Power Stories

Power Stories From Mark

These stories are based on the Gospel of Mark. I tried to imagine some scenes, to fill in the blanks of what was going on. They may or may not have happened like this. When it’s a direct quote from the Bible, that’s indicated. Each week we’ll add an installment until we’re all the way through the book. The latest installment is on top followed by the first one. The rest follow in order.

David Porter, copyright 2011/2012

More Questions. More Amazement (12:13)

The leaders’ latest stratagem shuffled towards the crowd listening to Jesus. These Pharisees and Heriodians affected an interested gaze at the Master and pretended to listen to what he was teaching.

Jesus’ teaching style opened the floor to questions, so these men pushed through to him. “Teacher,” one said in a slimy-sweet voice. “We know you speak for God and you wouldn’t say anything to simply please people, so we want you to help us get to the truth of something.

“We’re Pharisees and we believe that there is no way a free Jewish people should be paying taxes to Rome. These men here,” he indicated the others with him, “are Herodians and believe we should cooperate with the Romans, make the best of the situation, at least for the moment.

“Tell us what you think about paying taxes to Rome,” he said and waited with a self-satisfied air. Both parties were pretty sure that they had him now. If he said to pay taxes, many in the crowd would be mad at him, and if he said to not pay taxes, well, Caesar had people designated to take care of malcontents like that.

Jesus looked at them with disdain. “Why are you trying to trap me?” His words pierced their hypocrisy. “Bring me a denarius, the coin you pay taxes with.”

One of the Herodians produced a large coin from a small purse he carried. Jesus held it up. “Whose picture is on this coin?” he addressed one of the smug Pharisees in the front row.

“Why, uh, it’s Caesar’s. That’s obvious.” He answered.

“Well, you give Caesar what belongs to him and give God what belongs to Him.”

“Whoa!” Phillip thought. “They didn’t expect that. Me, either as a matter of fact.”

One of the Pharisees opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again as he thought better of it. They all shuffled away, scratching their heads, trying to think of a comeback but nothing came to them at that time. Or later either.

And Phillip wondered how the Master could answer, not only correctly but so well, and in such a memorable way.

There Is A Resurrection (12:18-27)

Since the Pharisees and Herodians had been humiliated in their attempts to embarrass Jesus, the Sadducees decided to show them how it was done. These men weren’t only the financial elite of the country but also the intellectual elite.

After all, they were “smart” enough to know that the resurrection was only symbolic and all this talk about angels, miracles, and such like was just the superstitious drivel of an intellectually inferior people.

You could tell the common people anything.

“Master,” one of them said, clearing his intellectually-superior throat and speaking through his upturned, intellectually-superior nose. “Here’s a question that ‘s been bothering us. Moses told us that if a man died having no children, then his brother should marry the widow and raise up children for him.”

“What now?” James thought and shook his head. “I’m sure they’ve been staying up nights wondering about that question.”

“Well, in this family there were seven brothers. One married a wife and died without children. Then the other six followed suite with the woman but none of them had children with her. They all died, one by one, then so did she.

“What we’d like to know is, whose wife will she be in the resurrection?” A couple of them cast intellectually-superior glances at each other, smiling to think that they’d stumped this simple peasant, at the same time debunking the silly idea of a bodily resurrection.

“You guys are in error because you don’t know the scriptures and you don’t know God’s power!”

“Ouch!” Wide-open eyes appeared above the uplifted noses as if reacting to a slap.

“When the dead come back to life, there will no longer be any marriage; everyone will be like God’s angels in that respect. But as to your real question: ‘Do the dead live again?’ Haven’t you read Moses’ account of the burning bush where God says, ‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am their God, not I was their God. They’re alive. He’s not the God of the dead but of the living.

“You guys just don’t know what you’re talking about.”

This time it wasn’t just Sadducee mouths that dropped open but the whole crowd was amazed to see such an evident proof of the resurrection, something that they had read and quoted all their lives and never seen.”

A Law teacher came up during this exchange and was pleased by Jesus’ answer. He had his own question, “Which one of the commandments is the most important,” he asked Jesus.

There was a different tone in his voice, and Jesus immediately perceived the lack of hypocrisy . Jesus looked him in the eyes and answered, “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” (vv. 29, 30, NIV)

“And you can’t disassociate the second from the first: ‘Love your neighbor like you love yourself.’ These are the greatest commandments; everything else is built on these and relates back to them in one way or another.”

“You got that right,” the young man replied. “To love God with everything you’ve got and to love others as much as yourself is worth as much as a ton of burnt sacrifices and offerings.”

This time it was Jesus who was a bit surprised. “You’re not far from God’s Kingdom,” he said with deep conviction.

Well, that put an end to the questions because the questioners hadn’t had a whole lot of success in embarrassing Jesus. More like the opposite. Their faces were red.

It was time for them to answer questions, though.

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1.Man On the “Worst-dressed” List (Mark 1:1)

The hairy man waited in the river’s water and one by one, hundreds of people came to be plunged into the river, either by the fellow himself or one of his disciples.

He wasn’t the kind of man you would walk by without noticing and probably many prophets since, some true and some false, have patterned themselves on John the Baptizer.

Camel’s hair robes weren’t exactly in style that year and Pentecostal Christians didn’t race the Baptists to the restaurant to feast on locusts and wild honey, John’s meal of choice. It had been a while since a barber had worked on him  (like never, since he was a Nazarite).

Everything about him said, “Stop and think! Do clothes and food, soft living and good looks sum up your existence? Is that what life is really about?”

But, his message shook people more than his appearance. “Repent!” he thundered from the river. “Change your wicked way of living. Quit conning people. Quit profiting from your strength to oppress. Quit playing spiritual games to hide your ungodliness! Start giving and thinking about others!” C’mon John, just say what you’re thinking will you?

There on the bank men were shaken. The hot sun beat down on the religious leader in his expensive robe, but the greatest heat he felt came from the Spirit, who probed all the way down to his heart.

“Ridiculous!” sounded his defense. “This guy’s theology is so shallow. He’s never studied. Doesn’t he know that these people are poor and sick because of their sin or Yahweh’s decision?”

But, he saved his comments for tea time with his buddies because as much as he despised these common folk, he had to please them, at least a bit, if he wanted to keep his favored position. A little water never hurt anyone, specially if it kept him in a leadership position.

“Brood of snakes!” the voice boomed from the river. “What are you doing down here? Change your life if you want baptism to do anything for you. You’re not going to make it with God because of your race or your religion. Change your life!”

The bent over lady in the front row nodded slightly. She’d been waiting a long life for the Messiah and she couldn’t help wonder if she wasn’t listening to him now. As if in answer to her question John responded, “”After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mk. 1:7, 8 )

Then who was this fellow and why did he baptize people? Repentance makes hearts ready for salvation and John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance—change your life, turn around!

One day the man who shocked everyone was shocked himself as he looked up and saw a familiar figure coming towards him. Those waiting to be baptized followed his gaze to a man entering the water.

John seemed to know him.

“John, baptize me.”

“Jesus … I’m not worthy to baptize you. You should be baptizing me.” A man listening nearby swatted at a pesky horsefly’s buzz and strained to hear Jesus’ answer. “Do it John. We’re got to do everything that’s right and it’s right that I do this.”

With that John advanced, put his hand firmly on Jesus’ back under his shoulders, placed the other hand on his chest, and plunged him into the water, getting his habitual wetting as the water splashed up.

Jesus, hair glued to his head, didn’t leave the water immediately but stayed to pray. Suddenly John’s expression changed to wonder as did that of Jesus. They both saw it. A dove descending from heaven. Then the voice. John never forgot that voice.

“This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (New Living Translation)

John always knew that his cousin Jesus was different. Now he knew just how different he really was. Son of God! Messiah! This was the One!
(Mark 1:1-11)

2.  If You’re Really God’s Son (Mk. 1:12, 13)
“Rrrrr, urrrrr.” “Yep, fellows that’s how it was, growling stomach and all. Even God’s son has a growling stomach when he doesn’t eat for 40 days.”“But why did you go into the desert?” Matthew asked. “You were filled with God’s Spirit from your mother’s womb. The Spirit came on you in a special way when John baptized you. You had just heard your Father’s voice calling you His beloved Son. I don’t understand this forty days thing.”

“Fellows, you need to understand. It’s exciting when God puts his hand on you. You sense all kinds of possibilities and I was tempted to start immediately but something deep within me told me to step aside awhile, humble myself and really get before my Father. I felt I needed to be sure of where I was and that I was going forth in God’s power and not just my enthusiasm or my desire to see my ego exalted.”

“Could the devil really have sidetracked God’s plans for you?” Peter asked.

“Peter, it wouldn’t do much good to ask you fellows to live a Godly life in the face of temptation if I couldn’t do it myself, would it?”

“But, you’re God’s Son!”

“Yes, but I’m going through everything you go through to show that the Spirit of God can give you power to be victorious.”

“What was he like, the devil I mean?” Bartholomew asked.

“Actually, he was really attractive,” Jesus responded to their astonishment. “Ah, I know you expect a red fellow with horns and a pitchfork, but it wasn’t like that. He’s like an angel full of light and if you’re not careful that light can blind you to reality.”

“So, how can you tell the difference between him and an angel that comes from your Father,” John wanted to know.

“There’s a much more powerful light, John. That’s God’s Word. When you compare Satan’s light to God’s Word, the darkness of the enemy becomes evident. I had to respond to his trickery with God’s Word.”

“Trickery? What kind of trickery?” asked Peter.

“Well, I was super hungry for the first time after 40 days. That’s when the enemy came. He tried to get me to use God’s power for a sort of magic act—making bread. I knew my Father isn’t into show business.

“Then he tried to get me to prove to myself that I could jump off the heights of the temple. He knew that when I tried to do something that the Father wasn’t doing, I’d crash into the stones below.”

John wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his robe sleeve.

“The third one was a toughie. He offered me all the kingdoms of the world if I’d just bow down and worship him.” There was a sharp intake of breath as the disciples considered this because there were some ambitious men among them. They were simple fellows but God had placed some incredible natural talents within each of them and lots of them were driven to accomplish things, to be someone.

“I just answered with the Word,” Jesus continued. “God is the only one that’s worthy of worship like that.” The deceiver wanted to reduce me to a silly earthly potentate who would die one day and no one would ever remember me, never accomplish anything eternally.

He tried to trick me because he wants my place as Son of God.

“After that angels came with food, and I left the desert even more clothed with the power of God’s Spirit. I got centered in on my mission and who I was vis a vis God and men during that time apart.”

3. Fishermen become Fishers of Men (Mark 1:14-20)

If you want to accomplish something, choose well the ones who will help you. In a sense, you’ll be no stronger than they are.Peter held the net just so, then pitched it into the sea for the ten thousandth time of his life, it seemed. He and Andrew had been doing this since they were little boys. At first they dreamed of doing it because daddy was a fisherman and to be a man was to be like him.

Then came those first awkward pitches when father let them begin to learn. Excited they were but also frustrated because something that seemed so easy, wasn’t. Those casts the first days were inept and they didn’t catch much more than minnows.

But slowly, they learned the art, not only of throwing the net but what time of day to do it and where to throw it. They learned which parts of the lake looked “fishy” and now, father was gone (probably) but the partner brothers did as well as papa had, even better really.

“Who’s that?” Andrew asked.

Peter looked up to see a lone figure walking purposely along the bank towards them.

Somehow Peter knew instantly and his heart gave a slight leap. “It’s Jesus of Nazareth, the one we talked with after John told you about him.”

Truth be told there was one thing that kept Andrew and Peter from being really successful—fishing wasn’t their passion, God was. They had spent a lot of time off work following John around and their hearts had burned with the desire to see spiritual revival and national restoration for Israel.

The hated the Romans were bleeding them dry with taxes and no one likes to be dominated, especially by these soldiers and politicians who seemed to despise the people they ruled over.

The figure on the shore stopped and waved them in. “What’s he want?” Andrew asked. “Let’s go see,” his brother responded. They had heard about Jesus’ ministry lately and were intrigued. They were even convinced that this was the Messiah. That’s what John the Baptizer thought.

“Follow me” Jesus said as they stepped out of the boat onto the shore. And they didn’t hesitate but took off after him, leaving boats and nets for whoever. They loved papa the fisherman, but God the Father had planned another life for them.

Shortly after, James and John answered the same call and with papa Zebedee looking on from the boat with the hired men, they also immediately answered the call to follow. Hard, but good decisions that seemed to be made on the spur of the moment are probably really made after times of sober reflection.

These men had probably thought a lot about Jesus, after their initial contact and they decided that they were going to tie their destiny to his. Catching men instead of catching fish.

I wonder if Jesus called any who stayed in the boat with papa. “We only hear about those who continue,” a famous literary has said.

#4. Staying Awake During Preaching (1:21- 38)

The little boy listened and watched with amazement. Usually he whiled away the slow time when his parents obliged him to be in the synagogue thinking about fishing or playing with his friends. But today!That fellow who was teaching could really hold your attention. The boy was little but he was a connaisseur. He’d endured the synagogue leader most weeks but various and sundry visitors also came from Jerusalem. These fellows seemed to think that they were there with Moses when God gave him the Law on Mt. Sinai.

Most of them could put a hyperactive bumblebee to sleep, though. These teachers were much more interested in what they had to say than the longsuffering people who attended the synagogue were. Who cared whether you could eat an egg laid on the sabbath or not? And who could get excited about a long sermon about how to wash your hands correctly?

The rabbis and teachers of the Law, that’s who.

But, today! The only sleeper was pappy Jacob and that old fellow could snore through earthquakes and fires. Everyone listened with delight to this young fellow who seemed to have really been with Moses on the mountain—or something. He talked like He knew intimately the One He was talking about.

And it wasn’t just pattering on about how to wash your hands correctly or a thousand other things that inspired rabbis and bored normal people. He talked about God the Father and how he impacted their lives.

Suddenly, a man screamed out from the back of the crowd, ““Ai, ai, aeeeeeeee!” Pappy Jacob nearly jumped off his bench as he started awake. He wasn’t the only one who jumped.

Our little observer was startled, too, and when he looked and saw it was that man he wasn’t surprised. He’d seen him around town and he gave him a wide berth. He felt something weird when he was close to this fellow—something exactly the opposite to what he felt when the speaker this morning spoke. What was the speaker’s name again? Oh, yeah. Jesus, Joseph’s son.

“We don’t have anything to do with you,” the weird guy screeched in a tone that made the hair stand up on the little boy’s head. “We know who you are, the Holy One of God! Have you come to destroy us?”

One instant later there would have been a mad rush for the door but just then another voice rang out—that of the young man. “Shut up! Come out of this man!”

The little boy couldn’t help noticing the wide eyes of pappy Jacob as the horrible man began to shake and contort violently. He grabbed his father’s hand. He was usually too big for that but today he would make an exception.

Then just as suddenly as the storm had begun, it ended. The wild man came to himself and looked around as if he didn’t know where he was. “Oh, excuse me,” he murmured as he shuffled towards the door followed by scores of astonished eyes.

Then every eye turned back toward the speaker. A question flashed simultaneously into each mind. “Who is this? What kind of teaching is this?” This wasn’t the piddling, fumbling, mumbling of the self-righteous scribes. This fellow had power.

Tongues wagged freely and often after the service that day. Soon everyone in the whole region was talking about this Jesus.

And the little boy hoped he would come back next time. Synagogue was interesting when he showed up.

#5 Mother-In-Law Story (1:29-34)

Heads spun still and tongues wagged still as Jesus left the synagogue with four of his disciples. They were invited to Peter and Andrew’s house.

Lots of people have an adversarial relationship with the wife’s mother but Peter seemed to love his. When they arrived at the house, someone told Jesus about this lady’s sickness; seems she was stricken by a powerful fever.

“Lord, if you could maybe pray for her,” Peter ventured. As Jesus walked into the room he saw the gray-haired woman lying still, face flushed red, perspiration covering her skin.

Jesus didn’t hesitate. Walking straight to her bedside, he rebuked the fever (who ever spoke to a fever?  Luke 4:39). Then he reached out his had to help her up.

The mama realized that she was no longer feverish and struggled up. Why, she felt as fit as a fiddle, like she was twenty years younger! And what was she doing in this bed when there were guests for lunch?

“Ah, ah, thank you, Lord! Excuse me please. I’m going to make sure they’re not shorthanded in the kitchen!”

“More like she’s going to give orders,” Peter laughed as she passed into the next room.

But, wow! Had he really seen that? He’d seen a lot of things lately that he wondered about.

While they ate and relaxed that afternoon, the “Jewish telephone” was working and hundreds, maybe thousands of people crowded the front door after sundown, the end of the Sabbath.

And it wasn’t just curious people. Lots of pitiful cases mixed with some strange characters, demon possessed. It was Nazareth in reverse. In Nazareth he had been frustrated with their lack of belief and lack of desire for anything.

Here they were looking for incredible things, healing, miracles, deliverance and the like. And they weren’t disappointed. The crowd gasped every time a sick person got well before their eyes. They cringed when demons went wailing out of tormented people and then they marveled when that person acted just as normal as anyone.

Who was this Jesus, anyway? Could it be … could He be the Messiah?

Quite a memorable night and the next morning Peter and the fellows were just rubbing the sleep out of their eyes when other folks showed up at the door and were soon joined by still others. “Is Jesus in? I heard about him and I really need his help.”

“Hang on. I’ll get him. Rabbi, Jesus? Woo-hoo. Are you there? Hmmm, sir. He seems to have stepped out.”

More and more people showed up so Peter decided they needed to find the Lord. “Where do you think he is?” asked Andrew. “Ah, I bet I know,” John snapped his fingers. “You remember that place outside of town where he likes to pray?”

And there they found him. He reacted a bit as if they had interrupted an important conversation. “Lord, everyone’s looking for you. Come on. You’ve got to preach or something.”

To James this seemed like a good time for Jesus to take advantage of the snowball effect. A few more nights like last night could roll them into Jerusalem at the head of a king-making parade. And it wouldn’t hurt to be in on the ground floor.

“C’mon fellows. We’ve got to preach in other places too. That’s what I came for.” James could see the snowball melting.

But, preach Jesus did! Powerfully. All over the region. It seemed like all the demons in Galilee were on the run.

#6 The Nasty Man (1:40-45)
The sun began to get a little warm but the crowd didn’t pay much attention. They were too fixed on what the teacher was saying. Kids played around the edge of the crowd and mama’s eyes strayed occasionally from the speaker to her little one, just to be careful. One never knew what kind of people might hang around a crowd like this.That’s when she saw him–robe dirty, hair unruly, but worst of all that disfiguring disease that marked him apart. She drew in her breath loudly and several people looked to see why.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” one of them said. “Get out of here. You know you can’t be around normal people!”  The man hesitated then continued towards the speaker. The people on that side of the crowd shrunk back as if a ghost were passing.

