Jesus tells His disciples to pass the food among the hungry people. From a boy’s small lunch, there was miraculously enough for all, with some left over.

A BOY’S LUNCH-BASKETis a very small thing compared with a great miracle. But in this story we shall see how a great miracle grew out of a boy’s lunch-basket. It all came about in this manner:    The disciples whom Jesus sent to preach in the towns and cities of Galilee had returned joyfully, telling their Master about their success in healing the sick and in casting out the evil spirits just as they had seen him do. And now the fame of Jesus was increasing every day, and many more people from distant parts of the country were flocking to hear him.

So urgent were the people who came to hear Jesus and to have their loved ones healed, that they pressed constantly upon him, and allowed no time for him to rest or even eat. Then Jesus called his twelve disciples aside from the multitude and said, “Come with me to a quiet place, for we must rest a while.”

Taking a ship they sailed away from the multitude to the other side of the Sea, and went into a desert place near a mountain. But they did not find much time to rest even in this lonely spot, for soon they saw a great throng of people coming toward them.

The multitude had followed from the other side of the Sea. Perhaps the disciples were disappointed because the people had found them again, but Jesus looked pityingly upon the great throng, and said of them, “They are like sheep that had no shepherd. They wander about here and there hunting for their own pasture-grounds.”

In this great throng were five thousand men, who had come from different parts of Galilee. Some of them had brought their wives and children along, and other women had come, too. When they had started they did not know they would have to go so very far to find Jesus, and many of them had brought nothing to eat. One boy, however, had not forgotten his lunch-basket, and in his basket he carried five little loaves of barley bread and two small fishes.

When the multitude came near, Jesus received them kindly and sat down to teach them again. He healed the sick ones whom they had brought to him, and taught them many things about the kingdom of heaven.

After a while the day wore on and evening came. Still the people lingered near, seeming to forget they could find no food or shelter in the desert place. The disciples grew impatient with them and came to ask Jesus to send them away.

”They have brought no food,” said the disciples, “and we can not supply food for them in this wilderness; therefore send them away that they may buy food in the towns and villages as they journey home.”

But Jesus answered, “We must feed them before sending them away.” Then, turning to Philip he asked, “Where shall we find bread, that all these people may eat?”

Philip looked at the great multitude and shook his head. “If we should buy two hundred pennyworth of bread,” he answered, “there would not be enough for each one to have a small piece.”

While Jesus and the disciples were discussing what to do, the boy who had not forgotten to carry his lunch came near and heard their conversation. Then he showed his basket of food to one of the disciples, and he offered to give the food to Jesus. The disciples, who was Andrew, came and told Jesus what the boy had said.

”How many loaves are there in the basket?” asked Jesus.

Andrew said, “Only five and two small fishes. But what will that be among so many people?”

Jesus replied, “Bring them to me.”

Then he told his disciples to bid the people sit down in groups, in some fifty and in others a hundred, and wait for their evening meal. While they waited, he took the little loaves and the fishes and blessed them and broke them into small pieces. He filled a basket for each of the twelve disciples and sent them to pass the food among the hungry people. Then the disciples returned and again he filled their empty baskets.

When all the people had eaten, he sent the disciples to gather up the scraps that had been left over, and they found twelve baskets full of scraps. And every one in the great multitude had eaten enough to satisfy his hunger. The boy who had brought the lunch-basket to Jesus had all that he could eat, and he shared his little lunch with every one in the great throng because he had let Jesus bless his offering.

This unusual miracle caused much excitement among the people. They wanted Jesus to become their king instead of letting the Roman government rule them any longer. They believed that he could set them free from the rule of the Romans, whom they hated. They thought it would be wonderful to have a king rule them who could feed them by working miracles.

But Jesus would not allow the people to take him for their king. Although he was a King, yet he had not come to earth to rule an earthly kingdom.

He commanded his disciples to enter their ship at once and return to the other side of the Sea. And when they left him, then he dismissed the multitude and went alone upon the mountain near by to pray.

Jesus takes the child’s hand in his own and said, “Little girl, rise up!”

