A Duel With the Pharisees

By Mary Vee
Mark 2; Luke 5, Matthew 9

From Mark's Journal 

Photo by Mary Vee
I am standing on the shore of
The Sea of Galilee at Capernaum
These rock served a great purpose,
They helped amplify Jesus' voice when
he spoke to the large crowds.

My name is Mark. I am a disciple of Jesus. I am here with other disciples, so they may add something to what I share today. The most recent disciple to join us is Levi. 

This is what happened after Jesus said to Levi, "Follow Me."

Levi left his tax collection table, leaving people standing around him, and walked toward Jesus. He spent some time with us listening to Jesus. We welcomed Levi.

That night, Levi invited us to a great banquet for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors and others came too. There was a lot of food, plenty for everyone.

The men laughed and enjoyed themselves.

In truth, we other disciples saw that Levi wanted his friends to meet and hear Jesus speak. He became a missionary before the rest of us!

At the far end of the table, a group of Pharisees grumbled. These men had studied the Law of Moses most of their lives. They were very smart and had become the teachers for the people. 

Some of the rules the Pharisees practiced though, were ones they had made up, taking the Law of Moses to stricter levels that God wanted. Tonight, a few of us disciples heard them grumbling, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

From the sound of their voices and the look on their faces, anyone could see that the reason for their question was to stir trouble.

When Jesus heard them ask the question He said, "it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. You should go and learn what these words from the Old Testament mean: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I have not come to rescue the righteous, but the sinners."

Well that didn't make the Pharisees very happy. These were witty men. They were quick to say back to Jesus, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but your disciples go on eating and drinking. What do you have to say about that?"

Jesus didn't even stop to ponder an answer. He said, "Can you make the guests of the groom go without eating while he is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken from them. In those days the guests will fast."

The Pharisees didn't have a response to that.

Jesus then told them a parable. A parable is like a little story with a very special meaning. He said, "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment and the patch from the new material will not match the old fabric. 

"No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins. The wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. No one wants new wine after drinking the old wine. The guest will say, 'The old wine is better.'"

The Pharisees left after the banquet. They were angry about being challenged, especially since they could not think of anything good to say in the end. 

I have a feeling we are going to see a lot of the Pharisees. They won't let this challenge go without saying more.

On the other hand, Jesus, well, He has a Spirit in Him that shows in every word and deed He does. Listening to Him is not like listening to the Pharisees spouting off facts. Listening to Jesus is like...well, like listening to the Truth.

Come back to read the next story.

*********************************************************************************************

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.

Jonathan Goforth-They Came Because of the Music

By Mary Vee
Year: October 1894

Jonathan Goforth-45 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

My name is Jonathan Goforth. My wife, Rosalind, and I are missionaries in China and we are having an exciting time telling the people here about a living God who loves them. 

Sometimes, though, the men and women who trust in Jesus suffer. Their families reject them even to the point of throwing them out of their home or killing them.

This is what happened to Chang-san. He is a university student who came to one of our church services because he heard the music. He stayed and listened to me preach. He came back several times, asking many questions. One day he said he wanted to believe in Jesus.

He went to his home to tell his father about the living God. That they didn't need to pray to idols who could not speak and offered only punishments. His father dragged him out to the village center and beat him. When Chang-san refused to stop believing in the living God his father went in his house to get an ax to kill his son. 

The villagers helped Chang-san escape. He came directly to my house and asked what he should do.

Last night Chang-san stayed at my home. I told him I would gather all the mission workers in the area and ask their help.

I did as I said, and the meeting was set for later in the morning in my study. We sat in a circle facing each other. Chang-san told them the same things he told me about his faith in Jesus and what his father said and did.

Many suggestions were given. In the end we formed a plan that everyone agreed would be the best choice. We would all go to Chang-san's village. The other missionaries would preach in the streets to anyone who would listen. While they did, I would visit Chang-san's father and speak with him about his son.

