JESUS (English)

How great is God, exalted in power, majestic above all. The heavens tell of His greatness. The skies display His awesome craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak. Night after night they make Him known. In creating the heavens, God also created the earth and formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The God of love created man and woman in His own image to have a relationship with Him. And so in the beginning, they revered and honored God and lived in harmony with Him. This continued until one day Satan tempted the woman to eat the forbidden fruit and she gave it to the man who also ate. In so doing, mankind rebelled against God and went his own way. As a result of this sin, mankind was separated from God and was thrown out of the Garden of Eden. But God still loved mankind. It was never His desire to be separate from those He created, yet how could God be holy and the source of perfect justice if He did not judge mankind for their sin? In His Holy Book, God reveals His plan to save the world from His judgment. One of the first to see this plan unfold was Abraham. Abraham was a righteous man whom God promised to bless and make his descendants as numerous as the sand of the sea and the stars of the sky. To test his obedience, God told Abraham to sacrifice his son as an offering to Him. Abraham trusted God and sought to obey Him. But as he raised his knife to kill his son, the angel of the Lord stopped Him. He saw that Abraham feared God and was willing to obey Him. Then Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket, and he sacrificed the ram instead of his son as an offering to God. And so God showed Abraham that a lamb or a similar animal was to be slain as a temporary covering for sin until God would provide His ultimate sacrifice to pay for the sins of mankind. Instead of sin separating man from God, the sacrifice would restore their relationship. The Holy Scriptures speak of One who was to come and be the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. As the ram took the place of Abraham's son, so this One who would come would take man's place so he could be forgiven. Some refer to this person as the Messiah, the One who would come and reconcile the world back to God once and for all. The prophets predicted many things in detail about the Messiah hundreds of years before He appeared. The prophet Isaiah foretold that His birth was to be a miraculous one. A *** would conceive a child who was to be called, in a spiritual sense, the Son of God. The prophet Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, while the prophet Zechariah foretold His entry into Jerusalem on a donkey and His betrayal by Judas, one of His followers. Isaiah prophesied what the Messiah would do when He came. The Lord's anointed will preach the Good News to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and proclaim that the time has come when the Lord will save His people. So, who was the Messiah? In the first century, a prophet came called Jesus. Some thought He was the one the prophet spoke about. Could this be? Did His life fulfill what was predicted of Him? Was Jesus more than a prophet? What follows is His story, based on eyewitness accounts as recorded in The Holy Scriptures. An actor plays the part of Jesus, and though no actor is worthy of such a role, it has been done so that we may understand and benefit from the life of Jesus. I am writing to you, dear Theophilus; an orderly account of the things that have taken place among us, so that you may know the absolute truth about everything. In the days when Caesar Augustus was emperor of Rome and when Herod the great was king of Judea, God sent the angel Gabriel to visit a *** girl in the city of Nazareth. And the ***'s name was Mary. Fear not Mary, For you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a Son and you will call His name, Jesus. How can this be? I am a ***. The Holy Spirit will come upon you. For this reason the Holy Child will be called the Son of the Most High God. His kingdom will never end. So Mary traveled to a town in Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was also miraculously with child. Elizabeth! Mary! Cousin Mary! You are the most blessed of all women. And blessed is the Child you will bear. For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with joy! My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. From now on, all generations will call me blessed. Know all men of Nazareth, that by command of Caesar Augustus, there will be conducted a census of the subject territories of Galilee and Judea. All men must register forthwith in the towns and cities of their ancestral birth. And Mary went to Bethlehem in Judea to register with Joseph her betrothed. But there was no room for them in Bethlehem. And the only lodging they could find was a humble stable. Now there were some shepherds in that part of the country who were taking care of their flock at night when an angel of God appeared to them and the glory of God was shining around them. This very day in David's town, your Savior was born, Christ the Lord. The shepherds hurried to see the newborn Babe in the manger, and were the first to spread the Good News or Gospel of the *** mother and the Savior's birth. A week later, when the time came for the Baby to be circumcised, He was given the name Jesus and Joseph and Mary took the Child to to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. In the temple there was a good and devout man who the Holy Spirit had promised would not die until he had seen the Christ. His name was Simeon. Lord, now You can let me, Thy servant, depart in peace according to Thy word. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation. This Child is chosen by God. May you both be blessed. And when they had completed all their duties according to the law of Moses, they left Jerusalem and returned to Nazareth. When Jesus was twelve years old, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem for the passover feast. But, when they started back home, thinking that the Boy was with them, Jesus stayed behind. They returned to the city looking for Him. And on the third day found Him in the temple sitting with the rabbis and the elders. Whose Child is this who asks such questions? He's from Nazareth. We thought He had left with us. Please, forgive Him His zeal. All who heard Him were amazed. Son! Why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you. How is it that you looked for Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business? And He came with them to Nazareth and increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man. JLTitle3.bmp JLTitle4.bmp JLTitle5.bmp JLTitle6.bmp In the fifteenth year of the rule of the emperor Tiberius, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod, the ruler of Galilee, and Annas and Caiaphas the high priests, The word of God came to John in the desert, and he came into all the country near the Jordan river, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Turn away from your sins! And be baptized! And God will forgive your sins! As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah; Someone is shouting in the desert; Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for Him to travel. Every valley must be filled up. Every hill and mountain leveled off! The winding roads must be made straight. And the rough paths made smooth, and all mankind will see God's salvation! What shall we do? You brood of vipers! What do you want us to do? Whoever has two shirts, must give one to the man who has none. And whoever has food must share it! Teacher, we are tax collectors. What shall we do? Don't collect more than is legal. And what about us? What are we to do? Don't take money from anyone by force. And don't accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay. Tell us. Are you the Christ? I baptize you with water. But Someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I'm not good enough even to untie His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He has His grain shovel with Him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into His barn. And the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus in bodily form like a dove. And a voice from Heaven said; You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased. When Jesus began His work, He was about 30 years old. He returned from the Jordan river full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the desert, where He was tempted by the devil for 40 days. In all this time, He ate nothing. The devil said to Him; If you are God's Son, order this stone to become bread. It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Then the devil took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. I will give you all this power and all this wealth. It has all been handed over to me, And I can give it to anyone I choose. All this will be Yours then, if You worship me. It is written; You shall worship the Lord your God. and Him only shall you serve. Then the devil took Him to Jerusalem and set him on the highest point of the temple. If you are God's Son, throw Yourself down from here, for the Scripture says; God will order His angels to take good care of You. It also says they will hold You up with their hands, so that not even Your feet will be hurt on the stones. The Scripture says; You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. And He came to Nazareth where He had been brought up. Hello. Hello. And on the Sabbath day of rest, He went as usual to the synagogue. And He was called upon to read a portion of the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. Because He has chosen Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind. To set at liberty those who are oppressed. And announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people. This Scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read. The Scripture come true? But only the Messiah can fulfill that promise! Doubtless you will quote the proverb to Me, Physician, heal Thyself. You'll also say to Me, Do the things in Your own home town that we heard were done in Capernaum. I tell you this! No prophet is ever welcome in his hometown! By these word Jesus identified himself as the Messiah, God's Anointed, sent to save His people. These Jews did not accept Him as the Messiah They meant to throw Him over the cliff. But He walked through the crowd and went His way. And Jesus came to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. The Roman occupation of the nation was in evidence everywhere. And the people longed for the Messiah, to free them from the tyranny. Peace be with you. And You, Master. Will your boat bear Me, Simon? Why not? He's not going to leave, is He? Speak to us! Jesus, speak to us! Once there were two men who went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, I thank You, God, that I am not greedy or dishonest or an adulterer like everybody else. I thank You that I am not like that tax collector over there. I fast twice a week, and I give You one tenth of all my income. But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven. But beat upon his breast and said, God, have pity on me, a sinner. I tell you, the tax collector, not the Pharisee was in the right with God when he went home. For the man who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Push the boat out further to the deep water. Then you and your partners let down your nets for a catch. Oh, Master, we worked hard all night long, and caught nothing. But if You say so, I'll let down the nets. James!! John!! James!! John!! Get your boat over here and give us some help! Hurry!! We can't, we've got our hands full. That's Enough! Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man. Don't be afraid. From now on you will be catching men. Come to Me and listen to My words, hear Me, and you shall have life. Seek the Lord while He may be found call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts And let him return to the Lord and He will have compassion on him. For He will abundantly pardon. You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace. He's coming! He's here! Look!! Jesus! Jesus! I beg you to save my only daughter! She's only 12 years old, and dying. Please come with me! Jairus, I'm sorry. Your daughter has died. Don't bother the Teacher any longer. Don't be afraid. Only believe and she will be well. Do not weep. She's not dead, but only sleeping. Child, Arise. Give her something to eat. I charge you, tell no one what has happened here. And after this, He saw a tax collector named Matthew Levi, sitting at the toll gate for the receipt of the customs. Follow me. And Jesus went up to the hill to pray, and spent the whole night there praying to God. And when day came, He greeted the 12 of them whom He named apostles. Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew, his brother, James, and John, Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zealots, and Judas, the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was the traitor. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you and reject you and insult you and say you are evil, all because of the Son of Man. Be glad when that happens, and dance for joy, because a great reward is kept for you in Heaven. For their ancestors did the same thing to the prophets. ...18, 19, 20. That's all I've got. What do you mean that's all you've got?! How terrible for you who are rich now. You have had your easy life. He doesn't want to be rich. He must be mad. How terrible for you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. How terrible when all men speak well of you. For their ancestors said the very same things about the false prophets. But I tell you who hear Me, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. And pray for people who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one also. And if someone takes away your coat, let him have your shirt as well. Give to everyone who begs from you. And if someone takes what is yours, do not ask for it back again. Do for others only what you would have others do for you. If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that. How could He touch her? How could He talk to her? Disgusting! No. Love your enemies, and do good to them. And lend expecting nothing back. And then you will have a great reward. For you will be sons of the Most High God. For He is good to the ungrateful and to the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Save us, Jesus! Judge not, and you will not be judged! Condemn not, and you will not be condemned! Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back. Lead us in Thy path, O Lord! One blind man cannot lead another! If he does, they both will fall into a ditch! Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye but pay no attention to the log in your own eye? Guide us, Oh Master! We need You now, Lord! How happy is the mother who bore You and nursed You! Rather how happy are those who hear the word of God, and obey it. I would like to know this Man. Do you think He might be, the Messiah? This Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. And Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat. Come along children, off you go. You heard me. Go! They get by with all the mischief they can. (whispering) What is she doing here? I don't know. what is she doing? If this Man really were a prophet, He would know who this woman is who is touching Him. He would know what kind of sinful life she lives. I know who this woman is, Simon. Let Me tell you something. There were two men who owed money to a moneylender. One owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed 50. Neither of them could pay him back, So he cancelled the debts of both. Which one then will love him more? I suppose that it would be the one who was forgiven more. You are right. Do you see this woman? I came into your home. You gave Me no water for My feet, yet she has washed My feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair. You did not welcome Me with a kiss. But since I came she has not stopped kissing My feet. You provided no olive oil for My head. Yet she has anointed My feet with perfume. I tell you then, The great love she has shown proves that her many sins are forgiven. But whoever is forgiven little, shows only a little love. Your sins are forgiven you. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace. I... I... And Jesus traveled, teaching the good news of the Kingdom of God. And the twelve disciples went with Him. And so did some women who had been healed of evil spirits; Mary, who was called Magdalene, Joanna, whose husband, Chuza, was steward in Herod's court, and Susanna. But Herod, the Roman appointed ruler of Galilee, threw John the Baptist in prison, because he had condemned his marriage to his brother's wife. Well? As we arrived at the gate of Nain, a funeral procession came out. The dead was the only son of a widow. When Jesus saw the widow, His heart was filled with compassion. He touched the coffin and said, Young man, get up I tell you. Then, the dead man sat up! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. Ask Him, say, Are You the One John said was going to come? Or should we expect someone else? Master! Master! John the Baptist sent us to ask If You are the One who is going to come? Or should we expect someone else? Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard. The blind can see, the lame can walk. How happy are those who have no doubts about Me. Please, pick me up. Onto my shoulder. Can you see now? I can see Jesus. A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he scattered the grain some of it fell by the path and was trodden on, And the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on rocky ground, and when the plants sprouted, they withered away because they had no moisture. And some seeds fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up with the plants, and choked them. And some seeds fell in good soil, And the plants grew and bore grain, 100 grains each. Master, why do You speak in parables whenever a crowd is near? The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God have been given to you. But to others it comes by means of parables... So they may look but not see... And listen but not understand. This is what the parable means. The seed is the word of God. The seeds that fell along the path stand for those who hear. But the devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts in order to keep them from believing and being saved. The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who hear the message and receive it gladly. But they have no roots. They believe only for a while. And when the time of testing comes, they fall away. The seeds that fell among the thorns stand for those who hear, but the worries and riches and pleasures of this life crowd in and choke them. And their fruit never ripens. And the seeds that fell in good soil, Stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart. And they persist until they bear fruit. No one lights a lamp and covers it with a bowl, or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on the stand so that people may see the light as they come in. Whatever is hidden away will be brought out in the open. And whatever is covered up will be found and brought to light. Be careful then, how you listen. Because whoever has will be given more. But he who has not will have taken away from him even the little he thinks he has. Teacher, your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to see you. My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God, and obey it. One day Jesus got into a boat with His disciples, and said to them, Let us go across to the other side of the lake. And as they were sailing, He fell asleep. Master! Master! Jesus! We are about to die! The waves are swamping us, We'll all drown! Save us, Master! We're going to be saved! Where is your faith? And they sailed on over to Gadara, which is across the lake from Galilee. Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do You want with me? I beg You, don't punish me. What is your name? Legion. Lord, we beg you, do not, send us into the abyss. Let us enter, into the herd, of swine. Hey! Come back! Stop! Stop! And the demons went out of the man, and into the pigs. Go away from here! You, magician! Leave us! Go away from this place! Leave us! Go away from here! I'll follow You wherever You go. Let me, come with You. Go back home, and tell what God has done for you. Jesus and His disciples withdrew by themselves to Bethsaida. But multitudes learned about it and followed Him. Late in the afternoon, Peter said... Master, send the people away, so that then they can go to the villages and farms around here, and find food and lodging. This is a lonely place. You yourselves them something to eat. But all we have are five loaves of bread and two fish. Blessed are Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth. It's a miracle! Unbelievable! Who do the crowds say I am? Some say You are John the Baptist, others say that You are Elijah, While others say that one of the prophets of long ago, has come back to life. What about you? Who do you say that I am? You are God's Messiah! You shall tell no man of this. The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected. He will be put to death. But three days later, He will be raised to life. Will any of you come with Me? I will follow You Master. But first, let me go and say goodbye to my family. Anyone who starts to plow and then keeps looking back is of no use for the kingdom of God. If anyone wants to come with Me, he must forget himself, Take up his cross every day and follow me. For whoever would save his own life will lose it. and whoever would lose his life for My sake will save it. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole earth and loses his own soul? If any man is ashamed of Me and My teachings, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and the holy angels. I assure you there are some here who will not die until they have seen the kingdom of God. Then Jesus took John and James and Peter with Him and went up the hill to pray. And while He was praying, His face changed its appearance and His clothes became shining white. Suddenly two men were talking with Him. They were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in heavenly glory. You will fulfill God's purpose. You will die in Jerusalem. As they were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, Master, how good it is that we are here. We will make three tents. One for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. As Peter spoke, a cloud came and covered them, And the disciples were afraid. A voice came from the cloud saying, This is My Son, the 'Chosen One'. Listen to Him. Teacher! Teacher! I beg You, look at my son. Please, please help him! He is my only child. I begged Your disciples to cast out the evil spirit. But they could not. Oh faithless and perverse generation. How long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here. His face has been healed too! How wonderful! Teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples. When you pray, say; Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who has done wrong to us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks will receive, and he who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks. Would any of you who are fathers give a snake to your son when he asks for a fish? Or give a scorpion when he asks for an egg? As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, would your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. I tell you this, Take no thought in your life for what you shall eat. Nor for your body as to what you shall wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, They neither sow nor reap, have neither storehouse or barn, Yet God feeds them. Of how much more worth are you than the birds. Which of you by being anxious, can add to the length of your life? If you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest? Look at the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like a single one of them. If God, Who clothes the wild grass today, which tomorrow is thrown onto a fire, How much more sure is He to clothe you, Oh you of little faith. Make our faith greater. If you had faith as big as a mustard seed, you could say to this tree; Pull yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea, and it would obey you. Temptations to sin will come, but woe to him by whom they come. It would be better for him that a stone were put about his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. What is the kingdom of God like? It is like this; A man takes a grain of mustard seed and plants it in his field. The plant grows and becomes a tree and the birds make their nests in its branches. I'm not sure what He's talking about. Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other outcasts? People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. I have not come to call respectable people to repent, But outcasts. Tell us again about the kingdom. Is there anything else? Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can steal them, and no moth can destroy them. For your heart will always be where your riches are. Woman, you are free from your sickness. Look! Look! She's cured! It's a miracle! Look, she's cured! Come and see! Praise to the Lord! 18 years! God keep you, Rabbi! There are 6 days in which we should work, So come on one of those days to be healed, but not on the Sabbath. You hypocrites! Any of you would untie his ox or his donkey and take it out from the stall to give it water on the Sabbath. Now, here is this descendant of Abraham whom Satan has kept in bonds these 18 years. Should she not be set free on the Sabbath? Good teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life? Why do you call Me good? No one is good save God alone. You know the commandments; Do not commit adultery, do not commit ***, do not accuse anyone falsely. Respect your mother and father. Ever since I was young, I have obeyed all these commandments. There is still one more thing you need to do. You must sell all you have and give the money to the poor, And you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow Me. But we are merchants. Wealthy. How hard it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. It is harder for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God, than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Who, then, who can be saved? What is impossible for man is possible for God. Exactly where will this be, God's kingdom? The kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to be seen. No one will say, Look, there it is, or Here it is. Because the kingdom of God is within you. The time will come when you will wish that you could see one of the days of the Son of Man, But you will not see it. As the lightning flashes and lights up the entire sky, so will the coming of the Son of Man be on His day. But first I must suffer much and be rejected by the people of this day. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest detail of the law to be done away with. For I tell you many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see it. And to hear what you hear and did not hear it. What should we do? What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. You are right. Do this and you will live. Who is my neighbor? There once was a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. When robbers attacked him, stripped him, beat him, leaving him half dead. It so happened that a Jewish priest came that way. When he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was traveling on that road came across the man. And when he saw him his heart was filled with pity. He went over to the man, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he gave the innkeeper two silver coins. And he told him to take care of the man. He said; When I come back, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him. Which one of these three men acted like a neighbor toward the man who was attacked by the robbers? The one who was kind to him. You, then, do the same. Let the little children to come unto Me and do not forbid them. For of such is the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, if you do not accept the kingdom of God as a little child does, there is no way you can get in. Anyone who welcomes this child in My name also welcomes Me. And anyone who welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For the one who is most humble among you all is the greatest. Hey, what's happening? What's going on? Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. Jesus! Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me! What do you want Me to do for you? I want to see again. Then see. Your faith has made you well. I can see! I can see!! I can see!!! As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem large crowds met him everywhere. People were asking Him to show them the way to salvation and to teach them more about the kingdom of God. This man really is a prophet. My Lord and Master, save me! Oh Lord, save us! Save us! Praise the Lord! Show us the true way, Lord! That's the tax collector! The people were beginning to accept Him as Lord and Master In Jericho there was a tax collector named Zacchaeus. He wanted to see Jesus so much that he climbed a tree to get above the crowd. Hurry down, Zacchaeus. For I must stay in your house today. My house? Who'd want to stay in his house? How does Zacchaeus know Jesus? Listen. I give half of my belongings to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much! I don't believe it! A tax collector paying back his taxes! Impossible! Salvation has come to this house today. For this man also is a descendent of Abraham! The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Listen. We are going to Jerusalem, where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, and treat