Here we are. October has arrived!!! The brutality of the summer heat is being replaced by the crisp, cooler evenings and "do I wear long sleeves or short?" mornings. The time expanse between sun up and sun down is decreasing. (Regardless of the old phrase, the days don't get shorter now do they?) 
While Autumn begins in September, it seems like it takes October to bring our minds up to speed and get wrapped in all the changes around us. Homes are decorated with shades of orange and Halloween accouterments and beautified by the odor of pumpkin in everything. Well actually, it's a butterscotchy kind of thing, but I digress.
While Autumn begins in September, it seems like it takes October to bring our minds up to speed and get wrapped in all the changes around us. Homes are decorated with shades of orange and Halloween accouterments and beautified by the odor of pumpkin in everything. Well actually, it's a butterscotchy kind of thing, but I digress.
Perhaps I'm waxing nostalgic, but it seems that every year about this time, I am reminded of traversing back and forth to college, my home away from home back in the 80s. Many of my friends weren't able to go home due to finances, the sheer distance away, or the consecutive weeks those of us in the marching band was engaged in pregame and halftime performances for football games. Go Hogs!!! Depending on the schedule, it seemed that every other week or so, I gas up the Camaro, pick out the right cassettes and make that phone call where I would say...
Written by Motorhead's bassist/vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, "Mama, I'm Coming Home" is the only top 40 solo hit for Ozzy Osbourne (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Crazy Train" (Ozzy Osbourne)). Surprisingly, "Mama, I'm Coming Home" only got as far as #28 on Billboard's weekly countdown. The song did go all the way to #2 on the heavier rock chart, Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks.
Ozzy did peak at #8 however, on the Hot 100 2 other times, both in collaborative efforts. Once in the duet, "Close My Eyes Forever" with Lita Ford (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Close My Eyes Forever" (Lita Ford with Ozzy Osbourne)) and once as a featured artist on the single "Take What You Want" with the band Post Malone's.
Many have surmised that the song was written about Ozzy's wife and manager, Sharon. Others say that it was about his period of lucidity after going through rehab and getting clean. Since Ozzy didn't write the song, while valid for where Ozzy was in 1991, we find either interpretation, incomplete. Kilmister probably had some of Ozzy's struggles in mind, yet he would have infused his own experience of being in a rock-n-roll band into the song. While probably not biographical for Ozzy or Lemmy's part, there were certain lines in the song to which both of them could relate.
The song resonated with the public for that same reason. Let's face it, for many coming home can be a poignant and reflective endeavor. It can bring many things including the beginning of something new...
Above is a perfect example of what is called the "Harmony of the Gospels". The perspective of each of the Gospel writers is on full display as they tell of the same account. This provides credibility and more complete testimony to this moment in Jesus' life. These harmonies are some of the most beautiful and profound in all of Scripture as they provide the insight that we need to navigate Jesus' example to us.
Jesus comes home. Well, at least the region of His home. And no, the Gospels don't explicitly detail Jesus seeing His mama on this trip, but it stands to reason that He would have. Just like everything else Jesus did, this homecoming had a purpose. It was now time for Jesus to begin the ministry for which He had been sent. This would lead to attention, scrutiny, and accusations that would ultimately result in salvation for those who believe. Yup, you guessed it. More to come...
John tells us that the Pharisees had heard about the baptisms occurring with Jesus' preaching surpassing those of John the Baptist. Jesus left the area around Jerusalem and headed for home. John elaborates on events that occurred during this trip and we'll visit in detail about that next week. You don't want to miss it!
Luke provides light into Jesus' homecoming by telling of Jesus reading the scroll including Isaiah's prophecy regarding Himself. Jesus had been teaching in the synagogues and was garnering a good reputation among the people. He comes home to Nazareth and preaches on Isaiah, specifically Isaiah 61:1-2 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV I find it interesting that Jesus stops with "...to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.". In doing so, He was revealing Himself as Messiah, even though His listeners, didn't quite seem to get the magnitude of all that encompassed. As Jesus continued to expound on His "message for the day", the light bulbs seemed to turn on in the people of Nazareth's heads as they questioned, "Aren't You Joseph's son?" Everything was good until this point. Jesus continues by telling them that the miracles He had performed in Capernaum would not be done in Nazareth as a prophet is not welcomed as He is coming home. This infuriated the folks and they attempted to through Jesus from a cliff only to have their efforts thwarted by Jesus who calmly walked through their midsts and headed on His way.
Mark is similar to John in his representation of Jesus going home. He simply states that Jesus went home and began preaching repentance and belief because the kingdom of God is at hand. That's a simple message that believers today should be breathing into the lives of others.
Matthew tells of Jesus coming home to Nazareth and then going to set a home base in Capernaum. Matthew also refers to Isaiah as prophecy is fulfilled before his eyes: Isaiah 9:1-2 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV Matthew then tells the same message that Mark did about Jesus. He preached repentance, belief, and the coming kingdom of God.
So as you can see, there was much that happened when Jesus came home. We see in the narratives His relocation from Judea to the place He was raised. We also see some of Jesus' first messages whereby He revealed Himself as Messiah and was reviled by the people of Nazareth because of it. We also see the fulfillment of 700-year-old prophecies coming to life right before peoples' eyes. But most importantly as we see Jesus coming home, we hear a very important, life-altering message: repent, turn away from those things that aren't pleasing to God or that you place in front of your worship of God, believe that Jesus was sent to be the ultimate sacrifice for those things from which you are repenting, and be prepared as the kingdom of God is at hand.
"Times have changed and times are strange, here I am but I ain't the same..." Please friend let the message of Jesus coming home, repent, believe, and prepare be your anthem as you declare a slightly different lyric...Father, I'm coming home! I'm coming home!! I'm coming home!!!
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by loving You
randy
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