Month: July 2024

One day Jesus called together His twelve disciples and gave them the power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey”, He instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned these people to their fate.”

So they began their circuit of the villages and preaching the Good News and healing the sick. (vv. 1-6, NLT)

Soon afterward, Jesus began a tour of the villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took His twelve disciples with Him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and His disciples. (vv. 1-3, NLT)

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent someone respected Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his slave. So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves Your help, he does,”they said, “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at his house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worth to come and meet You. Just say the word from where You are, and my servant will be healed.” I know that because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come, and they come. An d if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this’, they do it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed. (vv, 1-10, NLT)

“But you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. “

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to others sinners for a full return.”

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unfaithful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” (vv. 27-36, NLT)

Later, as Jesus left the town, He was a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow Me and be My disciples, “Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything and followed Him.

Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” (vv. 27-32, NLT)

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about Him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When He came to the village3 of Nazareth, His b0yhood home, He went as usually to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him and found the place where this was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, and the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at Him intently. Then He began to speak to them, ” The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

Everyone spoke well of Him and was amazed by the gracious words that came for His lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

Then He said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself – meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.

Certainly thre were many needy widos in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner – a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.”

When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed Him and forced Him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push Him over a cliff, but He passed right through the crowd and went on His way. (vv. 14-30, NLT)

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where He was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing at all that time and became very hungry.

Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.'”

Then the devil took Him up and revealed to Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.'”

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order His angels to protect and guard You. And they will hold You up with their hands so you won’t even hurt Your foot on a stone.'”

Jesus responded, “The scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord, your God.'”

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came. (vv. 1-13, NLT)

At this time a message from God cam to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness. Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for Him! The valleys will be filled , and the mountains and hills will be made level. The curves will be straightened , and the rough places made smooth. And then all the people will see the salvation sent from God.'”

When the crowd came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee from God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham’. That means nothing, for I tell you God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of he trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

The crowds asked, “What should we do?”

John replied, “If you have tow shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.’

Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?”

He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”

“What should we do?” asked some soldiers.

John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.” (vv. 2b-14, NLT)

When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John! ”

“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one on all your family by that name. So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. (vv 57-66, NLT)

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when the saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom fo the godly.”

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also along in years.”

Then the angel said “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was He who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you don’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak them. They then realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

When Zechariah’s week of serve in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”(vv. 8-25, NLT)