Him shamefully and spit on Him. He will be whipped and killed. But on the third day, He will rise. And Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem. Even though Jesus knew He was going to be killed for the sins of mankind, He took the road to Jerusalem. Many of the people rejoiced at His coming and proclaimed Him as their King Rabbi, command your disciples to be quiet. I tell you that if they were to be quiet, the stones themselves would begin shouting. Peace, honor, health! Jesus came closer to Jerusalem. And when He saw it, He wept over it. If only, on this your day you had known the path for peace, but you have failed to see it. The days will come when your enemies, will build ramparts to surround you and hem you in pressing hard from every side, and within these walls they will destroy you. You and your children, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. The holy temple in Jerusalem had become a center of commerce rather than a place of worship. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9... 21, 22, 23, 24, 25... It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a den of thieves! He's heading for my animals. Stop him! Stop him! Get the guards! Get the guards! I understand that many have already hailed Him as King. A King? A King of beggars, ***, and thieves! We've seen His like before. They come, they make their claims, they go. They're forgotten. Don't be blind. His following is growing by the day. The people admire Him... ...And think He is a King. Let me give you a warning. If this Man should threaten the peace further, I shall look to you. Perhaps he's right. It's time we confronted the Galilean. And as the hypocritical section of the scribes and Pharisees came increasingly under His attack, So His following among the Jews grew. And so did the opposition from those He condemned. While in the temple, Jesus saw a very poor widow offering two copper coins. It's very little. Can't you give more? I tell you, that this poor widow put in more than all the others. For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches. But she, poor as she is, put in all the living that she had. Tell us, what right do You have to say these things? Who gave You such right? Now let me ask you a question. Tell Me, did John's right to baptize come from God or from man? What shall we say? If we were to say, From God, He will say, Why then, don't you believe John? But if we say, From man, this whole crowd here will stone us. They're all convinced that John was a prophet. We don't know where it came from. Neither will I tell you then by what right I do these things. There was once a man who planted a vineyard, Rented it out to some tenants, and then left home for a long time. When the time came to gather the grapes, he sent a slave to the tenants, to receive from them his share of the harvest. But the tenants beat the slave and sent him back without a thing. So he sent another slave. but the tenants beat him, too, treated him shamefully and sent him back without a thing. Then he sent a third slave. But the tenants wounded him, too, and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said to himself, What shall I do? I will send my own dear son. Surely they will respect him. But when the tenants saw him coming, they said to one another, This is the owner's son. Let's kill him and his property will be ours. Tell us more, Lord! So they threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants? He will come and kill those men and give the vineyard over to other tenants. What, then, does this Scripture mean? The stone which the builders rejected as worthless, Turned out to be the most important stone of all. Everyone who falls on that stone will be cut to pieces. And if that stone falls on someone, it will crush him to dust. Teacher, we know that what You say and teach is right. We know that You pay no attention to man's status, But You teach the truth about God's will for man. Tell us, is it against our law for us to pay taxes to the Roman emperor or not? Show Me a silver coin. Whose face and name are these on it? Caesar! Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and give to God the things that are God's. Now the festival of unleavened bread drew near, which is called The Passover. And Jesus sent Simon Peter and John ahead to prepare the Passover meal. I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the kingdom of God. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who brings forth fruit from the vine. Take this and share it among yourselves. For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. This is My body which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me. This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you. But behold, the person who will betray Me is here at this table. And truly the Son of Man must die as God has determined, But woe unto that man by whom He is betrayed. It can't be. Impossible. Name the traitor, Lord? The greatest one among you must be like the youngest. And the leader must be like the servant. For who is greater? The one who sits down to eat? Or the one who serves? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who serves. You have stayed with Me all through My trials. And just as My Father has given Me the right to rule, So I will give you the same right. You will eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. And you will sit on thrones to rule over the 12 tribes of Israel. Then there is no traitor. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back to Me, you must strengthen your brethren. Lord, I am ready to go to prison with You, and to die with You. I tell you, Peter, the *** will not crow today before you deny three times that you know Me. When I sent you out without purse or bag or shoes, did you lack anything? No, not a thing. But now, whoever has a purse or bag must take it. And whoever has no sword must sell his mantle and buy one. For I tell you, it is written in the Scriptures, And He was reckoned among the transgressors. And what was written about Me is coming true. Look, Lord, here are two swords. That is enough. And the council of the elders met to see how they might rid themselves of Jesus. Then entered Satan into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. He plotted with the elders to trap Jesus. Jesus left Jerusalem and went to the Mount of Olives to pray. Pray that you may not enter into temptation. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for only thirty pieces of silver. Jesus knew that the hour of His death for the sins of mankind was fast approaching; and He prayed. Father, if Thou be willing, Remove this cup from Me. Never-the-less, not My will but Thy will be done. And an angel from heaven appeared to Him to strengthen Him. And His sweat was as though it were great drops of blood falling to the ground. Why are you sleeping? Get up, and pray that you do not fall into temptation. Judas! Is it with a kiss that you betray the Son of Man? Lord, shall we smite with our swords? Come on, arrest Him. Enough of this! (whisper) A miracle! Did you have to bring swords and clubs as though I were an outlaw? I was with you every day in the temple and you did not try to arrest Me. But this is your hour to act, when the power of darkness rules. Arrest Him! Guard Him well. The soldiers took Him into the courtyard and mocked Him as King of the Jews. Here's a cloak worn by a king. Tell us what's going to happen. Are you going to save us, Your Majesty? Are you going to save us? This man was with Jesus, too. Woman, I don't even know Him. I saw them together. Your humble servants. How does it feel to look up to somebody? You are one of them too. But I am not. There is no doubt that this man was with Jesus. Because he is also a Galilean. I don't know what -- what you're talking about. Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered what the Lord had spoken to him. Before the *** crows this day, you shall deny that you know me. Lord, we beseech Thee, Do as Thou ought. In accordance with the greatness of Thy power. Thou, Who did forgive our fathers when they rebelled against Thy word. Thou, Who was angry with them, Thou did not destroy them. Because of Thy love for them and for Thy Covenant's and faithfulness' sake, Thou did spare them. Who hit You? Guess. Prophesy! Who will hit you next? Stop it! Stop it I said! Bring Him before the council. Go! The religious council of elders met to question Jesus. Tell us, are You the Messiah? If I tell you, you will not believe Me. And if I ask you a question, you will not answer Me. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right side of Almighty God. Are You, then, the Son of God? You say that I am. Who gives him the authority to say that? Guilty! We ourselves have heard what He said. We will take Him to Pilate. Yes, yes, away with Him! Move! And they took Jesus before Pontius Pilate, the most vicious of all Roman procurators, alone responsible for the crucifixion of thousands. And what do you want here, at this hour of the morning? We caught this Man perverting our people. He caused an uproar in the temple market. What will be His punishment? Sentence Him! I see no reason to condemn this Man, no reason. We found Him guilty. Telling them not to pay taxes to the emperor. Claiming Himself to be the Messiah, a King! A King? Are You the King of the Jews? So you say. He began in Galilee and now He has come here. In Galilee? Is this Man a Galilean? In that case, we'll let Herod deal with Him. He's still here in Jerusalem, isn't he? Take Him to Herod! Who is it that You say You are? Who are those You call Your disciples? It is said by many You can perform signs. Do something for me. My Lord, He has been corrupting all the people. He calls Himself, the King. This man? A King??? Your Majesty. Mark Him well. Send Him back to Pilate. This is his province. This Man has done nothing to deserve death. So I will have Him whipped and let Him go. You are obliged to release one man to us at this festival. Release to us, Barabbas. And away with this Man. Crucify Him! Yes! Crucify Him! You, you, whip Him. What are you waiting for, Pilate? Why do you torment Him so? Leave Him alone, He's the Messiah! He has done nothing wrong. Lift Him up! Crucify Him. Kill Him. But they kept on shouting that Jesus should be crucified. So Pilate passed the Sentence of death on Jesus He set free Barabbas, who had been put in prison for ***, and he handed Jesus over to them to be crucified. Back! Get back! Back! Get away! Keep away from Him! Get back! Back! Get away! Make room! Get out! You, out of the way! Move, when I tell you! Get up! Get up!! You, what's your name? Simon of Cyrene, sir. Step over here! Cut the ropes! You... carry it. Come on, move! Move on! Clear the way there. Back, get back! Get back! We weep for you, Lord, we weep. Drink this. Drink. Drink, Lord. Women of Jerusalem, don't weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For if things as these take place when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? God help You. We will pray for You. Move! Down here! Come on! Quicker, quicker! Now you go! Go on! Keep up! Quicker! Come on! Quicker! Now, move! move! Now, you go ahead! Come on now. Get on with it. Raise! Put the peg in! Stay ropes loose. Forgive them, Father, for they do not know what they are doing. He has saved others. Let Him save Himself. Yes, save Yourself if You're the Messiah! Yes! Come down from the cross. Show us one of Your miracles! Jesus was crucified between two thieves in fulfillment of prophesy, as the prophets of God had predicted hundreds of years before. This is no ordinary mystic's garment. Let go. No, don't tear it. I'll tell you what. Let's play for this! Ah, you lucky devil! What will you do with it now that you've won it? A sign was placed above His head that read, This is the King of the Jews. Save Yourself if You are the King of the Jews. Aren't... ...You... ...the Messiah? Save... Yourself... and us. Don't you fear God? He received the same sentence, you