Jesus Blesses the Children; The Rich Young Ruler

Jesus Blesses the Children; The Rich Young Ruler


Matt. 19:13-30; Mark 10:13-31



Jesus says to the young man, "You lack one thing, just one. If you would be perfectly happy, go home and sell all that you have, and give your riches to the poor people. Then you will have riches in heaven."







WHILE JESUS WAS teaching the people in a country place not far from the Jordan River, some mothers brought their little children to him and asked him to bless them. Jesus loves little children, so he took them in his arms and put his hands upon their heads and prayed.

But the disciples stood by looking much displeased. They called the mothers aside and said, "You should not trouble our master in this way, for he has more important work to do than to caress your children!" And no doubt the mothers were grieved to hear them speak these words.



Jesus, too, was grieved with the disciples. He said, "Do not forbid the little children to come to me, for of such is the kingdom of God. Whoever of you will not receive the kingdom of God just as a little child, can never enter into it." And again he took the little ones in his loving arms to caress and to bless them.



Jesus knew that little children would gladly believe him and that many times they could lead older people to believe in him, too. He knew their little hearts were tended and quick to respond to his love, while older people were more ready to doubt and to question whether or not he was the very Christ.



Then Jesus rose up and went with his disciples to another place. And as he went a young man came running to meet him. This young man was very rich, and he wore beautiful clothing. But he knelt down in the dust before Jesus and said, "Good master, what good thing shall I do that I may receive life in the other world?"



"Why do you call me good?" asked Jesus, adding, "for there is none good but God. You know the commandments--'Do not kill'; 'Do not steal'; 'Do not speak falsely'; 'Honor your father and your mother.'"



"Yes, I know the commandments of Moses," answered the young man, "and I have kept them from childhood. But I seem to lack something yet. O Master, tell me what it is!"



Jesus looked tenderly into the anxious face of the young man before him, and he loved this man. He longed to help him. But he knew the one thing that hindered this man from being contented and happy. He knew the one thing that stood between this man and the hope of life in the other world. Just one thing; but unless that one thing should be taken away, the rich young man could never enter heaven. So he said, "You lack one thing, just one. If you would be perfectly happy, go home and sell all that you have, and give your riches to the poor people. Then you will have riches in heaven. Afterwards you may come back and be my disciple."



What a change came over the young man's face when he heard these words! His head was bent forward, and he walked very slowly away, for he was sad and deeply troubled. Jesus watched him go away, and Jesus, too, was sad. Then he turned to the disciples and said, "How hard it is for rich men to enter into the kingdom of God!" He knew this young man loved his riches more than he loved God, and that he was unwilling to sell his possessions and give his money to the poor.



Because he loved his riches he could not be contented and happy, for his heart was not right in God's sight. Always he felt that something was lacking, that something clouded his hope of life in heaven. But he turned away from Jesus, choosing rather to be rich in this world than to be a disciple of the Lord. Afterwards he found out that he had made an unwise choice, for riches never satisfy.



Tomorrow: Seventy Other Disciples Sent Out; The Good Samaritan

Jesus Heals A Man Born Blind

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Jesus Heals A Man Born Blind John 9

