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by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 18

March 7, Saturday

Calming StormHaving concluded the stories for the present, they departed. It had been a long day dealing with the crowds, so Jesus told His disciples they were going to take a boat across to the other side of Galilee. While the men worked the sails, Jesus slept. It wasn’t long before a windstorm kicked up and began churning the waves so violently that the small vessel began to fill with water. The disciples who recognized the danger were frantic, but Jesus slept soundly at the back of the boat.

Finally, one of them, yelling over the sound of the storm, woke Jesus, saying, “Lord, help us! We’re about to go under! How can You sleep at a time like this?”

Jesus, unflustered, replied, “Why are you so worked up? Do you not believe Who I am?”

Jesus stood up and told the wind and waves to settle down. Everything became completely still. “Like I said, fellows, did you forget Who was with you in the storm? If you believe, you won’t fear.”

The men, who had weathered their share of storms in the past, couldn’t believe what they’d just seen. After Jesus went back to lie down, they kept asking one another, “Who is this man? How did He do that? How did He get the weather to obey Him instantly?”

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No sooner had they landed on the other side in the Gadarene district, than they saw two wildly possessed men coming toward them. One of them was naked and covered in scars. Townsfolk had tried to subdue him with chains and shackles, but he always broke them to pieces.  He spent his life, day and night, wandering through the hills and cemeteries, screaming and cutting himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus, he ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. The demon-spirit cried out from inside the man, “Why have You come here, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Are You here to torment us before our time?”

Jesus asked the demon his name, to which it replied, “Legion, because there’s a swarm of us in here. Please don’t destroy us! If You have to throw us out of this man, let us go into those pigs over there. Please don’t send us to our doom yet.”

Jesus commanded them to go then to the pigs, a herd of about 2,000. The pigs went crazy and ended up running en masse right down into the lake where they drowned.  The disciples gave the man some clothes and he sat with them, having become perfectly sane.

You’d think the whole countryside would have been relieved; but instead, they came out to where Jesus was and pleaded with Him to leave, afraid of what else He might do. So Jesus and His disciples returned to the boat.  The man who had been delivered from the demons begged to go along. “No,” Jesus told him, “you go back home now and tell your friends how the Lord God has demonstrated His love for you. Explain everything.” And he did, sharing his testimony throughout the entire district.

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They got back in the boat and headed across to another town. As you might imagine, a crowd gathered quickly, among them one of the leading men of the synagogue whose name was Jairus. He was desperate to see Jesus and fell down before Him, saying, “It’s my daughter. She’s on the verge of death. If You would come and touch her, I know she would be well again.” (The girl was twelve years old.)

Jesus went with him as did the disciples and the throngs of people. In the crowd was a woman who for twelve years had suffered hemorrhaging, a condition the doctors couldn’t remedy. She had spent her life-savings and was only getting worse. “If only I could touch that Man’s robe,” she thought, “I’m sure I’d be healed.” So she pushed her way through the multitude and came up behind Him, getting just close enough to touch His garment. Immediately she could feel that her body had changed, had been restored to health.

At the same time Jesus perceived that power had gone out of Him; so He turned around and asked, “Who just touched Me?” No one said anything.

Then the disciples said, rather incredulously, “Who touched You? With the crowd pressing on us like this, you ask who touched You?”

But Jesus persisted, “Someone touched Me; I know it. I felt the energy flowing out of Me.”

Then He saw her. And she knew that He knew. Shaking with fear, she fell down in front of Him and poured out her story. He pulled her to her feet and said, “It’s all right. You believed and now you’re well. Go. Enjoy. Your troubles are over.” And she went her way, a happy woman.

In the time it took for this interruption, Jairus’ daughter had died. Someone came to notify him of his daughter’s death and to let them know there was no point in troubling Jesus.  It was too late now. Jesus, however, having heard the report, encouraged Jairus not to give up, saying, “Trust Me, she will be healed.”

As they arrived at the home, the mourners had already begun their clamorous lament with flutes and wailing moans. Jesus stopped them, saying, “What’s all this commotion? The girl isn’t dead; she’s just sleeping. Instantly the crowd laughed at Him as though He were crazy. They knew she was dead.

Jesus took three of His disciples, Peter, James and John, and the girl’s parents into the room where she was lying. He made everyone else leave the room.  Going over to the girl, He took her hand. With two words, “Talitha cumi!” (which means, “Little girl, arise!”), He changed everything. She sat up and looked around, got up and started walking, and asked for something to eat. Her parents were beside themselves with relief and joy. Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about what had happened.  But how could a miracle like this be kept secret? Before long everyone knew about it.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 17

March 6, Friday

parable of sowerLater that day He left the house and the crowd followed Him down to the lake. He ended up getting into a boat and teaching from there. He told another story.

“A farmer went out to plant his fields. As he scattered the seeds, some fell on the path and the birds had a feast. Some fell on areas where there wasn’t much top-soil. The seed sprouted but didn’t keep growing because it had no roots and the sun dried it out. A few seeds fell in areas where weed seeds had also fallen; and when they all sprouted, the thorns choked the good plants. Thankfully, some ended up on the good soil, sprouted, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times what was planted.”

Later, when He was alone with His disciples, they asked what point He was trying to make with the story about the farmer and why He taught using stories.

“God has given you the tremendous privilege of learning the mysteries of His Kingdom. Not everyone shares that blessing. You have responded well to what you’ve heard so far and more will be revealed. The rest, who have listened but not really heard, watched but not really seen, will really lose out. It’s exactly what Isaiah predicted, ‘Hearing, you will hear and not understand; and seeing, you will see and not perceive; for the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart and turn, so that I should heal them.’

“But as I said, you are getting in on a blessing which for centuries prophets and godly men longed to see and hear. Now, do I really need to explain this parable of the seeds to you? It really is so basic. You need to understand this one before you can possibly interpret any others.

“The seed is God’s Word, His Message. The hard-packed path is a picture of those who fall under the sound of the truth but won’t receive it at all. Immediately the devil, like a hungry bird, comes and removes the very idea from their heart, eliminating all possibility of future life.

