Henry: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience.
Day 53
large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside.
Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him.
Lord, the man said, if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.
Jesus reached out and touched him.
I am willing.
He said, be healed.
Instantly, the leprosy disappeared.
Then Jesus said to him, don't tell anyone about this.
Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you.
Take along the offering required in the law of Moses.
For those who have been healed of leprosy, this will be a public
testimony that you have been cleansed.
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him.
Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.
Jesus said, I will come and heal him, but the officer said, Lord, I am not
worthy to have you come into my home.
Just say the word from where you are and my servant will be healed.
I know this 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.
And if I say to my slaves, do this, they do it.
When Jesus heard this.
He was amazed turning to those who were following him.
He said, I tell you the truth.
I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel.
And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world,
from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at
the feast in the Kingdom of heaven.
But many Israelites, those for whom the kingdom was prepared, will be
thrown into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, go back home because you believed
it has happened, and the young servant was healed that same hour.
When Jesus arrived at Peter's house, Peter's mother-in-law was sick in
bed with a high fever, but when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her.
Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.
That evening, many demon possessed people were brought to Jesus.
He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick.
This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah
who said he took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to
cross to the other side of the lake.
Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, Teacher, I will
follow you wherever you go, but Jesus replied, foxes have dens to live in
and birds have nests, but the son of man has no place even to lay his head.
Another of his disciples said, Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.
But Jesus told him, follow me now.
Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.
Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.
Suddenly, a fear storm struck the lake with waves breaking into
the boat, but Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke him up shouting, Lord, save us.
We're going to drown.
Jesus responded, why are you afraid?
You have so little faith.
Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly
there was a great calm.
The disciples were amazed.
Who is this man?
They asked even the winds and waves obey him.
When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the GREs, two
men who were possessed by demons met him.
They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one
could go through that area.
They began screaming at him.
Why are you interfering with the son of God?
Have you come here to torture us.
Before God's appointed time, there happened to be a large
herd of pigs feeding in the distance, so the demons begged.
If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.
All right, go.
Jesus commanded them.
So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd
plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
The herdsmen fled to the nearby town telling everyone what happened
to the demon possessed men.
Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him
to go away and leave them alone.
Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.
Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat, seeing their faith.
Jesus said to the paralyzed, man, be encouraged, my child.
Your sins are forgiven.
But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, that's blasphemy.
Does he think he's God?
Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, why do you have
such evil thoughts in your hearts?
Is it easier to say your sins are forgiven, or stand up and walk?
So I will prove to you that the son of man has the authority on earth
to forgive sins than Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, stand up.
Pick up your mat, and go home.
And the man jumped up and went home.
Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen, and they praised
God for giving humans such authority.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting
at his tax collector's booth, follow me and be my disciple.
Jesus said to him, so Matthew got up and followed him.
Later.
Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner
guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.
But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, why does
your teacher eat with such scum?
When Jesus heard this, he said, healthy people don't need a doctor.
Sick people do.
Then he added, now go and learn the meaning of this scripture.
I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.
For I have come to call, not those who think they are righteous, but
those who know they are sinners.
One day, the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, why
don't your disciples fast like we do?
And the Pharisees do.
Jesus replied, Do wedding?
Yes.
Mourn while celebrating with the groom.
Of course not, but someday the groom will be taken away from
them and then they will fast.
Besides who would patch old clothing with new cloth for the new patch would shrink
and rip away from the old cloth, leaving in an even bigger tear than before.
And no one puts new wine into old wine skins for the old skins would
burst from the pressure spilling the wine and ruining the skins.
New wine is stored in new wine skins so that both are preserved.
As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him.
My daughter has just died.
He said, but you can bring her back to life again if you just
come and lay your hand on her.
So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him.
Just then, a woman who had suffered for 12 years with constant
bleeding came up behind him.
She touched the fringe of his robe for, she thought, if I can just
touch his robe, I will be healed.
Jesus turned around and when he saw her, he said, daughter, be encouraged.
Your faith has made you well, and the woman was healed.