To touch a leper meant that you’d be considered ceremonially impure until sundown, but frankly, who would want to touch that man, ceremonial law or not?

Peter thought he probably should stop this dead man walking, but he didn’t have a lot of desire to touch him either. The man seemed bent on going to Jesus.

He fell in the dust at the Lord’s feet then begged, “Lord, if you want to you can heal me.”

All eyes turned to Jesus, most probably waiting for him to command the fellow to get away. Can’t have the teacher being unclean. He’s got too much to do.

People were surprised at the look on Jesus’ face. You would have thought he … well, that he felt for the fellow. The lady who saw him first was surprised when she also felt a flash  of compassion. “What a life that poor creature must live,” she thought.

Jesus’ next act bowled them over. He knelt down, reached out his hand and … “Lord, don’t!” his disciples thought in unison. Someone in the front row gasped.

The Teacher touched the man! Touched him!

How long had it been since a “clean” person had touched him? The man couldn’t remember. But Jesus’ words flowed over him like water gurgling over rocks in a friendly stream.

“I want to. Be healed!”

Something happened! The man knew it immediately because his body felt different. He looked at his gnarled, disease-eaten hands and they were normal! His robe was still dirty, his hair still wild, but his body was new.

“Ahhhhh! I’m healed,” he screamed. “Healed. Look at me! The leprosy is gone!” The people nearby saw it clearly and the realization ran through the crowd like lighting running along the ground.

Who was this Jesus?

“Go to the priests and have them attest to it. But don’t tell anyone about this,” Jesus charged him solemnly.

He may as well told a volcano not to erupt. The man bounded off and began to tell it everywhere. Good testimony but it finished Jesus for the towns. He was like a king after that and every time he tried to go into a town the people mobbed him, wanting to see the healer.

So, he stayed away in deserted places and people came to him, kind of like those who wanted to seek the Lord came to the tent that Moses set up outside the encampment of Israel. And like the people in Moses’ time, they found God waiting for their hungry hearts.

#7–Invasion From Above (aussi Mat. 9:1-8; Lc. 5:17-26)

Her first reaction was a flash of anger. “All these people at my house. I just swept and mopped and they’re breaking things and you can’t even get into the house for the people jamming the door, and pressing against each other.”

Peter’s mother-in-law quickly killed that thought, though, with the memory of what Jesus had done for her not long ago. Two steps from death she was, wiped out on her bed, shivering with a fever and burning by turn.

Then Jesus came …

And these people needed him, too. So, she forgot her reputation as a perfect housekeeper and just let God do what he wanted. It was her daughter’s house anyway.

Jesus had come home to Capernaum and was teaching.

The young fellow in the front row listened attentively as Jesus taught them. His words rang true, so true, but much of it seemed so different from what the teachers of the law droned on about. This man talked about life and eternal life!

He sensed an unusual presence hovering over the crowd and the Teacher healed different ones.
Suddenly all eyes turned towards the ceiling where pieces of clay were tumbling onto the listeners below. Jesus looked up too. Peter started to go see what was up. He had worked hard to construct this house and now people were tearing it down.

“Wait,” the Lord said.

A good sized hole appeared and finally a head poked over the edge calculating the distance from them to the teacher. The silent crowd below heard their voices faintly. “We calculated right. He’s just under us.”

Next thing they knew a mat came awkwardly through the hole—a mat occupied by a wide-eyed man (a paralyzed man they would discover in a minute). When they finally got the man through the hole and the mat quit swinging, it descended towards Jesus.

“Hang on. Not so fast on your end.” “Wait, wait! I’m going to drop him!” The eyes of the man on the mat widened even more and little gasps escaped him. The whole crowd watched in amusement and wonder as the bed finally came to rest at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus had a big smile, too, as he looked from the man to the four heads looking down into the house from the roof. Peter wasn’t smiling and neither was his mother-in-law.

“Quite a ride, wasn’t it?” Jesus teased.

Everyone was amazed at the lengths the men had gone to, to get the sick one to Jesus. The Lord seemed to appreciate this faith in action. “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

In the front row, several teachers of the law flinched. Nobody said it but everyone thought, “Who can forgive sins except God?’ (Bingo, you got it right fellows).

Then the Teacher answered their thoughts. That was the crazy thing about him; he seemed to know what you were thinking. “Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ ‘Or get up. Take your bed and walk?’”

No one responded but the hard look remained on several front row faces.

The man on the floor listened interestedly, though the conversation between Jesus and the religious teachers had taken the center of attention away from him. It’s sure that his sins were paralyzing his heart more than the disease that paralyzed his body. A surge of joy welled up within him as he realized that God had forgiven him.

Then he heard the words that he and his buddies had come to hear.

Looking straight in the eyes of his critics, Jesus said, “Just so that you know that the Son of Man has the power on earth to forgive sins …” the Teacher turned toward the paralyzed man again, “Get up. Take your bed and go home.”

The man on the floor started to form the obvious objection when faith surged up in his heart and swept over his body. He could do it. He knew he could! He struggled just a bit at first but Jesus restrained those who would help him.

Then he just got up. Well and strong! “Teacher, Jesus, thank you!” The crowd parted in wonder as the man passed through, his rolled up mat posed upon his now-strong shoulder.

Shouts of praise to God rang out through the crowd and Jesus let them have a moment of worship to the Lord before returning to his teaching. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” the first young man exulted to the man at his right.

But Jesus couldn’t stay in the house much longer because the news shot through the town.

Peter knew they were going to have to go somewhere else or he wouldn’t have any house left. “They could at least have repaired the hole,” he thought, but looking at the Lord he shook his head ruefully and smiled. “Lord,” he thought. “They can tear the whole house down and I don’t care. Just touch people.”

#8 Eating With Crooks (2:13-17)

The lake provided the solution, plenty of room to spread out and Jesus’ strong voice could reach thousands. And that was aided by a natural amplification effect at certain parts of the lake.

Later as he was strolling along, followed by a multitude, he saw his mother’s kinsman* Matthew sitting in his booth collecting taxes. Most of the family treated him like a black sheep because they hated the Romans and they especially hated Jews who collaborated with them to collect their taxes. Matthew disgraced the family.

Matthew like the money and he wasn’t too worried about what anyone thought. But, Jesus impressed him and lately he’d been thinking that all his money hadn’t scratched the itch in his soul.

“Matthew,” his name pronounced by Jesus struck his innermost heart. “Get up. Follow me!”

There was a quick battle in him but the truth was, he’d been debating such a move since Jesus had begun his ministry. It would cost him everything … but he was betting that he would gain everything.
The young man did it. He left his booth with his helper and placed his faith in Jesus.

“Teacher?” Matthew said. “Would you come to my house to eat today? I’d really be honored.”

That simple invitation had brought them all to this spacious house, owned by Matthew the rich man. Peter was happy about it at first because invitations to eat were one of the things that he liked best.

He was a bit less happy now as he lounged at the table surrounded by characters that he usually avoided. It looked like a convention of tax collectors had come to eat with Jesus and his disciples. Had the teacher known that all these scoundrels would be here?

Jesus seemed to make himself at home, Peter noticed ruefully, and if he worried about his social standing, well you couldn’t tell it by looking at him as he ate and laughed.

A few super religious Pharisees and Bible teachers stood at the edge, with a look on their face that would cause milk to curdle. Peter overheard their conversation. Actually, it wasn’t hard to overhear because they made sure that those around them knew of their disgust.

“What’s he doing eating with this bunch of tax collectors and sinners?” one asked the others.” If Jesus were really a holy man, he’d stay miles away from creatures like this.

Now, that it was out in the open, the question had been nagging at Peter, too. So he slipped alongside Jesus.

“Ummm. Teacher. You know, uh. The teachers of the Law are criticizing you because you’re eating with some questionable characters.” As if Jesus didn’t know it.

Jesus didn’t even look their way. “Peter, it’s not healthy people who need to go to the doctor, it’s sick people. My job is to go to sick people. Sinners. My Father wants me to heal them.”

So Jesus made house calls.

As the meal progressed, though, Peter noticed that there were no ribald stories or bragging about exploits, that you usually get in a crowd like this. But everyone smiled, talked, ate and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. And the Lord took the occasion to speak to them of God and His ways.

It’s probably good that the Pharisees didn’t eat with them. With that sour look on their face, the food would probably have made them sick!

* “This Levi is here said to be the son of Alpheus or Cleophas, husband to that Mary who was sister or near kinswoman to the virgin Mary and if so, he was own brother to James the less, and Jude, and Simon the Canaanite, so that there were four brothers of them apostles.” According to Matthew Henry  Mark 2:14–And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. Luke 6:15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” Matthew Henry

#9 Why are you eating?

Decidedly it’s tough to eat when people keep bothering you. “Hump, um, er, teacher?” a gruff voice behind him interrupted his meal. “How is that we Pharisees fast often as do the disciples of John the Baptist and your disciples eat all the time?”

Can’t they let a fellow in peace until he finishes his meal? Sour people who fast seem mad that others get to eat and so they don’t want them to enjoy their meals.

“There’s a time to fast and a time to eat my friend,” Jesus replied. “It’s like a wedding. You don’t fast during a wedding; that would be inappropriate. Later on you fast but fasting at a wedding would be impolite. Now’s feasting time for my disciples. The Bridegroom is present. They’ll fast later on.

“It would be stupid to sew a new piece of cloth into a hole to repair an old garment. It would eventually make the tear worse. And you wouldn’t pour new wine into old, hard wineskins. It would explode. You need new malleable skins for new wine.”

From his place down the way, Peter thought he got it. The truth doesn’t change but God is revealing himself more fully that ever before. From the human side we’ve got to be open, malleable to receive all that God is trying to pour into us. If we get hardened into one style or one way of doing things, we prevent God from doing what He wants in us.

#10 Burning Theological Questions (2:23-3:6)

You can’t always choose your companions and it seemed Jesus had his share of critics who liked to travel with him.

James’ stomach growled as they walked through the wheat fields and a couple of others echoed him. So he picked some of the grain, stripped it off the stem and began to eat it. The others followed suit.

The political correctness patrol traveling with them (better known as the Pharisees) didn’t miss a beat but like five-year olds eager to tell on their big brother, they ran to Jesus with the news. They thought, “Gotcha! If you don’t rebuke them we know you don’t respect the Sabbath and if you let them get by with it, well that says a lot about you.”

One of them thought of the story of the two rabbis debating whether one should eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath. That was small potatoes compared to the awful sin of picking grain on the Sabbath—and eating it to boot!

Jesus didn’t seem to worried about it, though. “Fellows, God set aside the Sabbath for man so he could rest and his body could regain strength, not to load people down with rules that make life harder. Sabbath is to benefit man and not to make his life miserable by adding another layer of don’ts.”

It was like the time when he was preaching in a synagogue. A man with a deformed hand was there and the pc police watched him like a hawk to see if he was going to heal the unfortunate fellow.

Jesus had this uncanny way of knowing what people were thinking and so he singled the man out and told him to stand up. Antennas vibrated on the pc people. Like angry ants they smelled a kill.

“Is the Sabbath day for healing and doing good? Would missing the opportunity to do good to this man be evil?” Eyes narrowed and hearts hardened in the crowd. No wonder the common people didn’t like this bunch of fanatics who hounded Jesus.

Anger and sadness mixed and flashed on Jesus’ face. Turning towards the man he commanded, “Stretch out your hand?” Was the Master blind? Didn’t he see? Was he making fun? And suddenly the man stretched out the shriveled hand—which was no longer shriveled.

Worshippers broke out in praise to God but the pc people stalked out in protest. “Who does he think he is, disobeying God like that? Healing on the Sabbath of all things!”

So they began plotting how to kill him, never dreaming that that might be a bigger sin than healing someone on the Sabbath, which was a blessing. It’s kind of like the Psalm that says, “he found no pleasure in blessing—may it be far from him.” (Ps. 107:17b NIV).

Blessing came from heaven and they walked on past Him. They preferred to be RIGHT! It felt so good. The problem was the pain that came later.

#11. Bigtime (3: 7-34)

The little boy kept his eyes on the teacher but also on the big feet pressing all around him, dangerously close to his toes. Some way he and his father had been able to get on the front row to listen to Jesus, but the youngster feared they might be trampled.

He heard all kinds of languages that he didn’t know, saw people dressed in exquisite robes (many backed away so that these rich could have the preferred places close up) and also those in rags.

Others desperately tried to push through to Jesus and his helpers constantly had to block the way or the Teacher couldn’t have done anything but help these strange, distressed cases.

Finally, Jesus got into a small boat and they pushed him out so that the water would give him some space and more people could see him. To the little boy it looked like the whole world had come to their lake to see Jesus.

When the Teacher touched people, though, the little boy’s eyes widened. Sick, weak people suddenly got strong and walked away praising God.

The scariest were those crazy ones that his father said were troubled by demons. When they presented themselves to Jesus, the little one pressed against his father and wanted to close his eyes but they stayed open and wide all by themselves.

Some of the people, or was it the demons, screamed out in fear when they saw the Master but he told them to shut up and get out. The boy looked on in wonder the first time one of these wild men turned away from Jesus. The craziness was gone and he seemed normal.

Who was this Jesus?

#12Called (3:13-19)

Peter started awake at his voice. “Fellows, wake up. Wake up!” All around the camp of disciples men struggled to pry open their sleepy eyelids. Some snored on in spite of the noise.

Jesus had gone up on the mountain the night before to pray and they had all fallen asleep talking around the fire. Peter woke once or twice but he had assumed that Jesus had come back. Apparently, though, he had been on that mountain all night.

“I want these men to follow me,” Jesus commanded and his voice sounded even more intense than usual. “Simon!” Peter snapped to attention, got up and passed to Jesus’ side. “James and John Zebedee’s sons!”

No one was quite sure what was up so no one was sure that he wanted his name called. No, that’s not true. They trusted Him.

“Andrew! And Phillip.” The two got up and joined them. “Barthomew!” Pause, then, “Matthew!” Some of them, fully awake now seemed a bit surprised. Matthew had joined them and most liked him in spite of his collaborating past. But still!

“Thomas! James Alphaeus’ son, Thaddaeus, Simon Zealot!” This last name elicited some wry smiles. Matthew better not stand too near the Zealot. They both loved the Master but they tolerated each other and dared not talk politics.

“Judas Iscariot!” No one was surprised at this. He was educated, outgoing and popular. Most of them would probably have chosen him, too.

When they had all followed him to a secluded place, part way up the mountain, he told them what he wanted. “I’m calling you my 12 apostles, my sent ones. You’re going to be leaders and my shock troops.” John started to get excited.

“I’m sending you out to cast out demons and preach, so get ready. This is going to cost you.” James wasn’t listening, though. He just heard “leaders … cast out demons.” He saw himself in front of the admiring multitudes like Jesus had been the day before.

“All right!” he thought. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”

#13   Organized Confusion (3:20-34)

“My stomach thinks my throat’s been cut,” Matthew said to Peter as both of them tried to put some order to the incredible press of people which had wedged into the house.The idea had been to slip away for something to eat. Dinner invitations would be scarcer and scarcer if everyone saw what these uninvited guests were doing to this house.Everyone wanted to get to Jesus—to see him, touch him, talk to him about a problem, or get a miracle for their life. The most difficult for his disciples was that Jesus wouldn’t send them away. Matthew had never seen such a giving, available person.Hadn’t he read about Jesse’s advice to Moses when the people were tying him up all day? “Train some helpers Moses.” Matthew guessed that was what he was doing with them, but they were far from doing what he could do. So much to learn.A couple of Jesus’ skeptical brothers had heard about the craziness of the people pressing to get to Jesus and those others who almost wanted to follow him to the bathroom. It made them jealous (“he’s gone bananas,” one said.) but Jesus’ mother was genuinely concerned about her son. So they set off to go put him right.This had to stop.Meanwhile, the sharks were striking again. The heavyweights from Jerusalem were talking loudly among themselves. “It’s obvious Jacob,” said Methuselah, “that he’s doing this by the power of the prince of demons, Beelzebub.”“Oh, absolutely,” Methuselah puffed through his beard.  “Why, this couldn’t be of God because, well, ummm, because … because it just couldn’t. It didn’t start with us and we don’t control him!”Jesus gave the two clowns a withering stare. “If the devil works against the devil, his kingdom will crash. If the owner of the house is tied up the thief can come in and steal everything. I’m tying up the devil and taking back what he stole.”Scowls and mockery littered the faces of the contingent of Jerusalem. Hearts began to set in concrete. Brains and spirits closed. Jesus shook his head.“Just a warning guys. Any sin can be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. You better be careful about your judgments and proclamations or you may make your heart so hard that you’ll be unable to respond to God’s Spirit at all.”A few of the theologians seemed shaken by that declaration but others only grimaced.Jesus’ family showed up about this time but they wanted to talk to him away from the crowd. So they sent a message. “Your family is here,” the messenger said. “They want to talk to you.”Jesus looked at those seated around him. “This is my family, those whose business is to do God’s will.” Peter was a bit surprised at that but he thought of how much he missed his own family. Sometimes he remembered the quiet of the fishing boat at night as the waves lapped against its sides and a tiny pang of regret touched his stomach.“Yes, you did give up things to get other things, old fellow. “ he thought. There was nothing quiet about Peter’s life now.14. Farming lessons(4:1-20)Success can be its own worst enemy and a fellow has to constantly look for new solutions to handle it. If the people heard that Jesus was around, no house would hold the numbers who came.And because it wasn’t their house, these visitors could be hard on the furniture.So he spent a lot of time teaching down by Lake Galilee. Even there it was tough. The ones in front absorbed his voice and the thousands behind couldn’t hear him. Jesus’ solution was to get in a boat and put a bit of distance between himself and the crowd. The natural acoustics of the place projected his powerful voice to the far limits of the people.

“Whew! I think we’re going to touch the whole country,” James said to John as the two helped in ordering the crowd on the waters edge.
”I don’t know,” John replied. “For the most part, I don’t think these people have much of a commitment to the Master. Look at them. Some of them come for a magic show, others to receive something. Most of them come because it’s cool.

“I even wonder about some of the disciples who travel with us.”

Jesus’ masterful voice rose from the boat and ascended over the crowd. “I’m going to tell you about a farmer.” Many in the crowd perked up because that’s what they were.

“This farmer sowed his seed all over. As he was walking to the field some fell on the path. It never got a chance to grow though, because the birds ate it.” Heads nodded knowingly. That’s the way it was.

“The farmer threw some other seed on rocky, shallow soil. He thought he had a good crop because the seed sprung up after a few days. Turns out that it all burnt up, though, because when it really started to get hot, that seed didn’t have much root because of the hard ground and the poor soil.

“All those plants just withered up.” Once again heads nodded. They’d all seen it. Even the city folks were close to the land. They either had relatives who were farmers or they understood how it worked. Feeding the population was an important consideration in that area of the world, so fragile before the onslaughts of drought.