did, but He has done nothing wrong. Remember me, Jesus, when You come as King. I promise you. Today, you will be in paradise, with Me. It was about noon and a darkness fell across the whole land for three hours, until about 3:00 in the afternoon. The curtain of the temple was torn right down the middle. Father, into Thy hands... I commit, My spirit. When the captain of the soldiers saw what had happened, he glorified God saying... Glory be to God! Certainly, this was a righteous Man. Joseph of Arimathea, a righteous member of the religious council who had not consented to this deed, got permission from Pontius Pilate to lay Jesus' body in a tomb before the Sabbath began at sundown. Forgive us. We are following the body of our Lord. All are welcome. But come, the Sabbath is approaching. Very early on the Sunday morning they came to the tomb carrying the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. When they entered, the body of the Lord Jesus was gone. Why do you seek the Living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen. Remember what He said to you while He was in Galilee; The Son of Man will be handed over to sinful men, be crucified, And on the third day rise again. Listen! The stone was rolled away! We entered and the body of our Lord was gone! What? The body of our Lord, gone? And two men appeared to us... angels, shining, like the sun. They said to us; Why do you look for the Living among the dead? It's true! Believe us. Believe us. We saw them! Go and see for yourself! The tomb was empty! Our Lord was gone! Peter, you must believe us! Jesus appeared to two of the disciples. They excitedly came back to the others. The Lord is risen indeed. He has appeared to Simon. We didn't recognize Him, not on the road. But when He broke bread, then we knew Him. At Emmaus. How strange He should go there. Peace be with you. Why are you troubled? Why are these doubts coming up in your minds? Look, my hands and my feet, and see that it is I, Myself. Feel Me and you will know. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. These are the very things I told you about, while I was still with you. That everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets and the Psalms had to come true. This is what is written; The Messiah must suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day. And in His name, the message of repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And I Myself bring the promise of My Father upon you. But you must wait in the city, until the power from above comes down upon you. The Lord bless you and keep you. All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth. Go, therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. In The Holy Scriptures, God declared the Messiah would come to be the Savior of the world. The life of Jesus gives evidence that He is indeed the One the prophets spoke about. Isaiah prophesied that, The *** will conceive a child and will give birth to a son. Centuries later, the birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of that prophecy. The Holy Scriptures declared that the Holy One to be born would be called the Son of God. This means that Jesus was to be called the Son of God in a spiritual, not a physical sense. We see this in how he lived His life. He Healed people from disease, forgave their sins, turned them back to God and promised them a place in God's eternal kingdom. He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin in their place and then rose again, conquering death. Jesus said, No one can take my life from me. I lay it down of my own accord. The life of Jesus not only fulfilled the writings of the prophets, but also confirmed the truth of God's Holy Word. The prophets declared, The Word of the Lord is flawless, Your Word, oh, Lord, is eternal. Jesus Himself said, Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. Jesus came to give us life in all its fullness. But when man disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, he chose to go his own way, and his actions separated him from the Creator. The Holy Scriptures declare that all have sinned and the payment for sin is death, this means a spiritual death, eternal separation from God. But just as God provided a ram to die in place of Abraham's son, so He sent Jesus the Messiah to die in our place. His life, death and resurrection restored the relationship between God and all those who put their trust in Him. Now, those who follow Jesus not only have their sins forgiven, but are saved from God's eternal judgment. They are assured of paradise and will live with Him forever. It is this life and freedom from the guilt and power of sin that Jesus offers each person today. This does not mean following a religion but choosing to have faith in Jesus who says, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into Him. This means turning to God and trusting Jesus to come into our lives, to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. It is not enough to intellectually agree with His claims, nor to have an emotional experience. We receive Him by grace through faith as an act of the will. When people are ready to become followers of Jesus the Messiah, they may speak to Him in a simple prayer. Perhaps you are ready now to open your life to God. If so, you may join in the following prayer to Him silently in your heart; Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I confess and repent of my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be, as I become one of your followers. Amen. Jesus said about His followers, My sheep recognize My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. In order to experience the abundant life which Jesus promised, His followers talk to God each day in prayer and read or listen to His word. They tell others about Him and meet regularly with those who love and follow Him. Remember His wonderful promise. All power is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. Low, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.