Podcasts about capernaum matthew

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00 PM. This service is designed to prepare God's people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains Jesus' healing of the leper and of the centurion's servant from Capernaum (Matthew 8:1-13), which is the Holy Gospel for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. Learn-by-Heart will include “Lord of the Church, We Humbly Pray” ASBH #77,  Small Catechism: Confession, questions one and two and their meanings, and St. John 14:23-24. --Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL). Service Bulletin:  Catechesis-Epiphany-3-1-22-2025.pdf Responsive Prayer: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2024-ASBH.pdf Insert for Hymn: February-26-St-Titus-Insert-2025.pdf https://vimeo.com/1045191764?share=copy

In this week's study, we dive deep into the teachings of Jesus as He unveils the Kingdom of God and the call to repentance. We explore the crucial role of repentance in entering the Kingdom, the stern warning against indifference, and the beautiful invitation Jesus extends to those burdened by life. Key Topics Covered: 1. The Peril of Indifference: Jesus' warnings to the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum (Matthew 11:20-24) and the consequences of rejecting God's message. 2. Jesus' Invitation: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30). 3. The Yoke of Discipleship: What it means to take up Jesus' yoke and find peace and rest in Him. Main Points: The connection between repentance and entry into the Kingdom of God. Why indifference to God's message can be just as harmful as active rejection. How to respond to Jesus' invitation to rest and find peace, even amidst life's struggles. The role of discipleship in the Kingdom: learning, growing, and walking as Jesus did. This is a powerful reminder of God's grace, His invitation to peace, and our responsibility to respond to His call with humility and faith. Whether you're struggling with doubt, guilt, or weariness, Jesus offers rest that is uniquely tailored to you.

WOW Factor Jesus Christ - Part 5 Jesus & Mission Luke 4:42-44 - At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Jesus’ public ministry on earth has begun! These verses at the end of Luke 4 tell us that His mission is to preach God’s Kingdom. A reluctant John the Baptist baptized him and the crowds heard God the Father speaking to Him. He underwent temptations by the arch-seducer, satan, and emerged victorious from that ordeal. Now Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit, has returned home to Galilee (Luke 4:14). Jesus at home (Luke 4:14-30) Jesus is back in home territory and because of the power of His teaching, He is becoming known as a great teacher (Luke 4:15). Jesus spent some time in Galilee, became known and aroused the interest, curiosity and excitement of people. Worshipping (Luke 4:14-18) – It was Jesus’ habit to attend public worship wherever he was. A typical synagogue service Opened with a prayer for God’s blessing Traditional Hebrew confession of faith (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21) Prayer and readings from the Law and the Prophets Brief sermon given by one of the men or a visiting rabbi (Acts 13:14-16) Benediction or prayer Because of His growing renown as a teacher, it is no surprise that he should be asked to read the Scripture and give a short teaching session regarding it. Here in Nazareth, Jesus declared that the day for demonstrating God’s salvation had arrived and the day the prophets looked forward to, was going to be fulfilled in Jesus Himself (Luke 4:20). He was the Servant Isaiah had talked about long ago (Isaiah 61:1-2). His ministry was divinely directed; it was a ministry of hope for all people and a ministry to free the spiritually oppressed (Luke 4:18). Acceptable Year of the Lord (Luke 4:19) When Jesus said in Luke 4:19 “to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour”, Jesus was referring to the “Year of Jubilee” (Leviticus 25). Every fiftieth year, this special year was the balancing of the economic system. Slaves were set free and returned to their families Property that was sold back to the original owners All debts were cancelled Land lay bare to rest and rejoice in the Lord The local reaction was at first one of astonishment (Luke 4:22) and telling each other he was the son of Joseph! But Jesus was not the son of Joseph, but rather the Son of God, the new Adam and the founder of a new humanity as he goes on to explain. Rejected (Luke 4:20-30) They saw Him as the son of Joseph. Admiration turned to anger, because Jesus began to remind them of God’s goodness to the Gentiles: The prophet Elijah bypassed all the Jewish widows and helped a Gentile widow in Sidon (1 Kings 17:8-16) Elisha healed a Gentile leper from Syria (2 Kings 5:1-15) Whilst those in Nazareth could only see Jesus in the local setting, He told them His mission was for all Israel! And if Israel rejected this message of Good News, then the Gentiles would be blessed by it (Luke 4:25-27). Upon hearing this, the astonished admiration turned to furious anger (Luke 4:28-30)! Salvation is no longer restricted to Israel but for every child of Adam – every human. Jesus’ mission was not only to be Israel’s saviour but the world’s saviour. When Jesus quoted the proverb “no prophet is accepted in his hometown”, he revealed his knowledge of Old Testament history. He knew that God’s messengers often were rejected, and even as God’s Son, he was rejected as well. Jesus away from home (Luke 4:31-44) Now Jesus walked through the rioting mob and went to Capernaum and here he engaged in public ministry: Preaching (Luke 4:31-32) – Jesus sets up headquarters in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13-16) and started teaching in the Synagogue. People were astonished that he taught with such authority. Rebuking (Luke 4:33-37, 41) – Our Lord did not want the demons to bear witness to Himself and His identity (Luke 4:34,41). Again people were astonished at Jesus power and authority. Healing (Luke 4::39-40) – People bought their sick and asked Jesus to help them. Praying (Luke 4:42-44) – He was up early the next morning to pray (Mark 1:35). It was in prayer that He found his strength and power for service, and so must we. During this period: No new teaching – He has God’s authority to do what He is doing – preaching, healing and releasing. God desires humility – Jesus is looking for people to acknowledge their spiritual blindness and poverty, so that he may liberate them. God’s Word is important – In the previous verses, Jesus counters the devil by using God’s Word, and he continues to do this throughout His ministry. He teaches and preaches in the synagogues (Luke 4:32, 44); rebukes demons (Luke 4:35, 41), and heals diseases (Luke 4:39); all with the authority of His word. Jesus’ mission was to be the saviour of the world as God’s Son (John 3:16) and the Servant of the Lord. His mission was to give a message of hope for the spiritually poor and spiritually oppressed people - people not only in his hometown, nor only in Israel, but rather for the whole world. People have two choices when faced with this fact: accept or reject. There is no other option. That is why as Christian Disciples we are to be actively engaged in evangelism, to tell people of this news about Jesus Christ. For more to think about please do read Luke 4:1-44. Ask yourself the following questions and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together. Q1. How does knowing Jesus’ mission help me in my life as a Christian Disciple? Q2. Where does the authority for my ministry come from? Q3. What encouragement can I take from Jesus’ behaviour to those who rejected His message? Right mouse click or tap here to save this podcast episode as a mp3

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church(Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00. In this video from Jan 18, 2017, we learned stanza 5 of "From Heaven Came the Angels Bright" (Lutheran Worship, #52) and the fourth question of the Small Catechism on Holy Baptism, "What does such baptizing with water indicate?"  This service is designed to prepare God's people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service.  The dialog sermon explains Jesus' healing of the leper and of the centurion's servant from Capernaum (Matthew 8:1-13), which is the Holy Gospel for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. The service concludes with "Responsive Prayer for Catechesis 2017" (pdf link below).  [Length: 1 hour, 2 minutes] Bulletins:  Catechesis Epiphany 3 - 01-18-2017b Responsive Prayer:  Responsive Prayer for Catechesis 2017

''Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12).'' Self-exaltation is never a good idea. Professional wrestling storylines are filled with stories of people believing they are the best in the world, only to be humbled by an "unexpected" loss. Professional wrestling is definitely one of those sports where self-exaltation is appreciated and encouraged. However, professional wrestlers also find themselves more often among those battling depression, substance abuse and rage than other athletes. They wind up humbled by the very weaknesses they try to cover up. Humility is the virtue Jesus praises more often than any other. It is the virtue that underlies the faith of the centurion in Capernaum (Matthew 8:5-13) and the Canaanite woman who wanted nothing more than the crumbs (Matthew 15:21-28) that fell from the Bread of Life (John 6). Jesus would rather hear prayers from the humble, saying, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner," than He would an arrogant prayer from someone wanting to tell Jesus just how blessed '''HE''' should feel for having a follower like him (Luke 18:9-14). Humility will be rewarded in Heaven. Humility is what helps the faithful persevere in the face of persecution. Humility is what is rewarded when those who have been faithful unto death receive the crown of life from their Savior. Jesus isn't looking for arrogant, hot-headed professional wrestlers for His kingdom. There are certainly many Christians in the professional wrestling industry. But Jesus wants warriors in His army that are humbled by their sins and their need for a Savior. Being humbled by salvation, they are able to battle more effectively because they see their lives being exalted by Christ through their humility. Amen.

