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Christmas Traditions :)
Realizing that many of my friends have or are beginning families of their own, I wanted to share a few of
my favorite family Christmas traditions!
1. Advent
Every night (or whenever we could manage) during Advent season, we would turn out the lights, turn on the tree lights, and light a few candles (amazing how simple things like this set a mood). Then we would sing a Christmas song, read an age-appropriate Advent devotional, and pray for friends and neighbors (especially those we had received Christmas cards from). And of course, we had (or made) chocolate calendars...arguably my sisters' and my favorite parts in early years!
If you want to join in the tradition, the Jesse Tree is a good resource (free to Google!) for children's
Advent celebration - easy to adapt to different age levels using children's Bibles or similar resources - or there are a lot of good books and flip books too! For adults, there are plenty of options, but we enjoyed John Piper's free ebook Good News of Great Joy last year.
2. "Saint Nicking"
"Saint Nicking" was one of our more unusual and fun Christmas traditions! We would fill a plate with
goodies, tailored to the people if we knew them well enough, and leave them on their doorstep, "ding
dong ditch" style - ringing the doorbell and running off as fast as we could, so that we wouldn't get
caught! We'd hide behind nearby bushes or cars, peeking around to try to spy the reaction from the
receiver of the gift - the greatest enjoyment came when the folks at the door were suspicious and
attempted to figure out who had left the gift! We'd leave an anonymous note composed by Mom with the goodies:
In the spirit of the first St. Nickolaus
Knowing God’s great gift to us.
Out of thanks and gratitude St Nick
Would bring poor kids a little gift.
And so we come to you this season
With love, sharing St. Nick’s reason.
God knew we needed Jesus’ help
For we could never save ourselves.
So Jesus’ birth that Christmas night
Began the plan to make things right.
For us to have forgiveness, peace, and joy,
The God who saves was born a boy.
For after Christmas was Easter day
When Jesus took our sins away.
St. Nick and us want to do our part
To let you know God’s love in your heart.
So tonight we leave these treats at your door
To remind us what Christ gave was so much more
Let this star hang shining bright,
To remind us of that Christmas night.
Speaking of the original Saint Nick, we grew up knowing Santa Claus wasn't real, but learned to
associate him with the historical figure, who seems to have been a very generous and humble man
(although the Catholic church foolishly venerates him as a special saint - foolish because all Christians are saints in Christ - and attribute posthumous miracles to him, as you'll discover in any resource that tells his story).
3. Birthday party for Jesus
There are so many great symbols of Christ throughout Christmas - even those that weren't initially
intended as Christian symbols can often be redeemed in such a way that everywhere we look during the Christmas season can remind us of Jesus! Christmas trees and candy canes are two great examples. Mom has used these symbols as entrees to the Gospel many times. She hosted parties for neighborhood kids, celebrating Jesus' birthday, and sharing cookies, treats, and a birthday cake for Jesus, while explaining the meaning behind the season :) One year we memorably acted out Jesus' birth story, complete with costumes (nothing fancy, but still fun!) in our backyard.
4. Birthday gift for Jesus
We don't just give each other presents for Christmas; we also give presents to Jesus! Every year, Mom and Dad would select a ministry and give a special donation to it, then place a representative picture in an envelope and place it under the tree. (The Samaritan’s Purse gift catalog is a great avenue for this when kids are young, because the gifts are concrete). On Christmas morning, we would open the envelope and learn what they had given as a "birthday present to Jesus" :)
5. Operation Christmas Child
We had so much fun going shopping gifts and packing them in a plastic box (more useful long term than an official shoe box) to send to our “shoebox girls”! We tended to pack boxes for children of our ages, so that we could send toys and gifts that we enjoyed to them. For many years when we were older, we helped process and ship the gifts too. I always included a letter to the recipient, and one time even received a reply from one of the girls' parents!
my favorite family Christmas traditions!
1. Advent
Every night (or whenever we could manage) during Advent season, we would turn out the lights, turn on the tree lights, and light a few candles (amazing how simple things like this set a mood). Then we would sing a Christmas song, read an age-appropriate Advent devotional, and pray for friends and neighbors (especially those we had received Christmas cards from). And of course, we had (or made) chocolate calendars...arguably my sisters' and my favorite parts in early years!
If you want to join in the tradition, the Jesse Tree is a good resource (free to Google!) for children's
Advent celebration - easy to adapt to different age levels using children's Bibles or similar resources - or there are a lot of good books and flip books too! For adults, there are plenty of options, but we enjoyed John Piper's free ebook Good News of Great Joy last year.
