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Cleaning out the Temple complex and authority challenged.

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Jesus went up to Jerusalem because it was nearing the time for the festival of Passover. When he reached the Temple complex he found money changers and people selling the animals that the Jews bought to sacrifice there to atone for their sins. He made a whip of cords and drove everyone and their animals out, even overturning the money tables. He would not permit anyone to bring in anything to sell there. Quoting the prophet Isaiah, (56:7) he said “‘My house will be a house of prayer for all people,’ but you have made it into a den of thieves! Stop turning My Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Seeing this, the disciples recalled this verse from the psalmist “Devotion for God’s house will consume me” (PS 69:9)

He was teaching and healing there every day. Children cheered out “Hosanna to the Son of David!” The temple leaders said “Do you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus answered “Haven’t you read the Scriptures? ‘From the lips of children The Lord has called forth praise’ (PS 8:2)?”

The chief priests, scribes, and elders started looking for ways to undermine him. They were afraid of him because the crowd of people there was captivated by what he taught.

All the Temple leaders challenged Jesus, saying “Who gave you authority to do these things?”

Jesus said “Answer me this, and I’ll tell you – was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” They debated amongst themselves, saying “If we say from heaven, then he’ll challenge us, saying ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say it was from men, the crowd will get angry with us because they thought John was a true prophet.” To be safe, they said “We don’t know.”

Jesus said “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus also told them “Destroy this sanctuary, and I will restore it in three days.” The Temple leaders looked at him like he was crazy. “This Temple took 46 years to build! Who are you to say you can do all this in three days?” But Jesus was talking about the sanctuary of his body. Later, after he was resurrected, his disciples remembered these words.

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MT 21:12-17,23-27 MK 11:15-19, 27-33 LK 19:45-48,20:1-8 JN 2:13-22

Many people believed in Jesus while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival because of the miracles he was doing. Jesus, however, did not fully reveal himself to them because he knew mankind’s’ true nature.

JN 2:23-25

A girl raised from the dead and a woman healed from bleeding.

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A synagogue leader named Jairus fell down on his knees at Jesus’ feet, begging him to heal his child. His only child, a 12 year old daughter, was near death. He pleaded with Jesus to come to his house and lay his hands on her so she would live. Immediately Jesus and his disciples followed him to his home.

While they were on their way, a crowd of people surrounded Jesus, almost crushing him. In the crowd was a woman who had suffered from menstrual bleeding for 12 years. She had given all of her money to doctors for a cure, and not only had they not healed her, she had gotten worse. Approaching Jesus from behind, she touched the corner of his robe where his tzitzit were attached, thinking just doing that would be enough to heal her. As soon as she touched his robe, she could tell that she was completely healed.

Immediately Jesus felt power leave him, and he began to look around him, asking “Who touched me?” His disciples looked at him in amazement – how could they know? The crowd was very large and very close. Since her plan to do this secretly was foiled, the woman threw herself at Jesus’ feet and confessed that she was the one who had touched him, and why. He looked at her and said “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Just then, a messenger from Jairus’ house came to say to him “Don’t bother the Teacher anymore – your daughter is dead.” When Jesus heard this he said “Don’t be afraid – just believe, and she will be healed.”

When Jesus got to the house, he saw a crowd of mourners had already arrived, making a lot of noise with their wails of grief. He said “Why are you going on like this? She isn’t dead. She’s just sleeping.” The crowd began to laugh at him.

Jesus got the crowd to leave the house. Going inside with just Peter, James, John, and the girl’s parents, he went up to the girl, and taking her by the hand, he said “Talitha koum!” (Which means, “Little girl, get up!”) Immediately her soul returned to her and she began to walk. Jesus told them to get her something to eat, and strongly told those present to not tell anyone about this.

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MT 9:18-26, MK 5:21-43, LK 8:40-56

Do not judge

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How you treat others is how you will be treated. If you don’t judge or condemn people, you won’t be judged or condemned. Forgive, and you’ll be forgiven. Give, and you will get back more than you gave.

Why do you point out the speck in your brother’s eye, and miss the log in your own? You are a hypocrite to offer to take out the speck in his eye. How can you even see it, with that log in the way? First, fix yourself. Then you can help him.

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LK 6:37-38, MK 4:24-25, MT 7:1-5, LK 6:41-42

Preaching in Galilee

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Jesus went out by himself to pray in a deserted place. Not long after, the crowds found him and begged him to stay in their town. He told them that he couldn’t stay because he had to preach the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns. This is the whole reason he was sent.

He then went all over Galilee in the power of the Spirit. Because he was glorified and praised, he was invited to speak in the synagogues there. He spent his time preaching, healing, and casting out demons. His message was “It is now time! The kingdom of God is near! Return to following God and believe in the good news!”