Key Scripture Readings: Mark 8:22-26; Luke 18:35-43; John 9:1-41 Fast Facts Isaiah prophesied about a time when the blind would see (Isaiah 35:5-6). As far as we know, Jesus was the first person to make that possible supernaturally. Jesus healed two blind men in His home city of Capernaum (Matthew 9:27-31). These men had great […]

Today's podcast is a meditation on and retelling of the Woman with the Issue of Blood, from Luke 8:43-48, Mark 5:24-34, and Matt 9:20-22 It’s interesting that this woman is not named, even though three different gospel writers tell her story. This could have been for her protection: at the time that Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote their gospels, the woman was likely still alive, and she had clearly violated the Jewish law. A woman with an issue of blood was considered ceremonially unclean, and thus should not have been in public. Anyone she touched would likewise have become unclean. Think about what this meant for this poor woman. If she was married, she could not have sex with her husband (Leviticus 15:19-30, Ezekiel 18:6). The extrabiblical Talmud laws are far more stringent: if she did have sex with her husband deliberately, her husband could be arrested and potentially killed. If it was accidental (perhaps if a woman did not realize she was starting her period), they would need to offer a sacrifice to atone for their sin. Chances were, therefore, that this woman was unmarried—either she had never married because of her condition, or her husband had left her. This would not have been difficult, as divorce could be had for the asking, regardless of the cause (Deut 24:1). Even if she had a husband who stuck by her, she still would have been terribly lonely. She could not touch anyone or anything without consequence. She would have been barren at least for those twelve years, as well, which was especially hard for a woman in those days. We don’t know her age, but she was young enough to still have a period, yet old enough to have had it for at least twelve years. This puts her in her early 20s at the youngest. For the purposes of my story, I assumed she was unmarried and in her late 20s. Throughout those twelve years, she had done all she knew to do. She had seen many doctors, which had cost her all she had—yet still she grew worse. No doubt she was heartsick (Proverbs 13:12: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life”) as well as physically exhausted from severe iron deficiency. It’s a wonder she could even crawl through that crowd! Despite all this, the woman had incredible faith. We can see this by what she says to herself about Jesus: “If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” Not might be; shall be. That is incredible for someone who had suffered for so long! How did she find such confidence? The woman must have known that Jesus was the Messiah. She had likely heard the stories of his miraculous healing power, since she lived in Capernaum (Matthew 9:1, Mark 2:1) which was Jesus’ home base. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17)—so as she heard that Jesus had healed others, faith must have been born in her heart. Maybe she also knew what was written in Malachi 4:2: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” The word wings here in Hebrew is the word kanaph, which means wing, skirt, or corner of a garment. Another use of the same word appears in Numbers 15:38: “Speak unto the children of Israel and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders (kanaph) of their garments throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the borders (kanaph) a ribband of blue.” So when Malachi uses the same word, speaking of the Messiah, he was prophesying that healing would be in the fringes of his prayer shawl. Even so, especially in Capernaum, Jesus was always surrounded by a crowd. About 1500 people lived in Capernaum in Jesus’ day, and he usually drew crowds from the surrounding areas as well. This meant she, a ceremonially unclean woman, could not help but defile large numbers of people on her way to the Messiah, and potentially Jesus himself! Not only that, but if she lived in Capernaum, many of those people would likely recognize her. So she must have planned this in advance. She had been meditating beforehand on how she might touch Jesus’ garment without being seen—we know this by what she says to herself in her heart. Perhaps she heard when Jesus would next be in town. Perhaps she disguised herself so she would not be recognized. She had to really want her healing, and go to great trouble and risk to get it. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” She gets exactly what she believes for! This is the only example in scripture of someone who receives their healing from Jesus without his awareness or involvement. Jesus knows what happened, though—he can somehow feel the difference between a mere press of the crowd, and an intentional supernatural healing. Probably he’s impressed, and wants to see and commend the one who had such faith as to take their healing by force (Matthew 11:12). But the woman is afraid to admit it was her. Is she afraid of the punishment of the Jewish law, or is she afraid of Jesus himself? She obviously knew that healing flowed even from his garments, but she might not have understood his heart—just as the Israelites knew God’s acts, but not His ways (Psalm 103:7). If she was afraid of Jesus, though, she isn’t anymore after he speaks to her. He calls her “daughter,” the only woman addressed this way in scripture. Then he tells her that her faith has made her whole: the word for whole in Greek in sozo, which means not just healed physically, but safe and sound, rescued from danger, healed, restored, and saved in the spiritual sense. The word made in Greek is perfect tense (meaning an action in the past that affects the future), active voice (her faith made it happen), and indicative mood (it’s progressive: she may not have 100% sozo right that second in her body and her life, but it’s promised, and it’s therefore as good as done). Then he tells her to go in peace. The verb go is in imperative mood, indicating a command—it is up to her to continue in peace. The word for peace here is eirene, which means prosperity, harmony, joy, and peace. She was potentially in danger for violation of laws, and yet Jesus is declaring her safety. After twelve years of being an unclean, lonely outcast, Jesus says that she is a daughter who walks in peace and wholeness! But it’s up to her to walk in that knowledge, to maintain that new identity. It’s up to us to remember and walk in the knowledge of who we are in Christ, too. The Retelling How did I get here? I wondered despairingly as I lay in my bed, day after day, year after year. My life had become a living nightmare. All my girlhood dreams of marriage and motherhood and laughter and purpose and come to this: at twenty-eight, I was already considered an old maid. No man would ever touch me; indeed, none could without risking severe punishment. I was unclean, and had been for the last twelve years, since I was sixteen years old. I should have been married that year. I should have made a happy bride. I should have a brood of children by now. Instead, I was a severe burden to my aging parents. My father had constructed a separate dwelling for me so that my uncleanness would not contaminate the rest of the household, and my mother brought me my meals, careful never to touch me nor to sit down on or handle anything I might have touched. They spent all they had to send me to the best doctors, some of whom I had to travel far to see. The worst of their useless treatments involved blood letting. I was already bleeding continuously, but these doctors thought that opening my veins and letting out yet more of my blood might cure me. I was so weak by this point, I could hardly bathe or to feed myself. The majority of my energy was wasted upon my tears. Often I longed for death. I had no hope of anything in this life anymore. But one day, when my mother brought me my tray for the midday meal and I looked up at her wearily, I saw a new sparkle in her eye. I could muster no curiosity about its cause, but she was determined to tell me anyway. “Aila,” she said to me, breathless. “There is a prophet in Capernaum, a prophet who is said to possess the power to heal! There are those who say he must be the Messiah!” And she began to tell me about this man named Jesus. I wondered at all she told me: she had never mentioned him before, so I had the impression she had just heard the stories of his miracles that day, and had spent the morning gossiping to learn as much about the man as she could. She told me rumors of a wedding in Cana, in which the host ran out of wine and Jesus provided it by telling the servants to fill vessels with water, which became the finest wine when brought to the host to taste. She told of how he had all but announced himself as the Messiah in the Temple when he read from the scroll of Isaiah 61, and then declared to all those listening that “today this is fulfilled in your hearing.” She told me a story of a paralytic so eager to meet Jesus that his friends took the tiles off of a roof where Jesus was preaching to a great multitude, and lowered him down before Jesus’ feet. Jesus healed him, and the man took up his mat and walked out, to the amazement of all. As my mother spoke, I saw the tears sparkling in her eyes. Answering tears stung my own, always so near the surface. I swallowed down the lump in my throat. Something intangible began to bubble and swell in my chest, something that I had not felt in many