“Those represented by the stony ground seem truly glad to hear the good news and they respond positively at first. But as soon as they encounter opposition or ridicule, they give it up and the possibility of good fruit is lost.

“Then there are those who, likewise, are happy to attend the meetings and be around the Message; but once they get home and life gets busy, they fall back into the multitudinous distractions and temptations of this world.  Their so-called ‘belief’ ends up being unfruitful.

“And then there’s you:  the good soil. Your hearts are hungry for truth and you receive it, apply it to your lives, let it change you from the inside out, and, in the end, watch it reproduce in countless benefits to you and others.

“My message is like a lamp to help people find their way. But light, to be useful, has to be out in the open. It is so important that you let it expose the secrets of your heart rather than hiding your true self in darkness. Ultimately, every secret will be out in the open, so why not take advantage of this opportunity to be changed? If you do, you will see and hear more and more. If you shut out the light, you’ll end up in utter darkness.

“And don’t ask Me how this process of transformation works. No farmer would have a harvest if they went out and kept digging up the seed to see what was happening to it. He leaves it alone and the miracle happens; the dirt and sun and rain do the work. Before long a green shoot appears, then the head forms, and finally the ripe grain is ready for harvest. That’s when the farmer goes to work!

“Since we’re talking about seeds and harvest, here’s another story. Once a farmer planted his crops and returned home to await the harvest. What he didn’t know was that an enemy sneeked in at night and threw seeds of worthless weeds all over the field. Once the plants were up and growing, the farm-help noticed the different kinds of leaves and asked the farmer how it happened that there were so many weeds mixed in. He recognized the dirty work of an enemy but warned them not to attempt to pull the weeds, saying, ‘If you did that now, you’d pull up the good plants, too. We’ll have to separate the wheat from the weeds at harvest time.’

“The mustard seed is another example of how the Kingdom works. It’s incredibly tiny and doesn’t seem like much when you plant it; but once it starts growing, it gets so large and strong that birds can build their nests among its branches.

“Ladies, here’s one for you: the Kingdom message is like yeast. It takes very little to affect a large batch of dough, doesn’t it?”

Even this story-telling aspect of Jesus’ ministry had been predicted in the Old Testament. There’s a verse that says, “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

Later, Jesus’ disciples asked Him to explain this last story. He said, “In this story, I am the farmer planting the good seed. The field is the world, the good seeds are all who belong to the Kingdom, and the weeds are Satan’s ‘children.’ The enemy, of course, is Satan. The harvest is the final judgment when time comes to an end, and my angels are the ones who bring in the harvest.

“In the same way that farmers around here separate out the worthless stalks and burn them, I will send out my angels to gather up those who persist in rebellion and wickedness. I will see that they are thrown into the furnace where there will be unbearable regret as they reap what they have sown. Meanwhile, the ones who have learned Kingdom ways will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom.

“Are you getting the message? Do you see the importance of the Kingdom? It’s like a treasure that was buried in a field. When a man discovered it, he perceived the extravagant value.  Then he went and sold everything he owned so he could buy the field and have that treasure. Or maybe it’s more like an unusual pearl in a merchant’s bucket. Someone who knew about pearls saw it and sold everything he had in order to buy it.

“Spreading the Kingdom message is like fishing with a big net. The net is put in the water and dragged back to shore. Once there, they get to work saving the good fish and throwing out the useless ones. Judgment Day will be like that when My angels separate the good from the bad. Again, it won’t be a good time for the wicked. They’ll realize after it’s too late that they didn’t get away with their sinful lives.

“Does this make sense to you?” Jesus asked.

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

“And so it is,” Jesus went on, “that everyone who studies the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who skillfully utilizes fresh new things as well as familiar old ones.”

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 16

March 5, Thursday

Washing Jesus FeetOne of the Pharisees invited Jesus to come to his home for a meal. During the meal a woman of ill-repute came in.  Weeping, she approached Jesus. Because they usually ate their dinners reclining, she came up behind Jesus and stood at His feet. She washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and kissed them. Then she anointed them with a fragrant oil.

Of course, the Pharisee was appalled at this and thought to himself, “If He were really a man of God, He’d know what kind of woman this is; and He would have stopped her.”

Jesus said to him, “Simon, let me tell you a story.”

Simon, the host, replied, “Do tell.”

And so Jesus began, “Once upon a time there was a banker who had made loans to two individuals. As time went on, it turned out that neither one could afford to pay back their debt. The banker, kind fellow that he was, forgave them both. Now, a question for you, Simon: if one of them owed fifty dollars and the other one ten times that, which one would love the banker most?”

Simon said, “No doubt it would be the one with the larger debt.”

Jesus answered, “You got that right! Now, about this woman: whereas you didn’t offer me the common courtesy of a foot-rinsing and a towel to dry them when I arrived, she, on the other hand washed them with her tears and dried them with her own hair. Some hosts greet their guests with a friendly kiss on the cheek — which you didn’t, she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since she got here. And some hosts bless their guests with a token anointing of perfume upon entering the house — again, not something you were inclined to do for Me; but the fragrant aroma of the oil she rubbed on my feet now fills the room. In other words, she who may have sinned greatly (in your eyes) has loved much. As for those who don’t feel the need for forgiveness, there’s not too much gratitude in their hearts.”

Then Jesus turned to the woman and said, “Your many sins are all forgiven.” While the other guests were trying to wrap their minds around how He could claim to forgive sins, Jesus went on to tell her, “Your trusting response to God has set you free. Go in peace.”

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Jesus continued His ministry to the towns and cities throughout Israel, spreading the liberating and exciting Message of what God’s Kingdom was like and how to be part of it. The twelve apostles went everywhere with Him, as well as a few women whose lives had been touched by Jesus. Among the women were Mary from Magdala, whom Jesus had rescued from seven demons; Joanna, wife of one of Herod’s personal assistants; and another named Susanna. Many women who had the means saw to the provisions Jesus and His disciples needed from day to day.