The next morning, we thought it would be best for Chang-san to stay at my house, for his safety. 

We travelled to his village and were surprised not to be treated with the customary courtesies given to visitors. Usually a chair is brought for a traveler. A cup of water. But none of this or any other greeting happened. We decided to continue with the plan by setting up a place to preach. Curious children stopped and listened for a short time. A few dogs ran through the area. Not one man or woman came to hear us, though.

I paid a boy to take a message to Chang-san's father, asking him to come visit. He did not send back a reply.

Well, the preaching wasn't getting anyone's attention. The other missionaries and I talked about what we could do next. "Let's sing hymns and see if that will get some interest," one said. So, we sang a quick tempo of "Jesus Loves Me." What a wonderful surprise happened next. The people came in small groups, then more came. They sat down in the area where we met. 

One man was so interested, he carried a table and set it down near us. We put our Bibles there. Another man brought us benches to sit on. A woman brought us tea. The area was full of villagers sitting and listening. Once we had their attention we began preaching again. And the people stayed!

All of this was wonderful, except we came to speak to Chang-san's father and to find a way to help the boy return home. By three o'clock his father had still not answered my note. I refused to wait any longer. My job was to visit the father, and that was what I would do. 

I left the other missionaries and walked down the road toward Chang-san's father's home.

This is not the end of Chang-san's story. 

Jonathan has many stories to share. Come back each Monday to find out what happened next.



Resources Used for This Series
Being, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Jonathan Goforth: An Open Door in China. Seattle. WA: YWAM Pub., 2001.Print
Doyle, G. Wright. Builders of the Chinese Church: Pioneer Protestant Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders. Eugene Oregon: Pickwick Pub, 2015. Print.
Goforth, Jonathan, and Rosaline Goforth, Miracle Lives of China, London" Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1931, Print.
Goforth, Jonathan. "By My Spirit" Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1942. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Climbing; Memories of a Missionary's Wife. Chicago: Moody Pub, n.d. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How I Know God Answers Prayers; The Personal Testimony of One Life-time, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1921. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Jonathan Goforth. Minneapolis, MN: Bethan House, 1986. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How God Answers Prayer: The Mighty Miracles of God from the Mission Field of Jonathan Goforth. USA: Revival, 2016. Print Original copyright not stated.
Jackson, Dave, and Neta Jackson. Mask of the Wolf Boy: Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1999. Print.
McCleary, Walter. An Hour with Jonathan Goforth: A Biography. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1938. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Jonathan Goforth: Never Give up. Seattle, WA: YWAM, 2004. Print.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

The Tax Collector Who Left His Money Table

By Mary Vee
Mark 2; Luke 5, Matthew 9

From Mark's Journal 

Photo by Mary Vee
I am standing on the shore of
The Sea of Galilee at Capernaum
These rock served a great purpose,
They helped amplify Jesus' voice when
he spoke to the large crowds.

My name is Mark. I am a disciple of Jesus. I am here with other disciples, so they may add something today. 

This morning, as every other one, Jesus started the day knowing exactly where He wanted to go and what He wanted to do. There were no questions or floundering. Jesus had a plan. Sometimes He told us ahead of time. Sometimes He didn't. But He always had a plan and nothing seemed to surprise HIm.

Shortly after breakfast, we walked with him down to the shore of the Sea of Galilee. There were fishermen around and crowds gathered to buy fresh fish. They looked over and saw Jesus. 

People pointed. They said His name.

It didn't take long for the crowd to leave the market and  come to hear Jesus speak. His reputation for healing the sick and speaking words that had an authority they'd not heard from the priests had spread in this area. 

They liked to hear Him speak and were willing to listen to Him talk about God's teachings for hours.

Jesus walked along the shore that morning, and turned toward a man sitting at a table off to the side. His name was Levi and he was a tax collector. In our time, tax collectors were not thought of very highly. They tended to take more than the tax that was due from the people. 