2. "Saint Nicking"
"Saint Nicking" was one of our more unusual and fun Christmas traditions! We would fill a plate with
goodies, tailored to the people if we knew them well enough, and leave them on their doorstep, "ding
dong ditch" style - ringing the doorbell and running off as fast as we could, so that we wouldn't get
caught! We'd hide behind nearby bushes or cars, peeking around to try to spy the reaction from the
receiver of the gift - the greatest enjoyment came when the folks at the door were suspicious and
attempted to figure out who had left the gift! We'd leave an anonymous note composed by Mom with the goodies:
In the spirit of the first St. Nickolaus
Knowing God’s great gift to us.
Out of thanks and gratitude St Nick
Would bring poor kids a little gift.
And so we come to you this season
With love, sharing St. Nick’s reason.
God knew we needed Jesus’ help
For we could never save ourselves.
So Jesus’ birth that Christmas night
Began the plan to make things right.
For us to have forgiveness, peace, and joy,
The God who saves was born a boy.
For after Christmas was Easter day
When Jesus took our sins away.
St. Nick and us want to do our part
To let you know God’s love in your heart.
So tonight we leave these treats at your door
To remind us what Christ gave was so much more
Let this star hang shining bright,
To remind us of that Christmas night.
Speaking of the original Saint Nick, we grew up knowing Santa Claus wasn't real, but learned to
associate him with the historical figure, who seems to have been a very generous and humble man
(although the Catholic church foolishly venerates him as a special saint - foolish because all Christians are saints in Christ - and attribute posthumous miracles to him, as you'll discover in any resource that tells his story).
3. Birthday party for Jesus
There are so many great symbols of Christ throughout Christmas - even those that weren't initially
intended as Christian symbols can often be redeemed in such a way that everywhere we look during the Christmas season can remind us of Jesus! Christmas trees and candy canes are two great examples. Mom has used these symbols as entrees to the Gospel many times. She hosted parties for neighborhood kids, celebrating Jesus' birthday, and sharing cookies, treats, and a birthday cake for Jesus, while explaining the meaning behind the season :) One year we memorably acted out Jesus' birth story, complete with costumes (nothing fancy, but still fun!) in our backyard.
4. Birthday gift for Jesus
We don't just give each other presents for Christmas; we also give presents to Jesus! Every year, Mom and Dad would select a ministry and give a special donation to it, then place a representative picture in an envelope and place it under the tree. (The Samaritan’s Purse gift catalog is a great avenue for this when kids are young, because the gifts are concrete). On Christmas morning, we would open the envelope and learn what they had given as a "birthday present to Jesus" :)
5. Operation Christmas Child
We had so much fun going shopping gifts and packing them in a plastic box (more useful long term than an official shoe box) to send to our “shoebox girls”! We tended to pack boxes for children of our ages, so that we could send toys and gifts that we enjoyed to them. For many years when we were older, we helped process and ship the gifts too. I always included a letter to the recipient, and one time even received a reply from one of the girls' parents!
Chapter 8: New Life
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a
mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then
He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
“But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. For narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a wise man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the rains descended and the flood arose, the wind blew and beat on the house, and the stream beat vehemently against that house, and they could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who hears these saying of Mine and does nothing is like a foolish man who built a house on the sand, without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
“But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
But I say to you who
hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless
those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To
him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him
who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give
to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them
back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to
them likewise.
“But if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And
if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For
even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from
whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners
lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your
enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will
be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the
unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your
Father also is merciful.“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
“Judge not, and you
shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and
you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your
bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged;
and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
And He spoke a parable to them: “Can
the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A
disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will
be like his teacher. And why do you look at the speck in your
brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or
how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is
in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own
eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. For narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a wise man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the rains descended and the flood arose, the wind blew and beat on the house, and the stream beat vehemently against that house, and they could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who hears these saying of Mine and does nothing is like a foolish man who built a house on the sand, without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
*God doesn't make sense... and it's WONDERFUL!!
A long ago post I re-found in my drafts, hope you enjoy! :)
When have you stopped to think about the fact that the Gospel doesn't make any sense?
When have you stopped to think about the fact that the Gospel doesn't make any sense?
I, at least, easily fall into the habit of believing that the Gospel - the whole story of the world and redemption as God has spun it - makes sense. And that is often how I present the Gospel to others. And there are many ways in which the Gospel is logical and reasonable~
...the Uncaused Causer that is the beginning of everything
...the fact of our infinite guilt before God means that only He can do something about it
...the pain and twistedness of our world due to the Fall
...the blood-atonement covering our sins, as laid out by the Scriptures
but in the midst of all this stuff that makes sense, it's hard to take a step back and realize what doesn't. It's hard to recapture the wonder and mystery of God's astonishing nature and plans. For me, it took a conversation with an incredulous Muslim friend!
