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by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 28

March 17, Tuesday

woman adulteryOn the final day of the feast Jesus stood up and shouted, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink. Believe in Me, and as the Scriptures promise, out of your innermost soul will flow rivers of living water.” (We now know that He was describing what would happen when His followers received the Spirit. This hadn’t happened yet because Jesus’ work on earth wasn’t finished.)

The crowd was divided in their opinion about Him.  Some were solidly convinced that He was the Messiah or the great Prophet they had been hoping for. Others couldn’t reconcile the fact that they understood Jesus to be from Galilee when they knew that the Messiah would have to come from Bethlehem in Judah, David’s hometown.

While some were trying to silence Him, no one could actually get their hands on Him. In fact, the officers returned to the Pharisees empty-handed. The religious leaders asked why they hadn’t brought Jesus; their reply was, “We never heard anyone speak quite like He does.”

The Pharisees fumed, “What? Surely you’re not falling for Him, too? Look around you; none of us Pharisees are taken in by His teaching. This accursed crowd doesn’t know the first thing about the Law.”

Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees who, unbeknownst to them, had privately visited with Jesus, spoke up, “Well, our law doesn’t condemn a man before it hears his side of the story, does it?”

The Pharisees glared at him, “You? Are you on this Galilean’s side? C’mon, you know that no prophet comes out of Galilee!”

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After this, everyone went to their homes, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early the next morning He was back teaching in the public court of the Temple near where the offering chests stood. A crowd quickly gathered around Him. The scribes and Pharisees, trying to trick Him into doing or saying something they could turn against Him, brought a woman to Him, saying, “Sir, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The Law of Moses requires that we stone her to death. What do You say?”

Jesus didn’t answer them directly. He bent down and started doodling in the dirt as if He hadn’t heard them. They kept prodding Him with the question until finally He stood up and said, “All right then, let’s begin. Whoever among you has never sinned can be the first to throw a stone at her.” He stooped down again and started writing something in the dirt. Whatever he wrote apparently brought conviction on the accusers, and one-by-one, beginning with the oldest, they walked away leaving the woman alone with Jesus.

When Jesus finally stood up and saw that they were gone, He asked the woman where her accusers were. “Has everyone left? Does no one condemn you?”

She quietly answered, “No one, sir.”

Jesus comforted her and said, “Then neither do I. Go on now and be done with sinning!”

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 27

March 16, Monday

Jesus TeacherSometime later when the Feast of Tabernacles was approaching , Jesus’ brothers found Him and mockingly suggested that, if He were going to become king, He should go where the crowds are, to Jerusalem.  (None of his siblings believed who He was at this point.) Jesus told them to go on without Him because it wasn’t time for Him to go. “You go have a good time,” He told them. “You won’t face any trouble, but I will when I go because I am publicly pointing out what’s wrong with their lives.” They went on ahead, but He remained in Galilee a few more days. Then Jesus and His disciples made their way south through Samaria, hoping to attend the Feast secretly.

He sent a couple of disciples ahead to prepare a place for them to eat and rest, but the residents of that village refused to welcome them. James and John were furious and asked Jesus if they should, like Elijah of old, command fire to come down from heaven and consume them.

Jesus, however, rebuked them saying, “Certainly not. I have not come to destroy but to save men’s lives.” So they proceeded on to another place.

Along the road they encountered a scribe who boldly proclaimed that he would follow Jesus to the ends of the earth. Jesus warned him that it was no easy life he’d be signing up for. “I can’t even find a room for the night,” He said. “Even the wild animals have it better off than Me right now.”

Jesus invited another in the crowd to follow Him.  The man showed some interest but said he would have to wait until his obligations at home were taken care of. “There are plenty of others,” Jesus answered, “who can take care of those earthly matters. You should be out proclaiming what really matters:  the kingdom of God.”

Another claimed he would follow Jesus but gave the excuse that he needed just a little more time with his family and friends back home. Jesus warned him that if he left the fields now, having already begun “plowing” with Him, he’s simply not the kind who can enter the kingdom of God.

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Before arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus was the main topic of conversation.  Everyone was on the lookout for Him. The people had mixed opinions about Him, some saying He was good while others felt that He was deceiving the people. None of this talk went on openly because they knew the Jewish leaders were out to get Him.

Halfway through the feast (it lasted eight days), Jesus went to the Temple and began teaching. Again, they marveled at His ability to explain things so well, especially since He’d never had formal training. What happened next was rather interesting.

