Jesus is from Nazareth. He wasn’t born there, of course, and after his birth he spent a few years in Egypt, according to Matthew’s gospel. But when his family returned, they went to Nazareth. “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene” (Matt. 2:23). Sure enough, he is: Jesus of Nazareth.
Each of the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke tell a story of Jesus returning to his hometown and not being very welcome there. Most bibles title the incident “The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth.”
Basically, Jesus goes to Nazareth and attends synagogue where he reads scripture and teaches. The people hearing him are "astounded" at what he says and question how he could possibly be so wise. After all, they know him, he's just that carpenter's son from down the street. Then, they’re offended at what he would presume to tell them. Jesus replies with the popular proverb that a prophet is never welcome in their hometown and goes on his way.
Both Mark and Matthew place the story well into Jesus’ ministry and, as they tell it, the people seem to take instant offence to Jesus' preaching because they think they know him. It appears they've already labelled him as a local boy of a certain status and therefore he can't possibly know or say what he does.
In Luke, however, the story is very early in Jesus’ ministry. In that account, Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour." He tells everyone listening that this scripture is fulfilled in their hearing. "All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, 'Is not this Joseph’s son?'" (Luke 4:22).
That sounds to me like they're proud of him, willing to hear what he says. He’s a local boy made good. But that changes pretty quickly. As Luke tells it, Jesus tells them he won’t be doing what he’s done elsewhere because they’re just interested in themselves and don’t actually believe him. He reminds them of how, in the past, God has helped foreigners more readily than them because of their failure to live true with God. And then, they get angry and they turn on him. That wasn’t what they wanted to hear. How dare he.
But just like the prophet Isaiah, Jesus spoke what is true. They haven’t cared for the poor or the blind, helped the oppressed or the marginalized, been just or served others. Jesus came to bring people back to God, to show how to live love and the essential good that is in us. There’s no better place to preach that than where the community of faith gathers. It’s where the spiritual meets the real, physical world and all its failings.
For the spirit to travel into the world, it must be true and authentic. Jesus "the Word made flesh" and "God with us" is also Jesus, son of Mary and Joseph, the ordinary working, playing, living and loving person like you and me. To live like Jesus isn't about being more "godly," it's about being more fully human and to be more fully true to the image of God that is at the heart of each of us. That’s how the Spirit of the Lord is upon each of us.
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