a year: hope. “He lives in Capernaum? This man Jesus?” I pressed, and my mother nodded. “He does, but he travels to all the surrounding regions of Israel, apparently drawing crowds everywhere he goes.” Her expression faltered. “That… is the problem. The crowds.” My face fell too, and the bubble in my chest nearly burst. But before it could extinguish altogether, a scripture came to mind out of nowhere, one I had not even known I knew. “But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…” I whispered, and my eyes met my mother’s. Understanding spread across her face too, mingled with doubt. “If he is who you say he is,” I told her, “I do not need his attention. I just need to get close enough to touch the hem of his garment.” My mother let out a puff of breath, looking troubled as she shook her head. “Aila, you can barely stand, let alone walk. And there will be a crowd pressing all around! Will you make all of them unclean? Do you know what they will do to you if you are discovered? They could stone you!” Suddenly my eyes flashed. “I don’t care!” I cried. “Death is better than the life I live now! If this man Jesus is my only hope, there is nothing I will not risk to get to him, nothing!” I looked away so I could not see my mother’s horrified expression, and set my jaw. Then I mused aloud, “I just need to know when he is expected back in Capernaum.” She said in almost a whisper, “I already asked. The rumors are that he is on his way back today, and is expected by this time tomorrow.” “Good,” I said, “less time to wait. I also need a disguise.” I had not been out in the city for quite some time, but surely there would still be those who remembered me and might recognize me. My mother was a talker; they would all know of my uncleanness if they knew who I was. My mother hesitated, but said, “You may borrow my gray cloak. It will cover your face.” I nodded, and gave her a glance of gratitude, knowing this was a gift and not a loan. Once I had touched it, and possibly bled on it, she could not take it back. It also occurred to me that I might not need to cover my face—if I managed to stand and walk, it would not be for long. When I envisioned the scene, I saw myself crawling on all fours toward Jesus, stretching all the time for the tassels of his prayer shawl. That was all I needed. I pictured my hand clasping the tassels, stealing my healing, and then standing up and quietly slipping away with no one the wiser. My heart, always a weak and pitiful flutter in my chest, beat faster for the first time in ages as I thought of it. By this time tomorrow, I would be healed, or I would die trying. Either way, it would be better than this. Normally I spent most of the day drowsing, but never truly sleeping deeply. I picked at my food all day long, and never ate a full meal. But for the rest of that day and into the next morning when my mother brought my breakfast, I felt a surge of strength born of my hope, even though I still trembled from weakness. With my breakfast, my mother brought me her promised gray cloak. “He is here,” she whispered. “A great multitude has already abandoned their work for the day and has flocked to him. He is by the docks!” “The docks!” I breathed with momentary despair. “It is not far,” my mother murmured, correctly understanding my exclamation. “Perhaps a ten minute walk from here.” “For you!” I shot back, but then got hold of myself, as resolve steeled my bones. “No. No. I can do this. I must do this.” For the first time in years, I finished my entire breakfast, and donned my mother’s cloak. I gave her a brave smile, and she burst into tears, covering her face. I could not even touch her to comfort her. An ache bloomed in my chest at this thought. But then I said aloud, my words catching in my throat, “When I return, I will be clean! When I return, I can hug you again.” This only made her cry harder. I left her standing in the middle of the room, opened the door, and made my way out into the streets—also for the first time in years. Today was a day of firsts. I was surprised that my legs carried me at all, though I was winded within minutes. I had to slow down. I kept my head down so that the cloak covered my features, but could tell from my periphery that the crowds grew thicker and denser as I approached the docks. I managed to touch no one for most of the journey, but I could tell when I had arrived at my destination. The crowds were so densely oriented around one central figure that even though I could not see him, I knew Jesus must be at the center. I took a deep breath, and plunged into the crowd. It went against every instinct I had to deliberately elbow my way through the men and women all eager to meet Jesus. I tried not to think about how many I contaminated along the way, or what they would do to me if they knew. At last