WHEN JESUS ANDhis disciples returned from the country of the Gadarenes they saw a crowd standing on the shore eager to welcome them back to Capernaum. And again Jesus taught them and healed the sick folk they brought to him.    Presently a man came running to Jesus, looking very much distressed. He fell down at Jesus’ feet and cried, “My little daughter is lying at home ready to die; but if you will come with me and touch her, I know she shall be made well.” This man was a ruler of the synagog in Capernaum, and his name was Jairus.

No doubt Jesus knew this man, for often he had taught in the synagog. Now he started at once to go with Jairus to heal his daughter. The disciples, too, went with him. And the crowd followed, eager to see another miracle. As they went, the people pressed close to Jesus; for every one was eager to walk as near to him as possible.

In this throng was one poor woman who had been ill for twelve years. She had spent all her money in taking treatments from doctors, yet they did not cure her. Now she had no more money and still she was greatly afflicted. But she had heard of Jesus’ power to heal, and this glad news brought courage to her sad heart. She decided to go to him and be made well.

How hard it was to reach him! But this woman pressed her way through the crowd till she came very near. She thought in her heart, “I will not ask him to make me well; I will only touch the hem of his garment and I know I shall be healed.”

So she edged her way closer, until she could reach out her hand and touch Jesus’ clothes. Immediately she felt the healing power go through her body, and she stepped backward into the crowd.

But Jesus knew what the woman had done. He knew about her earnest desire to be made well, and he knew about her thoughts. So he turned around and asked, “Who touched me?”

The disciples were amazed at this question. “Why do you ask who touched you, when the people are pressing against you from every side?” they inquired.

But Jesus answered, “Some one has touched me, for I felt healing virtue go from my body.

Then the woman knew that her act was known by Jesus, and she came trembling and fell down before him, telling her sad story. Jesus spoke comforting words to her, and said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Jairus stood by waiting impatiently for Jesus to start again. He was fearful that his little daughter might die before they could reach her bedside. And surely enough, a servant from his house came to meet them with the sad news that the little girl was dead.

”Do not trouble the Master any longer, for it is too late,” he said.

Jesus heard the message, and he saw the deep grief of Jairus. He said to the father, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she shall yet be made well.” So they journeyed on.

At the ruler’s home many friends and neighbors had gathered to weep and to comfort the sorrowing mother. Jesus told them to cease their weeping, for the child was not dead, but sleeping. They did not understand that Jesus meant to say, “Death is only a sleep from which we shall all waken again.” And they scoffed at his words; for they knew the little girl had no life remaining in her body.

Then Jesus sent every one out of the room except the father and mother of the little girl and three of his disciples. Simon Peter, and James, and John were the three whom he permitted to remain with him.

When the others had gone out, he took the child’s hand in his own and said, “Little girl, rise up!”

At his command she opened her eyes and rose up to walk about the room. Jesus told her parents to give her some food to eat, and he asked them to tell no one what he had done; for already the people were thronging him, and news of this miracle would draw greater crowds than ever.

When they left the home of Jairus, two blind men followed Jesus, crying out, “O son of David, have mercy on us!”

They followed him into the house where he was staying, and when they came to him there he asked, “Do you believe that I am able to open your blind eyes?”

They answered quickly, “Yes, Lord.”

So he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done to you just as you believe.” And their eyes were opened so that they could see. Jesus asked these men to tell no one what he had done; but they went everywhere telling how Jesus had opened their blinded eyes.

Afterwards was brought to Jesus a dumb man who had an evil spirit dwelling in him. And Jesus cast out the spirit, and caused the man to be able to speak. Many onlookers were amazed at these mighty miracles of Jesus, and they said, “It was never so seen in Israel.”

But the fault-finding Pharisees said, “He does not cast out evil spirits by the power of God, but by the power of Satan.” They were jealous of the fame that had come to Jesus, and they spoke evil of him.

So great were the crowds who pressed to hear Jesus that he saw he could not teach them all. Then he sent his twelve disciples to preach in other cities, and he gave them power to heal the sick and to cast out evil spirits, and even to raise the dead.