“That farmer should have known better than that,” murmured a grizzled old-timer in the front row.

“Some of the farmer’s seed fell in an area which also grew thorns. It looked good at first but the thorns just choked it out at the last.” Nods again.

“But some of his seed fell in good soil. This seed reproduced itself 30 times, others 60 times and others 100 times!”

“Whew! That would be a crop,” said a young man in the second row.

Then Jesus surprised them. “If you got ears to hear, think about this so you’ll understand.”

Understand what? “C’mon Jesus. Get to the healings,” many of them thought. Most of them forgot what he said a few minutes afterwards. This Jesus was a strange fellow. He knew what you were thinking but sometimes he told stories that just kind of trailed off and you wanted to say, “Yeah? And so?”

Almost like he wanted you to think about what he said.

Sure could preach when he wanted to, though. And the big shots in Jerusalem didn’t like him, which was already a good thing. This fellow just might be the Messiah.

That was one thing about the twelve apostles he had chosen, and even some of the disciples who followed him. For lots of them, superficiality wouldn’t work. For all their weaknesses, they still wanted to get to the bottom of a thing.

Later, when he was alone with them, someone asked, “Lord, what was that farmer story about?” He knew there was more to it than it seemed on the surface. Jesus didn’t tell obvious stories without a goal.

The Master looked toward him with a pleased expression on his face. A student that really wanted answers warms the heart of any teacher. Especially a divine one.

“Fellows, my Father is letting you in on the secrets of his kingdom. He doesn’t let everyone hear what you’re hearing. The crowd sees and hears but doesn’t understand, and understanding could change their lives.

“Here’s a key to understanding parables. These simple stories illustrate spiritual reality.” Peter wondered briefly if nature and creation itself didn’t reflect a hidden spiritual reality to those who thought and looked beyond the surface. He didn’t have time to deepen the idea though, because Jesus went on.

“The “farmer” preaches, or shares my truth. Some hearts are like a path. It’s certainly not prepared for growing seed and the birds are all around. As soon as they see the seed fall and the sower gets a little way away, they’re feasting. This is what the devil does to people who hear but their hearts are heading elsewhere.

“Other hearts seem to receive my word with joy. Boom! The seed springs up and God’s people rejoice. But it’s shallow. Their hearts aren’t deep. The first trial and they fall away as quickly as they came.”

Nathanial wondered if it was possible to break up that stony ground underneath the surface where the roots of the plant could go down and get moisture in dry times.

Jesus looked around at the hungry faces. “Others are like seed that falls into unworked ground where thorns and weeds grow up with the seed and at the last they kill the plant, taking all it’s moisture and nutrients away.

“These are people who worry all the time about this life or who get so caught up in making a living and getting ahead that God’s kingdom gets less and less of their time and of their heart. They’ve got lots of desires and as time goes by, these desires concern them more and more and the things of God, less and less.”

Judas stirred uncomfortably in his place. Jesus’ assertion that no man can serve both God and money flashed through his mind but he put it away. That couldn’t be talking about him. You have to be realistic and prepare for the future. You can’t eat words.

Bartholemew wondered if you couldn’t do something to get rid of the thorns and weeds in your life. “How would a farmer get the weeds out of his field? How can I get these things out of my heart?”

“Ah, but listen while I tell you about another fellow,” Jesus continued. “This fellow not only hears the word but he accepts it. That means he acts on it, obeys it. And you know what. These kind of people produce a harvest for my Father’s kingdom. Some of them multiply themselves 30 times, some 60 times and some even 100 times.”

“One hundred times! That would be a crop,” Peter said.

Jesus continued telling them stories and they tried to apply the principles that he was teaching them so that they could understand what he was talking about.

#15. Rules of the New Kingdom (4:21–41)

“How about this,” the Lord continued. “You don’t hide a lamp under a bowl or a bed, do you?” Someone responded, “That would be silly. The bowl would extinguish the light or the bed might even catch on fire. A light is to light up the room.”“Exactly. This truth of my Father and His Kingdom has been hidden to this point but you’re to bring it to light so the world can see it.”

Jesus continued. “Listen carefully to what I’m going to say. Here’s a principle of that Kingdom: You’ll be treated the way you treat others, but even more intensely. God will add on to what’s already in your heart, but if you don’t have any desire for God, you’re going to lose any little that you might have had.”

John drew a blank on that one. “Hmmm, Lord. You care to explain that one in Hebrew? Sounds a little like some foreign language to me.”

“John, think with your heart. Build up my truth, my life in your heart, and my Father will add richly to what you’ve done. Act out the Word of God. Obey from the heart. Do that and you’ll grow.

“But, if you don’t store up and build up my truth in your heart, even what you have will leak out.”

“That’s logical, I guess,” John replied. “A farmer who eats the grain in his barn finds it diminishing and diminishing throughout the year. He’s got to continually add to it.”

“And those who add to what my Father gives them by their diligent searching for His truth and His heart are rewarded by even more!”

Peter got it. “But how do you add to what’s in your heart,” he wondered. “I guess by doing exactly what we’re doing,” he surmised. “Seeking out the Lord and listening to what he has to say and then trying to put that in practice in our lives.”

“I sure don’t want to lose what I’ve got,” Peter remarked. “It’s too precious.”

“Okay, here’s the other one I told to the crowd,” Jesus continued. “The one about the man scattering his seed on the ground and it grew, even while he slept and did nothing. Anybody got any ideas?”

All the disciples thought furiously—except James Lesser who snored slightly. “Does it mean that growth depends more on the principles of the soil and the seed than it does on our worrying?” James, John’s brother ventured.

“That’s it. My Father has created certain laws in the universe. You see it in the soil. What does the farmer do to make the seed grow? Nothing. All he can do is put it in and leave it to the creative power of the soil, helped by the rain and sunshine.

“The life springs from the seed’s interaction with the soil. It’s the same with my Good News. Your job is to tell it, sow it around. The heart soil it falls in plus the action of my Father’s Spirit determines whether it will grow or not.

“So you work by sowing and trust my Father to bring life to the seed.”

Snorer Awakes

Everyone fell silent, thinking, trying to see how this would work in their lives. James Lesser snored in the quiet but Nathanel gave him a quick elbow in the ribs and he started awake.

“Okay, guys,” Jesus said after a moment, smiling slightly at the confused look on James’ face, “How about the mustard seed parable? You know, the one about the tiny, tiny seed that became a big, big plant. Big enough that birds could land in the branches? Any ideas?”

No takers.

“I’m still talking about my Father’s Kingdom. There are going to be times when you feel like you’re doing nothing. That your work is a grain of sand in a vast desert of people who need me.

“Don’t worry about it. Time plays an important role in the Kingdom. Put that little seed in and watch it grow, and Grow, and GROW, and GROW!

“You may not even see it in your lifetime but just trust that this power of life and growth that’s in a farmer’s seed is also in the seed of the Gospel. Plant it, water it, and trust me to give the growth.”

Hungry

Peter’s head spun. Hunger for God had marked his life for a long time. He had listened to some of the rabbis teach as well as the teachers of the Law. They were more concerned with questions such as, “Is it permitted to eat an egg that a hen laid on the Sabbath?” Or what was the correct way to wash your hands before you ate. “Important stuff” like that.

Honestly, all that didn’t interest him much. He was a hard-working man and, though he never ate anything that God’s law forbade, all this quibbling about eggs and hand washings and a hundred other things left him cold. He always figured that God had bigger things to worry about.

But, this! He couldn’t understand everything that Jesus taught but his heart burned to understand it. It seemed to him that what the Master said mattered. He taught things that weren’t obvious to everyone but as Peter listened he became more and more convinced that Jesus taught the truth of God.

Even–and dare he think it–that Jesus was the Truth of God.

Jesus was bushed after a long day of teaching and praying for people. He’d been up before anyone, praying. “Let’s go to the other side of the lake,” he said to his followers.

So they all piled into a boat and while the disciples took turns rowing, Jesus quickly sunk into a deep sleep. A little flotilla of boats accompanied them. Everyone wanted to be around this popular preacher, every minute.

That is, until the wind started to blow. Nervous eyes searched the sky as clouds raced across the moon, fleeing a storm. Suddenly a powerful gust hit the little boat where the disciples watched and Jesus snoozed.

“Oooooh!” they cried as they tried frantically to balance the tiny ship. Water leaped over the sides and some of the boats batted against each other before being thrown in the other direction by the terrified waves.

Peter had seen lots of storms in his fishing days but this one caught them in the middle of the lake. It was just as quick to row to the far shore as to return where they came from. The problem was that they would never make it.

Then someone noticed Jesus, still sleeping like a man in a coma. Fearful Nathanial crawled to him, and began to shake him. “Lord, Master! Wake up! Wake up! Do something. Don’t you care that we’re all going to drown!”

“Wha … huh?” Jesus slowly woke. If they didn’t know better they would have thought he was a bit put out to have been awakened from his good sleep.

“Lord, look! We’re going under!” As if to underscore these fearful words another blast nearly pushed the boat over sideways into the water. Fearful cries and water-soaked prayers issued from the other boats. Promises were made. “God, if you’ll just get us out of this …”

Jesus stood up, face to the wind and it seemed to them that he grew larger than the wind. “Shut up! Be still!” he commanded. And just like that, the wind died like a whipped puppy, tucking it’s invisible tail between its legs to vanish off into nothingness.

The waves followed suit and soon there was only a tiny lapping against the boats’ sides. You’d have thought the disciples would rejoice at this but another fear as great that they had had of the wind took hold of them.

Who was this Jesus?

“Why are you guys such cowards? Don’t you believe yet?” With that he turned and lay down again to try to get some sleep.

And the disciples were too astonished to paddle. “Who is this? Not just demons, but even winds and waves obey him?”

Slowly they took up their paddles to head for the shore. But they were rowed slowly, still in shock at what they had seen.

The moon stubbornly resisted giving place to the morning, but nature’s law defeated him. The sun peeked over the horizon as the full night light dimmed.

The disciples had gotten over some of their wonder at the storm-stopping miracle as they had taken turns rowing the exhausting seven miles across the Sea of Galilee.

After taking his turn, Peter had leaned over on the edge of the boat and used his cloak as a pillow to get in a few winks while the others toiled. Everyone was sleepy and a bit grumpy. No one was prepared for what came next.

As soon as they had got out of the boat and transported their meager affaires to shore they were startled by an unearthly scream. As if called up from the pit itself, a wild man stood before them—butt-naked, hair standing out in all directions.

In the morning light, Peter could make out horrible scars on his body. He shrunk back from the specter. The fisherman could handle most anyone in a fight but it was obvious that this “thing” before them wasn’t “most anything.” Bartholemew backed into the water up to his knees.

Later, they found out the man’s story from one of the people who worked tending pigs around there. It seems that a demon ruled the fellow. There in the area of the ten cities he had quite a reputation. When they bound him with chains, he acted like Samson and broke them as easily as a child could break a string.

He wandered around the graveyards or through the hills at night, howling, crying and cutting himself with sharp stones. Locals gave him a wide berth and there were a lot of legends about him. Everyone agree that someone probably ought to do something about him but there were no volunteers. Not anymore, anyway

Aside from the good chances of getting knots on your head there was a supernatural element about this fellow that scared everyone silly.

Andrew noticed that the herders of the large group of pigs that lounged on the hillside nearby had edged up to see what was going on. They wanted to see a show, but you could tell that they were poised to run like rabbits if need be. With the crazy fellow you never knew what was going to happen.

They wanted to watch the show, not to be in it.

A couple of them giggled in anticipation of what he would do to these newcomers. This should be good and the wild man’s legend would grow.

Things didn’t happen according to the normal schema today. The pig keepers were still telling the story to their grandchildren years after.

The man ran to Jesus and fell on his knees. “Come out of him you evil spirit!” the Galilean stranger had commanded.

Wild Thing began to tremble and shake like the water on the lake driven by last-night’s storm. Suddenly a horrible voice erupted from the pitiful being. “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”

Everyone watching wondered at this. How did he know the stranger’s name? And “Son of the Most High God”! Who was this stranger?

“Have you come to torture me before the time set? Swear that you won’t torture me!”

“Tell me your name.” Jesus commanded.

“My name is Legion because there are many of us here. Please, please. Don’t send us away. Let us, let us … let us go into those pigs over there!”

The swine herds looking on, started at this. The idea of trying to care for a bunch of demon-possessed pigs didn’t appeal to them at all. (Could you imagine what they would sound like at midnight!)

“Go!” Jesus assented.

Suddenly the pigs started to squeal. Thousands of oinks and screeches assaulted their ears. Peter would have run but he didn’t know which direction to go.

Finally a couple of the animals started running towards a cliff overlooking the lake. The watchers sprinted to try and head them off. Too late though, and they pulled up and watched 2000 pigs plunge head first over the precipice.

The swineherds looked from the pigs to Jesus and the crazy man and back to the pigs. They didn’t know which scared them the most—the wrath of the pigs’ owners or someone powerful enough to cast out 2000 demons!

They ran into the town to tell the owners but also anyone who happened to be around. “Listen, you gotta hear this. There’s this incredible man. And you know the Wild Guy? And, and …”

People looked at them in wonder and confusion. What were they on about? But, something had scared them and it was down by the lake so off they went. Not a lot happened in that part of the world out of the ordinary. A few wild men, sure, but mostly it was business as usual.

Whatever had happened, this promised to be interesting.

Meanwhile Jesus’ disciples (gingerly) helped the man to tidy himself  up a bit. He had looked around in wonder after the demons left, the first time in years that he’d seen through his own eyes with an unobstructed view.

His mind had come back!

He looked at Jesus and these others he didn’t know. Several small boats had anchored nearby and everyone regarded him with wonder. Suddenly he became very aware that the was naked!

Seeing his embarrassment, Andrew dug through their affaires and came up with an extra robe. It was last year’s style, dearie, but at the moment the fellow wasn’t too picky.

“Sir, who are you?”

“Jesus of Nazareth.”

“What did you do to me? For me?”

“God had mercy on you and delivered you from those demons.”

Everyone sat down and listened as Jesus talked to the man, this man who had just come back from among the “dead.” While they spoke people ran from all directions towards them. They all slowed to a reverent walk as they approached and saw the former wild man, sitting, dressed and talking to this stranger.

“See, I told you!” one of the pig herders said loudly. “Look at him. Just as normal as my mother-in-law!”

Then they retold the story for all the late comers. Jesus said nothing, waiting.

A few of the townspeople didn’t seem too happy. This turned out to be the owners of the pigs. They wanted to complain and maybe even take Jesus to the judges but they thought better of it. Someone who could command thousands of demons to leave a man who had been crazy for years was better left alone.

Fact was, everyone trembled a bit. “Go on, leave us!” one man pleaded. “Yeah, get out of here,” another added. Who knew what this powerful man had in mind?

So, Jesus complied. Just got up and headed for the boat. The man who was formerly haunted by the demons looked on in surprise and followed him. “Jesus, Jesus! Listen, if you’re going, let me go with you. I want to be where you are. You delivered me from that horrible life!”

Jesus looked kindly at the man, hair still long and disheveled, but in whose eyes burned the light of sanity. “No. I tell you what. These people aren’t ready to receive me yet. You go on home and tell your family what the Lord has done for you, how he’s had mercy on you.”

The man watched Jesus’ disciples push the boat off with regret, wishing with all his heart that he was in the boat with them. He thought for a moment about trying to get into one of the other boats that were also setting off to follow him.

The crowd had mostly gone and Jesus’ boat had become a tiny speck on the horizon. The man remember the Master’s words. His heart turned towards God, “Oh, Eternal God, I thank you with all my being for deliverance from those foul demons. Help me to live in a way that I can bring your love to others who need you.”

Then with a look of determination he turned from the lake and headed for home. He had a story to tell and he was going to set that whole country on fire with the news of what Jesus had done for Him.

Some people said he was crazy, preaching like that, saying that this Jesus had delivered him. But most knew him when he had really been crazy. “Look at him now!”

Who was this Jesus?

Back in the boat Peter thought, “Storms stopped and thousands of demon-crazed hogs. A fellow needs a strong heart to follow Jesus around.”

The fun was just beginning though!

A Woman With Her Mind Made Up (5:21-34)

“I really hadn’t expected it to be the most incredible day of my life. I woke up with that familiar pain in my abdomen and began the morning ritual that I won’t describe for you.

Twelve years the blood had been flowing. Do you realize what that means? Twelve years without being able to offer sacrifices in the temple. Twelve years where everyone who even touched me became ceremonially unclean. In a lot of ways it was like being a leper.

I tell you, I knew the Leviticus passage by heart, I had heard it so much. “When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. Whoever touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening.

Makes relationships with others a little difficult, huh?

I tried to get healed. Did I ever! All the old mothers had their remedies and some of them you don’t even want to hear. I was so desperate I would try anything.

And medical science? Let’s just say that I used to have a nest egg put aside but those leeches sucked it all up. Did I get any better? Ha! I was worse afterwards than before. They were no better than the funny old lady down the road with her “eat three garlics when the moon is full.”

I kept hearing about this teacher from Nazareth, Jesus. According to everything I heard, he was healing blind people, lame legs were running and things like that. Well, in our part of the world there’s always a story of some healer or miracle worker.

What with the Romans bleeding us dry with their taxes and treating us like dirt, well about half the people jump on every rumor to say that the Messiah has finally come. The other half have given up I think.

Uh, make that 49%. One percent of us is doing very well, thank you. Our leaders are as fat as the Romans and they work hard to keep things that way.

I didn’t think too much about these Messiah stories until someone in our village was healed by Jesus. That shook me.

That day started out like the others, then I started to see excited strangers passing by in the street. I looked down the road and there was this big crowd coming my way.

“What’s going on?” I asked one of these people running before the crowd. “Jesus of Nazareth is going to heal the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue.”

“Jesus of Nazareth!” Well, that gave me a start. And he was passing in front of my house on his way. I thought it wouldn’t be anything to ask him for a little help but as the crowd drew closer my heart sank.

I don’t see how the fellow walked. People were everywhere, pressing behind him, in front of him. I almost gave up my idea but suddenly, and I know now that this was God, I had this powerful conviction that if I could just touch him I would be healed.

And twelve years of frustration welled up within me. I wasn’t going to let anything like a crowd keep me from getting to Jesus.

Well, I tell you, I heard some words that you don’t hear in the synagogue and I even got punched and kicked a couple of times but I knew that this was my chance, maybe my last chance and if you could know how ready I was to be rid of this constant flow of blood and this constant reproach from everyone, well, you can understand a bit of what drove me.

There was so much bumping and pressing going on I figured he wouldn’t even notice and I just knew that if I could touch the border of his robe, God would heal me. Don’t ask me how, I just knew it. And he wouldn’t even notice it. It wasn’t like people weren’t touching him already!