Jesus makes a little clay then He rubs it on the blind man's eyes and said to the man, "Go to the pool called Siloam and wash." AS JESUS WENT away from the temple, where the angry Jews were getting ready to stone him, he saw a blind man sitting by the roadside begging. This man had always been blind, for he had been born with out sight. And his parents lived in Jerusalem. The twelve disciples were with Jesus when he passed the place where the poor man sat. They knew he had been blind from his birth, and they asked Jesus whether this blindness had come upon him as a punishment for his own sin or whether it had come because of the sins of his parents. Jesus answered, "Neither this man's sins nor of his parents has caused him to be without sight, but he was born blind that the works of God might be shown through him." Then Jesus stopped. Having made a little clay he rubbed it on the blind man's eyes. Then he said to the poor man, "Go to the pool called Siloam and wash." The blind man did not ask, "Why must I do this? but he rose at once and grope his way to the pool. Here he bathed the mud from off his sightless eyes, and immediately he began to see. Instead of returning to the roadside to beg, the happy man went home to his people, telling the good news. His neighbors and friends and even his parents were greatly surprised, because he had been born blind and they had never expected such a miracle to happen to him. Many who saw him could hardly believe he was the same man as the blind beggar whom they had known before. They said, "He is like the beggar." But the man answered, "I am the same person." The excitement in that neighborhood grew when the people heard that Jesus had opened the blind man's eyes. They gathered round to ask, "What did Jesus do to you? How did he open your eyes?" And the man told them that Jesus first made clay, then rubbed it on his eyes, and afterward sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam. "And I went and washed, and I received my sight," he said, joyfully, for he was a very happy man. "Where is this Jesus now?" they asked; but the man did not know where Jesus and his disciples had gone. Then the neighbors brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, and they also questioned him. Because it was the Sabbath day they thought Jesus had done wrong by anointing the man's eyes and sending him to wash in the pool. They said, "Give God the glory, for we know this man Jesus is a sinner." Others standing by said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such miracles?" And the people were divided, some thinking Jesus was a great man and others thinking he was only deceiving those who believed in him. The Pharisees then asked the man what he thought of Jesus, and the man replied, "I believe he is a prophet." The enemies of Jesus were greatly stirred by this miracle. They thought perhaps the man was only pretending, after all, that he had been born blind. So they called his parents and questions them concerning their son. But the parents were afraid of these Jews. They knew of the hatred these men felt toward Jesus, and they knew the chief priests had threatened to cast them out of the synagog if they believed in him. So they said, "This man is our son, and we know he was born blind. But we do not know how his eyes received sight; he is a grown man and he can tell you for himself." Again the excited enemies of Jesus called the man who had been blind, and asked, "What did Jesus do to you?" how did he open your eyes?" The man answered, "I have told you once and you would not listen; if I tell you again will you also be his disciples?" At this they scorned him, and said, "We are Moses' disciples, for we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow we do not know where he came from." Now the man whom Jesus had healed grew very bold, and he said, "It is strange that you do not know where Jesus came from since he opened my eyes, which were always blind! We all know that God does not hear sinners, but if any man worships him and does his will, God hears that man. Since the world began it was never heard that any man opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If Jesus was not of God he could do nothing. These words stirred up more anger in the hearts of Jesus' enemies, and they said to the man who had been blind, "You were born a sinner, and do you try to teach us?" Then they cast him out of the synagog, and he could no longer worship there with his people. Jesus soon heard what the angry priests had done, and he looked about to find the man whom they had cast out of the synagog. When he found him he asked, "Do you believe on the Son of God?" The man answered,, "Who is he, Lord, that I may believe?" And Jesus said, "You have seen him with your eyes, and even now he is speaking to you." Then the man rejoiced and said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Jesus there. Tomorrow: Jesus Blesses the Children; The Rich Young Ruler

