Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4
From Matthew's Journal
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| Photo by Mary Vee Remains of the synagogue in Capernaum The area has several rooms and is quite large. |
We followed Jesus throughout Galilee, which is in the northeastern region of Israel.
We stopped in many cities and villages watching Him teach in the local synagogue, preach the good news of the kingdom, and heal every disease and sickness the local people had.
Not long after we visited the second city, the number of people traveling long distances to see Jesus grew a lot. I heard several say they'd walked days with their loved one who needed Jesus to heal them. The news had spread all over Syria. Jesus healed the ill, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those with seizures, and the paralyzed. He healed all of them. It was during this time that I began to understand what Jesus could do.
Large crowds from Galilee, the group of ten cities called Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the area across the Jordan followed Jesus, longing to hear Him teach and see Him do miracles.
One day a man with leprosy came to Jesus. The crowd stepped back from him. No one wanted to be near a person with leprosy, the disease was highly contagious.
The man fell to his knees and begged Jesus, "Please. If you are willing, you can take away my leprosy."
Jesus eyes softened with compassion. He reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing." His voice was soft and spiced with something that was much more than hope. It was...truth.
Then Jesus said, "Be clean!" Immediately. I really mean it. That very second the leprosy left the man. His skin was smooth. There was no sign of the disease on him at all.
The man's eyes widened. He turned his hands over and back. He looked up at Jesus with his mouth open but no words spoken.
Jesus told him to go. "Don't speak to anyone. You must first go to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for a disease that is no longer in your body. This will be your proof to them that you are healed."
The man walked away as Jesus said, but he didn't go straight to the priests. He shared his excitement with everyone he saw, spreading the news of what happened to him.
This brought so many people to each new town that Jesus wanted to visit, He couldn't enter any openly. The only places he could walk was in secluded places.
Even still, the people found him and came by large numbers begging to see Him.
He barely had time to sleep a few hours.
He didn't have time to eat much.
But He never asked them to leave.
Never.
Instead He showed His compassion to everyone.
Come back to read the next story.
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sources:
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version.
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version.
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
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