The work was too great for him to do alone, and he had chosen these men to help him. So they went to other towns and villages, preaching the gospel and healing the sick, just as Jesus had commanded them to do.

The raging tempest threatens to destroy the ship, but Jesus speaks, and the storm stops.

ONE STORMY NIGHT a little ship tossed about on the angry waters of the Sea of Galilee. Far from the shore it had sailed when the storm broke upon it, and the sailors feared they might never see land again. With all their strength they pulled the oars; but the great waves dashed the ship helplessly about, threatening every moment to destroy it.    Several of the sailors in that company had seen the rage of the sea at other times when storms swept over its surface. They knew the fearful power of such a storm. They knew how helpless they were in the grasp of this tempest. While they were wondering what to do, a great wave broke over the side of the ship, flooding it with water. Now they believed that they would all be drowned.

These frightened sailors were the disciples of Jesus, and they were trying to take their master across the Sea of Galilee. Darkness had come upon them, and with the darkness of night the fearful storm broke. But Jesus, tired from his labors during the day, had lain down to rest and had fallen fast asleep. He did not know about the raging tempest, which threatened to destroy the ship and its passengers. He did not know about the fright of his disciples as they battled with the storm.

But when the great wave broke over the ship, the disciples remembered Jesus, lying asleep. They rushed to him and cried out, “Master, do you not care that we perish?”

Jesus aroused from his sleep, opened his eyes, and looked into their frightened faces. Seeing their alarm he arose to his feet and asked, “Why are you so fearful? Why do you have no faith?” Then he spoke to the wind, simply telling it to be still. And at the sound of this voice the tempest ceased at once, and the dashing waves grew quiet and calm.

The disciples were surprised to see that their master had power even greater than the power of the tempest. They were surprised to know that even the wind and the waves obeyed the voice of the Son of man. And they asked each other, wonderingly, “What manner of person is Jesus, that even the sea obeys him?” They did not know that he had helped the great Father-God in the beginning of the creation, when the world was made, and the sea and the dry land were formed on the face of the earth.

After the tempest ceased, the sailors brought their ship to the land of the Gadarenes, on the other side of the Sea of Capernaum. When they stepped onto the shore with Jesus, a man came running across the country to meet them.

This man was in a pitiful state, for he was wild, living alone in the graveyard or wandering day and night through the mountains cutting himself with sharp stones and crying out in distress. Evil spirits from Satan had come to live in him, and they had made him so wild and fierce that other people were afraid of him.

Even the relatives of this wild man had long ceased trying to do anything with him. For a while they had bound him with chains; but when the evil spirits would begin to torment him he would break off the chains, tear off his clothes, and run away to the wilderness or to lonely places to cry out.

The wild man came to Jesus and fell down before him to worship. But Jesus knew that evil spirits were troubling him, and he commanded them to leave the man. The spirits talked to Jesus through the man’s mouth, and begged that he would not torment them.

Jesus asked, “What is your name?”

And the spirits replied, “Legion, for we are many.”

A great host of bad spirits were dwelling in the poor man. No wonder he was in such a pitiful state.

On a mountain-side near by a herd of two thousand hogs were feeding. The Jews were forbidden by the law to eat the flesh of these animals. But the people who lived in this land on the other side of the Sea from Capernaum kept many hogs for market, and they sent servants out to the fields to watch them.

The evil spirits in the wild man did not want to leave the country, though they knew Jesus would not let them stay in the poor man any longer. So they asked to enter the hogs that were feeding on the mountain-side. Jesus gave them permission to go into the hogs, and at once the great herd of two thousand ran down a steep place and fell into the Sea, where they were drowned.

The keepers of the herd were frightened, and they ran to the owners to tell what had happened. Soon a crowd of curious people came from the city not far away and saw the wild man sitting at Jesus’ feet, wearing clothes and no longer acting wild and unruly. A look of peace had settled upon his face, and his right mind had come back again. Now he could speak and think and act like other men.

