And they were offended by him.
MATTHEW 13:57 (CSB)

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Matthew 13 should be read in one sitting. Jesus tells parable after parable. These parables are about the Kingdom of God. The disciples ask why he teaches through parables. 

The answer pretty much comes down to this: People get about as much of God as they want. Those who like a good story and nothing more, have it. Those who want an initial grasp of the meaning, get it. Those who want to integrate truth, do it. Those who want to embrace the kingdom and spread its good news, overflow.

In other words, we get about as much of God as we want. 

The last thing that happens in Matthew 13 is a trip to Jesus’ hometown. He spoke in his home synagogue, the place of worship he had attended with his family his whole life. People tend to like it when a hometown boy or girl succeeds. It gives them bragging rights. 

Verse 54 says the people were astonished. They asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” Verse 57 says, “And they were offended by him.” The very last line of the chapter says this: “And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief,” (verse 58). Luke 4:16-30 has more detail of this occasion. 

We get about as much of God as we want. Jesus’ hometown friends and relatives did not want enough of him to accomplish many miracles. Let me toss you a softball right in the zone that you can hammer out of the park if you so choose: How much of Jesus and his kingdom do you want?

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I will seek more and more of Jesus and his kingdom.

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Our Father, an old hymn says, 

More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show, 
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me. 

More about Jesus in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in ev’ry line,
Making each faithful saying mine.

More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

This is our prayer in the name of Jesus, Amen.

(More About Jesus by E. E. Hewitt (Lidie H. Edmunds)