Jesus made a point of explaining that His “great teaching” wasn’t something He came up with but that He was only passing on to them what the One who sent Him wanted Him to teach. “Why do you want to kill Me when you hold Moses up in such high esteem even though you don’t obey what he taught either?”

The crowd reacted with, “You’re crazy! Who’s trying to kill You?”

Jesus said, “I healed a man on the Sabbath and this astonished you. But you break the Sabbath all the time when, to fulfill the circumcision command, you have to perform the task on a Sabbath. If you do this for a routine practice, why do you get so upset when, on the Sabbath, I make a man completely well? If you just think this through sensibly, you’ll have to agree that I’m right.”

Now some in the crowd spoke up, saying, “Isn’t this the One the Jews are trying to kill? Here He is teaching in public, and they’re not doing anything about it. Have the rulers come to the conclusion that He is the Messiah after all? But that couldn’t be because we know where He came from. They say that the true Messiah will appear mysteriously, no one knowing where He comes from.”

“Yes, you know Me and My upbringing, but you don’t really know Who sent Me because you don’t know Him. I do know Him and am here because He sent Me to you,” was Jesus’ response.

“Really,” the crowd began to wonder, “what more could the Messiah do than this Man has done so far?” And some believed. But when the Pharisees saw what was going on, they sent some officers to apprehend Him.

Jesus told the crowd, “I won’t be around much longer. I’m going back where I came from and you can’t get there from here.”

This really had them bewildered. “Where could He possibly go that we wouldn’t find Him?” they asked. “Is He going to other countries, looking for Jews scattered among the nations? And what does He mean that we can’t follow Him where He’s going?”

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 26

March 15, Sunday

Jesus ChildrenOne day on their way back home to Capernaum, the disciples began arguing with each other over who deserved the top positions in Jesus’ Kingdom. When they got to the house, Jesus asked them what the lively discussion was along the road. Of course, no one wanted to admit what the topic was.

Jesus sat down and invited the others to gather around Him. “I’d like to talk about true greatness,” He said.  “Whoever wants to be most important must serve others, making their concerns more important than his own.”

The disciples were confused. “How does that work when it comes to deciding who sits on which throne in the Kingdom of Heaven?” they asked.

So Jesus called over a small child and had him stand where all could see him. “First of all,” Jesus said, “you can’t get into the Kingdom of Heaven unless you change and become humble like a child. In My Kingdom, the least is the greatest. Whenever you extend yourself even to one little child, you are giving yourself to Me and to the One who sent Me. That’s how you become the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

John, wanting to draw a clear line between those who were working for the Kingdom, said, “Teacher, we saw someone who isn’t one of us casting out demons using Your Name.  We stopped him because he wasn’t with us.”

But Jesus said to him, “Oh, no, don’t stop someone from using My Name to do miracles. Folks doing that are less likely to turn around and say something nasty about Me. In situations like this, if they’re not against Me, we’ll consider them on our side. Yes, even so simple a gift as a cup of water given in My name will carry with it a reward.”

With the child still in their midst, Jesus went on to warn His disciples, “Whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble into sin will wish he’d been thrown into the middle of the ocean with a stone tied to his neck when he sees what torment is coming to him.

“Offenses will happen in this world but woe to those who instigate them. Just how serious is this matter? “If it’s your hand causing you to sin (violence, stealing, etc.), it would be better for you to cut it off and to go through life one-handed than ending up with two hands in the eternal fire that never ends.

“If it’s your foot that makes you sin (taking you down forbidden paths), cut it off and throw it from you as far as you can. Limp through life if you have to, but don’t end up with both feet, burning in the relentless fires of hell.

“If it’s your eye that leads you into sin (covetousness, lust, etc.), it would be better to pluck it out and throw it away. Would you rather get into God’s Kingdom with one eye or keep both to see the fire of hell from which you can never escape?

“Fire, like salt, either destroys or purifies. Everyone goes through the fire in one way or the other. Purify your lives so that you don’t end up destroyed by fire! Let this affect how you treat one another.

“And be especially careful how you treat these little ones. You may not see much in them, but I tell you they have an angel holding them before the face of My Father in heaven.  He sent Me to save little lost ones like this.

“Take a shepherd, for instance, who has a hundred sheep to care for. If even one gets lost, does he not go far and wide to rescue that one?  And isn’t he completely thrilled when he finds it? That’s how My Father feels about every one of these poor, lost children.