Friend, when I touched his robe, I just can’t describe what I felt! Something flowed into me and after 12 years, 12 years, mind, I knew I was healed. I could feel the difference in my body. I didn’t hurt anymore for the first time in all those years! It was all I could do to keep from screaming for joy.

But, then, something happened I didn’t expect. He stopped! “Uh, oh!” I thought. “I’ve had it now. He’s going to be mad.”

“Who touched me?” he asked looking around and I tried to melt back into the crowd but those who hadn’t wanted to let me get to him now seemed determined to keep me from getting away from him.

One of the men with him said, “Lord, what are you talking about? People are pressing you from every side. ‘Who touched you?’ What are you talking about?”

But, he knew and I knew, so trembling like a leaf I came and fell at his feet. I figured he would ask me for money or rebuke me because my touch had made him unclean.

Was I ever surprised.

The story just tumbled out and I didn’t dare look at him all this time, just blubbering and sniffling a bit. Then I waited and it seemed like all that whole noisy crowd had shut up, listening, waiting for his answer.

I dared to look up at him, and I don’t know if you’re going to believe this, but I never saw such a look of compassion and love in my life! Friend, that look did more for me than even the healing of my infirmity.

It’s like God was saying to me, “I love you. Men judged you because of your sickness, but not me. I want you whole and strong. Just trust me!”

Then Jesus himself spoke to me, “Daughter”, did you catch that? He called me “Daughter!” “Your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Well, since then nothing has been the same. After twelve years of suffering it’s like I’m living a dream. Haven’t had a pain from that illness now for a long time.

Lots of people around me are asking who this Jesus is. Don’t get me started. I know who he is, just as surely as I knew that day that if I could touch him I’d be whole!”

Humility Fueled By Desperation Equals Healing (5:22-43)

The family didn’t like the idea, but Jairus didn’t care. He loved his daughter more than he loved his reputation. Sure, he’d been among the synagogue leaders who’d snubbed Jesus and tried to downplay all the Messiah talk.

But, he couldn’t deny the miracles he’s seen and frankly, right now he really didn’t care what anyone thought. His precious twelve-year old was dying and if he had to humiliate himself to give her any chance at life, that would be a small price to pay.

That’s how he found himself down by the lake, pushing through the crowd to where Jesus taught. The people turned angrily when they felt someone trying to come through, but when they saw it was Jairus they made way.

Jairus was somebody—one of the synagogue rulers.

Today, he didn’t act much like one though. They were used to these haughty fellows demanding and getting their way on about everything. Suddenly, though, here he was, nose touching the sand, whimpering before Jesus.

“My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”

Simon Zealot would have been tempted to let him wallow. After all, these same rich men made life miserable for them. They feasted and commanded and the rest of the people scraped out a living. They roasted the Romans with their words, but no one profited from the Romans presence more than they did.

Yet, Simon knew Jesus’ heart and he wasn’t surprised when they set out for the rich man’s house. “This guy will be stabbing us in the back tomorrow and today the Master goes to heal his daughter,” Simon thought. “Go figure.”

The apostles and some of the disciples tried to encircle Jesus and Jairus so that they could walk but the crowd pressed them anyway. The crowd raised a stifling dust cloud under the hot morning sun.

Even in a situation like this miracles happened. Peter was amazed when a sick woman sneaked by them to touch Jesus’ garment—and proclaimed her healing from a sickness that had lasted twelve years.

“Stilled storms, delivered wild men and now miraculous healing!” the former fisherman thought to himself. “At least we’re not bored.”

The procession had halted while Jesus talked with the healed woman when suddenly a couple of grim-faced men pushed through the front of the crowd and spoke to Jairus.

“Your daughter is dead,” they announced sullenly. Then with a disdainful glance at Jesus they added. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

It was obvious that these fellows didn’t want Jesus involved in the situation.

Snubs and slights didn’t seem to phase the Master and he simply told Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

The synagogue ruler didn’t know what to think. He’d just heard that the daughter he loved more than anything had died, and this Teacher was telling him not to be afraid? Should he cry or hope?

Still, there was something about the way Jesus said it. Tears stopped at the dam of his faith and he started walking towards home again, not knowing what would happen.

The Teacher didn’t let anyone go with them except three of his disciples. The rest blocked any of the huge crowd that persisted in following and Jairus was glad for that. He felt that at any moment the dam of tears would break.

They heard the commotion before they saw the house. Wailing, screaming, crying. Everyone knew that meant there was a death in the family. The neighbors gathered already to add their strength to the ones who had lost so much.

Professional mourners, called to the scene for the expected death, howled. Jesus had been a last-chance straw that Jairus had grabbed at.

When they arrived Jesus’ commanding voice boomed over the brouhaha. “Cut it out! What are you carrying on about? This child is not dead. She’s sleeping.”

Well, if not everyone favored inviting Jesus’ help, they sure didn’t want his commands! “Sleeping! Where does this guy come from?”

“You’re crazy!” they cackled. “Get out of here.”

But Jesus took control of the situation and had them all put out. Some of the others wanted to follow him into the death room but Jesus stopped them. “Just you and you wife can stay, plus my disciples,” he directed.

Family members stalked out, their sadness replaced by indignation. “Who does this fellow think he is?”

For the first time that morning Peter heard quiet. He relaxed a bit but his spirit was alive, anxious to see what Jesus was going to do. After what he’d seen recently, he wouldn’t be surprised at anything that Jesus did.

Jairus wife was already there, her head buried weeping on the chest of her daughter. “Honey, Jesus is here.” She turned her tear-swollen face towards the Teacher but he didn’t seem to pay attention.

She simply saw tears in his eyes as he regarded her dead daughter. That touched her. Then he did the last thing that either of them expected.

He knelt by the dead figure of their daughter and took her hand. “Talitha koum!” (Little girl, I tell you, get up!) And, and, and … Jairus’ wife shook her head in wonder—even fear–her daughter stood up!

What was this? Magic? Sorcery? Was her daughter a zombie? But, no, she came to her mama and lost herself in a breath-stealing hug. It was her daughter. She had come back! She wasn’t dead anymore.

Powerful emotions exploded in Jairus—incredible joy, wonder, but also fear. Who was this Jesus? Whoa!

When the first wave of shock passed, sweet tears began to flow. Kisses, hugs, cries of praise to God echoed off the walls. Outside, people thought the mourning must have begun again. “Charlatan!” many thought. They knew it was worthless to call him in. They thought they knew.

Peter, James and John exchanged looks. If they ever doubted that he was the Messiah, those days were finished. Whew!

“Don’t tell anyone what happened,” he instructed the tearful parents as they held their daughter. “You better give her something to eat. She’ll be physically weak.”

The crowd looked on in scorn as Jesus and his disciples came out of the house, heading back to the others. Mocking sneers colored the face of many. But, that quickly changed to astonishment as servants who had gone into the death room to receive orders from the ruler came out with an astonishing report. The girl was alive!

She really was alive.

Is Believing So Hard? (Mark 6)

(note: It seems to me that this is a second visit to the synagogue in Nazareth, distinct from the first one described in Luke 4 : 14-29. This story treats it as if this is so).

John still couldn’t understand why Jesus wanted to come back to Nazareth. Sure it was home for him and sure, there were thousands of people here who needed the revelation of the Kingdom that the Master preached.

But, he also remembered their last visit when a mob had tried to throw him over the cliff, not far from the synagogue.

Jesus’ habit of speaking frankly could get him in trouble. That day in the synagogue when Jesus had compared their unbelief in him to the unbelief in Israel at the time of Elijah the prophet, some of them looked like they had been slapped.

But, when he topped it off by reminding them of the faith of the widow who believed Elijah, and she wasn’t even Jewish, well, lets just say that there are easier ways of getting elected head of the synagogue. And it’s also a good way to get stoned by a self-elected execution mob.

John also knew something else about Jesus, though. His love didn’t quit and he loved these people. If there was any way to reach them, He was going to do it. He didn’t seem to fear for his life and the truth is that the last time they threatened him, he had just walked through that screaming mob and went on his way.

“Why press your luck?” was John’s motto. If he’d been the Lord he might have called down a few Elijah bolts from heaven to show them what they were missing.

But here they were. The last few days, Jesus had visited his family. A couple of his sisters had been glad to see him, but his brothers seemed to be true Nazarites. They did the minimum that a family member owed to an older brother but it was obvious that they thought that he was disgracing the family name—just like he had from the beginning.

A few townspeople had come to ask for healing for minor issues in their bodies but nothing like elsewhere.

“These people!” John thought. He knew what the Master could do and in every other city in Galilee they would have been falling all over each other to get to him and be healed or the hear God’s Word. The Master had told him how much it meant for him to bring something from God to his family and friends.

In Nazareth he was met by a collective yawn, at best, and scornful skepticism at worst. But, at least they hadn’t tried to throw him over the cliff again, John thought. Not yet, anyway.

Saturday, the local synagogue strained to hold all the people who came. They had heard about the miracles he did elsewhere; they were intrigued and irked at the same time. It’s always a bit galling when someone you know excels and is recognized, and you’re still you.

Old Jacob could hardly believe his ears. From his seat in the corner, he strained to hear ever word from the young preacher. Usually he slept and his soft snores entertained the younger men in the synagogue. But today!

This guy could preach!

That was the most troubling part of it. Jacob had been in the carpenter shop where Jesus worked with his father Joseph. He had a chair in his house that Jesus had constructed.

Carpenter, okay, but some were saying he might be the Messiah! C’mon now. Cabinet maker, yes, but Messiah? That’s a stretch.

Jesus’ brother James sat towards the back, his face blank. Underneath the mask, he burned with embarrassment. Jesus! Why couldn’t he just stay in his place? Ugly rumors still followed his mother after 30 years. If Jesus would just stay quietly in a corner someplace they might die down.

Whispers between people in the crowd punctuated his message. “Where did this man get these things? What’s this wisdom that’s been given him?”

“They talk about miracles down in Capernaum. Dead people raised. Demon-possessed delivered!”

“How’s that! Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Mary’s son? Aren’t James, Joseph, Judas and Simon his brothers and we know all his sisters? Who does this fellow think he is?”

Jesus shook his head in amazement. “The only place a prophet isn’t honored is with his family and those who’ve known him growing up.”

Jesus really wanted to do some great things for these people—not to prove himself, but simply because he loved them so. He especially wanted his message to resonate here in Nazareth.

But no. They couldn’t believe their eyes and ears and their spiritual ears were stopped to the truth that God’s Spirit was speaking.

And so the eternal gift of God came to them. They squeezed their eyes shut and stopped up their ears so that they wouldn’t see, and the Gift passed on to others.

Nearly 2000 years later a man named Matthew Henry would read this story and make this comment: “It is a strange expression, as if unbelief tied the hands of omnipotence itself; he would have done as many miracles there as he had done elsewhere, but he could not, because people would not make application to him, nor sue for his favours; he could have wrought them, but they forfeited the honour of having them wrought for them. Note, by unbelief and contempt of Christ men stop the current of his favours to them, and put a bar in their own door.”

Preparing Preachers (6:6b-12)

Thomas heard what Jesus said but he wasn’t too sure he was up to it. The Twelve that Jesus called ‘apostles’ were going out to preach? Two by two, all by themselves?

After Jesus ministry seemed to bomb in Nazareth (though, Thomas felt it was the Nazarites who bombed and not the Lord), they picked up their tour of the villages in the region. Thomas was reminded of just how many people lived in the Galilee region. Millions some said. The huge fresh-water lake teemed with life and people blossomed all around it.

Thomas felt like Jesus’ ministry brought spiritual life to the region just like the giant Lake Galilee gave physical life to the region.

If the Nazarites made their hearts hard towards Jesus, the rest of Galilee couldn’t get enough of him. In every village it was the same: powerful teaching and preaching were followed and sometimes interrupted by wonderful manifestations of God’s power in healing and defeating evil spirits.

Often Jesus was able to get his disciples away for personal teaching. Today he surprised them though with the news of a new evangelistic campaign. They were shocked by the names of the preachers—Peter, James, John, Thomas, Bartholomew, etc. His apostles!

Thomas loved the Lord with all his heart but sometimes he felt that the Master threw his followers in over their head. This was one of them.

And to complicate matters, he gave orders that seemed to seriously limit them. “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.” No change of clothes either!

“Um, Master,” Thomas thought. “Little problem here. What will we eat? Where will we sleep?” Did Jesus just want them to live like sparrows? It would be nice to know where tomorrow’s food would come from. Thomas had to admit that their faith in God would increase. Either that or they were about to go on a diet!

Suddenly though, Thomas came back from his thoughts with a start. “You guys come here!” Jesus commanded. The Master looked them over then pronounced words that seemed to flow through Thomas like a living tidal wave.

“I give you authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. You do it in my name!”

Thomas felt a sudden surge of confidence. If the Lord conferred this power on them, then they could do it. They could do it. Thomas was slow accepting most things but when he finally got it, he held on with everything he had.

The next days were some of the most memorable of his life. Matthew was his partner and they preached by turn and prayed together. The first day in that little village the people had looked at them like, “Who are YOU!”

Thomas found his voice though and started preaching that God’s Kingdom had come to his listeners. He felt a real power in speaking for the first time in his life, though the first few minutes had been a bit tentative.

A handful of people clustered about them—a few old mamas, the village skeptics, energetic kids and, oh yes, musn’t forget the dog that kept sniffing his foot while he tried to preach.

Matthew got the canine’s attention and lured him away. When Thomas announced that God would heal in the Name of His Son Jesus, there was only one taker—an old fellow that had a boil under his arm.

Well, Thomas and Matthew screwed up their courage and began to pray for the fellow and speak healing to him in the Master Jesus’ name.

And the old fellow started in amazement. He felt under his robe then cried, “I’m healed! It’s gone!”

It’s not exactly correct to say that Thomas and Matthew were surprised as he was because they were actually trusting God to do something. But, let’s do say that they were glad that God showed up.

That evening everyone in the village came and a few were carried on their mats. Matthew took his turn preaching, then, because the people were still there, Thomas cranked up again.

They announced the Kingdom of God come and prayed in the Name that the Master had given them the authority to use—Jesus!

When they prayed for the sick, it was just like when the Lord did it! Healings. Devils fleeing! Joy!

They had more invitations to come home and eat with the people than they could accept. They were treated more like kings than itinerate preachers.

“A fellow could learn to like this,” Thomas thought to himself.

And the first two or three villages were more or less like that. The fourth one though … That was a sheep of another color. Mocking laughter, threats, indifference. This village wanted no part of what they were preaching.

So the two evangelists walked out of town, shook the dust off their shoes, and continued on their way—Thomas’ belly growling and asking for food all the time.

That night they slept under the stars. Maybe it’s better to say that they prayed under the stars because they didn’t want to see a repetition of that again so they sought God with all their hearts.

And praised Him wholeheartedly. With him, the hard ground was as blessed as a soft bed, though if his back could have chosen Matthew’s would definitely have taken the bed.

But, that’s the way it was all the weeks they were gone. Most villages had some who accepted the word– at least partly. The healings? Whoa! Were there ever healings! Thomas stilled thrilled each time he saw these manifestations of God’s power.

And yes, there were a lot of insults, a few rocks lobbed in their direction, and a few days of empty bellies. On the whole, though, they had more of a tendency to put on weight than lose it.

They chattered like schoolboys when they got back to Jesus. “And Lord, you should have seen it when that lame man walked in your Name. The whole village just stared with its mouth open.”

Then Matthew gave an in depth account of what he’s preached in one of the villages. Thomas always hated it when a preacher re-preached to him what he’d preached the day before. “Then I told them … then I told them … you know it’s … etc.”

But, he actually did it too when he had a chance to get in a word edgewise.

The Master? He just beamed and smiled and encouraged them. “See, I told you!” Or he would counsel, “When it’s like that it’s best to do this.”

All the apostles were full of stories and they wondered at all the incredible things that happened when they preached and prayed in the Name that the Master had allowed them to use: Jesus of Nazareth.

The Brooding King (6:14-29)

News got around concerning Jesus and his apostles. “He’s John the Baptist risen from the dead!” some said of the new preacher. “No, I’d say he’s Elijah, come to set things right so that the Messiah can come.”

Stills others maintained he must be a prophet like one of the old prophets described in the scriptures.

But down in Tiberius, King Herod sat on his throne and brooded. “I know who he is. It’s John risen from the dead. I knew I should never have killed him.”

It was a nasty story but King Herod had quite a few nasty stories in his life. He had been fascinated by John Baptist’s preaching and heard him fairly often.

“John, John!” Herod murmured to himself. “If you had just watched your mouth you could have been well-treated and honored. You should have known better than to cross my wife. Even I am afraid to do that!”

That was one of his nasty little stories. He didn’t care much for his first wife, the daughter of King Aretas of Nabatea. This had been a political marriage to see if he couldn’t get this stubborn king, whose country touched Herod’s, to back off and quit his disputes about their border.

Once when he was at Rome, though, he had been staying with his half brother Phillip, without Aretas’ daughter. Well, Phillip’s wife was really nice. Really nice. And well, one thing kind of led to two and you know the rest of the story.

So, both of them ending up divorcing their spouses and marrying each other. Aretas was madder than you can imagine but who cares?

After he’d been married to Herodias for awhile, though, Herod understood why Phillip hadn’t been to sorry to see the divorce. What a nag! And if she ever got mad at someone, she never gave up until she got even.

And that’s what happened to John. Herod loved to listen to his messages, but when they got to close to home, he sent John away. The problem was that John preached in public that Herod had no right to divorce his wife, according to Jewish law, and marry Herodias.

Herod didn’t like it, but Herodias …? Whew! The king would have been afraid to go against her with three legions, she was so mad. She kept up the pressure for John to be executed.

Herod wasn’t ready to go that far; in fact he was a bit afraid of John. There was something about him that seemed to veil a hidden power and authority. Honestly, he knew he had done wrong in committing adultery with Herodias but he didn’t like it broadcast all over the country, though he knew, it had already been the talk of his citizens for quite a while now.

So, he arrested John—partly to please Herodias and partly to silence the prophet. He was getting too popular and it never helped to have anyone in your kingdom with his own power base.

But, kill John? He’d have to say a lot more that what he had for Herod to go that far. Until that night.

His eyes briefly gleamed with passion when he remembered the young girl’s wild dance at his birthday party. The drunken crowd devored her with their eyes and at the end of the dance there had been a wild acclamation.

She was her mother’s daughter all right. She knew how to use her body to advance herself in the world.

Herod took the spotlight, which he loved, and like the king he was, promised her a reward, up to half his kingdom. “Hear, hear!” his guest had hooted. “That’s a king!” one elbowed his neighbor.

Though able to sway men with her physical attributes, the girl was still young and she consulted with her mother. “What shall I ask?” Half the kingdom was out because Heriodias knew that might mean another divorce and remarriage and she knew who would be outside of an arrangement like that.