When the people heard what Jesus had done for the man whom they had feared so much, they were greatly surprised. But they were not pleased, because they had lost all the hogs on the mountain-side. Perhaps they had planned to sell those animals for much money. Now they did not want Jesus to stay with them any longer, for fear they might lose other things. They did not think about their sick friends, whom Jesus might heal, nor about others among them who needed to have bad spirits cast out. They were selfish people, loving their money more than they loved the people who lived about them. So Jesus saw that he was not welcome, and he turned to go away.

The man for whom he had done such a great miracle followed Jesus to the ship and begged to go with him wherever he went. How blessed it seemed to this poor man to be near the one who had freed him from the misery he had suffered.!

But Jesus said, “Go back to your home, and tell your friends what great things the Lord has done for you.”

Gladly the man obeyed, and from city to city he went, telling people about the wonderful power of Jesus, until many who had never heard before came to know of the wonder-working teacher in Galilee.

Jesus told His disciples a parable of a Sower who went out to scatter seeds in his field.

ONE DAY JESUS went out of Capernaum with his disciples and walked by the seaside. Great crowds followed along the beach; for they thought he might be going away from their city again, and they wished to go with him. They pressed so close behind that Jesus stepped into a boat at the water’s edge and sat down to teach them, while they stood listening on the shore.    Jesus began to teach them by parables. These parables were short stories which he told to show them truths of the gospel. While he sat in the boat he told them four parables. The first one was about the man who went out to scatter seeds in his field. Jesus called him a sower. And here is the story:

”One day a sower went out to the field with a bag of grain and began to scatter the seeds upon the ground. The breeze caught each handful he threw while walking to and fro, and helped to scatter the grain. But some of the seeds blew upon the roadside. The birds flying overhead saw them lying uncovered on the ground, so they flew down and ate the seeds.

Other seeds fell upon stony places, where the soil was so shallow they could take no deep root, and soon they withered after they had sprouted and begun to grow. Still other seeds fell in thorny places, and the thorns grew so fast that they choke out the good seed and it died.

”But not all the seed was wasted; for some of it fell into good ground, and there it sprouted and sent its roots down deep into the rich soil. By and by it grew up into stalks of grain that yielded many times more seeds than were first scattered on the ground.”

The disciples wondered what this story might mean. They did not know why Jesus was telling stories instead of preaching sermons that people could understand. So they came to Jesus in the boat and asked, “Why are you teaching the people with these parables?”

Jesus answered, “Because I know you will seek to understand the meaning of them, for it is given to you to know the meaning of the deep truths of the kingdom of heaven. Others who hear the stories will not seek to understand the meaning of them, for they are not careful to prepare their hearts to receive the forgiveness of their sins. The prophet Isaiah spoke of them when he said, ‘By hearing ye shall hear and not understand; and seeing ye shall see and not know.’ Their eyes are closed, so they can not see the salvation God has sent into the world; and their ears are stopped, so they can not hear the good news of salvation and receive it into their hearts. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and blessed are your ears, for they hear.”

Then Jesus explained to the disciples the meaning of the story about the sower and his seed.

”The sower,” he said, “is the one who speaks the word of God, and the different kinds of soil are the different conditions of the hearts of people who hear the word of God spoken. Those who hear the word but do not seek to understand it, are like the roadside by which the seeds fell. Just as the birds flew down and ate those seeds, so the evil one comes by and causes those people to forget the truths they have heard from God’s word.

”Those who gladly hear the word of God, but do not continue to obey it, are like the stony places, where the seeds fell but could not grow because they could not take deep roots in the stony soil.

”Those who hear and receive the word of God into their hearts, but afterwards allow cares and troubles or riches and pleasures to crowd out the good truths, are like the soil where thorns sprang up and choked out the good seed.

”But those who hear and who obey the word of God are like the good ground, where some of the seeds fell and sprouted and grew into stalks that bore much grain.”

Afterwards Jesus told another story to the people. This time he said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seeds in his field; but while men slept an enemy came to the field and scattered bad seeds everywhere. These bad seeds are called tares. By and by the good seeds and the bad seeds both began to grow.

