Men Called Him Master

r midst? He had even dared to break the Sabbath law, for healing on the day of rest was strictly forbidden. Some believed he was planning to start a

e end of the Sabbath, than hundreds of crippled and diseased persons crowded to the street where

nd hardly anyone ever went out at night for fear of evil spirits. But as the hours passed, Simon noticed many people who

in the man's voice cut into Simon's heart like a knife. Simon scanned the c

e way and the man crawled toward Jesus. Something was wrong with his legs. A hush settled over the crowd when Jesus spoke. "Your greatest need is not to be free from pain

truth and enter thy Kingdom." Jesus straightened up and held out his arms to all the p

ver known anyone like him; they had never heard a message like his. Again and again they heard Jesus say

at the black sky. There was no moon. The stars shed a faint light on the hills ab

ar of evil night spir

power over them,

h through the stiff, dry grass which grew knee-high all over the hillside. As he climbed, he walked around large rocks. When he reached the crest of the hill, Je

people really thought that everything would be all right if their bodies coul

uttered with little hopes and ambitions to see the will of God. How dearly they loved worthles

imon was aroused from sleep by the noise of

outed the people. Simon w

antly drowned by a hundred voices. "W

where he is,"

back? Wher

cceed in sending them away.

e could find hi

g their plan to the people, they set out toward the hills. Some

walked, searching the slopes on both sides of them. "We may not find him at all,"

e up

in prayer. Andrew had seen a corner of

imon. "Everyone i

, but Jesus was not offended. "I

reds of people need you. They are in

Galilee and preach the news of the

e realized that Jesus had fully made up his mind to go. "Think of the b

have a greater work than healing the sick bodies-my work is to proclaim to everyone the message whi

m and prepared for a trip through Galilee. At noon the disciples left Capernaum, carrying only a small amou

ake of Galilee. Here lived many rich men who owned the fertile farms on which all Galilee depended for wheat. There was

clothing joined the circle around Jesus. The disciples immediately recognized that he was a member of the party of the Pharisees because he wor

ese others how to enter the Kingdom of God.

good." Then his tone softened. "You know the commandments-do not commit adultery; do not k

as a really religious man! A Pharisee who kept all the Law-what more co

every one of these laws perfectly since I was a child.

t a poor fisherman, but this man seems to have everything. The ot

id of all your possessions. Sell your property. Go and

man's face. "I can't do a thing like that!" h

nt eternal life, you must put God first. If you go on clinging to the things you o

of things he himself has given me?" The disciples felt that his argument was logical. "I have kept every detail of the religious rules,

the will of God above every other goal. Where a man's treasure is, there is his heart also

at is no solution!" he insisted, arguing within himself. "God cannot ask me to give up things he has given me. People turn from sins

man to enter the Kingdom!" he exclaimed regretfully. "It is easier for a camel

Simon blurted out: "But, Master, if he ca

g: "Simon, with man it is impossible.

e eternal life. We have given up everything!" There was bitterness in h

up his home and his property for my sake will never be sorry. He will receive back a hundred times over the eternal gifts which God gives those

sus had told the rich Pharisee, but they were more troubled by these words than by anyt

y sincere. The Pharisees do more to obey God than any others and this young man looked to me as though he tried even harder than most. God had even given him riches as a reward for his goodness! And yet you sa

ll: "Rabbi, if a man as good as that c

he Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee-like the young man we talked w

and prayed this way: 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men-thieves, rogues, and immoral-like t

m people. He wouldn't even lift up his eyes as he prayed. Rather, he hung his head an

emple accepted by God. But not the Pharisee! He trusted in his own goodness rather t

he young Pharisee," protested James. "He wa

ied Jesus. "He was so confident of his own goodness that he

ion in the synagogue schools. They never have anything to do with the Sadducees or priests who take money

else. There was something that meant more to that young man yesterday than God-and that was his money. Other men depend on other things; whatever

erstand that," he said. "Even though the Pharisees are oft

ole religion of the Pharisees sets

d them to help us set up the new Kingdom! They are more loyal to God

"Men who are sure of themselves will n

ingdom would come. The disciples felt sure Jesus could not mean all he said.

lived until a few months before. His mother and brothers were still there, but Jesus s

There was the woman who had lived next to them for twenty years and who was a special friend of his mother's; there were several young men whom he knew well. He smi

o lead the service. After the prayers, he sat down at the desk in the

assage he had read in Capernaum: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has consecrated me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to procl

oly Spirit upon me to tell you that he is now among you. If you truly know that you need God, your ears will be open to hear this word from him; but if you are prou

would have thought Joseph's son would turn out so

" replied his friend, a g

we should know for sure whether h

r us here in your own home town the things you have been doing in Capernaum.' But prophets are never accepted by the people of their own country. There were many Jewish widows who

ealed, but not one of them was made clean. They would not beli

utsiders! A carpenter's son telling them that God would pass them by for gentiles! The men began to murmur an

this to us?" demanded one man, leaping to his feet. All over

d toward Jesus, who did not even step back. "Over the cliff with him!" shouted someone. In a m

straight down. Then a peculiar thing happened. The men seemed suddenly to realize what they were doing.

emed almost afraid of him. None laid a hand on him as he walked t

ke the backwash from an ocean wave. Some shook their fists in the

ted no time in leaving. They all realized that men who were afraid of Jesus might take out their anger on his

e broad valley of Esdraelon, stretching south to the foothills of Samaria, where so many of the great battles o

ey were not rich people, and there were no elders from the synagogue among them. They were the sick and crippled; they were people for

given." The disciples listened to Jesus telling the poorest folk of Nazareth th

e asked. "Have we not preached

out James. "They laughed at

come near this miserable village

"It cuts them to the heart to confess that they have forgotten God and his

many defeats in battle the Jews had paid the price of their sin-but Israel had not yet le