But, she didn’t even have to consider. The snake had waited a long time for her opportunity to strike and now it had come.

“Ask for John Baptist’s head on a platter!” she commanded. The girl flinched. Visions of dresses and glory had floated in her head but now she was just going to be her mother’s arm to exact revenge on a crazy prophet?

No questions, though. Heriodias was used to having her way.

A room full of red, groggy eyes finally managed to focus on her as she re-entered the room. “So,” Herod’s greeted her, his eyes more on her body than her face. “What will it be? Land? Titles? Money?”

“I want John Baptist’s head on a platter! Right now,” she said firmly.

The words flashed like a slap through the drunken fog surrounding Herod. He sobered up quick!

He wanted to say “no!” He knew where the request came from and he was scared of John, but he sensed that all eyes were on him. If she hadn’t asked for his life immediately, he could have said “yes” and found a way to back peddle later.

It’s what he would have done if she’d asked for half his kingdom. You can change a lot of things when the guests are gone.
But, his honor was at stake here. And what was the life of one hairy prophet compared to his honor? People had to respect him.

“Do it!” he yelled to the captain of the guards on duty that evening.

The man left and the music started up again. Herod, though, was elsewhere as were many of his guests. Though their revelry was far from what God commanded, they still remained afraid of Him and something like this might provoke divine wrath.

Forty-five minutes later a soldier came bearing a grizzly gift. A human head on a dinner platter! John’s head.

The girl took the platter with distaste and left to give it to the one who wanted it—the quicker the better.

Herod tried to joke about it as did some of his guests, but the party quickly lost its joy. One or two excused themselves because of some pressing matter that they had the next day. Hours before the party would normally have been over everyone had cleared out.

The king took no offense because, frankly, he was no longer in the mood to party. He had to douse his brain with even more alcohol before he could finally sleep that night.

Or, for the several weeks following, if you want to be very correct know the truth of it.
The only way he ever banished the image of that ghastly head, and his own ghastly deed, was to make his heart very hard.

A Working Vacation (6:30-43)

When the adrenalin finally started to wear off, the disciples wound down. Suddenly they were tired. Tired!

Jesus knew exactly how they felt. Human bodies could only do so much and it was a madhouse around him. Constant coming and going, people wanting prayer. Others demanded counsel. A lot of them just wanted Jesus to listen to their sad stories.

There were also people who simply desired to be around someone popular. The evangelistic team couldn’t even get time alone to eat together, so Jesus finally called a halt and proposed a few days somewhere quiet.

The words fell on Peter’s ears like manna from heaven. Yes!

Problem was, someone forgot to tell the people. Some people spotted them, evidently guessed where they were going and ran ahead, alerting people in all the towns they jogged through, that Jesus of Nazareth wasn’t far away.

You’d think they’d kicked an anthill. All the people from miles around ran to the lake. When the boatload of disciples and Jesus landed, Peter’s heart sank. People!

And he already knew Jesus’ reaction. Compassion! His heart was so big that he just couldn’t refuse those who were hungry for God. Peter like them too, but he wished at the moment that they were somewhere else and that he were sleeping under a palm tree down by the lake.

The Master placed himself in the most advantageous spot to be heard and started teaching. It amazed Andrew, how the Master could simply start speaking with no preparation and powerfully touch the people. The mysteries he revealed!

Maybe that time he spent praying alone had something to do with it. And Andrew had watched the Lord in the synagogue when the scroll of God’s Word was read. He listened. Really listened.

The disciples were a bit put out that day. All of them had been looking forward to a little R & R and here they were on crowd control duty. As the day drew towards its close, Phillip and Andrew slipped importantly to Jesus’ side and whispered to him.

“Master you better dismiss them so they can go into the towns around here and get something to eat. They’ve been with you all day long and a lot of them will be weak from hunger if they have to walk too far. After all, this meeting was a bit impromptu and lots of them didn’t even bring provisions.”

“You give them something to eat!”

Phillip thought he was joking. “Huh! Eight months wages wouldn’t feed this bunch. You want us to take that much out of the treasury, Lord, just to feed these people?”

Andrew knew that even the evangelistic team was short of rations. “How much bread do you have?” Jesus inquired. “Five loaves and a couple of small fishes,” Andrew informed him. “That’s a drop of water in the sea for this bunch.”

“Make the people sit down in groups of hundreds and fifties.” Jesus commanded.

The disciples couldn’t help grumbling to themselves. This vacation was ending up being a lot of work. Finally, when everyone was seated, wondering what was up, Jesus took the bread and fishes, held them up towards heaven and blessed them, thanking his Father for them.

Then he started to break the small meal into pieces put it into baskets they had confiscated. A couple of the disciples had “whatever!” looks on their face. That was quickly replaced by looks of astonishment as Jesus broke and broke and broke, bread and fish.

Whoa! One basket filled, then another, and another. The disciples waited on the people. It was a celebration because the news ran like wildfire to the furthest reaches of the crowd. Jesus of Nazareth was multiplying bread and fish.

Some got up and tried to see closer but the disciples hurried them back to their places and made the announcement for everyone to keep their place.

What a meal! Some asked for seconds when they weren’t even hungry. They just wanted to eat miracle bread. Others just couldn’t stuff it all in so Jesus made the disciples go among them and gather up what was left over.

Twelve baskets full of leftovers! Among five thousand men.

Who was this Jesus?

The disciples were too tired to think about it.

Water Walkers (6:45-56; John 6: 15-21; Matt. 14:27-32)

That evening a powerful idea traversed the crowd like chain
lightning. “This is him. Let’s make him king.” With a king that could
multiply food, they wouldn’t have to work nearly as hard … ‘or at all’
some of them thought. (John 6: 15-21).

Jesus was having none of it. He told his disciples to get into the
boat, that he would make it over himself. Thaddaeus wondered just how
the Master was going to cross over. “Fly?” he said ruefully to himself.
“Most likely he’ll find someone to take him in a boat.”

Peter was a bit uneasy about leaving the Master alone with this
unruly crowd. But he had his orders and he was committed to Jesus with
his whole heart. Sometimes he sure didn’t understand him, though.

The Master cried for attention and the unruly crowd settled down
some. Many of them hadn’t seen the disciples row away from the shore.

“It’s time for you to go home now! On the road praise God for the
wonders He’s done and the truth you’ve heard. Live what God has shown
you today. Live it! Now it’s time to finish. Go to your homes.”

With that Jesus turned and left them, soon beginning to walk up the
mountain nearby, slowly disappearing from sight as the night settled
over the region. Most of the crowd left but some of the diehards just
stayed put. If they could convince Jesus of Nazareth to become king in
the land, they would constantly have full bellies.

Jesus’ body ached for rest. He had been as tired as his disciples and
a day of teaching sapped him. But tonight he had to pray. He could
sleep later.

He moved around his prayer place, high up on the mountainside. The
bright moon illuminated the world below him. He had to pray! The first
time the devil had made the offer of the world, it had been
straightforward and Jesus had put him in his place with the Word of God.

Today, he was back again in the person of those who would make him a
king. But just like the devil, they didn’t want him for a king because
they loved him. They saw an advantage in it for themselves.

When these people make a king, when the devil makes a king, it can be
taken away in a breath. The first time things don’t please them,
they’re ready to anoint someone else as leader.

He needed strength from his father. And as usual he got it.

A Strange Crossing (6:45-52; Mat. 14:27-32)

As he prayed Jesus was aware of a strong wind that would have been
blowing in the face of the rowing disciples. The breeze whipped up the
waves, and though not dangerously high, they made progress by rowing
difficult.

Jesus looked over the giant lake from his prayer perch, and a break
in the clouds allowed a full moon to reveal a tiny dot—the disciple’s
boat—progressing like a slow snail against the wind.

The Lord left his place to go to them. No use trying to wake those
whose boats lined the shore. These were the “bread and fish” followers
who hoped he’d come down from the mountain in the morning to give them
breakfast.

With a sudden conviction he left the safety of the shore and, well he didn’t go into the water, he walked on the water!

Back in the disciple’s boat the rowers sweated. Instead of sleeping,
those who waited their turn at the oars, cast a wary, prayerful eye on
the threatening waves, whipped up by the wind. They would feel better
when the boat finally arrived at the shore.

Suddenly James Alphaeuson started. What was that passing by their boat? “Ah, ah, ah! A ghost!” he cried.

Skeptical eyes followed the direction his finger pointed. What was
that? Not possible! Some of the old fisherman said that before a boat
sunk to the bottom of the lake, people sometimes saw a ghost.

Darts of fear raced up and down John’s spine. This time there was no
Jesus sleeping in the boat. They were doomed. Cries from the boat
sounded like a gaggle of little girls who had just seen a snake.

Suddenly the “specter” spoke. “Hey fellas! It’s me. Jesus! Be brave.”

The voice was certainly the Master’s but, walking on the water?

It was Jesus; you never knew what to expect with him. Peter was
amazed but he remembered that Jesus had once conferred on them the power
to cast out demons and heal sick people just like he did.

Could Peter walk on water, too?

“Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you on the water,”
Peter shouted as the other disciples looked at him as if his mother had
rocked him too close to the wall when he was a baby.

“Come on, then!”

Peter scrambled over the side of the boat, his feet unexplainably
standing on the water as he struggled to get his balance. His gaze was
firmly fixed on Jesus’ eyes.

He began to walk, a bit like a new-born colt at first, but then more
assuredly. If John had been surprised by Jesus walking on the water,
this topped that. Jesus was Jesus and nothing surprised them too much
about him.

But Peter?

Peter walked towards the Lord, who waited for him. But, when he was
nearly there a huge wave caught his attention and suddenly he became
aware of the wind and the DANGER! What was he doing?

His ankles sunk beneath the waves and the water slowly covered his
knees, then his thighs, then his chest. Back in the boat James looked on
with concern. “Peter is so spontaneous. I knew the Lord shouldn’t have
let him get out of the boat.

Suddenly Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!”

“And just like that his hand was there, taking mine and pulling me
out of the water, back on top of it again,” Peter explained to John
later when the two of them talked about the experience.

“Can you imagine?” Peter asked. “He asked me why I was afraid, where
was my faith. Called me a man of little faith?” Peter smiled. “What
about us?” John said. “We didn’t even get out of the boat. We thought
you had taken leave of your senses.”

As soon as Jesus had scrambled into the boat the wind had died down,
just like that. It took a minute for the disciples to take in what had
happened. Their emotions had gone from tired anxiousness from the rowing
and the wind, to horrible fear at seeing what they thought was a ghost,
to amazement at realizing it was Jesus to uncertainty at seeing Peter
get out of the boat.

They had all leaned towards the Master and the disciple with concern
when they saw Peter start to sink and had exhaled with relief when Jesus
saved him. Now Jesus gets in the boat and the wind just stops!

Instead of rowing they just sat there and stared at the Master,
mouths open. They had used up a month’s worth of emotions in ten
minutes.

And Jesus wondered what it would take for them to get it. They’d seen
the dead raised, bread multiplied and a hundred other things, but it
was like each time they came up against a new trial they limited him to
what he had done for them and others in the past. Sometimes, they even
forgot what he’d already done as if he wouldn’t do it again.

When would they realize that with him there were no limits, just like
there were no limits with the Father? All Mighty. All Present. All
Knowing. Eternal.

Surreal But Real (6:53-56)

The disciples had never dreamed about seeing what they saw the next few days—an earthslide of miracles. Honestly, not even Elijah or Elisha in the Holy Scriptures had done anything like this.

If they thought they might accidentally avoid attention and get a bit of rest, they were wrong. Soon as people recognized Jesus, they ran to bring the sick, and it was like the windows of heaven were opened.

People getting up off mats, blind people seeing, fearful demons howling as they came out of people.

Some people touched the edge of his cloak and were healed. He placed his hand on others and with some he just spoke the word and their world changed.

The hallmark of those days was joy. For the disciples, even though they saw so many incredible things they still participated in the joy of each moment—children walking for the first time; mamas healed on their beds of sickness, tears of gratitude rolling down their cheeks; ah, so many people, so much love of God expressed.

That’s what struck John. Jesus loved these people. He had compassion on them. John had to admit that a good bit of his time, he thought about his future and his place, what people would think if he prayed for someone and that person was restored. But, Jesus seemed to focus this abused people, their hurts, their needs.

He never forgot that compassion.

Wish Someone Had Told Mama (Chapt. 7)

Peter chewed slowly, self-consciously. It had been another busy day—crowd control, prayer, listening to people’s needs, watching the Lord and learning.

Now, that they had walked a bit apart from the crowd to try to eat a bite they were encircled by the political correctness police from Jerusalem.

Jesus’ ministry made waves all the way to the Holy City and of course the bigwigs down there had sent out enforcers to see what was going on. Their sleek city robes brimming with religiosity, manicured beards, and implacable faces made eating a bit difficult as they tightened the circle around Jesus.

“These guys are looking for trouble,” Peter thought uneasily.

“Why do your disciples eat without washing their hands according to our cleansing rituals?” one spat. “Don’t they respect the traditions of our fathers?”

Jesus looked up from his bread. “Uh, oh!” Peter thought. “Here it comes!” If anything set Jesus off it was these pompous peacocks who set themselves up as the standard of God’s righteousness for the nation.

“If the Master could just let it pass, he’d have a lot less problems. But, he won’t. I know he won’t.”

Peter was right.

“You guys are a bunch of hypocrites!” Jesus responded to their hand-washing question. “Isaiah had you pegged when he said: “’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’” (Isa. 29:13, NIV).

They reacted in surprise. They weren’t used to people answering back without groveling.

Andrew stopped eating and Simon the Canaanite gulped, waiting for a self-righteous explosion from the teachers of the law. Jesus didn’t back up. “You even negate the law by the traditions you’ve added.”

“What!” one of the teachers sputtered. “How?”

“For example, Moses told us to honor your father and mother but you say to your parents, ‘That financial help that I was going to give you? Ummm … well, I’ve devoted that money to God. So, I can’t do anything for you.’

“In effect, your tradition nullifies God’s word which tells us to take care of our parents.”

The leader of the teachers opened his mouth like a giant fish to respond but closed it after an instant. He couldn’t think of a retort.

“You’ve got all sorts of traditions that counter the very Law of God you claim to uphold.”

Then Jesus turned his back to them and walked towards the crowd. “Everyone come here!”he yelled. “I want you to hear this.” Talking slowly ceased in the massive throng as people stopped eating or visiting with their neighbor to see what was up. Those nearby edged closer.

A massive “shhhhhhh!” blew through them as each quieted the talkative ones. What did the Teacher want that was so important?

Interested quietness reigned as Jesus’ powerful voice rang out, “”Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’ ” (7:14, NIV)

Old Caleb in the front row looked intently at Jesus, waiting for more. What was the Teacher on about? What did he mean that nothing outside of us makes us unclean. That’s silly. Everyone knew that what you touched or ate made you unclean.

And the Pharisees had added lots of things to the unclean list.

Everyone waited but that was it. No other explanation. Oh, well. Jesus often said things like that. No one had any idea what he was talking about, but the miracles! Wow! He had to be from God. And honestly, though they didn’t always understand what he taught, there was such a sense of rightness about it that their hearts moved within them.

The crowd dispersed and headed for home as Jesus left them. The disciples made it clear to those that tried to follow that teaching and healing were finished for that day.

Later as they were decompressing in the house where they were staying, some of the disciples asked Jesus about what he had said. Frankly, no one understood it. These ideas of ceremonial purification and uncleanness anchored themselves in their conscience and they accepted them without question.

“Uh, Lord.” James Alphaesson broached the subject that they all wanted to ask. “Back there, when you told those people that nothing that enters a man can make him unclean? Well, we’ve been talking and, umm, well, we don’t really understand what you’re talking about.”

Jesus frowned like a teacher talking to an extra slow student. “Are you guys so dense, too, that you can’t understand this? It’s not what you take into your body that makes you “unclean” before God. Food works it’s way through your digestive system then is expelled.”

“It’s what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.” (7:21-23, The Message)

And from his place in the corner of the room Simon the Canaanite suddenly got it! “So, it’s our heart that counts, not some ceremonial act that may or may not mean anything to us,” he reflected to himself. “Really, I could eat anything and it wouldn’t pollute my heart. It’s these acts of rebellion against God and my brother which would pollute me.”

Peter reflected out loud, “Then it’s more important that I make sure my heart is clean than it is to worry if my hands are clean? Somebody should have told that to mama,” he grinned at Andrew.

What a revolutionary idea. Religion is always easier than relationship with God—but, never as fulfilling.

Hard-headed Woman (7:24-30)

Things were moving a bit too fast in Galilee. The crowds wanted to make Jesus a king; the leaders in Jerusalem would have preferred to kill him. It wasn’t time for either of these so Jesus and his disciples put their sandals in action and walked all the way up to the Tyre region.

This was only 30-50 miles away geographically but it was quite a hop culturally. Plenty of Gentiles up here, so that took care of his political correctness bodyguards from Jerusalem. Never could tell when you might accidentally touch one of those dogs, the pc people thought.

The place was too far away for most of the people who lived around lake Galilee, so Jesus slipped into the house of a willing host. Well, “slipped” is too strong because he was seen and that meant people knocking on the door.

Thaddeus heard the commotion at the front door and went to see. The house servants had stopped a rather desperate looking woman. “But, I’ve got to see him,” she pleaded with the servant.

“What’s this?” Thaddeus said officially. If you’re going to be an apostle, you may as well sound important. “The Master is tired and he’s not seeing anyone!”

“Sir,” the woman said piteously. “A demon torments my little daughter. I’m sure that if your Master comes he can heal her. It’s not far away and it would just take a minute.”

Just then James Zebedeeson came up. “What’s  the problem, Thaddeus.” She didn’t even give him time to answer. “Oh, sir. I’ve got to see Jesus, your Master. My daughter, you see, is so sick. It would just take a minute.”

James looked down his long nose at her. “Cheeky woman,” he thought. “She thinks Jesus will touch a Gentile.”

“Go away!” he commanded. “The Master can’t be bothered. He’s extremely tired.”

“But sir, it would only take a minute and you see my daughter …” hadn’t she heard him? Peter heard the noise and came, then John. All of them told her to go away but it she acted like she didn’t hear.

Finally, John went to Jesus. “Lord, there’s this Greek lady. She won’t go away. She’s insisting to see you!” Suddenly, there she was. She had broken away from her “keepers.”

“Master!” she threw herself before the Master. “Please Lord. Help me. It’s my little daughter, sweetest thing you ever saw. Lately, she’s been out of her head. A demon, everyone says, and I don’t doubt it. Please come and heal her. Please sir, please.”

Even John’s heart melted a bit with her pleading. So, Jesus’ response shocked him a bit: “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs.”

Woah, Thaddeus felt that slap and he wasn’t even the target.

They all looked at the woman, expecting her to struggle to her feet and stalk out in anger, spitting and cursing all the while.