“In your relationships, when someone wrongs you, don’t harbor resentment.  This is where you can help each other like a purifying fire or like salt that still works to preserve and enhance. Go privately to them and explain what they did wrong. If they see it and respond humbly, you’ve won them back. If they don’t, take along a couple of witnesses who can hear both sides. If they won’t listen to them, only then do you take public action and seek the intervention of the group. If they stubbornly refuse to heed the counsel of these many “grains of salt,” cut them loose; don’t go any further.

“As you agree together in these difficult situations, all of heaven will work with you in bringing about restoration.  Even when it’s just two or three of you, I’m there as an unseen Witness.”

Peter was starting to comprehend God’s desire for reconciliation and asked, “Lord, how far does this go? Should I be expected to forgive my brother up to seven times over?”

Jesus told him, “No, Peter, not seven times. How about seventy times seven? Let me illustrate: “Once upon a time there was a king who decided it was time to settle up with his workers. Among them was a man who owed him millions of dollars. The man couldn’t come up with a penny; so the king instructed that he, his wife, and his children be sold so that he could recover at least something of the enormous debt.

“The worker, stunned by the harsh reality of this judgment, fell down in front of the king, saying, ‘Master, if you’ll just bear with me a little longer, I’ll pay it all back.’ The king, in an unthinkable act of compassion, forgave the entire debt and set the man free from all obligation to repay.

“On his way home the worker encountered an associate who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed the man by the throat and said, ‘Pay up what you owe me, and I mean right now!’

“The other was distraught and cried out for patience, saying, ‘Give me a little more time and I’ll pay it all back.’ But the one who was demanding payment showed him no mercy, throwing him into debtor’s prison until the debt was repaid.

“The other workers, knowing all that had happened, were so upset they went right to the king to tell him what the man forgiven of his debt had just done to a co-worker.

“The king called the man back to his palace to set him straight. ‘You are a wicked servant! Here I forgave you that huge debt just because you begged me for mercy. How could you come down on this other man for such a trifling amount? You showed no pity, therefore I have no pity on you.’ With that the king had the man sent to the torturers until he found a way to pay back the millions he owed.

“My point is this: unless from the core of your being you truly forgive those who wrong you, My Father in heaven will have to deal with you in this same way. He is serious about grace ruling your relationships!”

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 25

March 14, Saturday

fish coinThe day after their mountaintop experience, Jesus found a crowd gathered around His disciples.  They were arguing with the Jewish scribes. Of course, when the people noticed, Jesus they all ran to Him. Jesus asked the scribes what they had been discussing; but before they could answer, a man burst from the crowd and cried out, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and the devil throws him into convulsions. Sometimes he foams at the mouth, gritting his teeth; and sometimes he falls into a fire or into the water. I took him to Your disciples for healing, but they couldn’t cure him.”

“Oh, you poor, lost people,” Jesus said. “How much longer can this go on? Go, get your son and bring him to Me.”

The instant the boy saw Jesus, the demon-spirit threw the child to the ground in convulsions and he began foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father how long he had been having this trouble.

“Ever since he was a young child, Sir,” he replied. “If there’s anything You can do for him, please do!”

Jesus said, “If you trust Me, anything is possible.”

To which the man answered, “Oh, I believe in You, help me overcome any unbelief!”

Jesus went to the boy and addressed the evil spirit, saying, “Deaf and mute spirit, I command you to leave him and never return.” With a shriek and a final convulsion the demon came out of him, and the boy lay limp on the ground. The people thought he had died; but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, handing him to his father.  Everyone was amazed at how powerfully God had worked.

Later, when they were alone, the disciples asked Jesus why they had been unable to heal the boy. “Some cases require that you have a stronger faith. This is something you develop over time through prayer and fasting. Eventually, if the situation called for it, you would be able to tell that hill to move over to the other side of the valley.  Nothing would be impossible.”

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They continued ministering around Galilee, but Jesus tried to avoid the crowds. When He was alone with His disciples He reminded them that He was going to be betrayed, turned over to men who would kill Him, but that He would then be raised up on the third day.

Naturally, they were very upset by this and couldn’t comprehend it, but they were too afraid to ask Jesus to explain further.

One day in Capernaum a tax-collector for the temple found Peter and asked him whether Jesus paid the temple tax. “Of course,” Peter told him.

But later, when they were in the house discussing the situation. Jesus said, “Simon, when a king decides to collect taxes for some project, do his own subjects have to pay taxes or does he collect it from foreigners?”

Peter quickly said, “Only from the foreigners.”