And after they became stalks, and heads of grain appeared, the servants of the man came to him and asked, ‘Did you not sow good seeds in your field? How then are these tares growing everywhere beside the stalks of wheat?’ The man answered, ‘An enemy has sown the tares.’ Then the servants asked, ‘Shall we gather out the tares?’ but the master said, ‘Wait until the time for harvest, lest while you pull up the tares you also pull up stalks of wheat. When all are ripened together, I will send reapers to first gather out the tares and tie them into bundles to be thrown into the fire. Then they will gather the wheat and put it into my barn.’”

The third story Jesus told was about a grain of mustard seed. He said the kingdom of heaven is like such a tiny grain, which, after it was sown quickly grew into a bush so large that even the birds could sit in the branches of it.

Then he said, “The kingdom of heaven is also like leaven, or yeast, which a woman put into her dough when she was mixing bread. The yeast soon worked through all the dough and caused it to rise light and make good bread.” Perhaps the women who heard this story wondered how the kingdom of heaven could really be like yeast.

When Jesus finished all his stories he sent the people away, and afterwards he left the boat and also returned to the city. Then the disciples asked him to explain the meaning of the story about the tares. Jesus said: “The good seed are the people of God; the field is the world; and the man who sowed the good seed is the Son of man. The bad seed, or tares, are the people of the wicked one, and the enemy is Satan.

The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. Just as the tares are gathered in bundles and thrown into the fire, so the wicked people will be separated from the good people at the end of the world. Then the good people will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of God, their Father.”

The Pharisee was surprised when he saw that Jesus allowed a sinful woman to weep at his feet and to anoint them with sweet perfume.

IN ONE OF the cities of Galilee where Jesus was teaching the people a Pharisee named Simon came to hear him. Like many of the other Pharisees, Simon tried to find fault with Jesus. Because he could neither see nor hear anything to criticize in Jesus, he decided to ask this teacher to take dinner at his house. There he would watch him closely, and possibly find something that would be wrong.    So Simon the Pharisee asked Jesus to come to his house one day, and Jesus went with him. Other people went, too, some who were invited and some who were not. And they all came into the dining-hall where the food was placed on the table. Around this table the guests were given room, while the uninvited persons stood back, looking on.

Jesus and the other quests did not sit on chairs about the table, but they lay on couches with their heads near the table and their feet away from it. While they were eating, another uninvited person came into the dining-hall. This person was a woman.

Looking about, she espied Jesus, and at once she hurried to kneel at his feet. Then she wept tears of sorrow for her many sins, and the tears fell upon Jesus’ feet. She dried his feet with her hair, and kissed them. Afterwards she broke a beautiful box of costly perfume and anointed his feet by pouring the perfume upon them.

Simon, the Pharisee, knew this woman; for she was a great sinner. He had heard many things about her that were not good. He was surprised when he saw that Jesus allowed her to weep at his feet and to anoint them with sweet perfume. He said in his heart, “If Jesus were a prophet he would not allow this woman to come near him. He would know that she is a wretched sinner, unfit to be in his presence.”

Jesus knew all about this sinful woman, and he also knew about Simon’s thoughts. He looked at the proud Pharisee and said, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

Simon answered very politely, “Master, what is it?” Then Jesus told him this story:

”There was a certain rich man who had loaned money to the poor men. The first man he loaned a great sum of money, and the second man he loaned only a small amount. When the time came to repay the loan, neither of the two men could pay back the money they had borrowed. In their distress they came to the rich man, and he freely forgave them both. Which of these two men love the rich man the more?”

”I suppose,” answered Simon, “that the man whom he forgave the bigger debt loved him the more.”

”You have answered rightly,” said Jesus. Then he turned to the sinful woman still weeping at his feet, and said, “Simon, when I came into your home you did not treat me like an honored guest. You did not give me water to wash the dust from my feet; but this woman has washed my feet with her tears and had dried them with the hair of her head. You did not give me a kiss of welcome; but this woman has kissed my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, as you anoint the heads of your friends who come as guests into your home; but this woman has poured costly ointment upon my feet. Wherefore I tell you that her sins, which were many, are forgiven; for she has loved much. But those love little who have little forgiven them.”