If a person didn't pay what the tax collector demanded, he or she could be put into slavery. The tax collectors became very rich. Levi was no exception.

Levi sat at his table when Jesus looked his way. Jesus called out to him, "Follow me."

I smile because I remember when Jesus said the same words to me a while ago. I understood what happened in Levi's mind the moment he heard Jesus say that. 

Levi had seen and heard about Jesus. He may have been curious but not enough to leave his work and devote his days listening to Jesus' teaching. But when Jesus said, "Follow Me," there was a sense of this is the right thing to do going on in our heads. Without a speck of doubt I knew, and he probably did too, the certainty that Jesus was a man who was worthy of following.

I wasn't surprised at all when Levi stood and left his tables. He walked down to the shore and joined Jesus' and His followers on the shore.

What he did next was unbelievable. Come back to read what happened.

Come back to read the next story.

*********************************************************************************************

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.

Matthew- Four of the Best Friends

By Mary Vee
Matthew 9; Mark 2; Luke 5

From Matthew's Journal 

Photo by Mary Vee
Remains of the synagogue in Capernaum
The area has several rooms and is quite large.

My name is Matthew. I am a disciple of Jesus. I am here with other disciples, so they may add something today. 

Jesus told us this morning we would go back to Capernaum. We followed him there. Several of the disciples had grown up here and were very happy to return.

Again, the word spread that Jesus was going to Capernaum long before we even reached the city. We barely made it into a home where He planned to speak to the crowds. 

The people quieted when Jesus began to preach. The quiet was so good. He taught may new and amazing things. Teachings that tell us how God wants us to live and how we should worship HIm. 

More men and women came. They pressed closer, trying to hear Jesus speak. No one could move in or out of the home where He stood. 

We didn't know at the time, but four friends brought a man they cared about deeply. He was paralyzed. They carried their friend a distance on a stretcher hoping to get close enough to Jesus.

As they came closer they asked the men and women in the crowd to let them through. No one did. The friends tried from different angles hoping to find some kind person to let them through.

Meanwhile on the inside Jesus continued to teach. There were also the Scribes standing close to him. Their squinty eyes said they wanted to find evidence to prove Jesus wrong. 

Back outside where the four friends carried their friend, they decided to give up. Not completely. They wanted to find another way to get close to Jesus. Our homes have roofs that we use for gardens, eating, some people even put bedrooms up there. The roofs are flat and have a parapet, that is a small wall that lets a person know they are near the edge. 

The four friends carried their friend to the roof using the stairs along the outside of the house. They carefully walked him to the roof, taking care to not let him fall off the stretcher. On top, they began to pull away the roof tiles.

Back inside the home, Jesus and all the people near him look up and watched the roof tiles move. The Scribes who stood inside couldn't believe their eyes. Actually, they became too upset to speak. 

Jesus, though, welcomed the men. They lowered their friend down. Slowly. Releasing inches of rope at the same time until their friend lay on the floor near Jesus. 

Jesus looked at the man and then his four friends on the roof. He saw proof of their faith and turned to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

The Scribes who saw the whole thing whispered to one another, "Why does this man talk like that? He is blaspheming God. Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus told us that He knew in his spirit, right then, that this was what they were thinking. He said, "Why are you thinking this? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven or to say 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 

"So you will know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." Jesus turned to the paralytic man and said, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." The man got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of everyone there. 

The people who watched this happen whispered and talked with each other. They praised God saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

The paralyzed man walked away.

Jesus didn't hide the healing of the paralytic. He showed the people and had written for us what God did for this man. 

Come back to read the next story.

*********************************************************************************************

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.

Jonathan Goforth-Chang-san Refused

By Mary Vee
Year: October 1894

Jonathan Goforth-45 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

My name is Jonathan Goforth. My wife, Rosalind, and I are missionaries in China and we are having an exciting time telling the people here about a living God who loves them. 

Last time I mention a young man named Chang-san. He came to one our meetings in Changte. He didn't live in the city, but in a near by village. One day he heard the music from our church service and came to see what was going on. 