Jesus went on, “So the local citizens don’t have to pay, right? Technically, we shouldn’t have to pay the temple tax; but to avoid causing a scene, we’ll pay it anyway. I’ll tell you what, take your fishing rod down to the lake and catch something. The first one you catch will have a coin in its mouth that will be enough to cover the taxes for both of us.”

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 24

March 13, Friday

transfigurationFrom this point in His ministry Jesus began to openly state that He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish leaders, that they would have Him killed, and that He would rise up on the third day.

One time after hearing this, Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “There’s no way this could happen to You, Lord!”

Jesus looked at Peter and said, “You don’t know what you’re saying. Satan is using you to trap Me. Be gone, Satan! And you, Peter, are relying on your own understanding and don’t have a clue what God is doing.”

Jesus gathered the people and His disciples around Him and began to explain what it meant to truly be His disciple. “Following Me means giving up your right to run your life the way you want to. If you’re willing to ‘lose’ your agenda by embracing Mine, you will find the real meaning of life — even if it costs you everything you now think is so important. However, if you pursue earthly success, it could cost you your very soul.

“At the end of history I will come, shining with My Father’s glory and accompanied by holy angels, to reward each of you according to what you’ve done. If the record shows that you’ve been too embarrassed or ashamed to identify with Me in front of your friends and this godless world, I’ll be ashamed of you.

“There are some in this crowd who will actually get to see a glimpse of what that Kingdom glory is like before they die!”

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About a week after He said this, Jesus took three of His disciples, Peter, James, and John, to the top of a high mountain to pray.

While they were praying, Jesus’ body began to glow brighter than anything the disciples had ever seen. His face radiated light like the sun and His robe glistened with indescribable brilliance.

Suddenly two men, also glowing, appeared and began discussing Jesus’ impending death. Somehow the disciples recognized them as Elijah and Moses. The disciples had been dozing when all this began. By the time they were fully awake, the two men were getting ready to leave.

Peter, not sure what to say and overwhelmed by what they were seeing, blurted out, “Master, Teacher, this is incredible! Would You like us build three shelters, one each for You, Moses, and Elijah?” We’re not sure what Peter was thinking when he suggested this, but then he didn’t know what he was saying either.

Immediately they were enveloped by a massive brilliant cloud which frightened them. Then a voice spoke out of the cloud, saying, “This is My precious Son who is a delight to Me. Listen to Him.” At this the disciples fell on their faces to the ground in utter terror.

Jesus came right over to them and touched them gently, saying, “It’s all right, don’t be afraid. Get up, now.” They looked around and everything was normal, just the four of them at the top of the mountain.

As they made their way down the mountain, Jesus told them they must not say a word about this experience until after He had risen from the dead. They couldn’t figure out what He meant about rising from the dead, but they did keep quiet about the amazing scene they had witnessed.

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The scribes had been saying that Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah because Elijah hadn’t come yet to set things straight. The disciples asked Jesus what He thought about that. He answered by saying, “It’s true. Elijah does come first to set things in order for the Messiah. It also the Messiah will suffer rejection, but the scribes miss that point. I’m telling you that Elijah has come and they didn’t realize who he was, so they ignored him. And they’re about to mishandle Me before long.”

When Jesus explained it this way, the disciples realized that He was talking about John the Baptist fulfilling the Elijah role.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 23

March 12, Thursday

blind healedHe and His disciples headed back across the lake; but when they got there. remembered that they didn’t have food with them.

Jesus wanted to warn them about the influence of their leaders so He said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and the leaven of Herod.”

Well, the disciples immediately thought He was upset that they forgot to bring along enough bread. Jesus, of course, knew what they were thinking and said, “Hold on, guys, no matter how many times I say this, you aren’t catching on. You think I’m talking about food and that I’m upset that we don’t have some. Have you forgotten that we fed more than five thousand? How many leftovers did we have?”

“Twelve baskets,” they answered.

“Then just the other day we did it again, feeding more than four thousand,” He said.  “Do you recall how many baskets we had after that meal?”

“Seven,” they replied.

Jesus went on to say, “So you surely can’t believe I’m worried about whether we have enough to eat today, can you? That is not at all what I was referring to when I said to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees.”

Then the disciples realized that He was warning them to not allow the Pharisees’ beliefs to get mixed in with His teaching.

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Later they arrived at Bethsaida where a blind man was presented to Him. The people begged Jesus to heal him. He took the man by the hand and they walked away from the town. Jesus spit on His hands, laid them on the man’s eyes, and asked him to open them. “What do you see?” asked Jesus.

