are too busy meeting to review their retirement program to see new patients? When folks listen in by our doorway, might they hear a discussion of how to reduce the number of sick people allowed in or the excitement of finding a cure for Covid-19? So let’s ask ourselves the question today; “Are we in the business of shutting people out or providing a place to heal? God still forgives and restores lives. Crowds are standing just outside our windows looking in. What will they see today?