Chang-san is not a farmer. He is a student at a university in Changte. His father expected great things from him and has told all his children that they were not to get involved with foreigners in any way. Because of his father's anger, one the entire town knew raged at times, Chang-san had no intentions of disobeying this order.

But when he spoke with me after the church service he struggled. In his heart he wanted to believe in Jesus. In his head his father had a strong hold of his mind. I said, "Let God take care of your father." Chang-san decided to follow his heart and put his faith in the God who truly loved him.

Chang-san came back each night while he stayed in the city. He asked me questions, excited to learn more about God. The last night he stayed in town I said, "You need to tell your family about your faith in God. This is not a secret we keep."

He lowered his head. "I understand. You came to China to tell my people about the true God instead of staying at your home. I am grateful." But sadness weighed on his face. "I will tell them even though I am afraid what he will do."

Like every morning, I woke early and prayed for Chang-san, asking God to protect this young man. I longed for him to come back and say that telling his parents turned out all right even if they disagreed.

One night, I stayed late cleaning the room where he had meetings. The sun had gone down and the work nearly done. It had been eleven days since I'd seen Chang-san. I walked outside and saw a man wobble into the compound. I ran to him. His clothes hung like rags and he was bleeding. "Come. Sit over here. Can I get a doctor for you?"

The man raised his head and looked at me. "It's me."

I recognized his voice. "Chang-san?" He had been beaten so badly I couldn't recognize him. "Come into my home." I put his one arm over my shoulders and helped him walk. He didn't have the strength to talk while hobbling to my door.

While he sat in our kitchen, I got a bowl of warm water and a clean towel to wash his wounds. "What happened?"

"I did as you said. As I walked home to my village I practiced what I'd say to my father about believing in Christ. I was afraid to tell him. Very afraid. I didn't tell anyone right away. Each time I saw my father I knew he would beat me if he knew the truth."

He pressed his hand to his heart. "In here, I also struggled. I knew I needed to tell Father. Not for my sake but for his. He should hear that there is a living God who loves him. I couldn't hold this inside any longer. I went to my father and fell at his feet. I banged my head against the floor knowing how upset he would be once hearing what I had done. I wept as I had never done before. Sobbing kept me from saying a word."

"He shouted at me. 'What have you done? Have you gambled away the family money while at university? I know you have done something terrible. Tell me at once. I demand it.'

"'All right, Father,' I said to him. 'I have done nothing that I regret.' It took minutes to find the courage for the next words. "I heard some music and walked closer to where it came from. A man spoke when the music ended. He told the most remarkable story about a God who loves us. Who loves every man and woman.

"Before I could say another word he grabbed me by the neck and threw me against the floor. He kicked and hit me then ordered me to stand. When I did he shoved me toward the door and beat me until I fell into the street. Neighbors crowded by and watched him beat me. He said, 'The foreigners have him under a spell.'"

Chang-san had suffered terribly. I kept washing his wounds and listened. "What did you do?"

He swallowed. "I tried to protect my head but gave my father honor by not fighting back. He is an old man. Anyway, he grew physically tired and stepped back while heaving in his breaths. He walked to me and kicked once more shouting, 'Give up this ridiculous teaching. Curse the foreigners at once.'

 "I can't.' I said, 'I have made up my mind. I will follow the ways of the living God.' His face turned the darkest shade of red with anger. He shouted, 'Get me a hatchet. My son has dishonored me. For this, he must die.' Surprisingly, no one in the crowd left to get the hatchet. This only made him angrier. He stomped into our house to get one."

I set the bowl down. "What did you do?"

"It wasn't I did. There are no other Christians in my village. This I know. Yet some of the older men helped me stand and took me to a neighbor's house. They told me to hide under the straw. That night one of them came to I hid and said Father had not calmed at all. If I wanted to live, I needed to leave. I climbed over the wall and came here to ask you what the living God would want me to do next."