Jesus then told the woman that her sins were forgiven; that her faith had brought forgiveness, and she should go home in peace.

This woman was sorry because she had done wrong, and Jesus forgave the wrong which she had done. But Simon, the proud Pharisee, believed that he was too good to need forgiveness for sin and Jesus did not forgive him. Only those who are sorry for their sins can know the forgiveness of Jesus, the Savior.

Luke 7:11-17

At Jesus’ words, “Young man, I tell you to arise!”, the astonished people saw the lifeless body of the boy rise to a sitting position.

IN THE CITY of Nain, in Galilee, lived a woman who was a widow.  She had only one child, a youth entering manhood.  No doubt she often looked proudly at him and thought the time would soon come when he could provide for her needs as well as for his own.  Then one day the young man fell sick.    This was a sad time for the widow, and day after day she watched at the bedside of her son, hoping to see a change for the better.  Tenderly she nursed him; but in spite of all her loving care he only grew worse.  Then one day he died.

Now the widow’s home was broken up; for both her husband and her son were dead.  How unhappy she felt!  Her neighbors and friends came in to weep with her and to plan for the funeral.  They wrapped long strips of linen cloth around the lifeless body and placed it on a frame, called a bier.  Then they took up the bier and started with it to the burial-place outside the city gate.

Many people followed the bier, and the mourners wept aloud as the procession moved slowly toward the burial-place.  Outside the gate they suddenly stopped.  Everybody wondered what had happened.  Then they saw a great crowd coming toward them, and walking in front of the crowd was Jesus and his twelve disciples.

When Jesus saw the grief of the widow he was touched with pity for her.  He knew how deep was her sorrow, and he wished to help, so he spoke kindly to her and said, “Do not weep.”

Then he stepped up to the bier, and the men who carried it looked at him.  They were astonished when they heard him speak to the lifeless form that was lying so cold and helpless upon the frame.

But at Jesus’ words, “Young man, I tell you to arise!”  they saw the lifeless body rise to a sitting position, and they heard the voice which death had stilled speak to them again.  What a glad surprise this was!  Quickly they unwrapped the long strips of linen cloth from the young man’s body, and Jesus took him to his mother.

Now the cries of mourning cease and a great silence fell over the people.  They could hardly believe their own eyes.   But soon they were convinced that Jesus had raised the dead young man to life again, and they began to rejoice.  “A great prophet is come among us!” they exclaimed with delight.  Others cried, “Surely God has visited his people!”  for they believed that only the power of God could overcome death, and they believed God had come to them in the form of the man Jesus.

News of this great miracle quickly spread through the country and traveled far and wide.  Even John the Baptist, shut up in the dreary prison where Herod had placed him, heard what Jesus had done.  He longed to see and to know more about these things, so he asked two of his disciples who visited him at the prison if they would not go to Jesus and find out whether Jesus was really the Savior whom God had promised to send.

The men hurried to Jesus with John’s question, and while they waited for an answer many afflicted people crowded close to the place where they stood and begged for healing.  There were cripples, and blind folk, and lepers, and deaf people, and even some in whose bodies evil spirits were dwelling.  One by one Jesus healed them, and cast out the evil spirits and sent them away.

Then he turned to the inquirers who had come from John’s lonely prison and said, “Go back, and tell John what you have seen; how the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the lepers are cured, the dead are raised to life, the evil spirits are cast out, and to the poor people the glad news of the kingdom is preached.”

The men took this message back to John, and no doubt his heart was glad to hear about the wonderful workings of Jesus.

Not long after this time Herod commanded that John should be killed, and his friends who came often to comfort him in the lonely prison took up his body and buried it.  Then they came and told Jesus what Herod had done.

Jesus said to the man, “Be of good cheer, for your sins are forgiven. Take up your bed and return to your own house.”