We began by talking about the Trinity. While I attempted to explain how the nature of the world and of ourselves reflects the Trinitarian nature of God, I ultimately told him that I could not explain the Trinity to him. 3 = 1 is not a logical mathematical construct, not one bit! And I think it was around this time that I asked him a question that defines my memory of this conversation: "Do you really expect God to make sense??"
Is He compelled by our logic?
Does He conform to our expectations?
Will He fit in our preconceived notions of reality?
Bless Him, no!
Does it make sense that the One/Three who was perfect and complete in Himself would extend Himself to make creatures who would only break His heart? Does it make sense that He would choose to love us, and thereby have His heart broken? He was not compelled to have any feeling for His playthings ~but He loved us with an everlasting love!
And then we all, in Adam, chose disobedience and death over Him. Did He remake the world? Did He remake us? Get a fresh start? Or did He leave us in the dust that we deserved?
That He did not do.
My friends, how did we ever get used to this?
Since when does grace make sense?
It is not how the world works.
In this world, we study hard, test well, make good grades, and pass the class (thanks to my friend for this analogy!). So we expect in heavenly things that we will work hard, live well, prove our worth, and get into Heaven. This is logical and reasonable, is it not? Perhaps we can't quite make it on our own, and God, as a kind professor, will add the extra points we need to achieve our 'passing grade.' He is, of course, under no obligation to do so - but His goodness and kindness cause Him to help us. Right?
"God helps those who help themselves." Right?
When we call ^that "grace" we have no idea of what the Gospel means.
Grace is this: Jesus works hard, lives well, proves His worth, and WE get into heaven.
Grace is this: Jesus takes the test, passes the class, and we get His GPA.
Our grand contribution to this endeavor? We say, "Yes, Jesus, I would like Your GPA. Thanks a lot!" :)
Whew, really impressive, aren't we?
This is grace: Jesus does everything, we say thank You!
Does this make sense?
no...
but it's WONDERFUL!
but it's WONDERFUL!
And now I will show you a more excellent way...
In reading through Tying the Knot by Rob Green (the source of all the quotes below), and discussing it with Josiah (and our premarital counselors), I've been thinking about the Biblical definition of love. Borrowing heavily from the two aforementioned sources, here are some thoughts...
Love bears all things,
Believes all things,
Hopes all things,
Endures all things.
Love never fails
(1 Corinthians 13:7-8)
In every loving relationship there will be irritants - annoyances, burdens, issues that are mostly small and everyday. Love bears these things, sharing the burdens and forgiving the annoyances. Love also bears with "life" together - sharing and caring amidst the challenges of this fallen world.
Sometimes these things get personal - sometimes the hurt we experience comes from genuine (seeming) slights and offenses. In this case, love believes all things, choosing to believe in the other's genuine love and care for them and genuine lack of desire to hurt them, in spite of appearances. Love is willing to take risks, to be open and honest and loving, even knowing that hurt may come again. "Jesus is our rock and our fortress; that enables us to believe the best, even when we are tempted to think the worst."
But it's hard to get hurt over and over again, and that's when love hopes all things. Love hopes that change will happen. Love believes that as God Himself has promised, so He will do: He will grow us (and the object of our love) and change us (and the object of our love) and make us all more like Him if we are His. That is the Biblical definition of hope: confidence in the promises of the Lord, and therefore the bright and wonderful future that we are being transformed in preparation for.
But sometimes you're burnt out, worn out, and losing sight of hope... and that is when love endures all things. Love sticks it through, refusing to give up despite all odds, in hope that hope will someday return:
Love Never Fails.
"God is saying there is nothing that love can't handle."
Why?
Jesus' love didn't.
Love bears all things,
Believes all things,
Hopes all things,
Endures all things.
Love never fails
(1 Corinthians 13:7-8)
In every loving relationship there will be irritants - annoyances, burdens, issues that are mostly small and everyday. Love bears these things, sharing the burdens and forgiving the annoyances. Love also bears with "life" together - sharing and caring amidst the challenges of this fallen world.
Sometimes these things get personal - sometimes the hurt we experience comes from genuine (seeming) slights and offenses. In this case, love believes all things, choosing to believe in the other's genuine love and care for them and genuine lack of desire to hurt them, in spite of appearances. Love is willing to take risks, to be open and honest and loving, even knowing that hurt may come again. "Jesus is our rock and our fortress; that enables us to believe the best, even when we are tempted to think the worst."
But it's hard to get hurt over and over again, and that's when love hopes all things. Love hopes that change will happen. Love believes that as God Himself has promised, so He will do: He will grow us (and the object of our love) and change us (and the object of our love) and make us all more like Him if we are His. That is the Biblical definition of hope: confidence in the promises of the Lord, and therefore the bright and wonderful future that we are being transformed in preparation for.