“I see men, I think. They’re kinda fuzzy, more like walking trees.”

Jesus laid His hands on his eyes once more and then had him look up.

“Now I see everything!” he exclaimed. “And it’s all so clear!”

Jesus sent him home, asking him not to tell anyone what had happened.

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Then they went up to Caearea Philippi in northern Israel where Jesus could get away to pray. When His disciples joined Him, He asked them, “What are you hearing from the crowds? Who do they say I am?”

“Some are convinced that you’re John the Baptist,” they answered. “Others say Elijah, Jeremiah, or another of the ancient prophets come back to life.”

“And what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter, always quick to speak, spoke for the rest by saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

“Bless you, Simon, Jonah’s son,” said Jesus. “This was revealed to you by My Father in heaven, and it is this rock-like conviction that will build My church so that even the gates of Hell can’t stop it. As you go, you will be given the wisdom and ability to bring about on earth what God is doing in heaven.” But He gave strict orders that they not yet say anything publicly about His being the promised Messiah.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 22

March 11, Wednesday

ephphathaJesus went from there back to the land of Gennesaret. The people recognized Him right away. They ran throughout the region gathering all who were sick so that wherever He went many awaited His touch or begged to touch the hem of His garment. All who did so were made perfectly well.

He continued ministering in the northern region. He stayed away from Judea because He knew that the Jews there were looking for an opportunity to kill Him. So the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to where He was teaching.

Looking for proofs that He couldn’t be Who He claimed to be, they challenged Jesus about the disciples’ disregard for orthodox rituals of cleansing. The Jewish religious leaders had complicated rules about washing just about everything — even how they were to run the water over their hands. “Why don’t Your disciples follow the long-standing Jewish traditions?” they asked.

Jesus had one word for them, “Hypocrites!” He went on, “Isaiah nailed it when he described you with these words, ‘This people draws near to Me with their words, honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. What they call worship is meaningless. They’ve turned their man-made rules into divine oracles.’ Yes, you Pharisees aren’t nearly as concerned about what God says as what your traditions tell you. In fact,” Jesus added, “your traditions actually cause you to break God’s laws. You know the clear command to ‘honor your father and mother,’ but you overrule that with this gimmick called ‘Corban’ (meaning devoted to God) so that people will give to you what ought to be used for supporting their elderly parents. You’ve basically rewritten God’s commands to suit yourselves, which you do with a lot of other things as well.”

Jesus turned to the listening crowd and said, “Listen up! You’ve been given a long list of things to avoid eating or touching, but I’m telling you that none of that matters! The problem isn’t what you put into your mouths but what is in your hearts and comes out of your mouths. If you have ears, I hope you’re hearing this!”

Later when He was alone with His disciples, they said, “Did You realize that the Pharisees were offended by what You said?”

Jesus replied, “Don’t mind them. Any plant which My Father hasn’t planted will be uprooted soon enough. They are blind leading the blind; the whole bunch will end up in the ditch together.”

Then Peter asked, “What did you mean about things we eat or things we say?”

Jesus answered, “You still don’t get it, do you? My message is all about what’s inside, not the externals that religion tends to focus on. The food you eat doesn’t go into your heart but through the stomach, digestive system, and eventually down the drain. In that sense, no food is clean or unclean when it comes to your spiritual well-being. How thoroughly you wash your hands before eating isn’t of great significance to God either. What He does care about is the filth that exists deep in the core of your beings: the evil thoughts, murders, adulteries and sexual fantasies, stealing, coveting, lying, deceiving, conniving, blasphemies, and pride.”

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Some days later Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon where He wouldn’t be recognized. Even there a local Gentile woman came to the house where He was staying. “Won’t You have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David?” she begged. Over and over she cried out, “My daughter is severely oppressed by demons. I know You can help her!”

The disciples were irritated and urged Him to send her away. So Jesus rebuffed her by saying, “I’ve been sent to help the lost sheep of Israel, not Gentiles.”

She didn’t let that stop her but came and threw herself at His feet, begging Him to help her. Appearing to be unmoved, Jesus responded, “As the saying goes, don’t give the dogs what is meant for the children to eat.”

To which she replied, “Yes, Master, but even the little dogs under the table get to eat the crumbs that fall from the children’s plates.”

Jesus was touched by her determination and said, “Woman, you are persistent and I’m blessed by your faith. Your wish is granted; your daughter is healed.” The woman returned home and found it just as Jesus had said; the demon was gone and her daughter rested comfortably on her bed.