WHEREVER JESUS WENT,crowds followed him. In the streets, or even in the homes of Capernaum, many people gathered when they knew he was present. Some of these people were his friends, others were merely persons curious to hear him speak and to see him perform some miracle, while still others followed for the purpose of finding fault with him.    One day while Jesus was in Capernaum so many people came to the house where he was staying that they left no room for others to enter. Among them, as usual, were his disciples and friends, the curiosity-seekers, and the fault-finders. These fault-finders were scribes and Pharisees who had come from far-off places to hear him. They had heard many reports about his wonderful teachings, and they wished to hear him for themselves. As he talked, they sat near by, watching every move he made.

Into that crowded room sick people had been brought, and Jesus healed them all. Then while he preached about the kingdom of God the listeners were surprised to hear a scrambling overhead. Presently the roof began to part, and the people saw a queer-looking object being lowered from the ceiling. Then they recognized the form of a crippled man lying on a bed.

On the roof were the four friends of this crippled man. They had tried to bring him to Jesus; but when they carried him as far as the door they saw that it would not be possible to push with their burden through the crowd. Yet they were determined to bring this suffering man to the great Healer. The man was not able to move himself about, and day after day he had lain upon his bed because of the disease that had made him so weak and helpless.

When the crowd had refused to make way for them to pass, the four friends carried the man up on the flat roof of the house. Then they tore up the roof tiling and saw where Jesus stood. This done, they tied ropes about the bed on which the man lay, and lowered the bed very carefully into the room, before Jesus.

Of course the service was interrupted when the sick man was being lowered by the ropes from the roof. The onlookers wondered what Jesus would do. Perhaps some of them knew this sick man. They were all surprised when they heard Jesus say to him, “Son, be of good cheer, for your sins are forgiven.”

The look of pain left the sick man’s face and a happy smile came instead. But the astonished people were not watching him. They were looking in surprise at the one who had dared to say, “Your sins are forgiven.” They knew God had power to forgive sins, but they did not know that Jesus was the Son of God.

The fault-finders began to say in their hearts, “Who is this who pretends to forgive sins?” None except God can do that!

Jesus knew their thoughts, and he said, “Why do you think evil of me in your hearts? Is it easier to tell the man that his sins are forgiven, or to tell him to rise up from his bed and walk? That you may know I have power on earth to forgive sins too [then Jesus turned to the helpless man lying on the couch before him and said], Arise, take up your bed and return to your own house.”

Immediately the stiffness departed from the sick man’s limbs and strength came into his body. Then he arose up in the presence of all the people, rolled up the couch, or mat, upon which he had lain for many days, and lifted it up on his shoulders just as well men carried their beds in that country. The surprised people made way for him, and he walked out through their midst into the street to join his happy friends.

Great fear came upon the people in that crowded house. They glorified God, and said to each other as they hurried home, “Surely we have seen strange things today!”

The Centurian says to Jesus, “Just speak the word, and my servant will be made well.”

AFTER HEALING THEleper, Jesus returned with his disciples to Capernaum, where he had healed so many sick people at the close of one Sabbath-day. News of his coming reached the city before he arrived, and his friends were glad to hear that he would be with them again.    Other people besides those who knew him were glad to hear of his coming. One of them was a Roman, called by the Jews a “Gentile,” because he did not belong to the Jewish nation, or race. All people who are not Jews are called Gentiles, and this Gentile was captain of a band of one hundred Roman soldiers. He was called a centurion by those people; but we should call him a captain.

This captain, or centurion, was friendly toward the Jews. He treated them kingly, and was never rough to them.. He even built for them a synagog, perhaps the very one in which Jesus had often taught the people on the Sabbath-days. And because of his kindness to them the Jews respected him although he was a Roman Gentile.

One day a servant of the centurion became sick. On the next day he grew worse, and soon it seemed that he could not live much longer. The centurion loved this servant and grieved because he was ill. Then news came that Jesus had returned to Capernaum.

Now, the centurion had heard about the sick people whom Jesus had cured, and about the evil spirits which Jesus had driven out of people’s hearts. He knew Jesus could heal his servant, but he felt too unworthy to go to Jesus and ask him to do this. He was a Roman, and he knew that Jesus was a Jew. Perhaps he thought Jesus might not be willing to listen to the request of a man who belonged to another nation.

