“The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’” Luke 7:34 NLT A friend of tax collectors and other sinners. This description of Jesus, this accusation against Jesus, convicts me. Matthew, one of His closest …
“So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the 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 worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you …
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things …
“Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” Luke 6:20 NIV The Twelve had just been chosen out of a group of probably a few hundred followers, and likely a crowd of hundreds or even thousands. I can only imagine the honor and excitement they …
“One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.” Luke 6:12 NLT Why did Jesus choose the twelve men He chose to be Apostles, apprentice leaders? Was it because of the leadership qualities they possessed? Was it because of the leadership potential they had? Was …
“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.” Matthew 9:9 NLT Matthew was the seventh disciple to receive a direct invitation from Jesus to “Follow Me,” at least as …
“One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.” Luke 5:17 NLT Reading through the story of the healing …
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.”” Matthew 8:2 NLT “In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face …
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”” Luke 5:8 NLT Jesus had told Andrew, Peter, James, and John that He would make them fishers of people. The fishermen dropped their nets and followed Jesus. It’s not too …
After calling Andrew, Peter, James, and John to fish for people, Jesus embarks on several “fishing expeditions” with them. The first, in Capernaum’s synagogue, was the casting out of a demon from an afflicted man. It seems that the second expedition followed immediately after the first, with Jesus leaving the synagogue to head to Peter’s …