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From there Jesus went around the Sea of Galilee into the region of Decapolis. The people of the region brought to Him a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking. Jesus took him away from the crowd to heal him. He spit on His finger, touched the man’s tongue, and then put His fingers in his ears. With a deep sigh Jesus looked up to heaven and said “Ephphatha,” which means “be opened.”

Immediately the man could hear and speak plainly. Jesus told the crowd not to tell what had happened, but that didn’t stop them from spreading the word. More and more came to Him and He healed them all. When the multitude saw all these miracles, they gave the credit to God and said about Jesus, “Everything He does is amazing!”

Once again they found themselves with a crowd on hand and nothing to eat. In fact, they had been with Him for three days solid. “I can’t send them away like this or they may faint,” Jesus told His disciples.

“And where in this wilderness do You expect us to come up with bread?” the disciples questioned.

“Well, what do we have to work with?” He asked them.

“Seven pieces of bread and a handful of small fish is all we’ve come up with,” they replied.

“Good,” Jesus answered, “have the crowd get seated for dinner.”

Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and broke the pieces. Handing them to the disciples, they then distributed the bread among the people. He did the same with the fish. Everyone ate till they were full. When they gathered up the leftovers, there were seven large baskets full. This time He had fed over four thousand people. After sending the crowd on its way, Jesus and the disciples got into a boat and headed across the Sea of Galilee toward Dalmanutha (also called Magdala).

Again, the Pharisees and Sadducees where there to hound Him. They kept telling Him they just wanted one more supernatural sign to prove His credentials. Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and rebuked them, saying, “In the evening, if the sky is red, you predict a nice day ahead; but if the sky is red in the morning, you predict bad weather. What hypocrites you are! You can read the signs in the sky but can’t figure out the signs of the times we’re in. This adulterous generation, wanting anything but God, keeps looking for signs. The only sign I can leave with you is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” With that, Jesus left them.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 21

March 10, Tuesday

bread of lifeThe next day the crowd went down to the lake looking for Jesus. They knew the disciples had taken their boat and there hadn’t been another boat available, so they couldn’t figure out where Jesus had gone. They finally took boats themselves to Capernaum and found Jesus and His disciples there. Their first question was, “Teacher, how did You get here?”

Interestingly, Jesus didn’t answer their question. Instead, He challenged the motives of their hearts, saying, “I see you’re very diligent in looking for Me but only because I fed you. It would be far better that you spend your efforts looking for Truth that will produce God’s kind of life. God has given Me the authority to pass that life on to you.”

“So what exactly should we be doing?” the people asked.

Jesus answered them by saying, “The most important thing God wants you to do is to trust in Him and believe that He sent Me to you.”

“Okay,” they replied, “but aren’t You supposed to give us some miraculous sign that You are sent by God? You know, kinda like back in Moses’ day. He gave them bread from heaven to eat. They were still trying to get another free lunch.

Jesus tried to help them see the difference between bread made of wheat and bread made of Truth. “You know, don’t you, that it wasn’t Moses who sent that manna from heaven? My Father did that, and He is doing it again by sending Me down from heaven. This real bread will give life to the whole world.”

“Well,” they replied, “by all means give us some of that bread!”

“I am that ‘bread of life.’ Whoever comes to Me believingly will find his deepest hunger and thirst more than satisfied. Here you are hearing every word I say but not taking hold of it. So be it. Everyone My Father gives Me will come to Me, and I will hold on to them right to the end. I’m not here to do what I want to do but only what pleases the Father. It is His delight to give Our kind of life to anyone who entrusts themselves to Me. On that Final Day there they will be, still with Me forever.”

Some of the Jews got really upset after He said that. “How can He claim to have ‘come down from heaven?’ Why, we know His parents, Joseph and Mary. We know where He came from.”

“Stop the whispering,” Jesus said. “I don’t expect you to believe. No one can come to Me unless My Father first inclines their heart to Me. Do you remember the verse that says, ‘and they shall all be taught by God?’ That’s what I’m talking about. All who come to Me for life do so because they’ve experienced My Father at work in their souls. Not that you can see Him, only I have ever seen the Father; but I guarantee that if you entrust yourself to Me, you will have Our kind of life in you forever.

“As I said, I am that ‘bread of life.’ Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness but they eventually died. I’m telling you that if you eat of Me, you will never die.”

The Jews retorted, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

Jesus said, “Unless you feed on Me, on my flesh and blood, you cannot have life. Only those who get their sustenance from Me have Me living in them. My Father is fully alive and He fills Me with life. In the same way I will fill with life anyone who feeds on Me. Again, let Me remind you that this is a very different kind of bread and a different kind of life than your fathers experienced in the desert.”