He knew about the race-pride of the Jews, and how the religious Pharisees and the scribes despised the Gentile Romans. He may have feared that Jesus would not be quite willing to heal his servant because he was a Gentile. But he loved his servant very dearly and he was willing to try some way to have Jesus come and heal him. So he called for the Jewish teachers in the synagog which he had built, and told them to go to Jesus and ask him to heal the sick man. And they gladly went.

When these Jewish teachers, or elders, came to Jesus they told him about the centurion’s desire that he would come and heal the servant. They told him also about the kindness of this Roman captain, and how he had built their synagog. “He is a worthy man,” they said; “for he loves our nation.” And Jesus went with them.

As they were nearing the centurion’s home they saw some men coming to meet them. These men were friends of the centurion, whom he had sent to tell Jesus that he need not come into the house to heal the sick man. The centurion did not feel worthy to have such a great person as Jesus enter under the roof of his house, and he felt himself too unworthy to go out to meet Jesus. So he had sent his friends to carry his message to Jesus.

And this was the message: “Lord, do not trouble yourself to come into my house, for I am not worthy to receive so great a man as you are. Just speak the word, and my servant will be made well. I know you have power to command sickness to depart, just as I have power to command my soldiers to obey me.”

When Jesus heard these words he was greatly pleased. He turned about and spoke to the curious people who were following, hoping to see another miracle. He said to them, “Nowhere among the Jews have I found such great faith in me as this Gentile captain has shown.” Then he told the friends of the centurion that the servant would be made well.

When they returned to the house they found the servant healed. And they saw how great was the power of Jesus to heal the sick, even when he did not come near to the place where they lay.

Jesus reaches out his hand kindly and said, “I am willing; you may be healed now.”

WHEN JESUS ANDhis twelve disciples came down from the mountain, a great multitude of people followed them. These people had come from cities and villages in every part of Galilee, and some had come even from Jerusalem and from country places in Judea.    Near this great multitude stood one poor man who had heard of Jesus’ power to work miracles. And he needed, oh, so much! to have a miracle performed in his body; for the terrible disease of leprosy had fastened on him and was eating his flesh. He was not allowed to live among his friends and relatives, for fear they might become lepers also. He was not allowed to come very close to any one who was not a leper. And what an unhappy life he lived!

When the poor leper saw Jesus and his disciples coming down the mountain-side, he thought, “I wonder if this Jesus will heal me.” He decided to try him, so he ran to Jesus and knelt down on the ground at Jesus’ feet, worshiping him. Then he said, “If you are willing, I know you can make me well from this terrible leprosy.”

Jesus looked on the poor man kneeling before him, and great pity filled his heart. He knew how this man was dying, by inches, of the dreaded leprosy, which no doctors could cure. He knew about the unhappy days this poor man spent away from his own home and loved ones. He knew, too, how careful every one was to keep away from a leprous person for fear he might becomes a leper also.

Jesus was not afraid to touch the poor leper. He reached out his hand kindly and said, “I am willing; you may be healed now.” And at that moment the leprosy left the poor man’s body and new skin came upon his flesh.

The man sprang quickly to his feet, and the weary look had vanished from his eyes. Now he was well! How thankful he felt. No doubt the great change seemed too good to believe. But he saw how the leprosy was gone, and he knew Jesus had touched him and had sent healing power through his body.

In the law of God that Moses gave to the people, he commanded that lepers should offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to God when their leprosy was healed. So Jesus reminded the man of this command, and told him to go to the priests in Jerusalem and make an offering to God. And he asked the man to tell no one about the healing.

But soon the news of this great miracle spread over the country-side, and every one was talking about it. The poor man had been so glad that he had told his friends what Jesus had done for him. And his friends told their friends, and so the news spread far and wide. And many people left their homes and rushed into the country to see the wonderful person who by his word and by the touch of his hand could drive away the leprosy from a man whose body was full of the dreadful disease.