In one place they entered a house, but the crowd pressed in so tightly there wasn’t even room to sit down and eat. Not everyone was so impressed, however. Even some of his own family were saying that He was “out of His mind.” Nevertheless, the steady flow of blind, mute, and demon-possessed came and received their healing. The phenomenon was causing people to wonder if, in fact, this was the “Son of David” who would become their great deliverer and King.

The Pharisees would have none of it. Instead, they started explaining away Jesus’ activities as being energized by Beelzebub, another name for Satan, the ruler of the demons.

Jesus knew what they were thinking and spoke up, using some stories to make His point.

“Really now, why would Satan be in the business of casting out demons? Everyone knows that a kingdom divided from within can’t stand long. That’s no way to take dominion. Besides, if my exorcism is authored by Beelzebub, as you suggest, where do your sons get their power to do the same thing? If, on the other hand, I am doing this by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has come here and now.

“Who would ever think of breaking into the home of a strong man to rob him without first tying him up? Once that’s taken care of, he can plunder the whole place.

“I’m here to tell you that anyone who isn’t actively working with Me is working against Me; and worse than that, if anyone attributes the Message or work that I’m doing to the devil, they have committed an unpardonable sin — not because of what they’re saying about Me but because of what they’re saying about God’s Holy Spirit who is behind everything I do.

“It’s easy to tell what kind of tree you have by the fruit it produces. Some of you are like poisonous snakes spitting out your venom. What should we expect? What comes out of a man’s mouth is whatever his heart is full of. Your own words, even the most insignificant ones, will testify against you in the Great Judgment. But those who have stored up good treasure in their hearts will speak good things, and their testimony will acquit them on that Day. Words have consequences.”

The scribes and Pharisees shifted the subject matter by suggesting they just needed some clear sign or evidence that He was who He claimed to be.

Jesus didn’t change the subject but continued His scathing exposé: “It’s an adulterous, unbelieving generation that requires more signs. Here’s a sign for you: Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three long days and nights and the Son of Man will spend three days in the heart of the earth.

“Need another sign? The men of Ninevah will shake their heads at your unbelief since they repented when Jonah preached judgment to them, and I’m greater than Jonah.

“Or this one? The queen of Sheba will testify against you at the judgment since she traveled a long distance to hear what Solomon had to say, and I’m greater than Solomon.

“We’ve been talking about unclean spirits. Listen to this: suppose an evil spirit leaves a man and goes out looking for a better victim, but, after searching far and wide, finds nothing. That spirit will not only return to the cleaned-up but empty soul, but will also bring seven more treacherous spirits with him. Without question, the man is worse off at the end than he was at first. That’s a word for this wicked generation.”

While He was teaching the multitude, His mother and brothers came to talk with Him; but they couldn’t get anywhere near Him. Someone noticed them and let Him know they were there.

Jesus’ response was unexpected. “You want to meet my family?” He asked. “It’s you. Any of you who loves My Father and is anxious to hear what He says, and to do what He wants you to do is a member of My real family.”

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 15

March 4, Wednesday

NainOne evening Jesus went alone to a mountain and He spent the whole night in prayer. The next morning He called His followers together and chose twelve from among them to be His apostles. Their names were Simon (whom he named Peter), James and John (the sons of Zebedee, whom Jesus affectionately called the “Sons of Thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (Alphaeus’ son), Thaddaeus, Simon (the political activist), and Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

In commissioning them He endowed them with the power to heal and cast out demons just like He had.

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The next day as they came into the town of Nain, they encountered a funeral procession. A large crowd accompanied the grieving widow who had just lost her only son. They were carrying his body to the cemetery. Jesus approached the woman with deep compassion and encouraged her to stop the weeping. As He said this, He touched the open coffin and the crowd came to a standstill. “Young man,” Jesus said, “get up.”

Instantly the boy sat up and began talking. Jesus reunited him with his mother, and a wave of fear and awe swept through the crowd. One and then another exclaimed, “God has come to help us! What a prophet He has sent us! Glory to God!” This amazing miracle got reported far and wide, as you can imagine.

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All this time John the Baptist had been languishing in prison. When he heard reports of the great miracles Jesus was doing, he sent some of his disciples to ask Him whether, in fact, He was the promised Messiah or if they should still be looking for someone else to come and deliver them.

They brought the question to Jesus even as He was healing many who were sick, blind, and oppressed with demons. Jesus told them to reassure John that He was doing the work of the Messiah (even though it hadn’t resulted in deliverance for John the Baptist): there were blind who could see, lame who could walk, dead who were alive, and masses of poor who’d heard the good news. “And tell John,” He went on to say, “blessed are those who don’t get offended when My actions don’t fit with their expectations.”

After John’s disciples left, Jesus used the occasion to talk with the crowd about John and his ministry.

“Speaking of expectations, what did you think you’d find when you first went to meet John? A wimpy hermit? Or maybe a flashy grandstander? Those of you who expected a prophet found what you were looking for — and much more! In the honorable trail of God’s spokespersons, John had the prime assignment as the messenger predicted by Isaiah who would “prepare the way before Me.”

“However, as great as John was, being the last of the old order, those who now respond to the Kingdom message are in a greater position than he was. Yes, tax-collectors accepted God’s message by submitting to John’s baptism; while the Pharisees and experts in the Law refused his baptism, rejecting God’s plan for them. From the beginning of John’s preaching till now, the Kingdom has been making progress in spite of the violent attacks against it. And before John came, all the prophets of old and even the Law of Moses pointed forward to this time. For those willing to hear My message, John is obviously the promised forerunner, the one coming ‘in the spirit of Elijah’ to herald the new Kingdom as Malachi foretold.

“But how can I describe this fickle generation? It reminds Me of the children’s rhyme you hear in the market, ‘We play happy songs and you won’t dance; so we play sad songs and you don’t want that either.’ What I mean is, John showed up with an austere, restrictive diet, and folks said he was possessed; while I come feasting and partying, and they reject me as a glutton and drunkard, a low-life. Well, time will tell. In the end all will see what’s right.

Jesus then turned the focus on the cities of Galilee where He had done most of His miracles.