She didn’t even hesitate, though. “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs get to eat the crumbs that fall on the floor.”

Jesus smiled, “Lady you’ve got a ton of faith. Because of that answer to what I said, you can go. You’re daughter is healed.”

The woman lady dared to look up into his face and saw that he was dead serious. “Oh, thank you Master! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

She came back later that week and told them that when she had gotten home, her daughter was lying there, in her right mind. “Normal as you please,” she had said. “And it’s been that way ever since.”

A Strange City (Mark 7:31-37)

The sea of Galilee seemed to attract Jesus like a flame attracted moths. Teeming with life within and around it’s banks it was the perfect place to preach the Good News of God to real people.

The religious atmosphere in Jerusalem was a bit rarified.

When they finally left Gentile territory, they headed towards the lake but not where they normally ministered. Jesus headed to the area of the Ten Cities, Greek-culture population centers surrounded by Semitic peoples.

It was a real outpost of Greek culture, though many Jews lived here.

Philip looked on in wonder as they walked up the strange-looking streets. This place was so close to his home, yet it was more foreign than Tyre and Sidon where they had just been.

He supposed that Jesus wanted to stay away from the crowds and teach them. But here? He shuddered as he saw the representation of an idol in a street-side shrine.

Later a crowd had gathered and Jesus taught them. Most were Jews since the Greek-cultured people turned up their noses at the rustic Jews and their God. They didn’t know that they were a thousand miles from being as chic as the Romans and Greeks that they descended from, but they still considered themselves light years ahead of the locals.

A good number of Greek speakers mixed with the crowd, though. Jesus’ reputation had spread far and wide and a miracle worker was a miracle worker, Jew or not.

A small group elbowed through the crowd to where Jesus taught. “Master, can you help this man. He’s deaf and can hardly talk. Please put your hand on him and heal him.”

The crowd looked on expectantly but Jesus sensed another movement to make him king if they got too stirred up. He took the little group away to a quiet place. Peter trailed behind.

The former fisherman never forgot what he saw that day. Strange—but effective. Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears–identifying with his hurt, Peter suspected. He was starting to know Jesus’ heart.

Then he spit on his fingers and asked the man to stick out his tongue. The man hesitated a moment, then obeyed, whereupon Jesus applied some of his saliva to the man’s tongue. Now, the man had identified with Jesus.

Peter had stopped being surprised at the Master. You sure couldn’t put him into a mold.

Jesus looked towards heaven and from deep within he sighed, “Be opened!”

“Sir!” the man squealed. “I heard that! And, and, I’m talking! I’m talking. Oh, thank you sir! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Look at me,” Jesus looked into his eyes, hands firmly on his shoulders. “You go on home and none of you are to tell anyone about this, you hear!”

“Yes, sir! You can count on me. Not a word of it! Thank you, sir!”

“We won’t tell either,” his family promised.

With that he was off like a bolt, squealing his delight, greeting people along the way. He meant to obey but he just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

It had been shut so long.

At every opportunity he spilled the whole story and the eager listeners gasped as they listened to what Jesus had done.

Once again Jesus was besieged. And the crowds just couldn’t get over it. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (7:37, NIV)

Loaves and Fishes, part 2

Judas shook his head in amazement. All these people. How did they keep finding Jesus in these desolate places? Jesus seemed to work hard to find time alone to teach his disciples but the sheer weight of need and misery pushed the crowds to find him.

“At least we’ll get lots of offerings for the poor,” Judas smiled. “And for the upkeep of our ministry.”

Jesus came up to the disciples who had gathered around to try to eat a bit. Pickings were slim, though, as they had been here three days and there were no nearby villages where people could buy provisions.

Most people had nothing of the picnic left that they had brought with them. Many had brought nothing.

“Fellows, it’s time for us to leave here and preach elsewhere,” Jesus said. “But, we can’t send the crowd away fasting like this. Some of them will faint before they reach the first village.”

“Um, Master,”Thomas piped up. “Where are we going to find enough to feed this bunch in this forsaken place?”
It seemed to Andrew that he had heard that same question, not too long ago.

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven and a few scrawny fish, if you want to throw those in.” Andrew added a big smile to that last statement because he thought he knew what was coming.

Yup, it was the loaves and fishes, part two. This time four thousand men ate miracle bread and fish and they took up seven basketfuls of leftovers.

At least this time, the crowd wasn’t rowdy and didn’t threaten to come make Jesus king by force. They had seen and heard things the last three days that human ears and eyes had never seen and a sense of sober awe prevailed.

They were thinking.

When Jesus told them it was time to go home, they went. The evangelistic party got into the boat and after awhile James noted with interest the watchtower of the village as they rowed to land in the region of Dalmanutha.

The three days with the crowd had been tough physically but the disciples rejoiced at the attitude of the people. Here, though, things changed. The Pharisees found them.

“So, then, one said in an affected accent of Jerusalem, “if you’re the Messiah what kind of sign are you going to give us to prove it? Let’s see your affirmation from God.”

Peter almost answered for the Master. “Signs?” he thought. “Signs? What about the lame walking, the blind seeing, the dead coming back to life? What about words that came from Jesus’ mouth that shook the very foundation of your being? What about …?”

He remember Jesus quoting Isaiah’s words about the Messiah in the synagogue in Nazareth:

The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace— (Isa. 61, the Message)

“Huh, I’ve seen more of God’s actions in the last few days in Jesus’ life than these Pharisee buzzards have seen in a lifetime.” Peter thought.

He recalled the suite of those Isaiah verses as faces of people healed and changed in the desert paraded in his spirit:

“”…To comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory.”
(Isaiah 61, The Message)

Peter opened his mouth to say something but he didn’t get a chance. Jesus sighed from deep within and said simply, “Sign? This is an evil and adulterous generation. The only sign they get is the sign of Jonas who was three days in the belly of a huge fish. No, you’re not getting the show you want.”

With that he turned to the disciples, “Back in the boat fellows. We’re out of here.”

Pharisee Bread (8:14-21)

Thaddeus wished fervently that the Pharisees had kept their mouth shut and they could have stayed in Dalmanutha region until they got a bit more rested.

Jesus didn’t say much the first part of their crossing. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. John guessed that the run-in with the Pharisees had upset him.

John’s stomach started rumbling. “Hey, Judas,” he said when he’d finished his turn rowing. “Did you buy any bread before we left? I’m famished.”

Judas looked like the kid caught stealing sweets from mama’s kitchen. “Why do I have to remember everything? Doesn’t anyone else around here do anything?”

“Well, we’ve got one skinny loaf,” James Alphaeson observed, “so, I guess we can wrestle for it.” Everyone grinned or grimaced as the rhythmique sound of paddles digging in the waves continued.

Just then Jesus broke his reverie and said, “Fellows, watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod. Watch out for Saducee yeast too (Matt. 16:5, MSG).

“He’s saying that because we forgot to bring anything to eat,” Philip whispered to Bartholemew. “You guys need to get more organized.”

“Organized?” Bartholemew said in a too-loud whisper. “Some of you are the most scatter-brained people I ever saw. Why does it always have to be Judas and me who buy everything?”

Jesus broke in. “You guys, why are you on about bread? Don’t you understand what I’m talking about or are you just spiritual midgets, understanding the minimum of things about God?

“Do you think bread is a problem for me? When I broke the loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of leftovers did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied in unison.

“And the seven loaves for the four thousand? How many baskets of leftovers were there?”

“Seven,” they answered quietly.

“Don’t you understand? I’m not talking about bread but about those nasty doctrines and teachings of these people that get into you and rise and take you over, like leaven does the dough.”

Spit and Healing? (8:22-26)

Once when they were in Bethsaida, some people led a blind man to Jesus. The Master loved this town but he also upbraided it for its unbelief, because the city had seen many miracles and most people still kept their distances when it came to faith in Jesus as the Christ.

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.

This day the men pressed the Master, “Lord, Lord, please heal our friend. Life is unbearable for him. He’s been miserable since he lost his sight. He can’t stand having to constantly depend on others.”

Peter saw that same look of compassion spread over Jesus’ face. “He’s going to do it,” Peter thought. “He can’t help himself. When he sees someone hurting, he’s like a bee attracted to honey. He’ll do it if he’s tired, if his life is threatened, even if the people are ornery and don’t deserve it. He can’t refuse a sincere, hurting heart that comes to him.”

The apostle shook his head and followed the little group behind Jesus and the blind man. The Lord had told the rest of the crowd to stay put and though many wanted to follow and gawk, most of the apostles stayed and kept them in their place.

When they got to a secluded spot outside the village the Master spit on his fingers. The blind man perked up at this sound as did his friends. Peter had ceased to be shocked by anything the Lord did. He just figured it was Jesus’ way of identifying himself closely with this man—a man he didn’t even know!

He put some of the spit on the man’s eyes then placed his hands over them. Then he removed his hands and asked, “Do you see anything?”

The blind man started a bit because he was beginning to see. “It seems like I see men walking around, but they’re indistinct. They look like trees.”

With that Jesus put his hands on the man again. “And now?” he said stepping back once again.

Peter saw it before the man said anything. A bright smile lighted his face and he cried, “I can see … I can SEE! Oh, thank you Master! Thank you!” he yelped hopping around in his joy. “I can see you Jacob,” he shouted to one of his friends. “That’s you Ephraim! I see you. I know you!”

Jesus’ wore a broad smile himself as he told the man, “Don’t go back into the town, you hear. Just go on home. Don’t be broadcasting this everywhere.”

 

Who Am I? (8:27-30)

Walking north to Caesarea Philippi, Simon the Canaanite sweated like a camel. “Oof! He puffed to himself. If it’s not rowing, it’s walking and walking. And then walking some more.”

Ah, The Master called a halt. Nice little oasis, palm trees all around. No one else was there and, as he often did, Jesus walked off a little ways and found a palm and began to pray under the relative coolness of its branches. (Luke 9:18).

Simon found a nice shade under another palm tree and spreading his cloak on the ground, lay down with the idea of catching a few winks before they started again.

The Master’s voice woke him. The question pierced his sleep-woozed brain and pulled him back to reality.

“Who are the people saying that I am?” Jesus had returned from his prayer time.

“Ha!” James Zebedeeson said. “The other day I heard someone say that you’re John the Baptist, risen from the dead.” A few snickers followed this.

“I’ve heard people say that you’re Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the old prophets come back to life,” Andrew said.

“And you? Who do you say that I am?”

Simon, propped up on one elbow now, looked around the group to see who would speak. As usual it was Peter. “You’re the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus looked pleased. “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am,” the Master said. (The Message).

“And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.

“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.” (Matt. 16: 17-19, The Message)

Then Jesus spoke strongly to them, “You guys don’t be going around telling people that I’m the Messiah, you hear?” Simon shook his head “yes” with the rest of them but he still wondered why. Wasn’t Jesus going to be the king of all? And weren’t they going to reign with him?

 

The “Rock” Speaks for the Devil (8:31-9:1)

While they were in that country, they had a bit more privacy and Jesus took advantage of it to teach his disciples. He talked of his rejection by the leaders of the people, his death, and his resurrection on the third day.

Frankly, most of them had no idea what he was on about because it didn’t square at all with their idea of what the Messiah planned to do.

Peter felt good about the Lord’s felicitations when he had recognized that Jesus was the Christ. “Guess I’ve got a bit more spiritual insight than they thought,” he had surmised.

So, when Jesus began to talk about rejection and death, something inside of him reacted. It was obvious from the synagogue teachers’ time line charts that he’d seen since he was little, that this wasn’t going to happen to the Messiah.

“Lord, can I talk to you a minute?” he said, taking Jesus by the arm and pulling him aside. “Master, you’re much wiser than us, I know. But this talk about death and all that. That can’t happen to the Messiah. He’s victorious. He destroys his enemies. He’s a king. You don’t need to be teaching about your death and all these trials.”

Jesus looked him straight in the eye, “That’s what Satan has been telling me Peter!”

Then he turned and looked at his disciples. Their sheepish glances at their feet told them that Peter was the spokesperson for what they were thinking. Big brother sends the big-mouthed little brother to ask to do something that might get him in trouble.

“Get behind me Satan! You’re not thinking like God but like men.” Peter’s pride dropped into his socks.

Jesus called the crowd together with his disciples. People unstretched from their sitting positions to come and see what he had to say. Finally, the disciples ringed him and the crowd formed a semi-circle around them.

Peter’s face still burned red with embarrassment.

“If you want to follow me, you’re going to have to do what I want and not what you want. There’s a cross that you have to drag with you. It’s like losing your life, if you want to follow me.

“But that’s the only way you will really find out what life is, when you give it up for me and my gospel.

“Just tell me,” he said, his eyes passing from one face to the other, locking eyes with some in the semi-circle before him. “What good would it do you if you own everything in this world—if you’re incredibly rich and glorious and famous—if you lose your soul? Could you give all those riches to ransom your soul? I think not.

Embarrassment gradually vanished from Peter’s face as he looked at the Lord, passion to do his will rising in his heart. He couldn’t stay mad at the Master.

“If you’re ashamed of me and my words before this wicked bunch who inhabits the world these days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

The ex-fisherman wasn’t sure what Jesus was talking about but he knew one thing—he didn’t intend to be ashamed of him. Even if it cost him his life.

Then Jesus added a provocative statement, “Some of you standing here won’t die before you see God’s Kingdom coming in power.”

“Yeah, that’s more like it,” many of them thought. That’s what they signed up for. What was all this stuff about death and crosses?

Nothing To Say… But Peter Speaks Anyway! (9:2-13)

“Over there are the hills of the Golan, stretch out your hands and touch them. In their stalwart stillness they give the command to halt in splendid isolation Grandfather Hermon slumbers. A cool wind blows from the peak of whiteness”

the Modern Hebrew poetess Rachel writing about the  2814 meters (9232 feet) Mt. Hermon, the mountain that many believe to be the site of the Transfiguration
(http://www.ctsp.co.il)

Peter’s cage was still a bit rattled from the exchange the week before. He’d fallen from the strutting disciple who spoke the revelation of God to the whipped puppy who had heard “get behind me Satan” shot in his direction. He didn’t know what to think.

Suddenly he heard his name called, “Peter! James! John! You guys come with me. We’re going up on the mountain to pray. The rest of you stay here and keep the crowd from following us. Pray with those who have needs.”

So, the four of them set out. James huffed and puffed after a few minutes and the whole group stopped from time to time to try to catch their breath.

Finally, they got to a place that seemed to be to Jesus’ liking. James looked out over the plain far below. He could understand why Jesus like to go on the mountain to pray. It gives you another perspective on life. Things that seemed so big and scary at the bottom, don’t seem large at all from way up on the mountain.

Jesus moved off a bit and began to pray. Peter, James, and John settled in for the long haul because they knew how the Lord was when it came to praying.

The three disciples prayed fervently for 15 minutes then eased off a bit. By the time they had been there an hour they had prayed for everyone they knew twice and James caught his mind wandering towards all kinds of things.

Evening set in and still Jesus prayed. The disciples made themselves more comfortable—in order to pray better, you understand. Actually, they got a bit too comfortable.

James smiled as he saw Peter praying with his mouth open, and soft snores underscoring his requests. It wasn’t long before he and John joined the fisherman.

Suddenly, James started to wake up. Though sleep-heavy eyes he was aware of Jesus but, wow, something was different. “John, Peter! Wake up,” he nudged them.

In a second all three of them had passed from sleep to eyes wide and round. Jesus stood there with two others (Moses and Elijah) but it was more than that. His face shone! It shined! Moses coming down from the mountain couldn’t have had a face brighter than that.

And his clothes! They shined too. It was like trying to stare at the sun at midday and the disciples shielded their eyes, but still tried to look at the incredible site.

Finally, the two men went away and the Lord came over. Peter evidently didn’t know what to say but that never stopped him from talking so he said, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters to mark this—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

Before Jesus had a chance to answer they found themselves enveloped by a cloud. James had never seen the shekinah glory cloud from the tabernacle but he knew this must have been it or something like it.

Suddenly a voice shook their souls, “This is my son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7, NIV). All three of the disciples hit the ground, face down in terror. They knew whose voice that was and you didn’t want to mess around when He was present like that.

After quiet had reigned for awhile, they dared peek around a bit and everything was back to normal—no old prophets, no dazzling glory or shekinah clouds, nor the voice of God the Father.

Just Jesus.

Shortly thereafter, they descended the mountain. “Don’t you guys tell anyone about this until I’ve risen from the dead,” Jesus said.

“Risen from the dead?” James thought. “What’s he talking about?”

“Master,” John asked, “Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come back before the Messiah can come.” A natural question since they had just seen Elijah.

“Elijah has come back and they did what they wanted to with him,” the Lord responded.
“You’re talking about John the Baptist, huh?” John said.

As they picked their way carefully down the rocky trail James reflected, “When you’re with him all the time, even when you see his miracles, it all seems ordinary. He eats, drinks, talks, hurts just like anyone else. But something like this? Whoa! This is no ordinary man—though, he is an ordinary man. I’m not sure I understand this, but I know one thing: I love him more than I love my life.”

“If You Can?” (9:14-32)

“Uh, oh.” John thought. They had seen the big crowd from the mountain and he thought he’d glimpsed some of the teachers of the law near the center of the circle.

These guys were bad news, however you cut it.

As they approached the crowd, someone in the back spied Jesus coming towards them. “It’s the Teacher! He’s come down!”

Suddenly, several hundred people broke off from the main crowd to run towards the Lord. But, they slowed down as they got close. They felt something different about him, and they no longer wanted to run into his presence like a bunch of wild chickens.

Respect descended over the crowd as it opened to make way for him to get to the center. The religious teachers burned holes in him with their eyes but said nothing.

They had had easy pickings with Jesus’ disciples but they sensed that the game had changed. “Why are you arguing with my disciples?” Jesus asked.

No answer. The disciples themselves seemed a bit abashed and no one answered until a man with them spoke up, “Teacher, it’s that I brought you my son who is possessed by an evil spirit and he can’t talk. Sometimes the spirit seizes him and throws him to the ground and he rolls around and foams at the mouth. I don’t have to tell you that makes it tough for all of us.”

He added, “Since you weren’t here, I asked you disciples to cast it out but they couldn’t.”

Jesus looked hard at the law teachers (who were fervently hoping that Jesus had finally found an opponent stronger than he was, so that they could gloat), then at his disciples and the crowd.

“How much longer am I going to be with this generation of unbelievers? How can I put up with you?”

Nathanial’s ears glowed red at the rebuke. He had seen the Lord do so much through him on their preaching tour; why couldn’t he believe God for this boy?

Walking away from the crowd, Jesus instructed the father to bring the boy to him. At the sight of Jesus the boy fell down and started rolling around, foaming at the mouth. The crowd gaped.

“How long has he been like this?” Jesus said quietly to the father.

“Since he was a child. He’ll jump into the fire or even dive into the water and almost drown. Teacher, if you can do something please help us!”