But sometimes you're burnt out, worn out, and losing sight of hope... and that is when love endures all things. Love sticks it through, refusing to give up despite all odds, in hope that hope will someday return:
Love Never Fails.
"God is saying there is nothing that love can't handle."
Why?
Jesus' love didn't.
Chapter 7: Kingdom
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in synagogues,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all
kinds of disease among the people, and casting out demons. Then
His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who
were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were
demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great
multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and
beyond the Jordan.
And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “This man blasphemes! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, glorifying God. All were amazed and filled with fear, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” And they glorified God, who had given such power to men.
Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with Jesus and His disciples, for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw it, they complained to His disciples, saying, “Why does your Teacher eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why we fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Then He spoke a parable to them: No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse, and the piece from the new does not match the old. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’”
Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
“I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
And behold, a man who was full of
leprosy came and worshiped Him, imploring Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You
can make me clean.”
Then Jesus, moved with compassion,
stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing;
be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, his leprosy was cleansed.
And He strictly
warned him and sent him away at once, saying, “See that you tell no one; but go
your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded,
as a testimony to them.”
However, he went out and began to
proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no
longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came
to Him from every direction. So He Himself often
withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
After some days, He re-entered Capernaum,
and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many
gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not
even near the door. And He preached the word to them. As He was teaching, there
were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every
town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present
to heal them. Then behold, four men brought on a bed a man who
was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And
when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd,
they went up on the housetop to let him down through the tiling. So when they
had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying, and
laid it before Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the
paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are
forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “This man blasphemes! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, glorifying God. All were amazed and filled with fear, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” And they glorified God, who had given such power to men.
Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with Jesus and His disciples, for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw it, they complained to His disciples, saying, “Why does your Teacher eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why we fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Then He spoke a parable to them: No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse, and the piece from the new does not match the old. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
After this there was a feast of the Jews,
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by
the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five
porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind,
lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an
angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then
whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of
whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had
an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying
there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time,
He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no
man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am
coming, another steps down before me.”Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’”
Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
“I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Now it happened that He went through the
grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck
heads of grain and eat them, rubbing them in their hands. And
when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are
doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those
who were with him: how he entered the house of God in the days of Abithar the priest and
ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were
with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in
the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than
the temple. But
if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’
you would not have condemned the guiltless. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. For the Son of Man is Lord
even of the Sabbath.”
Now when He had
departed from there, He went into their synagogue and taught. And behold, a man was there whose right hand was withered. So the
scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the
Sabbath. And they asked Him,
saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”— that
they might find an accusation against Him.
But
He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and
stood. Then He said to them, “Is it
lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent.
Then He said to them, “What man is
there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath,
will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much
more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the
Sabbath.” And
when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of
their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your
hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was
restored as whole as the other. Then
the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him,
how they might destroy Him.
But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew
with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him,
and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan;
and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many
things He was doing, came to Him. So He told His disciples
that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest
they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as
had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. And the
unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out,
saying, “You are the Son of God.” But He sternly warned them
that they should not make Him known.
Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the
mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And
when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself, those whom He Himself wanted, and they came
to Him. From them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles, that they
might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and
to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: Simon,
to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of
Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that
is, “Sons of Thunder”; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and
Judas Iscariot. And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
Chapter 6: Recognition
Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by John concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and concerning all the other evils which he had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” News of him went out throughout all the surrounding regions. And He taught in their synagogues, and everybody praised Him.
So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
“The
Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Then He closed the
book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of
all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began
to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in
your hearing.” So all bore witness to
Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And
they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’” Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
And Jesus, walking by the Sea of
Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting
a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. As the multitude pressed about Him to
hear the word of God, He saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen
had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He
got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little
from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
When He had stopped speaking, He said
to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
But Simon answered and said to Him,
“Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word
I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they
caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So
they signaled to James and John, the
sons of Zebedee, their partners, to come and help them in the other boat.
And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When
Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from
me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
For he and all who were with
him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. Follow me, and I
will make you become fishers of men.” So when they had brought their boats
to land, they immediately forsook all and followed Him.
When He had gone a little farther from there,
He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were
in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called
them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants,
and went after Him.
Then they went into Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Now there was a man in their synagogue with a demon, an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had convulsed him and thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What new word is this? For He commands with authority, and even the unclean spirits obey Him.”
Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a high fever, and they told Him about her at once, and made request of Him concerning her. So He came stood over her and rebuked the fever, then took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. Immediately she arose and served them.
At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, because they knew Him.
Having risen long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place and prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”
And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach the kingdom of God there also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”
And His fame spread throughout all the surrounding region.
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