The King Nobody Wanted

ho thought that he was a person of any great importance. But he had become a famous man. The w

here was a full congregation that day, for everyone supposed th

the front. He took the roll from the minister, and found the place h

he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach liberty to the prisoners and recovering of

minister. He sat down in the seat from which Jewish

g lesson he had read from the Scriptures. It made the people think of the Messiah. Someday a prea

years he had lived among these people. Now he was back

an to

are seeing this Scrip

h was really here? Could he mean that he was the Messiah? The people gaspe

y, that's only Jesus!

is! Lived down the street

s he thi

sed his voice a

e going to tell me to start doing the things I am supposed to have done in Capernaum. I'm not surprised. A

reth. You wouldn't believe it if you saw it. Why do yo

of Jesus and dragged him out of the building. At the edge of the town there was a high cliff, and they took him there to throw him down on the ro

wn, someone came and told him that his mother and his brothers had come to take him h

not believe in him. It was better to stay with his d

he said. "M

thers-my own disciples. Anybody who obeys the will of God is my brother a

aces he meant everything to people who needed help. The Pharisees were often gl

kin was deathly white, and his flesh was rotting, and he was sure to die of the d

might be the Messiah. But a leper did not have any pride. This leper came to Jesus, and fell on hi

s afraid to do. He reached down and p

l. Be

nks to God, and not to tell anyone what had happened. But the leper could no

hat the person who cured him had not been sent from God. But the man who had been blind

nd since the world began? But this man did it. How co

went and found the man who

e that I am th

an an

ord, I

n had found

g him to Jesus, but there were so many people standing around the house where Jesus was teac

They placed their friend on a mat, carried him up the stairs, and cut a hole in the roof. After fa

faith they had in him. He looke

sins are fo

, waiting, as usual, to find fault with Jesus.

e were God? Such blasphemy! Who can

they were saying,

n you,' or to say to this man, 'Pick up your mat and walk aw

the paralyzed

t, and go on bac

there was a song of praise to God in his heart. And many of the people who saw what had happened were so surp

n strange th

re was one thing that made them especially angry. He was not s

re not satisfied with what was in the Scriptures. They followed many rules which had been made up since the Scri

-nine different kinds of work that nobody was allowed to do on the Sabbath Day. This list included so

dirt floor the Pharisees said that he was plowing, which was a great sin on the Sabbath Day. It was forbidden to make a fire on the Sabbath. And so, if a woman wanted hot food, she had to cook it the day before, and keep it warm. But that did n

ath day, to keep it holy." He did not think that this was the way to honor God. And because Jesus did not

gry. But the trouble was that in order to get the grain they had to pluck the ears. That, said the Pharisees, was harvesting! Moreover, they had to take the ripe ears and rub them in their hands to get rid of the chaf

y wanted to pick a quarrel, and s

o the Temple and ate some of the holy bread which only a priest is allowed to eat. Surely

en't supposed to be slaves to the Sabbath; this day is meant to do us

g else, which took the

is Lord also o

gh he was the Messiah. So far as the Pharisees cou

e synagogue was a man whose hand was withered and useless. On any other day there was no doubt that Jesus would heal this man. But this was the Sabbath, and it was against the

what he would do. They would never forgi

d out to

ere, in front

to the front, Jesus tu

n't you lift it out? And don't you think that a man is worth more than a sheep? You say that it is against the Law to heal

uld they actually let a man suffer one day more than was

your hand!"

ered hand was healed, and m

the synagogue, and their f

far!" they said

. It is not safe for the country t

were afraid of what Jesus would do. The Pharisees even called in some of

the moon-light, he prayed to his Father all night long. Back in the city men were plan