I saw the man dressed as a rabbi at the center. I did not get a good look at his face, but knew that he must be Jesus. I was almost there! Suddenly a hush fell over the crowd, and one voice rose above the others. “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live!” The rabbi nodded. “Take me to her,” he said. The first speaker leapt to his feet and began to lead the way, and the crowd surged forward, following Jesus. Despair threatened to crush me as the people jostled me this way and that, and I even lost sight of Jesus for a moment. As I was momentarily off balance, the crowd shoved me from behind, and I fell to my hands and knees, exactly as I had seen in my vision. Somehow, oddly enough, it was this that galvanized me. This was what I had pictured. It was easier to make my way through the crowd on all fours than it was standing upright. I was entirely focused on one thing: the edge of that prayer shawl. I did not see it yet, but I scanned the clothing of the people around me as I crawled, ignoring all else. People stepped on my hands and made me cry out in pain. People kneed me and kicked me on accident. I did not care. I kept going, until at last I saw what I was looking for: the fringes of that shawl. If only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made well, I repeated in my mind over and over, like a mantra. If only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made well. If only…I reached out, just as he moved away. I crawled faster, kicked and jostled but determined. I reached out again, grabbed on to the tassels, and— Power at once surged through my body, a sensation I had never felt before. The trembling weakness was instantly gone, and the constant feeling of the flow of blood between my legs suddenly dried up! I released Jesus’ garment and sat gasping, as the crowd began to push on past me. But Jesus stopped walking, and turned around. “Who touched my clothes?” he demanded. A new terror seized me. I did not know what to do. I shrank back, hoping that the rest of the crowd would shield me from him. What would he do? Would he command the crowd to stone me anyway, for breaking the law? One of the men beside him said, “You see the multitude thronging you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” Jesus shook his head and insisted, “Somebody touched me. I felt power go out from me.” It was clear he did not plan to move on until I revealed myself, and the people beside me looked around to find the culprit as well. Several noticed me at last, and one shouted, “Hey! I think I found her!” Jesus now looked at me. He was surprisingly young, not much older than I was. I was trembling now not from weakness, but from fear, bowing lower still to his feet. What could I do but tell the whole truth? “Lord,” I choked out, “I have suffered a continuous flow of blood these twelve years.” What a shameful thing to confess in a crowd of mixed company, a crowd whom I had contaminated! “I have spent all I had on physicians and have only grown worse. But I heard about you, and I thought, I need not trouble you! If I could only touch your clothes, I would be made well. So I did, and so I have: the fountain of my blood dried up and I was healed at once. I know I have broken the law and I have no excuse for myself except my very great desperation. I can do nothing but beg for your mercy!” When Jesus did not immediately reply to this, at last my curiosity overcame my fear, and I looked up into his face. The look of compassion and tenderness in his wide brown eyes took my breath away. Despite the similarity in our ages, his expression reminded me of the way a father might gaze at his newborn child. His next words confirmed this. “Daughter,” he said, in a voice so low it felt only meant for me, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” As he was saying this, the man who had begged for his help at the beginning tore his attention away from me. I sat there dazed, as Jesus moved on, and the crowd surged after him, passing around me like water around a stone in a stream. He called me daughter, I thought in amazement. He didn’t rebuke me. He didn’t condemn me! He is the Messiah, I realized as I continued to sit there, long after the crowd had moved on. I had known this before, or I would never have done what I did. But if he was the Messiah, he was the Lord’s anointed, and he called me daughter… he had compassion on me… then who was this angry God the Pharisees preached? I closed my eyes and remembered the tender expression in Jesus’ wide brown ones, treasuring the words he had said to me almost as much as my healing. Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction. And so I would. I stood up, brushed myself off, and walked home with my head held high. I did not care who saw me now. I had my whole life ahead of me.