“What a golden opportunity this generation is missing! Why, if Tyre and Sidon had seen and heard the things you have, they’d have repented long ago. And as for you, Capernaum, who think you’re so great, Sodom and Gomorrah will get off easier on Judgment Day than you will; because if I’d have shown up and done there the miracles you’ve seen, those cities would still be around today.”

As He often did, Jesus looked up right in the middle of talking to the people and began talking to God: “Thank You, Father, Supreme Lord of heaven and earth. I love how You work, You’ve hidden these things from all who think they’re so smart, while revealing them to any who receive it with childlike simplicity.”

Turning again to the crowd, He explained, “Everything I say and do comes from the Father. No one knows Me as He does and no one knows Him as I do, unless I choose to reveal Him to them. Come, all of you who are worn out with trying to get it right; experience My rest. “Walk with Me and work with Me – watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”[1]

[1] As paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in The Message.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 14

March 3, Tuesday

grainfieldA week later on the Sabbath, Jesus and the disciples were walking through some fields and they picked a few heads of grain. After rubbing them in their hands to remove the chaff, they ate them. The Pharisees were right there accusing them of working on the Sabbath again. Jesus decided to give them a lesson on Sabbath-keeping.

“Have you read about the time when David and his men were famished, and the only food they could find was the showbread from the temple? Don’t you remember how Abiathar, the high priest, gave them some even though it was against the Law?

“How about the fact that every Saturday your own priests break the Sabbath just doing their jobs? God doesn’t hold that against them. You don’t understand the heart of God or you’d appreciate His preference for ‘mercy over sacrifice,’ and you wouldn’t be so quick to condemn people whom He doesn’t. You’d also realize that One greater than the temple is here and that God created the Sabbath as a blessing for mankind, not as a way to oppress them.”

The Sabbath controversy wasn’t going away. On yet another Sabbath day while Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, a man with a withered hand showed up. Of course, the scribes and Pharisees were all eyes, waiting to see if Jesus would heal him. Jesus knew what they were thinking so He asked them, “Is it against the law to heal on the Sabbath?” Then He called for the man to come down to the front where everyone could see what was going on. Jesus repeated the question, “Which is against the law, doing good by saving lives even though it’s the Sabbath or doing evil by destroying them?”

The crowd remained silent. “Tell me none of you has ever had to go out and rescue a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath. Be honest, did you think twice about lifting the helpless creature out? Now which is of greater value, a sheep or a human being? So we’re agreed then:  it’s okay to do good on the Sabbath.”

Jesus could see that the Pharisees were hardened in their rejection of Him and He was angry. He told the man to stretch out his hand which, when he did, became instantly as healthy as his other hand. That made the Pharisees so furious that they left and began plotting with the Herodians[1] to destroy Him.

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Jesus, knowing what they were up to, headed back to Galilee with His disciples. A crowd made up of folks from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, the other side of the Jordan, and Tyre and Sidon all converged around Him.  He asked His disciples to prepare a boat in case He needed to get away before being crushed by the multitude. Once again He healed all who were afflicted and cast out the demons. Whenever the unclean spirits cried out, “You are the Son of God,” He warned them to stop revealing His identity.

God had spoken about His coming Messiah through Isaiah the prophet: “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases Me. I will put my Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout or raise His voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Ultimately, He will cause justice to be victorious and His Name will be the hope of all the world.”

[1] A radical group that was normally at odds with the Pharisee’s agenda because they wanted a political coup to restore Herod’s dynasty.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Days 12 & 13

March 1, Sunday

BethesdaThe first thing that happened as Jesus and the crowd came toward the town was an encounter with a leper. The man knelt in front of Jesus and said, “Sir, I know You could heal me if You wanted to.”

Jesus laid His hand on the man’s head and said, “Of course I want to. Be clean!” The man’s disease disappeared. Nothing like this had ever happened before, so Jesus instructed him to go to the priest and follow the instructions Moses had prescribed. Jesus knew that this would be startling evidence to the priests. “Oh, and don’t say anything to anyone before you do this,” Jesus told him.

Instead, the man went all over the region spreading his good news. As a result the crowds became so huge that Jesus could rarely go into the cities. He had to stay out in the rural areas, and the people came to Him for healing. Jesus often escaped to the desert to pray.

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One day a Roman centurion who lived in Capernaum heard that Jesus was nearby. He sent some of the influential Jewish leaders to appeal to Him for help; his servant was paralyzed and desperately ill. They approached Jesus explaining that, even though this was a Roman soldier, he had been very helpful in the community, having built them a synagogue, and was worthy of Jesus’ attention.

Jesus was more than willing to help, so He went with them. He wasn’t far from the house when the centurion sent some friends to convey a message. “Sir,” they explained, “our friend, the centurion, wants You to know that he’s not important enough for You to come into his home or even to personally approach You. He said to tell You that he knows if You would just give the command, his servant would recover. You see, he’s very familiar with how authority works. He’s got men under him who instantly do whatever he tells them to, and he knows You have the authority to do this.”

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. “This man gets it,” He said to the crowd, “and he’s a Gentile! Take note! When I sit down in the Kingdom of heaven to feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, there’ll be a lot of folks there who aren’t Jewish, while many who ought to have understood who I am will be banished to outer darkness and filled with regret.”

Having issued that warning, Jesus told the friends that when they went back, they would find that what the centurion believed could happen did happen. Yes, the servant, as it turns out, had been healed at the very moment Jesus said that.

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Some days later when Jesus was at home in Capernaum, a crowd gathered. Soon there were so many in and around the place that no one else could possibly get to Him. Among those who were present were many Pharisees and teachers of the Law from nearby towns and from as far away as Jerusalem. Again, Jesus displayed His power and many were being healed.

It so happened that some men whose friend was paralyzed brought him to see Jesus, carrying him on a stretcher; but because of the crowd, they couldn’t get in. That didn’t stop them. Since the houses had flat roofs with stairs leading up, they took their friend onto the roof and proceeded to remove some of the ceiling tiles. Once they had a large enough opening, they lowered their friend on his stretcher right in front of Jesus. Amazed at the determination and faith of the friends, Jesus looked at the paralytic and said, “This is your day, son, your sins are forgiven!”