News that he was there spread and more and more people were brought to him who were sick – those with intense pain, epilepsy, paralysis, or possessed by demons. He healed them all. Large crowds followed him from town to town all over the area.

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MK 1:35-39, LK 4:42-44, MT 4:23-25, MK 1:14-15, LK 4:14-15

Healing a paralyzed man

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One day, Jesus was teaching people at his family’s home. Four men wanted to get a man who was paralyzed to him for healing. The crowd that was there to listen to Jesus was impossible to get through. They decided to cut through the roof tiles to get the man in. Then they lowered him down on a stretcher.

Seeing the faith of the four men, Jesus said to the man “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

The scribes and the Pharisees thought to themselves “He’s blaspheming! Only God can forgive sins!”

Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked them why they were thinking this way, saying “Isn’t it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven’ than to say ‘Get up and walk’? But so you know that the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins, watch this.” He then told the paralytic “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.”

Immediately the man did what Jesus said – he was healed! The crowds were amazed and gave glory to God saying “We have never seen anything like this!”

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MT 9:1-8, MK 2:1-12, LK 5:17-26

Healing the Centurion’s servant

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There was a centurion in Capernaum who had heard about Jesus. His favorite servant was paralyzed and near death. The centurion sent some of the Jewish elders to Jesus asking him to save his servant’s life. The elders argued his case to Jesus, pointing out that he had built a synagogue for them.

While on the way to the centurion’s house, Jesus was met by other messengers who told him that the centurion felt he wasn’t worthy to have Jesus at his home – that’s why he didn’t come on his own to talk with him. Through his messengers, he asked Jesus just to say the word and his servant would be healed. He said that as an officer he could say “Go!” or “Come!” to a soldier or a servant and he would do what he said. He knew that Jesus had the same kind of authority.

Jesus was astonished. Turning to the crowd he said “I haven’t seen such faith like this anywhere in Israel!” The servant was healed right then.

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MT 8:5-10,13, LK 7:1-10

The fig tree and faith

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Jesus was hungry one morning on the road back from Bethany. He saw a solitary fig tree in the distance, but found only leaves on it and no fruit when he went up to it. It was not the season for figs.

Angrily he said “May you never bear fruit again!” Quickly the fig tree withered and the disciples were amazed. They asked him how it was possible for it to wither so quickly.

He said “Nothing is impossible with faith. If you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can tell a mulberry tree or a mountain to uproot itself and move, even into the sea, and it will. You have to believe that what you ask for will happen and it will. Pray as if you have already received everything you ask for. Also, while you are praying, be sure to forgive anyone that you have a grudge against so that your Father in heaven will forgive you as well. If you don’t forgive them then God won’t forgive you.”

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MT 21:18-22, MK 11:12-14, MK 11:20-26, LK 17:6, MT 17:20-21 HCSB

If you are willing…

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A man with a serious skin disease all over his body approached Jesus. On his knees he begged him, saying “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the leper saying “I am willing. Be healed.” Immediately the disease left him.

Jesus ordered him not to tell anyone and sent him to go to the priest and take the offering required by Moses’ law as a testimony for his healing. Instead, he told everyone that Jesus healed him, which meant that large crowds would show up wherever Jesus was. He could no longer publically enter a town. Because of that, he spent a lot of time praying in deserted places.

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MT 8:1-4, MK 1:40-45, LK 5:12-16 (HCSB, LB)

Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is healed.

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As soon as they left the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus and the disciples went into Simon Peter’s house. His mother-in-law was in bed with a high fever. They asked Jesus to help her. He went to her, and taking her by the hand, he rebuked the fever. Immediately she was healed and she began to wait on them.

Later that evening, people began bringing those who were sick and possessed to him. He healed them by laying his hands on them and he drove out demons with a word. Those who were possessed had demons who were shouting “You are the Son of God!” But he told them not to speak because it wasn’t time yet for this to be known.

What was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled with his actions. “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Isaiah 53:4)

(MT 8:14-17, MK 1:29-34, LK 4:38-41. HCSB, NIV)

I will follow you…

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When Jesus noticed how large the crowd was growing, he instructed his disciples to prepare to cross to the other side of the lake. Just then a teacher of the law said to him “Rabbi, I will follow you no matter where you go.” But Jesus said “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest.”

Later when he invited a man to come with him and be his disciple, the man said that he needed to go home to bury his father. Jesus told him “Now is the time to follow me. Let those who are spiritually dead care for their own. Your job is to spread the good news of the kingdom of God.”

Another asked to follow him but said “First let me go and say goodbye to my family.” But Jesus said to him “Anyone who turns aside from the work I plan for him to do is not fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

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MT 8:18-22, LK 9:57-62 (HCSB, LB, NIV)