Jesus brought this teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. Later, some of His disciples were complaining, “What on earth was He talking about? I wish He wouldn’t make it so hard to understand.”

Jesus, perceiving their agitation, said to them, “Does My teaching frustrate you? If you can’t figure it out now, how will you understand it once I’m gone? But it’s not about figuring it out. Only the Spirit can produce life, not your human intellect. The words I’m speaking give life when the Spirit reveals them. Some of you just won’t believe.” (Jesus had known right from the first who would betray Him.) “As I said, no one can come to Me unless My Father has given them the ability to come.”

It was at this point that many who had accompanied Him turned away and stopped walking with Him. He asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave as well?”

Simon Peter was quick to answer, “Lord, where would we go? You’re the only one whose words produce real life. We’re convinced that You are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Jesus responded somewhat pensively, “Yes, I chose all twelve of you, didn’t I? And yet one of you is a devil.” (He was, of course, referring to Judas who would later betray Him.)

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 20

MARCH 9, MONDAY

Peter walks on waterWhen reports of Jesus’ activities reached Herod’s palace, he was unnerved. Rumors were flying that John the Baptist, whom he had just had beheaded, was resurrected and had supernatural powers. Herod looked for an excuse to meet Jesus for himself.

Herod, you may recall, had imprisoned John for meddling after John publicly rebuked him for living with his sister-in-law Herodias. She was furious with John and insisted that he be taken out, which Herod would have done in a heartbeat except that the populace revered him as a prophet of God. She got her way, however, during Herod’s next birthday celebration. Herodias’ daughter entertained the guests with a provocative dance which led Herod to offer her “up to half the kingdom.” She deferred to her mother who told her to ask for John’s head on a silver platter at once.

Herod was suddenly sobered and regretted his impulsive offer. Nevertheless, to avoid embarrassment before his guests, he complied and had the executioner carry out the act. The head was delivered to Herodias; the party was over. John’s disciples were notified, and they came to get his remains to give him a proper burial. Messengers were sent to tell Jesus what had happened.

When Jesus heard what Herod had done to John, He took a boat and went off to a deserted place by Himself.

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Shortly after that, the disciples returned from their mission trip with many stories to tell. They had been kept so busy that they were exhausted and hungry, so Jesus had them get in a boat with Him to get away for a time of rest. They escaped the crowds and found a quiet place near Bethsaida.

The crowds took note of where they headed and proceeded to run that direction on foot. The boat had barely reached their destination when they saw the multitude approaching.

Jesus said to Philip, “What are we going to do? These people will need to eat. Is there somewhere close by where we could get some bread?” It was a trick question because Jesus knew what He had in mind.

Philip had no idea and retorted, “It would take nearly a year’s wages to buy enough just to give that crowd a snack!”

Jesus, touched by the hurts and hopelessness of the people, like sheep having no shepherd, spent the rest of the day explaining the Kingdom message and healing their sicknesses. By late afternoon some of the disciples urged Jesus to send the crowd away so they could find food and lodging. Jesus, teasing them, said, “No need for them to go away, you feed them.”

They repeated Philip’s line that between all of them they didn’t have nearly enough money to afford that. Jesus asked them to find out what food might be available among the people. Andrew found a boy who had a couple of small fish and a handful of rolls. Jesus asked if He could have them.  He then told His disciples to organize the thousands of people into groups of fifty and to prepare for a picnic supper.

Jesus held out the boy’s lunch, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks for the abundance. Then He began to hand the food to the disciples who, in turn, passed it out to the people. The people ate their fill and the food kept coming. By the time everyone was finished, there were twelve baskets full of leftovers. They had just served a meal for five thousand men plus women and children.

Needless to say, the people were thrilled and wanted to make Jesus king right then and there. They said, “Undoubtedly, this is the promised Prophet who will set things straight!”

Jesus could see what they intended to do, so He quickly had the disciples get in the boat and head across the lake. Meanwhile, He sent the crowd on its way and once again went up a nearby mountain to pray by Himself. He prayed late into the night.

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As the boat was making its way toward Capernaum, another storm whipped up the sea, making it hard for the disciples to make headway. They had traveled quite a few miles from shore, but Jesus, seeing their dilemma, walked on the water to where they were. When the disciples saw Him they thought they were seeing a ghost. He looked like He was going to walk on by; but when He got close enough where they could hear, He said, “It’s just Me, nothing to be afraid of.”