I had no idea. This would take prayer. "Sleep here tonight." That was all I could think of for the time.


But this is not the end of his story. Life was not easy for the Chinese who believed in God. There is more to Chang-san's story.




Jonathan has many stories to share. Come back each Monday to find out what happened next.



Resources Used for This Series
Being, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Jonathan Goforth: An Open Door in China. Seattle. WA: YWAM Pub., 2001.Print
Doyle, G. Wright. Builders of the Chinese Church: Pioneer Protestant Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders. Eugene Oregon: Pickwick Pub, 2015. Print.
Goforth, Jonathan, and Rosaline Goforth, Miracle Lives of China, London" Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1931, Print.
Goforth, Jonathan. "By My Spirit" Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1942. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Climbing; Memories of a Missionary's Wife. Chicago: Moody Pub, n.d. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How I Know God Answers Prayers; The Personal Testimony of One Life-time, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1921. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Jonathan Goforth. Minneapolis, MN: Bethan House, 1986. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How God Answers Prayer: The Mighty Miracles of God from the Mission Field of Jonathan Goforth. USA: Revival, 2016. Print Original copyright not stated.
Jackson, Dave, and Neta Jackson. Mask of the Wolf Boy: Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1999. Print.
McCleary, Walter. An Hour with Jonathan Goforth: A Biography. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1938. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Jonathan Goforth: Never Give up. Seattle, WA: YWAM, 2004. Print.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Matthew-He Never Asked Them to Leave

By Mary Vee
Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4

From Matthew's Journal 

Photo by Mary Vee
Remains of the synagogue in Capernaum
The area has several rooms and is quite large.

My name is Matthew. I am a disciple of Jesus.  I am here with other disciples, so they may add something today. 

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.

*********************************************************************************************

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.

Peter-Sometimes We Need To Be Alone

By Mary Vee
Mark 1

From Peter's Journal 

Photo by Mary Vee
Remains of the synagogue in Capernaum
The area has several rooms and is quite large.

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.  I am here in Capernaum with several disciples. You may know some, they are James and John the sons of Zebedee, Matthew, Mark, Luke and others.

Last time I wrote, Jesus wanted to go to my house. I was very thankful because while he was there he healed my mother-in-law. 

In my time, whole families lived under the same roof. They had different sections of the large home, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, but everyone lived in the same place. When someone married, a new wall with rooms were built on to the end. Not only is Israel a small country, but our way of life has taught us to keep families together, especially while we are ruled by other empires.

My mother-in-law was deathly ill when Jesus arrived. I didn't know she was sick, it was a fever that came on suddenly. Jesus went to her room and healed her. Right away, without needing time to rest, she got up from her sick bed and made food for us! 

We had a good time listening to Jesus talk at my home the rest of the day. When the evening came, it was after the sunset, the word had spread what Jesus had done for my mother-in-law and the man at the synagogue.

People came to our door. They brought their sick and demon-possessed family and friends. The crowd became so great, surely the entire town had gathered outside our door wanting Jesus to heal their loved one. 

And he did. He was so kind to them. Never getting angry at the huge number of people that seemed to keep coming then leave once their loved one was healed. 

Earlier that day, in the synagogue, there was a man whom a demon had possessed. The demon spoke to Jesus, actually he shouted a few words. Jesus told it to leave. This evening, no demon was allowed to speak a single word, because they knew who he was. 

The demons knew he was the Son of God yet they did not believe or have faith in Him. At that time, I didn't fully understand who Jesus was. I knew he was special. That I wanted to hear more of what he said. But in truth, I did not fully understand at that time that Jesus was and is God, the only one who could save me from eternal death.

Early the next morning, before the sun had risen I got up and noticed Jesus was not there. I walked through the city looking for him and found him by himself. He'd found a place to be alone to pray. To have time alone with His Father in Heaven.

Photo by Mary Vee
The remains of one home in Capernaum possibly Peter's
Many branches of a family shared one big dwelling.
Rooms were walled off with their own exterior entrance.