At that moment when Jesus arrived at the official's home, he saw the noisy crowd
and heard the funeral music get out.
He told them, the girl isn't dead.
She's only asleep, but the crowd laughed at him.
After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the
girl by the hand and she stood up.
The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.
After Jesus left the girl's home, two blind men followed along behind him,
shouting, son of David have mercy on us.
They went right into the house where he was staying and Jesus asked them.
Do you believe I can make you see?
Yes, Lord.
They told him we do.
Then he touched their eyes and said, because of your faith, it will happen.
Then their eyes were opened and they could see.
Jesus sternly warned them, don't tell anyone about this, but
instead they went out and spread his fame all over the region.
When they left, a demon possessed man who couldn't speak was brought to Jesus.
So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak.
The crowds were amazed.
Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel.
They exclaimed, but the Pharisees said he can cast out demons because he is
empowered by the Prince of demons.
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in
the synagogues and announcing the good news about the kingdom, and he healed
every kind of disease and illness.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and
helpless like sheep without a shepherd.
He said to his disciples, the harvest is great, but the workers are few.
So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest.
Ask him to send more workers into his fields.
Jesus called his 12 disciples together and gave them authority to
cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.
Here are the names of the 12 Apostles.
First Simon, also called Peter.
Then Andrew Peter's brother.
James son of Zedi, John James's brother Philip Bartholomew Thomas
Matthew, the tax collector James son of aphis, Thaddeus Simon, the zealot.
Judas is Carret, who later betrayed him.
Jesus sent out the 12 apostles with these instructions.
Don't go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only
to the people of Israel.
God's lost sheep.
Go and announce to them that the kingdom of Heaven is near.
Heal the sick, raise the dead.
Cure those with leprosy and cast out demons.
Give as freely as you have received.
Don't take any money in your money belts.
No gold, silver, or even copper coins.
Don't carry a traveler's bag with a change of clothes and
sandals, or even a walking stick.
Don't hesitate to accept hospitality because those who work deserve to be fed.
Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay
in his home until you leave town.
When you enter the home, give it your blessing.
If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand.
If it is not.
Take back the blessing.
If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message,
shake its dust from your feet as you leave, I tell you the truth, the
wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town.
On the judgment day, look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves.
So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves, but beware.
For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged
with whips in the synagogues.
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers,
but this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers
about me when you are arrested.
Don't worry about how to respond or what to say.
God will give you the right words at the right time.
For it is not you who will be speaking.
It will be the spirit of your father speaking through you.
A brother will betray his brother to death.
A father will betray his own child and children will rebel against their
parents and calls them to be killed.
And all nations will hate you because you are my followers, but everyone
who endures to the end will be saved.
When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next.
I tell you the truth, the son of man will return before you have
reached all the towns of Israel.
Students are not greater than their teacher and slaves are not
greater than their master students are to be like their teacher and
slaves are to be like their master.
And since I, the master of the household have been called the Prince
of Demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names.
But don't be afraid of those who threaten you for the time is coming,
when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is
secret will be made known to all what I tell you now in the darkness.
Shout abroad when daybreak comes.
What I whisper in your ear.
Shout from the housetops for all to hear.
Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body.
They cannot touch your soul.
Fear only God who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
What is the price of two sparrows?
One copper coin, but not a single sparrow can fall to the ground
without your father knowing it.
And the very hairs on your head are all numbered, so don't be afraid.
You are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows, everyone who
acknowledges me publicly here on earth.
I will also acknowledge before my father in heaven, but everyone who denies me
here on earth, I will also deny before my father in heaven don't imagine that
I came to bring peace to the earth.
I came not to bring peace but a sword.
I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against
her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Your enemies will be right in your own household.
If you love your father or mother more than you love me,
you are not worthy of being mine.
Or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are
not worthy of being mine.
If you clinging to your life, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me
receives the Father who sent me.
If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be
given the same reward as a prophet.
And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you
will be given a reward like theirs.
And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my
followers, you will surely be rewarded.
This
concludes today's immerse reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.