James standing nearby heard the words, “…if you can do anything …” and thought about the leper who had come to the Master. That one had said, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”

“Hmmm,” thought the disciple, “The leper doubted the Master’s willingness but this man isn’t even sure he has the power. Better stand back, here it comes.”

“If you can?” Jesus challenged the troubled father. “Everything is possible to him who believes.”

Some might have thought that the Master got too rough with distraught people like this but James knew that he was trying to grow the man’s faith, trying to give him something that would last him beyond this one encounter.

The man managed a half-hearted declaration of trust, “I believe Lord. Help me because I’m still struggling with unbelief.”

It seemed a funny statement of confidence but James saw himself in the father’s cry. Even though he constantly saw Jesus in action he was also often afraid, or discouraged, or wondering what they were going to do. James felt like crying out, “Help me defeat my unbelief too!”

The crowd stood a ways off, but sensing that something was about to happen, many of them ran towards Jesus. A lot of them stopped short as they saw what happened.

“You deaf and mute spirit,” Jesus said, “come out of this boy and don’t ever enter him again!” At that, there was a shriek like the ghost of death dying, as the boy convulsed and fell to the ground.

Suddenly, he stilled and lay there, pale. “He’s dead!” some of them said. Jesus didn’t seem worried, though, as he knelt down and took the boy’s hand. His eyes opened and he looked around, then the Master helped him up.

The crowd gasped and everyone began to talk at once, mingling their astonished observations with praise for God.

The religion teachers simply scowled. They scowled so hard that Peter looking on was tempted to say, “If you keep your face like that too long, it’s going to get stuck that way.”

The scowl stuck already on the face of their soul.

Later, when they gathered around Jesus in the home where they were staying Philip asked him, “Lord, why couldn’t we cast that demon out? We’ve done it with others.”

“This one only comes out when you’ve prepared yourself and the spiritual terrain by praying and fasting,” Jesus responded.

After that, they moved about around Galilee for awhile, avoiding crowds. Jesus gave them an intensive course on God’s Kingdom but one thing kept troubling his closest followers.

What was Jesus on about, talking about his death? None of their prophecy teachers spoke about the Messiah dying. Messiah was coming to reestablish Israel to the prominence they had in the time of David and Solomon.

Jesus will die then come back from death? What was he talking about? They were a bit afraid to ask him about it though. They didn’t want to end up like Peter had, when he’d tried to tell the Lord that he wasn’t going to die like that.

So, they decided, “That’s just Jesus. He says lots of things we don’t understand. But, when you see what he does and the anointing of God oozing out of his life, you know that something special awaits him.”

They wanted to be part of that something special.

 

“I Am the Greatest!” (Mark 9:33-37)

The sun beat on John’s head as they walked the last dusty mile on the Capernaum road but he didn’t notice. He was too “hot under the collar” to think of anything but the ongoing conversation.

Jesus led the group but just behind him Peter, James, John, Judas, joined occasionally by other disciples, argued. They kept their voice down and glanced often to make sure that Jesus couldn’t hear them.

“That’s ridiculous!” John said. “How can you be the greatest, Peter? You didn’t even finish school. In a great Kingdom like this one we’re going to need educated people—like James and I.”

“Educated people!” Peter snorted. “Educated people are the problem, now! Do you want to repeat the arrogance of the scribes and teachers of the law? Educated people!”

“But they’re right Peter,” Judas chimed in. “In a small group it’s not so important, but for a kingdom you can’t have just any old body in important places. Can you imagine someone with no financial experience as minister of finance for the Kingdom? Even in a group like ours, my savoir-faire in money matters is invaluable. The Master will need someone like me when he establishes his kingdom.”

And so it went until they finally arrived at Peter’s house. His wife and mother-in-law received them with joy. Children’s voices rang out from the little courtyard behind the house.

After the servant had washed their feet and they had had a long drink of water, Jesus said to them, “What were you arguing about on the road coming here?”

Peter looked like a little boy caught stealing honey cakes from mama’s kitchen. He and the others looked a bit sheepish and stared at their feet. So Jesus found a place to sit and called his apostles together in the big room.

A curious child, who shadowed Jesus everywhere he went when he was at Peter’s house sat down, uninvited, as close to Jesus as he could get, without running the chance of getting shooed off.

The Master’s gaze rolled over each one in the circle. “You fellows know what? If you want to  be first in the Kingdom, you’ve got to learn to be last.

“We’re not going to be a government of big-shots with lackeys falling all over them, fawning over them as if they were the Caesar in Rome.

Jesus looked over to where the little boy watched him eagerly. “Come here a minute … yes, you … come on.” The boy came hesitantly, glad to be noticed by Jesus, not so glad to be the center of the attention of all these other adults.

“You see this child?” Jesus said. Then he encircled the little fellow in his arms and hugged him to himself. The child hugged back in pleasure.

The disciples looked on, slightly uncomfortable. An adult paying attention to a child? In public? Actually, James Alphaeson wasn’t shocked. How many times had he seen Jesus romping with the little ones when they had been invited into someone’s home? He almost had to chase them away because they would have played with him until sunset and no one could have talked to him.

“If you receive one of these little fellows, you’re receiving me.” The child beamed at them happily from the circle of Jesus’ arms. “And if you’re receiving me, you’re receiving the one who sent me.”

Simon from Canaan worked it out in his head. “To receive a child is to receive Jesus? To receive Jesus is to welcome God, who sent him? So, to welcome a child is like welcoming God? What does that mean?” he wondered.

John didn’t seem too impressed because he changed the subject. “Um, Master. We saw someone casting out a demon, using your name. We stopped him because he wasn’t with us. Just thought maybe I should tell you that.”

Jesus looked at him, “Why? If he does a miracle in my name, he’s not going to badmouth me afterwards is he? If someone is not against us, he’s for us. You know what? If someone simply offers you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, he’ll be rewarded for that.

“But, let’s go back to the subject. If someone  one causes one of these little children who believe in me to sin, it would be better for that fellow to have a giant rock attached to his neck by a rope and for him to be thrown into the ocean.”

Philip’s eyes grew large at this statement. For him, kids didn’t really matter until they got to a certain age. But, Jesus was saying that even the little fellow on his knees had value?

But, if Jesus’ statement about children shocked Philip, he was just as shocked by what followed. Jesus was telling them to cut off their hand or foot if it caused them to sin, or punch out their eye if it caused them to sin because that would be better than being thrown into hell—where fiery punishment doesn’t end!

“Does Jesus really want us to punch out an offending eye?” thought Philip or was he trying to show them how terrible sin is? Worse than losing an eye, a hand, or a foot? Wow! Maybe some of these attitudes that Philip coddled in his life weren’t so inoffensive after all.

He looked up and caught the train of Jesus’ teaching again. “They would all be tested by fire? They had to be like salt and add value to the world because without this “saltiness” they may as well be thrown out as useless?” Heavy stuff.

“You guys be “salty” where I send you and quit this silly arguing among yourselves about who will be the greatest!” Jesus told them.

 

Can I Divorce My Wife? (Chapter 10)

“One thing about following Jesus,” Peter thought. “Your legs get strong.” He’d never walked so much in his adult life because a good bit of his time before now had been spent in a boat, or on the bank of Lake Galilee, repairing nets or cleaning fish.

Now they had left Capernaum and gone to the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan river. The crowds still found Jesus. Peter saw many new faces, though, and he had to admit that changing scenery allowed the Master to reach new people.

The morning sun promised the blazing heat of the afternoon, as the Lord taught the crowd that day. Suddenly Peter stiffened. Here they were again. The Pharisees!

“Those birds,” he thought. “Ten times more “sanctified” than the rest of us, and miserable to be around. The can’t stand anyone who seems to know God better than them.”

They made Peter’s skin crawl but they also scared him a bit. They had money and connections and could make your life unpleasant if they wanted to. And Jesus’ popularity with the people enflamed their jealousy.

“Um, master,” began a tall, skinny one with a prominent, angular nose. “According to God’s law can a man divorce his wife?” Peter saw the trap. However Jesus answered it, someone would be upset. The Master didn’t miss a beat, though, answering the question with an obvious question.

“What did Moses write in the law?”

“Moses permitted it, if the man wrote a bill of divorce and sent her away.”

“He’s probably got a young lady picked out and just wants to justify how he’s going to treat his wife,” Peter thought. “Of course, this same fellow wouldn’t think of not tithing on the onions in his garden! Well, Master, how are you going to answer this one?”

To everyone’s general surprise, Jesus lit the fellow up along with this callous idea of marriage. “Moses wrote that because your hearts were hard,” he responded. “But, that was never God’s original idea. He made them male and female, with the idea that a man would leave his mother and father and be united to his wife. The two will be so close that’s it’s like they are one flesh. They are no longer two but one! Whatever God has put together, man had better not separate!”

Peter heard a fly buzzing in the silence that followed this declaration. The long-nosed Pharisee opened his mouth once or twice like a fish, trying to think of a good answer, but thought better of it and decided to keep it closed.

“He’ll have to find some other justification for his nasty treason to his wife,” thought Peter.

Actually, that was a pretty big mouthful for any of them to swallow and later on when they were back at the house where they were staying, the disciples asked Jesus about this.

“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:11, NIV)

James thought of all the divorce in the society around him, especially among those like the Pharisees and Sadducees who had money. They could afford it. Did Jesus really mean that a man should stay with one woman, and a woman with one man, for life? “One flesh” must represent a lot deeper commitment than he had imagined.

Later on that day, a couple of ladies appeared at the door with their little children. “Sir, could we see Jesus a minute? We want him to bless our children.”

“Can’t you women see that we’re busy?” Matthew asked. “There are sick people here who need healing. The Master has to teach and also spend time in prayer to prepare Himself.”

Unfortunately for Matthew, Jesus sat not far away and overheard the conversation. “You let those kids come to me!” he barked. “God’s kingdom is made up of people like these children. If you can’t receive God’s Kingdom like a child, you can’t enter it!”

John did a doubletake. “Become like a child?” They spent most of their time trying to act like adults. Why should he want to be like a child? Those little fellows fussed, they squirmed, they laughed and they giggled. (Kind of like Jesus’ disciples when you come to think of it).

But, John looked at their faces when Jesus took them into his arms. Pure pleasure. Simple, open. They didn’t seem to care what the disciples thought and they didn’t try to be something they weren’t.

One of them showed Jesus a flower he had brought for him.

“Those little tykes don’t worry about how to wash their hands before they eat in order to please God,” John smiled. “If you let them, they don’t even wash their hands or anything else! But, how they respond to the Master! And how he looks with love at them! There’s something simple and pure there.”

Jesus hugged them and put his hands upon their heads and blessed them.

 

The “Almost” Christian (Mark 10:17)

The early morning sun agitated the roosters as Jesus and his disciples set out on the gritty street towards Jerusalem. More than one of them were a bit uneasy. Jesus was wildly popular among the people of Galilee, where most of his ministry took place but Jerusalem was a hostile place.

The power brokers of the nation dwelt there and they brooked no competition, especially from those who spoke with a backward Galilean accent. Jesus’ popularity with the common people scared these leaders and they regarded him warily.

The times they had been to Jerusalem for the holiday feasts Jesus and the disciples had made some memories, but not all the memories were good. John supposed though, that the Messiah would have to make it in Jerusalem if he was going to unite all the Kingdom of Israel. So, he pushed down his fear and fell in behind the Lord.

No one had much to say as each walked lost in his own thoughts. Early-morning cobwebs in their brains didn’t help much either.

“Master, wait! Wait a minute, please!” The whole group turned to see what the commotion was, as a young man came running towards them. Tall, good-looking with a new robe that looked as if it had been made by an expensive Jerusalem tailor, the mysterious young man ran right up to Jesus and fell on his knees.

Slightly out of breath, he cut right to the chase. “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Eternal life?” thought Bartholomew. “He’s Jewish, part of God’s chosen people. He’s rich which is an evident sign of God’s blessing. What more could he want?”

Unknown to Bartholomew, the young man had slept very little last night, or for many nights. This question tortured him. He did everything the rabbis said, but still, way down in the center of who he was, a chasm gaped, crying out for reality, for life, eternal life.

Jesus answered him by asking why he called him “good” because only God is good (and the young man was right when he called Jesus “good”. But, did he really realize it?)

“You know what the Word says: don’t murder anyone, no adultery, no stealing, no lying, no cheating, respect your parents, etc.” Jesus told him.

“But Teacher, I’ve done all these since I was a boy.” He wanted to cry out, “But I’m still empty inside. What’s missing?”

Jesus heart stirred within him, because he recognized a sincere seeker. Tortured, but sincere. He saw the source of the young man’s problem. “One thing is missing.” His voice was soft but firm. “Go sell everything you have and give the proceeds to the poor. You’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.”

It was like thunder exploded over their heads—for the disciples as well as the young man. “Whoa!” thought Peter. “What’s he on about? I’ve never heard him ask that of anyone before. This young fellow probably owns a bank and half of Judea. Give all that?”

The young man looked as if someone told him that his mother had died. He said nothing else but got up and turned back in the direction he had come from. This time he didn’t run. He had plenty of treasure here and he didn’t have enough faith to exchange it so that it would multiply in heaven.

His money possessed his soul.

No one moved as he left and all eyes focused on Jesus. Nathanial heard a rooster crow behind one of the houses. Ladies meandered past, water jug on their shoulder, heading for the well. The smell of bread cooking wafted from a few of the houses.

“Fellows, it’s hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” There went that thunder again! Every disciple was wide awake now and they were having a hard time believing their ears. “Rich” was what they all wanted to be.

Judas began to suspect that something was wrong with the Master’s mind. Why, riches were a blessing from God. Everyone knew that!

Jesus didn’t back down, though. “It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom!”

The image of the camel on all fours wiggling through the tiny side entrance in the city wall, reserved for those who came after the great gate of the city was shut flashed through the mind of Simon the Canaanite.

He smiled as he thought of a rich man, down on his knees wriggling through the tiny entrance. Not very noble.

“How can anyone be saved then?” protested Thaddaeus.

“That’s just it. It’s impossible for man. God must do the saving; God can do everything.”

Thaddaeus chewed on that a second. Sometimes when Jesus taught them, the disciple felt like a six-year old in advanced Rabbi school. So much of what he said ran contrary to what they had been taught, but when he thought about it, it didn’t run contrary to what God’s Word said.

Peter piped up. “We’ve left everything to follow you.”

“And you’ll have a great reward. Anyone who has left home, family, or job for me will receive 100 times as much in this life—and a fair share of persecution, too. In the age to come, he’ll receive eternal life.”

Philip tried to put it together in his mind. The rich young man wanted eternal life. It seems like Jesus is saying that we have to give our whole being to him.

“That must be it,” Philip thought. “The Master wasn’t interested in that man’s money. He wanted him to respond wholeheartedly to God. And the only thing he responded wholeheartedly to was his money.”

“I tell you what, though,” Jesus continued. “Many folks who are considered first here will be last in the Kingdom that’s coming.” With that he turned and headed towards Jerusalem again, leaving the disciples trying to understand the “first and last” declaration. They still aimed for first.

They turned slowly to the road again. No one talked much now, but it wasn’t because of morning cobwebs. They were thinking—hard!

Walking Towards Death

Usually the crowds following Jesus sounded like those who surround a traveling musician—lots of noise and laughter. The crowd who plodded after Jesus now walked in silence for the most part. Those who conversed did it in subdued tones and few laughed.

Jesus marched ahead of the group like a man who had a hard job to do and had decided to get at it and get it over with as soon as possible. He usually had a 10-yard lead on everyone else.

The disciples were a bit scared; there’s no other way to say it. They remembered their last trips to Jerusalem and even with all their faith in Jesus as the Messiah and all the miracles they had seen, they were apprehensive.

Something brooded in the air. Everyone sensed it. No one liked it.

After they’d been on the road for a day or so, Jesus came to the disciples during their afternoon pause. “Hey, I want to talk to the apostles,” he said as everyone settled in for a little siesta after a long drink of water at the oasis where they had stopped.

The Master looked around for a meeting place away from the larger group. “Over there,” he indicated a big palm tree, some ways off.

Peter and John looked at each other and Peter mouthed, “What do you think he wants?” John shrugged, turning his hands upwards in a “beats me” gesture.

When everyone had found a place to sit Jesus also sat and looked around the circle, catching everyone directly in the eyes.

“I’m going to give it to you straight, fellows,” he said. “We’re going up to Jerusalem and someone is going to betray me, the Son of Man, to the chief priests and teachers of the law.  They will condemn me to death and hand me over to the Romans who will spit on me, flog me, and kill me.

“Three days later I will rise from the dead.”

No one said anything. Everyone wanted to say, “Then tell me again, why are we going?”

Most of the disciples thought he spoke symbolically. “Listening to Jesus is like reading parts of the prophet Ezekiel,” thought Nathanial. “You’ll only know what he’s talking about when it’s fulfilled.”

“He’s going crazy,” Judas thought. “These are the ravings of a mad man!”

“The Messiah rejected, flogged and killed?” Peter thought. “Nah!” And rising the third day? “Lord, what are you on about?” he wanted to say but didn’t have the courage. His rapid mouth had already caused him more trouble than he wanted and he was afraid of another “get thee behind me!”

So the whole group stored Jesus’ warning in the “strange, incomprehensible sayings of the Master” compartment of their brain and just kept believing what they had always believed about the Messiah.

Life would change quickly, though. And they were warned.

I Am the Greatest?

The travelers had settled down for the evening. A campfire warmed the darkness and those who followed Jesus talked quietly among themselves.

Jesus stayed a bit apart. He was often deep within himself on this trip, even more so than usual and the disciples were afraid to disturb him. One lady didn’t seem bothered, though.

“James, John!” she said quietly. The two apostles snapped to attention. “Come with me.”

“Yes, mama.”

They followed her right up to the Master where their mom promptly fell to her knees (Matthew 28:20). She didn’t seem to be scared of him, only respectful. “Teacher, we’ve got something we want you to do for us.”

The other disciples lounging nearby came alive. What was this?

“I want you to grant the positions on your right and left, your closest counselors in your glorious Kingdom, to my two sons James and John.”

Jesus looked a bit surprised, then turned his gaze to the waiting apostles. “You guys don’t know what you’re asking,” he told them. “Can you drink the cup that I’m about to drink? Can you stand the baptism that I’m going to receive?”

The two brothers were pretty sure that they could handle anything that anyone threw at them. They felt their faith rising to a point where they could call down fire from heaven if need be.

So, they didn’t even think before answering confidently. “Yes, sir. We can drink it. We can do whatever it takes.”

The Master stared hard at them for a moment then said, “Yes, you are going to drink the cup that I drink and go through my baptism, too. But it’s not up to me to decide who gets the places on the right and the left. They’ll go to the ones for whom they are prepared.”