That wasn’t what anyone was expecting to hear, and the scribes were thinking to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins.”

Jesus perceived by the Spirit what they were thinking, so He rebuked them, saying, “Why are you thinking that? Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Get up and walk’? To show that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins, I’ll now tell him to get up and walk.”

“Rise up,” Jesus commanded. “Take your bedding and be on your way.”

Immediately the man got up.  He was overjoyed, the crowd was awestruck, and all were thanking God for imparting such power to this unusual Man.

March 2, Monday

Later on, Jesus left the house and was heading down to the sea with the massive crowd at His heels. Along the way He saw a man named Levi (also called Matthew) sitting at his desk in the tax-collector’s office. Jesus invited him to come along as one of His disciples. Matthew jumped to his feet, left his books, and followed Him.

Not long afterward, Matthew hosted a great party at his estate for his friends and fellow tax-collectors (not the most respected folk in the community) to meet Jesus.

The Pharisees apparently weren’t invited, but they heard about it and confronted some of His disciples, asking, “Does your Master know the kind of people He’s eating with?”

Jesus overheard the question and retorted with this question: “Now, who goes to see the doctor — the healthy or the sick? I didn’t come to help the people who think they’re just fine; I’m here for those who know they need My help. You should go back and study the phrase ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’ until you understand what God meant by it.”

Later some of John’s disciples and orthodox Jews asked Jesus why He and His disciples seemed to spend more time feasting than fasting. Jesus explained using the analogy of a wedding. “Surely you wouldn’t expect the wedding guests to fast when the bridegroom is with them. A time will come — after the bridegroom leaves — when there’ll be plenty of time to fast.

He went on to illustrate that their problem lay in trying to fit His Message into their religious system. He gave the example of patching torn clothing, saying, “A tailor knows better than to patch with unshrunken material. If he did, the first time it got laundered the material would shrink and make the tear even bigger.” He gave them another example of a vintner making good wine. “If he put new wine into weathered, used containers, they’d burst as the wine aged. That’s why they always use new wineskins when making wine. Your problem is that you’re satisfied with the old and don’t want the ‘new wine’ I’m offering.”

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Sometime later during one of the feasts, Jesus went back to Jerusalem. Near one of the city gates called the Sheep Gate was a public pool that had five levels of deck surrounding it. There was a legend that from time to time an angel would “stir the waters,” and whoever got to the water first was healed. Jesus saw a man lying there who had obviously been there for a long time; he’d been disabled for thirty-eight years. So He asked the man, “Would you like to be healed?”

Rather than answering directly, the man explained that he couldn’t be healed because someone else always beat him to the water when it was stirred. Jesus said, “Just get up and take your bedroll home.” The man stood to his feet, rolled up his mat and began making his way home.

You’d think everyone would be thrilled, but there was a problem. Some orthodox Jews saw the man and confronted him. “Don’t you know it’s the Sabbath? You shouldn’t be doing work like carrying your bedding.” The man explained that he’d just been healed, and whoever healed him had told him to take his bedroll home.

“Who told you that?” they demanded. But the man had no idea who Jesus was; He had disappeared into the crowd by then.

Later that day Jesus found him in the temple and warned him, “Now that you’ve been healed, be careful not to make wrong choices again, lest something worse happen to you.”

The next time the man saw the legalistic Jews, he told them that it had been Jesus who healed him. This infuriated them, and they looked for a way to kill Him because He was desecrating the Sabbath. To make matters worse, Jesus told the crowds, “My Father is the One doing this work through Me — even though it’s the Sabbath.” So now, on top of Sabbath-breaking, Jesus was claiming to be equal with God, like a son with his father. That was blasphemy in their minds.

Jesus didn’t shy away from the subject. He went on at length explaining His relationship with the Father. “The truth is I don’t do anything out of my own initiative. My Father loves me and shows Me what He’s doing, and I work alongside Him. He plans to do even greater things that are sure to amaze you:  the Father can raise the dead and I, likewise, give life to the dead. The fact is that the Father has turned over the judgment of mankind to Me. If you won’t honor Me for Who I am, then it reveals that you aren’t honoring the Father who sent Me.

“Speaking of judgment, whoever takes Me at My word and embraces My Message as being God’s truth has already escaped death and judgment and has begun really living. This isn’t some future resurrection I’m describing; it’s for anyone here and now who will listen to Me. The Father and I have this life in Us, and We can give it to whomever We choose.

“Yes, there will be a future resurrection and some will enter eternity with Our life in them, while others will face an eternity of separation from Us. I’m not making this up. The Father has established this and I am speaking for Him. My life isn’t about doing the things I want to do but always pursuing the desires My Father has.

“You may not feel that you can take My word about this, but I have witnesses that I speak the truth. John the Baptist testified about Me and you respected his ministry (at least for a while), but I have a far greater witness:  the miracles I’ve already done. They are proof that God is working through Me. Yes, the Father who sent Me here has also testified about Me.

“Unfortunately, you wouldn’t be able to recognize His voice. The way you’re responding to Me shows that you don’t have a clue what He’s saying even though you study the Scriptures diligently. You think that the more you learn about God the better off you are; when the truth of the matter is that all those Scriptures point to Me, and you won’t come to Me for life.

“I don’t need approval from you. I’ve seen your circles of approval; it’s more important to you to get men’s praise than to be honored by God. You clearly haven’t experienced the love of God for yourselves. And don’t tell Me you’re Moses’ disciples. Everything Moses wrote pointed to Me, so you really don’t believe his words or you’d be receiving Mine.”

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 11

February 28, Saturday

Sermon Crowd“Probably one of the biggest areas where God’s kingdom contrasts with our normal thinking has to do with money. What you treasure will run your life, so don’t waste it piling up all kinds of earthly possessions. There is a way to stockpile treasures in Heaven where they can’t get stolen or lose their value. Do that instead.

“Don’t you see that what you think is most important will color all the rest of your desires? If you’re focused on earthly delights, your whole life will be characterized by darkness. If you look at things the way God designed you to, then your whole body will be full of light.

“So when it comes to money, you can’t love money and God. You’ll always end up loving one and hating the other because it interferes with what you want.