Jesus at the Great Feast in Jerusalem

Jesus at the Great Feast in Jerusalem John 7:2-53

During the Feast of Tabernacles at Jerusalem, Jesus goes to the temple and teaches. SUMMER HAD PASSED, and the cooler days of autumn had come again. On the green hillsides around Jerusalem many booths, or huts made of the branches of trees, stood in groups, sheltering the people who had come to attend the Feast of Tabernacles, held every year at this city. And during the week of the Feast the temple was crowded with visitors from other parts of the land. On the first day after the feast began groups of people stood together talking about the great Teacher in Galilee, whose miracles had caused much excitement in many places. They wondered whether he would come to Jerusalem and teach them there. Some of them wished he would come, for they enjoyed hearing him teach; others wished he would come because they hated him and wanted to find occasion to put him to death. By and by Jesus came, and straight into the temple he went, to sit down there and teach the people. His enemies believed this would be a good opportunity to catch him, so they sent men to listen to his words and find some fault, that they might accuse him to the rulers. But day after day passed by and still Jesus sat in the temple, teaching all who came to him. No one attempted to drive him away, and no one took hold of him to capture him. Many of the Jews who lived in Jerusalem knew how much their leaders hated him, and they wondered why these men did not take him now and shut him up in prison. They said, "Is this not he whom they seek to kill? But now he speaks boldly and they say nothing to him. Have they come to believe that he is the very Christ?" But the rulers of the Jews, who were the chief priests in the temple, and the scribes, and the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, did not acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ. They were very jealous of him because he drew the attention of all the people who came to the Feast. They disliked his teaching because he accused them of only pretending to be righteous. And they sent officers to take him. Even the officers were pleased to hear the teaching of this wonderful man from Galilee. They listened carefully to his words, and they believed that he was not worthy to be punished. So they returned to the rulers without him. The chief priests and Pharisees were angry when the officers returned alone. They asked, "Why have you not brought him?" But the officers replied, "Never did a man speak like this man." And they would not harm him. The men who sent the officers were excited. They asked, "Are you allowing this man to deceive you as he is deceiving the other people? And have any of our own number of the rulers believed on him?" Nicodemus, the Pharisee who had come to visit Jesus one night, sat among the angry rulers. He loved Jesus and believed in him. But he was afraid to let the other Pharisees know, for fear they would hate him, too. Now he asked timidly, "Does our law judge any man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" His angry friends turned on him and replied, scornfully, "Are you from Galilee? Do you not know that no prophet comes from that country?" And so saying they dismissed their meeting and went to their homes. Tomorrow: Jesus and the Adulterous Woman

The Unfriendly Samaritans; The Ten Lepers

The Unfriendly Samaritans; The Ten Lepers Luke 9:51-62; Luke 17:11-19

One of the ten lepers that was healed, runs to Jesus and falls down before him, worshiping him and thanking him for the miracle he had performed. ONE DAY JESUS and his twelve disciples left Capernaum and took the south road leading through the country of Samaria. They were going to Jerusalem. On their way they came to a certain village in Samaria where Jesus wished to spend the night. So he sent messengers to find a place for him and for his disciples to rest. But the Samaritans in the village would not permit Jesus and his disciples to stop with them. They would not allow them to rest in their village. They knew Jesus and his disciples were Jews, and the Jews had often been unkind to their people. Now they, too, would be unkind. Two of the disciples, James and his brother John, were very much annoyed by the unfriendly actions of these village folk. They felt that their master had been mistreated, and they wished to see the villagers punished. They remembered how Elijah, the prophet, had once called fire down from heaven to destroy some wicked people, and now they came to Jesus and asked, "Will you permit us to call fire down from heaven to destroy these unkind people who have turned us away?" But Jesus answered, "Your desire is not good, for the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Then he went with his disciples to another village. And as they went a man came to Jesus and said, "Lord, I too would follow you wherever you go." No doubt he believed as did the disciples, that Jesus would soon be the great king of the Jews for whom so many were looking, and he desired to be a friend of such a great person. But Jesus answered, "Foxes have holes in the ground for their homes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man is so poor that he has not even a place of his own to lay his head." Ten men who were lepers saw Jesus and his disciples passing by. These men had heard about Jesus how he healed other lepers, and now they called loudly to him, for they stood far off. They cried out, "Jesus, master, have mercy on us!" And Jesus heard their cries. Never did Jesus pass by and refuse to help one who called earnestly to him. And now he stopped and called back to the lepers, telling them to go and show themselves to the priests, as Moses had commanded every leper to do who was healed. They understood what Jesus meant, and they started at once to go to the priests for an examinations. And as they went the leprosy left their bodies and they were made every bit well. One of these lepers stopped and turned back just as soon as he saw that his leprosy had gone from him. He ran to Jesus and fell down before him, worshiping him and thanking him for the miracle he had perform. And this man was not a Jew, but a Samaritan. The other men, however, hurried on their way, never stopping to thank the great healer. And Jesus said to the disciples, "Were there not ten lepers who were made well? But where are the nine? There is none turned back to give thanks except this stranger who is a Samaritan." Then he said to the man kneeling at his feet, "Rise up and go your way, for your faith has made you well." Tomorrow: Jesus at the Great Feast in Jerusalem

