Epiphany 2 | Year B | John 1:43-51 | TJ Torgerson
The first church that I had the privilege of pastoring was a small country church located in a county that was known locally as “Booger County.” The origins of this moniker are unknown, and records of the name go back to the early 1900s. It is thought that neighboring counties used the name as an insult, and it stuck.
Today, the nickname is embraced by many of the locals, some even using “Booger County” in their business name.
Whenever I read this week’s gospel passage, I couldn’t help but think of Booger County. Could anything good come from Booger County? Having spent four years with the wonderful people of that area, all I can say to any skeptics would be, “come and see.” And when you do, you would find a community of close-knit people that welcomed others and were always willing to lend a helping hand. You would find dedicated Church volunteers. You would find stories of generosity and sacrifice. You would find good.
This week’s Gospel passage holds special significance for me because I am a Nazarene. I mean that in the sense that I am an ordained elder in the Nazarene denomination, but I also mean that my status and position in life has often been “Booger County”—a place that others would look upon with suspicion or doubt and ask, "Could anything good come from that?" Have you ever made that comment about a person or situation? You see a kid growing up in a rough home and think, “He doesn’t have a fighting chance!” That was Nathanael’s first reaction when he heard about the man from Nazareth. The interesting thing about Nathanael’s question is that it is believed that Nathanael’s words were not his own, but that he was reciting a well known proverb or local turn of phrase.
Whether it was Nathanael or all of Cana asking, I love the question! “Can anything good come from Nazareth!?” I love it because the answer 2000 years ago was, “NOPE!” The answer was implied in the question. If a proverb the was accepted by all. Everyone was saying it! They had a vote, they discussed it, and the verdict was to leave Nazareth in the garbage heap. There is nothing good there! Let’s make it official by carving this proverb in stone, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” I love the question because 2000 years later the implied answer has been changed! When I hear that question, I smile because Jesus changed the answer to YES YES YES! The ultimate good has come from Nazareth.
I love it because I am a Nazarene, one on the outskirts that God found, or rather placed, goodness in.
Are there some “Nazareths” in your life? A place, situation, a person that the consensus is that there can be no good found? The good news is Jesus changes the answer to impossible questions.
Can anything good come from Nazareth? Jesus can!
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