“In practical terms, this means you should never worry about temporal things like food, clothing, or housing. Instead, if you really believe God is your Source and that He cares for you, focus your desires on the things He loves and He’ll take care of the details. Look how well He provides for the birds. Look how magnificently He clothes the flowers which are ‘here today and gone tomorrow.’ Keep reminding yourself how much more valuable you are to Him than these things. The pagans who don’t know the Father fuss over these things. But what profit is there in worrying about the future — especially when we know the God who has everything under control.

“Be careful, too, how you think and talk about others. On the one hand you dare not be judgmental because you realize how many flaws there are in your own character. Deal honestly with your own issues first, then you can help others with theirs. Treat others the way you want to be treated. On the other hand, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be discerning. Some people are simply not ready for kingdom truth; and if you waste your time trying to convince them, they’ll make you sorry you did.  They are like pigs trampling precious pearls and then turning to attack you.

“The great thing about living in the Kingdom is that your Heavenly Father is so much better than the very best dad this world can imagine. No loving father would let his son down by giving him a stone to eat when he asked for bread or by handing him a snake when he wanted fish, would he? So when you come to the Father, ask and you will receive. Lacking wisdom? Seek it from Him and you’ll find what you’re looking for. Needing doors to be opened? Knock on His door and watch what He opens.

“My final point is that life will offer you many choices and lots of decisions. Don’t go with the crowd. They’re taking the easy way, not realizing that it leads to disaster. Choose the right path even though it may be lonely and hard going at times.

“Along the way you’ll find plenty of folks ready to tell you which way to go.  There are a lot of greedy wolves out there who cover themselves in sheepskin and try to make you think they are like you. Watch their lives; you can tell a tree by the fruit it produces.  Evil people can only hope to produce trouble because of what they store in their hearts.  They could no more produce good works than a clump of thistles can sprout figs. Listening to people’s words will reveal what is in their heart. Upright men have a lot to offer because of the good treasure they’ve invested in their hearts. If a person consistently exhibits good character, you can be sure he or she is a “good tree.”

“How is it that you call me ‘Lord’ but aren’t interested in doing the things I say to do? You see, it’s not what someone says that matters. On the Day of Judgment a whole lot of folks will claim to have served me, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we do all these things in Your name?’ I’ll have to tell them outright, ’Away from Me. I never knew you. You were actually working against Me.’ It makes sense, doesn’t it, that only those who live the way My Heavenly Father wants them to will enter His kingdom?

“You can picture it like this: Everyone who hears what I’ve just said and takes action on it is like a sensible man who builds his house on a rock. No matter what storms come against that house, it can’t be destroyed because it’s attached to a secure foundation.

“On the other hand, if you listen to my teaching and go on living life the way you always have, you’re building your life on sand. When the hard times come, you’ll come crashing down.”

As Jesus finished speaking, the people just sat there in awe. In all their lives they hadn’t heard anyone teach with such authority, like He knew what He was talking about and meant every word.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 10

February 27, Friday

Semon on the MountJesus took His disciples away from the city and began to explain to them how God’s kingdom differed from life as they’d known it.

  • “God’s blessing is on all who recognize their poverty without Him. Heaven’s kingdom is prepared for people like that.
  • All who have known deep sorrow will experience great comfort.
  • In God’s plan the earth belongs not to the power-brokers but to the humble.
  • All who long for God’s way of life will find full satisfaction in Him.
  • Those who show mercy to others will themselves be shown mercy.
  • Only those whose hearts are pure will see God.
  • Those who are truly God’s children will work peace in the world.

“Along the way, as you live like this, you will suffer persecution, slander, and false accusations; but you can rejoice anyway because God is saving up a huge reward for you in His kingdom. Know that you’re in good company with the holy prophets of old who were similarly mistreated.

“On the other hand, what troubles and heartaches await you who revel in your prosperity! What desperate hunger lies in store for all who boast of their affluence! The ones who spend their days in frivolity and pleasure will discover what mourning and grief feel like, and all who are given places of honor by the crowds will find out how worthless that praise is. For generations, people like them cheered on the false teachers and prophets.

“While you are in the world you serve as salt, preserving and enhancing; unless you lose your ‘saltiness,’ in which case you’ve lost your value. While you are in the world you are like lights, doing good things that can be seen by others to help them recognize and honor your Father in heaven. Let your life be a beacon of light in the darkness.

“I am not bringing you a new teaching that does away with the Old Testament. No, I have come to demonstrate how all that it teaches can be lived to the full. Those who minimize the importance of God’s revealed will won’t amount to much in His kingdom, while those who live it and teach it will be great. My message is this: unless and until you are living better than the scribes and Pharisees you won’t even get into the kingdom of heaven. Surely a blind person can’t provide assistance to others who are blind; they’ll both fall into the ditch. Those who truly learn from their teachers eventually become like them.

“Let me explain what I mean. The letter of the Law, to which the scribes and Pharisees proudly adhere, says, ‘You must not murder.’ They are quick to bring murderers to justice. But I’m here to tell you that if you even get angry with your brother, call him a fool, or curse him in your heart, you are in danger of the fiery judgment of hell.

“Once you understand the tremendous value God places on human souls, you’ll make reconciliation and restitution a priority, even to the point of interrupting your worship. If, while you are worshiping, you remember that you have offended someone, drop what you’re doing and go make peace with them. Only then will your offering be pleasing to the Lord.

“Here’s another example: The commandment literally says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ I’m telling you that if you even look twice at a woman to satisfy your sexual appetite, you have broken this Law. Once you recognize the sacredness of human sexuality, you’ll see why it would be better to pluck out your eyes and go through life blind or handicapped than to be led astray by your senses and end up in hell.

“The scribes and Pharisees have declared: ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce;’ but I say that whoever divorces his wife (unless she has been unfaithful to her husband) is making her an adulteress because whoever marries a divorced woman is committing adultery.