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Matt. 18:21-35

In the parable that Jesus told, the servant who had been forgiven so much, became very angry, and seizing a poor man, who owes him a few dollars, by the throat, he cried "Pay back what you borrowed or I shall throw you into the prison-house and keep you there until you do!" ONE DAY SIMON Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother if he sins against me and then asks my pardon? Shall I forgive him seven times?" Perhaps Peter did not have much patience with a man who would sin against him often and always ask to be forgiven. Perhaps he thought no person could be truly sorry for his wrong-doing if he should have to ask so many times to be forgiven. But Jesus replied, "I do not say that you shall forgive him seven times only, but seventy times seven." How surprised Peter must have been when he heard this answer! He may have wondered whether he could ever truly forgive a man so many times as that. Then Jesus told Peter a story about a king whose servant owed him a great amount of money. Finally the king called this servant and asked him to pay the debt. But the servant had nothing with which to pay, for he had spent all the money. Then the king said, "Because you can not pay me the money you borrowed, I shall command that you and your wife and your children be sold, and that all of your property be taken away from you. In this way I can regain some of the money you borrowed and have lost." The servant felt very sad when he heard these words, and he fell on his face before the king crying, "O King, have patience with me and I will pay every penny I owe!" And because the king had a kind heart he felt sorry for the man. He told him to rise up and go away to his own house. He said, "I will forgive all the debt, and you need not try to pay it back. After this servant went out from the king's presence he met a very poor man who had borrowed on a few dollars from him. He asked the man to pay it back, but the man could not. Then the servant became very angry, and seizing the poor man by the throat, he cried "Pay back what you borrowed or I shall throw you into the prison-house and keep you there until you do!" Then the poor man fell down at his feet and cried out, "Have patience with me, and I will pay every penny I owe." But the king's servant would not listen, and because the poor man had no money he threw him into the prison. Other servants of the king were standing by and they saw how unkindly this poor man had been treated. They knew how the king had just forgiven the unkind man of a very great debt, and they felt sad because he had been unwilling to forgive the small debt of his neighbor. So they came to the king and told him how unmercifully the servant had treated his poor neighbor. The king was surprised to hear that his servant whom he had treated so kindly should dare to be so unkind to another. So he quickly sent for him. Now the king, too, was angry, and when the unkind servant came in he said, "O wicked man, I forgave all your debt because you could not pay, and now should you not have been willing to forgive the small debt your poor neighbor owed? Because you have dared to be so wicked after I had pity on you, now I shall cast you into the prison-house until you pay all you owed me in the first place." When Jesus finished the story he said to Peter, "My heavenly Father has forgiven your great debt of sin; but if you refuse from your heart to forgive the wrong-doings of those who sin against you, neither will my heavenly Father forgive your great sins against him." Tomorrow: The Unfriendly Samaritans; The Ten Lepers

Jesus Casts a Demon Out of a Gentile Woman's Daughter Matt. 15:21-29; Mark 7:24-30