"Jesus," I said, "Everyone is looking for you."

He knew why. And if he'd come back to my home he'd be there for years, healing every person who travelled miles to see him.

"Let's go somewhere else," Jesus said. "To a nearby village, so I can preach there also." 

I began to see that his healing people was very important, but he also needed to take time to pray and teach. Like I said, the more I am with Jesus, the more I learn.

Come back to read the next story.

*********************************************************************************************

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.

Jonathan Goforth-Chang-san Walked to the Next Village Because of the Music

By Mary Vee
Year: October 194

Jonathan Goforth-45 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

My name is Jonathan Goforth. My wife, Rosalind, and I are missionaries in China and we are having an exciting time going from village to village spending one month in each, telling the people about the living God who loves them. We formed churches in each village and placed Chinese leaders in charge. The people are very interested in learning about the God who loves them.

Every so often we came back to our base city, Changte to see how they were doing, if they needed help, or had questions. My family and the other missionaries stayed in Changte for about a month before visiting the other ten villages again.

The Apostle Paul did his work for Christ the same way. He went from one place to another telling everyone who would listen about the living God who loved them. He also made it a priority to revisit those new churches, to write them when he was away, and to help them in anyway they needed.

I set up a meeting to preach to anyone interested in Changte. A huge crowd came filling the seats, but one man caught my attention. He was young, about twenty or so. He appeared a well dressed, educated man. At the end of the service I asked if anyone had questions about believing in God, they could go to a side room that we had set up earlier.

Among the people who went was this young man. I squeezed through the crowd to get into the room to speak with him. I saw him sitting in a corner and joined him. "My name is Jonathan Goforth."

He bowed. "My name is Chang-san."

"You look like an educated young man," I said. "What drew you to this meeting."

Chang-san smiled just a little. "The music. I heard the music and wanted to see what was going on."

"That is wonderful. So, would you like me to tell you more about the living God?"

"Yes, please."

He sat there and listened to me talk about Jesus, God's Son who left heaven to live here with us for a time. He taught us what God expects while He was here. When He finished His work, Jesus paid the price for all our sins by giving up his life in a terrible death on a cross. As the only perfect one who has never sinned, Jesus was the only one who could take our punishment. I answered all his question and waited for him to ask more. When he didn't have any more questions, I asked if he wanted to place his faith in Jesus, the son of God, the One who loved every person so much that He gave his life to pay for our sins then rose from death and went to heaven. All of this was done so that we could live forever in heaven.

Chang-san said yes then asked me to help him pray. 

I did.

And he asked Jesus to be his Savior.

But this is not the end of his story. Life was not easy for the Chinese who believed in God. There is more to Chang-san's story.





Jonathan has many stories to share. Come back each Monday to find out what happened next.



Resources Used for This Series
Being, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Jonathan Goforth: An Open Door in China. Seattle. WA: YWAM Pub., 2001.Print
Doyle, G. Wright. Builders of the Chinese Church: Pioneer Protestant Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders. Eugene Oregon: Pickwick Pub, 2015. Print.
Goforth, Jonathan, and Rosaline Goforth, Miracle Lives of China, London" Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1931, Print.
Goforth, Jonathan. "By My Spirit" Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1942. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Climbing; Memories of a Missionary's Wife. Chicago: Moody Pub, n.d. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How I Know God Answers Prayers; The Personal Testimony of One Life-time, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1921. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Jonathan Goforth. Minneapolis, MN: Bethan House, 1986. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How God Answers Prayer: The Mighty Miracles of God from the Mission Field of Jonathan Goforth. USA: Revival, 2016. Print Original copyright not stated.
Jackson, Dave, and Neta Jackson. Mask of the Wolf Boy: Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1999. Print.
McCleary, Walter. An Hour with Jonathan Goforth: A Biography. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1938. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Jonathan Goforth: Never Give up. Seattle, WA: YWAM, 2004. Print.

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