“They have also made up elaborate rules about the right way to make promises or swear oaths. Supposedly, if you swear by Heaven or earth or Jerusalem your word is more binding. My word to you is that everyone should speak forthrightly, honestly, and plainly: ‘yes’ means yes, ‘no’ means no; and if you say you’ll do something, be sure you follow through. After all, what good is it to swear by something over which you have no control? Heaven, after all, is God’s throne, the earth His footstool and Jerusalem belongs to the great King. Why, you can’t even stop your hair from turning gray, so what good is it to ‘swear by your own head?’

“The Law, as understood by the scribes and Pharisees, exacts meticulous retribution — that is, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth;’ but let me describe God’s heart in this matter: if someone hits you, don’t hit him back. If he wins a case against you and demands your shirt as payment, give him your jacket as well. And if anyone forces you to go a mile with him (as soldiers often did in those days requiring citizens to carry their packs), offer to go a second mile. In God’s Kingdom if someone has a need and asks for help, we don’t turn our backs on him.

“Your religious teachers take the command to ‘love your neighbor’ and add ‘hate your enemy.’ On the contrary, I encourage you to love your enemies and to pray for those who abuse you; do good things for those who hate you and even bless the ones who curse you. That will demonstrate that you are like your Heavenly Father who equally dispenses sunlight and rain upon those who are honest and good as well as the evildoers. Only loving those who are nice to you is no great accomplishment. Anyone can do that! Treat others the way you want to be treated. If you only greet the folks you like, you’re acting just like the pagans. No, your lives must reflect the heart of your Heavenly Father: perfectly loving.

“Earlier I explained that when you do good deeds it gives the world a chance to see what a life connected with God can look like. Having said that, you have to be careful that you don’t end up living for the attention and praise of the people around you. If you do that, you’ll miss out on getting the reward only God can give.

“Here are a few examples:

  1. Don’t broadcast when you help the poor. You’ve seen the type. They hire a trumpeter to march in front of them calling attention to their act of mercy. What a sham! Instead, if you do these acts in secret, your Father who sees everything will reward you in His time.
  2. Don’t make a show of praying to God. Again, the guys that stand and give long prayers in church may impress the people, but they don’t have God’s attention. He loves to meet with you in private and hear your heart, not a bunch of fancy words. After all, He knows what you need before you even ask Him.

He listens to simple prayers like this:

Our Heavenly Father,
may your Name be honored in my life,
may You govern our lives
and may Your heart’s desire be accomplished
here on earth the way it is in heaven.

We recognize you as our Source
and ask only for what we need for this day.

We know we need Your forgiveness
and we need You to help us
forgive others who wrong us.

Protect us from the Tempter
and when we are tempted
help us to never choose evil.

The kingdom, the power, and the glory
belong to You forever. Amen.

Only if you are willing to forgive those who have wronged you, will your Heavenly Father forgive you.  If you refuse to forgive, the Father cannot extend forgiveness to you.

  1. Finally, if you decide to fast by denying yourself some food or pleasure in order to draw near to God, don’t let others know about it. Again, your Father who looks on the heart will reward you far better than the praise you might get from friends for being ‘so spiritual.’
by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 9

February 26, Thursday

Nazareth SynagogueFrom there Jesus made His way to His hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath He went to the synagogue as usual. He stood up to read the Scripture of the day; and when He was given the scroll, He turned to the prophet Isaiah and read these words:

“‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.’”

After handing the scroll back to the attendant, He sat down; everyone was watching and waiting to see if He would comment on the passage. He spoke to them and said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled before your very eyes!”

The congregation was amazed at how simply yet profoundly He spoke. They couldn’t get over the fact that this was “Joseph’s son” who had grown up in their neighborhood.

He rebuked them saying, “I know you’re waiting to see Me perform the miracles you’ve been hearing about; but, as the saying goes, ‘no prophet is honored by those he grew up with.’ No, as history records, back in the days of Elijah there was a great famine. There were plenty of widows in Israel, but he was sent to help a Sidonian widow. And in Elisha’s day, while there were many lepers in Israel, none of them was healed — only Naaman, the Syrian.”

Suddenly the mood in the synagogue changed and everyone became furious. They dragged Him toward a cliff at the edge of town, intending to throw Him off; but mysteriously, He walked right through the crowd and got away.

________________

Jesus moved to Capernaum and established that as His home. Capernaum is at the north end of the Sea of Galilee in the regions originally parceled out to Zebulun and Naphtali (two of the original tribes of Israel). Once again, a prophecy from centuries before was being fulfilled:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness saw a great light; and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus’ Message was, “Get serious about your life: God’s Kingdom is here.”

One day as He walked near the Sea of Galilee, He noticed Simon Peter and Andrew whom He had met previously. They were fisherman, but Jesus invited them to follow Him, saying, “I will make you fishers of men.” Without hesitation they left their nets and followed Him. Further down the beach they came upon James and John along with their father, Zebedee. They were busy mending nets, but Jesus also invited them to become His followers. They quickly left everything with their father and his hired hands.

________________

Together they went to Capernaum and entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus taught the people and they were amazed at how He spoke with such authority, unlike their usual teachers.

On one Sabbath a man who had a demon was in attendance. He shouted at Jesus saying, “Leave us alone! What do we have to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who You are: the Holy One from God!”

Jesus rebuked the spirit, telling it to be quiet and to come out of the man. Then the man’s body shook violently. The spirit shrieked and came out of him. After this, Jesus’ teaching and authority were the topic of much conversation throughout Galilee. The people wondered how He could command evil spirits and get them to obey Him with a word.

After the synagogue service Jesus and his followers went to the home of Simon Peter and Andrew, where Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. They told Jesus about it and asked Him to help. He went to her side, took her hand, and rebuked the fever. Immediately she was healed, got out of bed, and began serving them.

That same evening the whole community showed up at the house where Jesus was staying. They brought all kinds of sick and demon-possessed to Him. He healed them all, laying hands on them and casting out demons with a command. The demons kept shouting, “You are the Messiah, the Son of God!” But Jesus silenced them.

The prophet Isaiah had predicted Jesus’ healing work when he wrote, “He Himself took our infirmities and removed our diseases.”