Peter replied, “Lord, if it’s really You, let me walk over to You.”

Jesus said, “Come.”

Peter climbed over the side of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus — that is, until he looked around at the waves and became afraid. The moment that happened, he began to sink.  So he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Jesus took his hand and pulled him up, saying, “Why did you start to doubt?”

They walked back to the boat and as soon as they had gotten in, the wind stopped. The disciples were speechless. When they finally spoke up, they said to Jesus, “You really are the Son of God, aren’t You?” The next thing they knew, they were at the shore.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 19

March 8, Sunday

dumb spiritLeaving there, he heard two blind men in the crowd who kept shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” After they had entered a house, Jesus asked if they really believed He could help them. “Yes, Lord,” they replied.

He touched their eyes and said, “Receive what you believed!” And their eyes were opened. Again, Jesus warned them not to talk about this, but they spread the good news everywhere they went.

A little later they brought to Him a man who could not speak. A demon had entered him, causing this condition. Jesus cast out the demon. The man spoke. And the people marveled, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!” But the Pharisees kept spreading the idea that Jesus got His supernatural powers from the devil.

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When Jesus and the disciples went to His hometown of Nazareth, it was a different story. The people heard Him teach in the synagogue and were impressed, but then they reasoned that He couldn’t be anything special because they all knew His parents and siblings. Rather than taking Him seriously, they were offended at His audacity. Jesus reminded them of the old saying, “Prophets get respect from everyone except the home folk.”

Because of this, very few miracles were done in Nazareth. He did lay hands on one or two, but He was amazed at the general unbelief.

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Such was not the case throughout the rest of the region, however. Crowds gathered, the good news was proclaimed, sick were healed, and He taught freely in their synagogues. Jesus looked with compassion on the masses; they were like flocks of sheep, lost and wandering without a shepherd. He told His disciples, “There’s so much to be done, so many needs, and so few to do the work. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will call in more workers!”

It was at this point that Jesus began to send out the disciples in pairs to proclaim the good news, heal the sick, and cast out demons. This was His commissioning speech: “Your message is simply, ‘The Kingdom you’ve been longing for, the Kingdom of God, has come.’ Take this Message exclusively to the lost sheep of Israel. They must be the first to hear it and have opportunity to respond. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out the demons. As generously as you have received, give.

“And don’t worry about provisions. Don’t bother taking extra food or clothing because as people hear your message, they’ll provide what you need. When you enter a town, look for someone sympathetic to what we’re doing. If they are hospitable, bless them and don’t feel bad about staying in their homes.

“Whenever folks reject you and refuse to hear the Message, then as you leave town, shake the dust off your sandals as a sign of judgment.  I tell you, they will suffer worse things than Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment!

“I realize that I’m sending you out like sheep into an environment filled with wolves. You’ll need to be sharp and discerning, like serpents, while remaining as gentle and harmless as doves. The time will come when they will take you before tribunals, whip you, and mistreat you because of Me. When that happens, don’t be worried about how to respond:  the Spirit of your Father will speak through you in those situations.

“It won’t be easy. Families will be divided, with brother turning against brother, fathers against their own children, and children turning in their parents to be executed. Even if everyone hates you because of Me, don’t turn back, don’t give up! If they harass you in one city, go on to the next. Before long, I’ll come and rescue you.

“You know, don’t you, that students grow up to be like their teachers? If they think I, your Teacher, am Beelzebub, you can be sure they’ll treat you the same way or worse!

“Don’t be afraid of them. They won’t get away with it forever. Be bold; expose their wicked schemes. The worst they can do is kill your body; they can’t touch your soul. Your Father, who happens to know every time a little sparrow gets hurt, cares so much more for you than for those birds. Trust Him.

“Don’t be ashamed of Me or of the stigma that may be associated with being My follower, and I will honor you openly before My Father in heaven. It’s those who turn on Me, denying what they’ve seen and heard, whom I must deny before My Father.

“I think you’re beginning to realize that following Me and living in the Kingdom of God will mean realigning your priorities. Earthly relationships, even close family ties, may have to be severed; but unless having Kingdom life means everything to you, it means nothing. Ironically, to have My life, you will have to lose yours.

“So as you go, be encouraged. Nothing you do for me will go unnoticed or unrewarded. Even those who assist you will be rewarded as though they were doing your work — even when they do as simple a thing as giving you a cup of cold water.”

With that, Jesus sent them on their way, and they took the Message everywhere.