“Um, okay, thanks Lord,” they mumbled as they shuffled away behind their mother.

“What’s that you were asking!” Peter said as they passed close to him. “Where do you guys get off, trying to get an advantage like that!”

“Yeah,” Judas chimed in. “Trying to sneak into first place behind our backs, huh?”

“We’re just trying to confirm the obvious,” John said. “James and I have been with the Master from the first. We were on the mountain and saw him transfigured. We’re done some incredible miracles of healing. Who else should be first?”

“And me?” Peter said. “I haven’t exactly been catching fish on Lake Galilee for the last three years!”

This time the argument heated up so quickly that they forgot to lower their voices so Jesus couldn’t hear.

From his place apart where he’d been praying, Jesus shook his head. Would they ever get it? He’d just told them about the trial he was about to face. He’d just warned James and John of the bitter cup he would have to drink and here they were, arguing like eight- year olds playing in front of their house.

He stood and called everyone together.

The disciples involved in the argument looked a bit sheepish as everyone made a half circle around Jesus, but they were still mad and Peter ached to tell James and John how it really was.

“Hey, look at me!” Grudgingly their gaze came up from the ground to the face of the Lord. James expected a rebuke but he only saw concern in Jesus’ face.

“You guys know how it is with the Gentiles. Their big shots lord it over everyone; they command, others serve. That’s not going to be the way it is with us.

“With us, the greatest is going to be the one who serves, who willingly becomes a slave to others.” Judas looked at him as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. John, though, listened intently. A tiny glimmer of light flashed in his mind.

“I’m the Son of Man, but I didn’t come to be served, but to serve—and give my life a ransom for many.”

There it was again, Peter noticed. “Give his life as a ransom for others?” What was he talking about? “Give his life?” He seemed obsessed with that lately. Surely the Master knew the prophecies about the Messiah. “Give his life?

The Man Who Wouldn’t Shut Up (10: 46-52)

The little boy wondered what was up with Bartimaeus that morning. Usually talkative, the blind beggar said nothing as his eight-year old nephew led him to his regular begging spot at the edge of town.

Truth was, Bartimaeus had had just about enough. “What a life!” he grumbled to himself. “Led around by a little boy, unable to hold down a job. No hopes for a family, just “Alms for the poor, sir!” so I can earn enough to help my brother pay for what I eat.

“I’m sick of this.”

His nephew ran away to help his father as Bartimaeus settled into his familiar spot by the roadside. Here, he could tell you the sound of everything that happened in the region. He knew the difference in the smell of a camel and the odor of a horse. Pesky boys played tricks on him, but his hearing often picked them up before they got close enough to steal what little money he could persuade people passing by to turn loose of.

“Object of pity that’s what I am! A lot don’t even pity me. They think I’m this way because I sinned and God is punishing me. Who knows? Maybe they’re right.” He pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, more to keep the pain of that thought out than to keep the cool morning air at bay as the sun peeked over the horizon.

An unusual noise coming from within the city grabbed his attention. Sounded like a swarm of people coming his way. He called out to the footsteps just then passing in front of him, “Sir? What is this crowd about?”

“Jesus of Nazareth is coming and all that bunch is trailing along with him.”

“Jesus of Nazareth!” One of the advantages of being a beggar was that he knew everything going on. There were always a few grandpas with nothing to do and no one to talk to and they would wander by and stop for a chat. Not so great for business but better than anything else for news.

“Jesus of Nazareth?” They said he opened blind eyes. Only the Messiah could do that … He thought quickly and finally decided that he had enough of begging.

“Jesus!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Jesus! Please, help me!”

“Hey, be quiet you!” someone in the front of the crowd said. Another added, “Don’t be yelling like an idiot!”

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Please help me!”

“Be quiet beggar! He doesn’t have time. He … what’s that? He’s calling for him? Hey, buddy, this is your lucky day. He’s calling for you.”

The blind man didn’t wait to be called twice. He threw his warm, protecting cloak aside and leaped to his feet. “Someone guide me towards him,” he said.

Bartimaeus trembled a bit as he came to the Master—partly from fear but much more from anticipation.

Jesus cut to the heart of the matter: “What can I do for you?”

Bartimaeus didn’t hesitate. He knew that sight would open a new world of responsibilities and he couldn’t hide in his cloak anymore but he already saw the possibilities that being able to see would give him.

“Rabbi! I WANT TO SEE!”

“Go, then,” the man told the beggar. “Your faith has healed you!”

Light flashed before Bartimaeus eyes and he closed them in response. Then he slowly peeped out, giving his eyes the chance to focus and adapt. In a matter of 15 seconds his eyes were wide open.

“Wow! O, Lord God, thank You! I can see. I can SEE!” He turned around and around the circle of people looking at him. Even that ugly old man looked good!

Then he turned back to where a man stood before him, smiling at his wonder. The crowd shouted praises to God and the man joined in at the top of his voice.

As Jesus continued on the road towards Jerusalem, Bartimaeus fell in behind him, forgetting his cloak, forgetting his family, not knowing where he was going to eat that day.

He simply knew one thing—he wanted to be with the Son of David.

______________________________

At last! The Veil Comes Off (Chapt. 11)

Simon the Canaanite huffed and puffed and they labored the last steps up the mountain towards Jerusalem. Jericho-Jerusalem had never been his favorite road because it goes up and up.

It wasn’t a way you wanted to travel alone either, unless you had to. Bandits often hung out near it.

Finally they came to Bethany and Jesus called a momentary halt to the procession. “Simon! Yes, you. Simon the Canaanite. You and Philip come here please.”

The two disciples obediently placed themselves before the Lord. “I want you to go up to the next village. You’ll find a young donkey that’s never been ridden tied to a post on the street corner. Bring him to me. If anyone has anything to say, just tell them that the Lord needs it and you’ll bring it back as soon as he’s finished.”

Simon and Philip walked off a bit dubiously. “We’re going to tell perfect strangers that the Lord needs their donkey?” Simon said. “With our Galilean accent, they’re going to think that we’re thieves and stone us!”

“And even if we do bring it back, if it’s never been ridden, what’s the Lord going to do with it?” Philip asked. “I don’t think I’d want to be  on his back until he’s broken for riding.”

His mind flashed back to a neighborhood donkey that all the kids had tried to ride. The beast had kicked and “hee-hawed” and they’d all scattered. He couldn’t help but smile a bit as he thought of the Master trying to ride an unbroken donkey.

But Jesus was Jesus and the unusual was usual with him. So they obeyed.

Sure enough, in the tiny village ahead of them they found the young donkey tied to a post bordering the street. They tried not to look too conspicuous as they came to the animal and Simon untied him while Philip whistled nonchalantly as if they belonged there. His mouth was a bit dry for a good whistle, though.

“Hey, you two there! What are you doing with that donkey?” a voice boomed. The two disciples jumped and looked towards a menacing man coming towards them accompanied by three others.

“Um,” Simon began. “The Master needs him. He says to tell you that we’ll bring him right back when he’s finished.” The story didn’t sound too convincing to Philip so he was a bit surprised when the big man softened.

“Who is this master of yours?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” Simon answered, this time with more conviction.

“Well, just be sure that you remember to bring him back,” he said as he turned and went into his house.

The crowd looked at the two disciples with interest when they led the donkey to Jesus. Actually, it was the donkey they were looking at.

Suddenly, one of those closest to Jesus brightened and he began to quote a scripture verse, a bit awestruck: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king  comes to you, righteous and having salvation gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9, NIV)

It was as if a lightning bolt ran through the crowd. Everyone realized what was happening. The Messiah readied himself to enter Jerusalem!

Peter was a bit amazed because the Master had never really encouraged this kind of talk. It was what he did that made people know who he was more than what he claimed as he taught the crowds.

But now! At last he was going to reveal himself.

Peter jerked off his cloak and threw it on the donkey’s back and James and John followed suit. Philip watched expectantly as Jesus climbed on the donkey’s back but the little beast just stood there, looking for all the world like he was born for this moment.

The feeling that animated the crowd bordered on ecstasy. “Hosanna!” someone yelled. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” someone answered quoting the famous messianic words of Psalms (118:26). “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David,” another chimed in.

“Hosanna in the highest,” they cried.

And so it went. The excited crowd put their cloaks in front of him to form a carpet for the King to ride upon. Others cut branches to lay before the little donkey. The air rang with shouts of “hosanna” as they entered the city.

“What’s this?” cried those drawn to the noise.

“The Son of David enters Jerusalem,” they answered and many more voices cried “hosanna” because they knew of the prophet of Galilee. Could this really be the time?

The crowd swelled, milled and shouted praises to God, opening before Jesus as he rode through, like a king of old times, heading towards the temple.

Some wept with joy.

And the religious leaders looked on with disgust. “The whole world has fallen for him. What can we do?” (Little hint fellows: try believing in him. That’s the correct answer).

When Jesus arrived at the temple, he left the donkey in Simon’s care and went inside. He just walked and looked, saying nothing. The crowd held it’s breath, wondering what would happen now.

But, that day he just came out and headed back to Bethany with the apostles, to spend the night with friends.

“Here’s your donkey,” Simon said to the big man as they returned through his village.“ The man followed Jesus with his eyes, slightly in wonder. “Jesus of Nazareth …” he muttered to himself.

“Thanks for the donkey,” Simon said as he walked away but the villager simply stared at Jesus’ departing back.

 

Fruitless Fig Trees and a Shake-up At the Temple

(Mark 11:11-33)

Peter rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as the disciples followed Jesus back towards Jerusalem. He had slept like a dead man after all of yesterday’s activity and Jesus had them on the road again early this morning.

The sun peeked over the horizon and lit a leafy fig tree not far from their route. Jesus turned aside and the disciples followed him. “A couple of figs would be a nice wake up call for my stomach,” Peter thought.

All the disciples looked on in disappointment as the Master pulled back leaves and looked all over the tree, but the fruit was AWOL. Actually, Peter wasn’t too surprised because it wasn’t the season for figs, even if this tree acted like it was.

“May no one ever eat fruit from you again,” Jesus said to the tree in disgust.

Peter wondered why Jesus got so upset over a tree but suddenly he had the feeling that this was about more than fig trees. The religion of the men they had seen in the temple yesterday was a lot like this tree. Plenty of leaves, outward beauty and glory, but missing the essential—fruit that keeps people alive.

Peter’s stomach growled as they continued on the road down to the temple.

The streets of Jerusalem were already filled with buyers, sellers, and people getting about their business. People went to bed early and got up early. No reason to use up a ton of candles staying up late.

When they entered the temple area Jesus suddenly stopped. The disciples looked at him in surprise and John, who was standing close by watched his face cloud with anger.

All around the noises of morning and commerce echoed. Doves cooed, men arranged their items for sale. The dealers who changed regular money into temple money (for a hefty profit) were helping their first victims of the day, pardon, make that “clients.”

Suddenly, before John realized what was happening Jesus nearly ran to a money changer’s desk and turned it upside down, money splashing onto the stone paving.

“Hey, what are you doing!” cried the merchant and started to react until he saw the person who had upset his table. He stopped in his tracks because this fellow seemed to have the authority to do exactly what he had done. The merchant had always felt a bit weird, doing business on temple grounds like that but he’d suppressed his conscience. After all, the priests promoted it.And business was business.

The strange man passed all through the area, releasing doves, overturning tables, yelling. “Get out of here! My father’s house is a house of prayer! You’ve made it into a den of thieves.”

And no one resisted him, not even the bosses when they came to see what all the ruckus was about. That “den of thieves” line cut them to the heart but the twinge of pain was replaced by anger. “Who did this guy think he was?”

No one stopped him, though, because the common people were saying, “Yes! Finally, someone has the gumption to say what needs to be said. These buzzards are like the sons of Eli, more interested in personal gain (for the priests had their cut of the profits) than the glory of God.”

Latecomers tried to bring their merchandise into the temple area but they found Jesus barricading the way. His disciples looked on with a bit of embarrassment and wonder. They already felt out of place in this sophisticated city and Jesus was drawing attention to them in a big way. They enjoyed the parade yesterday, but this was likely to get them thrown in jail.

No one touched Jesus, though, and later he taught the people in the temple using the same words he’d yelled at the sellers, “God’s Word says, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations but these people have made it a den of robbers.”

The temple leaders fumed when they heard this, because they were just as much implicated as the merchants themselves. They permitted it and they profited from it big-time.

“We’re going to have to find a way to dispose of this fellow,” the priest Hophni said to his colleague, Phineas. “He’s going to destroy our livelihood.”

“Yeah, but we’re going to have to be careful how we do it, “ Phineas replied. “Look at those silly sheep! They’re drinking in what he’s saying as if it came from the mouth of God himself.”

That evening the disciples trudged back out to Bethany. John was bushed. He’d had a month’s worth of emotions in that one single day!

Frizzled Fig Trees and Faith (11:20-24)

Peter hummed a psalm as they headed back towards Jerusalem the next morning. Oof! He was still a bit tired and he wanted to invent a song that would say something like, “On the road agin. Here I am, on the road agin,” because it seemed they were always heading somewhere.

As they walked he yawned and looked toward the fig tree that had disappointed them yesterday. Suddenly his eyes opened wide. “Whoa! Teacher, look! The fig tree that you cursed yesterday has shriveled up. It looks like it’s been in a six-months drought!”

Jesus stopped, then addressed the gawking disciples. “Just put your faith in God and you can even say to this Mount of Olives that we’re standing on, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea!’. If you don’t doubt, it will happen.”

Peter nearly fell over at that. Excitement built in him.

“When you pray for something,” Jesus continued, “just believe that it’s yours and you will have it.”

James thought of his prayers, how often they were attempts to persuade God to do something that James wasn’t sure that the Almighty wanted to do. But, was Jesus saying that if we could just have enough faith in the need for and rightness of his prayers, he could have them?

“And when you’re standing there praying, if you’ve got anything against anyone, you forgive that person. Then your Father in heaven will forgive you when you ask him for forgiveness.”

“Ah!” Peter thought of the dispute that he’d had with his wife before he left home. He still sizzled over that one. And that little Pharisee that had mocked him yesterday! “Ah! Hmmm, God …” he said under his breath. “You know my wife? Yes, sure you know her. Well, I forgive her. Please help me get this anger out of my heart. And that ignorant Pharisee! Excuse me, that man of the cloth who offended me yesterday? Well, I guess I forgive him too.

“Guess?”

“Yes, I forgive him.”

Peter had realized that if he was going to ask for things according to God’s heart in order to receive from heaven, he was going to have to have a forgiving heart in order to ask correctly.

He determined to ask forgiveness from his wife for his angry reaction just as soon as he had a chance.

“And God, while you’re at it, could you deliver me from a religious spirit? I want to be real, and I want my life to bear fruit that feeds others, not just leaves that announce great things with nothing behind it.”

The image of the frazzled fig tree burned in Peter’s brain.

____________________________________________

Two Unanswered Questions (11:27-33)

When they arrived at the temple that morning, Andrew thought that something super important must be going on because he saw the chief priests in their gorgeous robes, the sophisticated teachers of the law and even the elders of the people all grouped up on the other side of the temple courts waiting for something.

“Uh, oh!” he exclaimed under his breath when the whole group started striding purposely towards them .

“Who gave you the authority to do what you did yesterday morning?” a medium-sized elder with an impressive black beard challenged Jesus. “Yes, and who gave you the permission to teach all day, here in the temple area,” piped a little fellow next to him.

“We’re in for it now,” thought Andrew. But Jesus didn’t miss a beat.

“I’ll tell you what,” the Master said. “You answer my question and I’ll answer yours.”

These men looked at him with surprise. Usually their victims cowered like guilty puppies with cake crumbs on their faces. This fellow seemed to think that they should cower before him.

“Tell me, John’s baptism, was it from God or from men?”

A crowd had gathered to listen to this discussion, and they looked from Jesus to the aggressors to see what they would answer.

This first speaker and his chirpy companion turned towards the others. All of the group circled and leaned in as they discussed how to answer the question.

“If we say it was from heaven he will ask us why we didn’t believe him,” said one. “Yeah, and if we say that it was only from men and not God, these people listening to us are not going to be happy. All the uneducated people think that John was a prophet.”

They finally turned towards Jesus again and the spokesman said, “We really can’t say. We don’t know. Only God knows that.”

“In that case I’m not going to answer your question either. I won’t tell you by what authority I’m doing these things.”

The crowd and the disciples had no question where Jesus’ authority came from. The leaders had their opinion also but they kept their mouths shut for the moment because of the crowd. Their faces wore grim, determined expressions.

Andrew never ceased to be amazed at how Jesus stayed in control of a situation. The great ones of their people  confronted him, and it was them who had to be quiet at the last. Jesus had an authority in him that was so natural that people just felt it.

The only problem that Andrew saw, was that the Master couldn’t leave well enough alone–or maybe he loved people enough to take the chance of driving to the heart of the problem.

Right in the midst of this tense situation Jesus started telling a story!

“Once a man planted a vineyard. He did everything to make it an excellent investment and then he rented it out to others who would work it and give him his percentage when the harvest came.”

“That’s normal,” thought the bird-voiced Pharisee. “What’s he getting at?

“So at harvest time he sent a servant to collect his part from the renters,” Jesus continued. “You know what those farmers did? They refused to give him the part that belonged to the owner, and to show their lack of respect, they took that servant, beat him up and sent him away.”

The leaders began to show an interest in the story. Labor problems stuck a thorn in their rich sides and they could really identify with the owner.

“The owner sent another servant and those scoundrels hit him on the head!” The listeners nodded grimly. People lacked respect these days. “The owner kept sending servants but they killed some and beat others.

“Finally, the man said to himself, ‘What can I do to receive my lawful rent for this vineyard? I’ll send my son, that’s what I’ll do. They won’t dare disrespect him.”

His listeners nodded at the wisdom of this course. Who would dare touch the son of a man like that?

“But, do you know what they did? They killed the son thinking that the vineyard would be theirs!” A few listeners gasped at the shocking idea.

“What will the owner of the vineyard do now?” Jesus asked.

“He’ll get his men and go to the vineyard and exact vengeance on those rebellious farmers,” someone in the front row said.

Jesus nodded, “He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” (12:8, NIV)

Suddenly Jesus seemed to change directions and things got personal for those listening: Haven’t you read what the scriptures say, ‘ That stone the masons threw out is now the cornerstone! This is God’s work; we rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!’ (12:9, The Message). He was citing Psalms 118: 22, 23, a well-known Messianic psalm.

Suddenly those in the first row of the circle of accusers flushed, quickly followed by their comrades behind them as they realized that Jesus was talking of their treatment of the prophets—and of Him!

Their eyes nearly bugged out with anger and they would have immediately put him in jail, but there were too many people watching. They hadn’t gotten to the place they were at by acting without thinking.

“Our time will come,” the black-bearded Pharisee thought as he stalked off. “We’ll see you very soon my friend.”