Jesus got up very early the next morning and went out to a quiet place away from the city where He could pray. Before long, Simon and the others found Him and told Him that everyone was looking for Him. The crowd didn’t want Him to leave, but He explained that He had to preach the Message of God’s Kingdom to the other cities.

He went throughout Galilee preaching, healing, and casting out demons. His fame spread and they kept bringing Him all who had various afflictions. People also came from Syria, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. Soon the crowds were so large He had to get in a boat and teach them from there.

After a while He told Simon to take the boat out further and put in their nets for a catch. Simon retorted with the complaint that they’d been fishing all night and had caught nothing. “But Master, since You say so we’ll try it,” he rather begrudgingly assented.

No sooner had they dropped their nets in than they were teeming with so many fish the nets began to break. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. There were so many fish that when they loaded them into the boats they began to sink.

Simon, who had been fishing that lake all his life, had never seen anything like it. He knew Jesus had caused this. He fell down in front of Him and said, “O Lord, I’m not worthy to have You in my boat. I am too much of a sinner to be around You.”

Jesus reassured him, saying, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you’ll be in the business of catching men.” So as soon as they reached the shore, they left their fishing boats to follow Him.

by jdansmall

Jesus’ Story – Day 8

February 25, Wednesday

Woman at the WellJohn was imprisoned for publicly exposing Herod’s many misconducts, which included adultery with his sister-in-law, Herodias.  When Jesus learned about John’s incarceration and also of the Pharisees’ awareness that His popularity was eclipsing that of John the Baptist, He left Judea to return to Galilee.

Ordinarily, Jews traveling between Judea and Galilee took the long way around, avoiding Samaria because they despised Samaritans. But leading His disciples north, Jesus explained that He needed to go through Samaria. Around noon they approached the city of Sychar, the site of Jacob’s well. This was an area bequeathed to Joseph by the patriarch Jacob.

Jesus was quite tired so He rested by the well while the disciples went into the city for some lunch. When a woman approached the well, Jesus asked her if she would give Him a cup of water. Knowing that Jews normally wouldn’t have any dealings with Samaritans, she asked Him, “How is it that You, a Jew, are willing to ask a Samaritan for a drink — and a woman, no less?”

Jesus said, “Ma’am, if you only knew what God wants to give you and Who it is you’re speaking with, you would be asking Me for a drink of living water!”

The woman didn’t know what to say to that. She couldn’t imagine what He was talking about. “Sir, I see that You don’t have anything to draw water with,” she said. “Where would You get this ‘living water’? Surely You’re not claiming to be greater than our forefather Jacob, who watered his flocks and drank from this well himself, are You?”

Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks from this well will have to come back again and again, but whoever drinks of the water I give will never thirst again. The water will spring up inside him, bringing God’s kind of life.”

That sounded great to the woman. She told Him, “I’d like some of that water! That way I won’t have to keep coming out here to this well.”

Jesus’ response was rather unusual. He asked her to get her husband, to which she replied, “I don’t have a husband.”

Then Jesus told her, “You are right when you say you don’t have a husband right now. You have had five husbands, and you’re not married to the man with whom you’re currently living.”

No doubt embarrassed by the course of this conversation, she changed the subject. “Sir, you’re obviously a prophet with special insights. Our fathers have worshiped for generations on this mountain while the Jews say Jerusalem is the only proper place God has ordained for worship.” The question inferred was, “Who is right?”

Jesus used her diversion to announce the very essence of His Message. “Ma’am,” He said to her, “although the emphasis has for centuries been about where we worship, that’s about to change forever. The Jews do have an advantage because the Message explaining all this does come through their blood-line. However, regardless of heritage, God is looking for those who worship Him genuinely from the core of their being. God is spirit, you know, so what matters is whether we live authentically out of our spirits.”

Eager to end this conversation, as it was getting a little deep, she said, “I’m sure that when the promised Messiah comes, He’ll be able to explain all this.”

Jesus smiled and replied, “Here I am.” Before they could continue the discussion, the disciples returned from the town. It was obvious from the look on their faces that they were shocked to see their Master openly conversing with a Samaritan woman.

She took this interruption as an opportunity to hurry back to the city. She went immediately to some of the men and said, “You’ve got to come see this Man I met, Who, never having seen me before, told me everything I’ve ever done. Do you think He could be the Messiah?”

This piqued their curiosity and a crowd headed for the well. Meanwhile, Jesus’ disciples urged Him to join in their meal. “You go ahead,” He said, “I’m feeling pretty full right now Myself.” The disciples looked at each other, wondering if someone else had brought by some food. Jesus explained, “What satisfies Me most is doing the work the Father has assigned Me. Look around; the harvest is ready! Obviously I’m not talking about the physical fields of grain you can see — they won’t be ready for another four months. No, I’m talking about a spiritual crop that produces eternal life. Some have the task of planting the seeds; others get to reap the fruit. In this work others have been planting seeds for a long time, and you get to be part of their hard work by gathering the harvest.”

The disciples were about to see this come true. The crowd came out to meet Him and were so taken with His Message that they urged Him to stay on in Sychar. Jesus and His disciples stayed for two days. The testimony of the villagers was, “We first believed because of what You were able to tell this woman; but now, having heard for ourselves, we know that You are the Messiah, the One sent to save the world.”

________________

Then Jesus, empowered by the Spirit, returned to Galilee. Many of the people had been to Jerusalem and news of His activities had spread quickly. He was welcomed in the region and He taught regularly in their synagogues.

One of the towns in Galilee was Cana where He had turned water into wine. An influential leader from Cana found Jesus and begged Him to come to his home to heal his son who lay at the point of death. Jesus rebuked him saying, “Why won’t you believe in Me unless I do a miracle?”

But the official persisted, “Sir, come quickly or he will surely die.”

To which Jesus stated simply, “You may return home; your son is healed.” The man took Jesus at His word and headed home.

Along the way, some of his servants ran to meet him and joyfully announced that his son was better. The man asked when the change had occurred, and they told him it had been around 1 p.m. The official realized that this was the very hour he had met with Jesus. Then he and his entire household believed in Jesus. So Jesus had now performed a second miracle in Galilee.