Investigating Jesus Part 10 Jesus' Mission Continues Away from home (Luke 4:31-44)   Now Jesus walked through the rioting mob and went to Capernaum and here he engaged in public ministry. What does this public ministry look like and what was the reaction to Jesus and his ministry? Preaching (Luke 4:31-32) – Here we see Jesus setting up his ministry headquarters in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13-16) and from there, he started teaching in the Synagogue. People were astonished that he taught with such authority. Rebuking (Luke 4:33-37, 41) – Our Lord did not want the demons to bear witness to Himself and his identity (Luke 4:34, 41). Again, people were astonished at Jesus power and authority. Healing (Luke 4:39-40) – People bought their sick and asked Jesus to help them. Praying (Luke 4:42-44) – he was up early the next morning to pray (Mark 1:35). It was in prayer that he found his strength and power for service, and so must we. All during this period, we can learn several things about Jesus and his ministry towards those he encountered and interacted with. No new teaching – he has God’s authority to do what he is doing – preaching, healing and releasing. God desires humility – Jesus is looking for people to acknowledge their spiritual blindness and poverty, so that he may liberate them. God’s Word is important – In the previous verses, Jesus counters the devil by using God’s Word, and he continues to do this throughout his ministry. He teaches and preaches in the synagogues (Luke 4:32, 44); rebukes demons (Luke 4:35, 41), and heals diseases (Luke 4:39); all with the authority of his word. Jesus today As we read the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, we see that Jesus reached out to all kinds of people, particularly people who society had rejected or were castaways. These included the sick, women, Gentiles (non-Jews), the religious elite – anybody. There was no barrier Jesus wasn’t prepared to break down so as to show God’s love for them. Jesus’ mission was to be the saviour of the world as God’s Son (John 3:16) and the Servant of the Lord. Jesus’ mission was to give a message of hope for the spiritually poor and spiritually oppressed people - people not only in his hometown, nor only in Israel, but rather for the whole world. People have two choices when faced with this fact: accept or reject. There is no other option. That is why as Christian Disciples we are to be actively engaged in evangelism, to tell people of this news about Jesus Christ. Next week, we look at how Jesus selected his disciples...   Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file ~ You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site! Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Luke 8:40-56. 03:20 The people you love change the way your brain works. 03:45 Your belief system, Who do you love? Who loves you? What do you love? 06:25 Dopamine sources. 07:25 Looking at Jesus. He was offensive for a number of reasons. Early 30's. 09:00 Jesus has no formal education. 09:40 From Nazareth. No legitimacy. 10:25 Jesus is joyful. (John 15:11). 11:00 Jesus is peaceful. (John 14:27). 11:35 Jesus left behind at Temple. 13:45 Jesus not the only child of Mary and Joseph. (Matthew 13:55-56) 15:25 A supernatural experience does not necessarily change your faith forever. 16:05 Jesus before High Priest (John 18:19-23) 17:30 Jesus breaks with tradition. 18:45 Jairus and the Centurion live in Capernaum. Centurion servant healed (Luke 7: 1-10) 20:49 Was your daughter sick yesterday? 22:15 Where is your faith? I can heal at a distance. 23:30 Jairus has 2 problems. 23:59 Widow of Nain has son raised from dead. (Luke 7:11-17) 25:40 The girl is not dead but sleeping. 26:15 If I were the Messiah and a self-promoter. 28:20 Why does he say she's sleeping? 29:50 These are not your friends. 30:09 Wealthy people have a problem. 30:30 Jesus not politically correct. 31:10 Jesus is giving people a way out. 32:49 Jesus not promoting himself using guilt or manipulation. 33:37 Nothing matters more. 34:05 Judgment against Capernaum (Matthew 11:23) 35:10 Jesus is looking for people who resonate with his goodness. 35:50 Jesus goes with Jairus into a hostile environment.36:27 Jesus is offensive, a stumbling block. 36:50 Is there someone in your life who offends you? Accused of lacking joy. 38:20 Why does Jesus clear the room before he heals the girl?Photo of road with Redwoods by David Levy from Avenue of the Giants, Northern California.

Because Jesus Christ is the promised Child of Isaiah 9-6-7, He withdrew to Galilee and settled in Capernaum -Matthew 4-12-13- to began His Galilean preaching ministry -Matthew 4-17-, and to bring light into the darkness of this world -Isaiah 9-1-2- Matthew 4-14-16-.

In a discussion at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris in 1667 on Nicolas Poussin's painting of Christ Healing the Blind (1650), the participants assumed that fidelity to the biblical text was part of the painter's brief, yet they could not account for several aspects of the painting or even agree on whether Poussin depicted the miracle at Capernaum (Matthew 9) or the one at Jericho (Matthew 20), a point still unresolved. Modern scholarship tends to view Poussin’s painting as thematizing seeing and (proper) looking, but this paper returns to the relationship of the painting to its textual source(s), viewing it as a "visual exegesis" of Scripture, and examines the range of possible readings of both Poussin's painting and a related, but remarkably different, painting by Philippe de Champaigne (ca. 1660). Particular attention is given to the desire and faith of the blind men and to Christ's potent gesture.