A Gentile woman who has a daughter who is tormented by a demon, comes to seek the help of Jesus. NEAR THE LAND of Galilee was a small country called Phoenecia. The people who lived in this country were Gentiles, and many of them were idol-worshipers. But because they lived so near to the home country of the Jews, many of them knew about the Jews' religion, which taught of only one great God over all.     The time had come when Jesus wished to be alone with his disciples that he might teach them deeper truths before he should die and rise again. So one day he took them for a long walk. They left Galilee and entered the neighboring country of Phoenicia. Here they went into a house, thinking that no one would disturb them there.     But the fame of Jesus had reached those Gentile people in Phoenicia, and they were eager to see him. Soon the news of his coming spread through the neighborhood, and Jesus saw that he could not hide himself even in a strange land.     Living in that neighborhood was one poor Gentile mother whose heart was very sad. She had a child, a little girl, who was tormented by a wicked spirit. This distressed mother had heard of the great healer in Galilee who cast out evils spirits and she longed to take her child to him. But she could not go. Then the glad news came that Jesus and twelve of his friends were visiting in a house near her home. Quickly she left her work and ran to the house where Jesus was.     When she found Jesus she began at once to tell about the sad condition of her little daughter. But the great Healer of Galilee paid no attention to her at all! He seemed not even to hear her. Then his twelve friends looked scornfully upon her because she was a Gentile woman, and urged their Master to send her away.     Fearing he might do this, she fell at Jesus' feet, worshiping him and crying, "Lord, help me!"     The loving heart of Jesus is always touched when he hears the cry of one in need. He pitied this poor woman. He knew she had faith in his power to heal her child, but he wished to test her faith. So he answered, "I am not sent to the Gentiles, but to the lost children of Israel. And it is not fitting to take children's bread and throw it to the dogs."     The proud Jews called the Gentiles "dogs," and no doubt this Gentile woman knew how the Jews spoke of her and of her people. But she was now willing even to be called a dog if only the great Healer would answer her prayer.     So she said, "I know it is true that children's bread should not be given to the dogs, yet we know that dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table." And she, a Gentile "dog" wanted a crumb of the Jews' healing bread for her afflicted child.     Not long did this earnest woman need to wait for an answer from Jesus. He was greatly pleased when he heard her wise reply to his words, and he said, "O woman, great is your faith in me! And you shall receive just what you have asked. Go back to your home, for the wicked spirit is gone out from your daughter."     Gladly the woman sprang to her feet and obeyed Jesus' words, for she believed that her child was well. And when she came home she found the little girl lying on the bed, resting quietly, for the wicked spirit had gone away at Jesus' word. Tomorrow: Jesus Heals the Sick, Then Feeds a Multitude

Jesus Walks on Water

Jesus Walks on Water Matt. 14:23-36; Mark 6:46-56; John 6:16-29

Peter is afraid and begins to sink, but Jesus reaches out His hand and catches him.. WHILE JESUS WAS alone praying on the mountain-side, the disciples were in their ship rowing toward Capernaum. And the multitude were returning homeward as they had come, walking along the northern shore of the sea. After nightfall a strong wind began to blow across the Sea, driving against the little ship. Row as hard as they might, the disciples could not make much progress against the wind. Higher and higher the waves dashed and rolled, and slower the vessel plowed through them. How tired the disciples were growing! Perhaps they were thinking about the time when a tempest swept over the Sea and Jesus had been with them, sleeping in the ship. Perhaps they were wishing for his presence now, to still this stormy wind that made their progress so wearisome and so slow. Far away on the mountain Jesus had been praying for several hours. But he had not forgotten his disciples. Perhaps he had been praying for them as well as for himself. He knew how much they needed him when the strong wind began to blow against their little ship, and he started to go to them. Out across the water he walked as easily as if it had been land, and nearer and nearer he came to the tossing ship and its weary sailors. By and by he came very near, so near that they could see him through the darkness, walking past them on the rough waves. Now the disciples were frightened; for every one had seen Jesus and they believed they had seen a spirit. They did not think he could really walk on water, for no person had ever done that. They remembered how God had parted the waters on the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross over on dry land, and how he had made a dry path across the Jordan River three times for his servant to walk upon. But never had they heard of any one walking on top of the water. This must be a spirit. And they cried out for fear of what they had seen. Jesus stopped when he heard their cry, and turned to speak to them. He said, "Do not be afraid, for it is I." How familiar that voice sounded! Still the disciples could scarcely believe it was Jesus who spoke. Finally Simon Peter cried out, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you walking on the water." And Jesus answered "Come?" With a bound Simon Peter leaped over the side of the ship and started to go to Jesus. The other disciples looked on in amazement, wondering more than ever at the great power of Jesus on both sea and land. Presently, however, they saw their fellow disciple beginning to sink in the rough waves, and they heard his voice calling frantically to Jesus to help. For Simon Peter had begun to look about at the stormy wind and waves, and just as soon as he took his eyes off Jesus he began to sink. Then Jesus reached forth his hand and caught him, saying, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" When the two came to the ship, the other disciples received them joyfully, and at once the wind ceased. Again the disciples marveled at the wonderful power of their master, who could perform miracles on the sea as well as on the land. And they came to him, worshiping him and saying, "Surely you are the Son of God." Tomorrow: Jesus Casts a Demon Out of a Gentile Woman's Daughter