one will say to this hill, 'Throw yourself into the sea,' and has no
doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass, it
shall be done for him. Therefore, I say to you, believe that whatever
you ask for in prayer you have received, and it shall be yours. And
whenever you stand up to pray, if any one has done wrong to you, forgive
him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your wrong-doing."
When Jesus was praying at a certain place and had finished, one of his
disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his
disciples." So he said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Our Father who art
in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive
us our wrong-doings as we have forgiven those who have wronged us. Help
us to resist temptation and deliver us from evil.'
"When you pray, do not do as the hypocrites who like to stand and pray
in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets so as to be
seen by men. I tell you, they have received their full reward! But when
you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who
is found in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will
give you your reward.
[Illustration: (C) _Curtis Publishing Company_
_The Prodigal Son_
Painted by Herbert Moore]
"When you pray do not say the same things over and over as do the
heathen, who believe that they will be heard because of their many
words. Do not do as they do. Your Father knows what things you need
before you ask him."
WHY WE SHOULD TRUST GOD
"Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, or what you
shall wear. Does not life mean more than food, and the body more than
clothing? Consider how the birds of the air neither sow nor reap nor
gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not
worth far more than they? Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not
one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. As for
you, the very hairs of your head are numbered. Then have no fear, for
you are worth far more than the sparrows.
"Which of you by being anxious can add a single foot to his height? And
why be anxious about what you wear? Consider the lilies of the field,
how they grow! They neither toil nor spin, and yet I tell you, not even
Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of these. Now if God so
clothes the grass of the field which is alive to-day but to-morrow is
thrown into the oven, is it not far more certain that he will clothe
you, O men of little faith?
"Do not be anxious then and say, 'What shall we eat or what shall we
drink or with what shall we be clothed?' For all these things the
heathen are seeking, but your heavenly Father knows that you need all
these things. Seek first to do right as he would have you do, and all
these other things will be given to you. Therefore, do not be anxious
about to-morrow, for to-morrow will take care of itself."
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Once when little children were brought to Jesus that he might touch
them, the disciples found fault with those who brought them. When Jesus
saw it, he was displeased and said to his disciples, "Allow the little
children to come to me; and do not forbid them, for of such as these is
the Kingdom of God. I tell you, whoever will not accept the Kingdom of
God like a little child, will never enter it." Then he took the
children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and lovingly blessed them.
One Sabbath day Jesus went to dine at the house of a leading Pharisee.
One of the guests said to him, "Fortunate is he who will have a share in
the Kingdom of God."
But Jesus said to him, "A man once gave a great dinner and invited many
guests. At dinner-time he sent out his servant to say to those who had
been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But all of them began
to make excuses. The first said, 'I have bought a field and must go and
look at it. I must ask you to excuse me.' Another said, 'I have bought
five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them. I must ask you to excuse
me.' Another said, 'I have just married and so I cannot come.'
"The servant returned and reported these answers to his master. Then the
master of the house was angry and said to his servant, 'Go out at once
into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the
crippled, the blind, and the lame.' When the servant reported, 'Sir,
your order has been carried out, yet there is still room,' the master
said to him, 'Go out into the highways and the country lanes and compel
people to come, so that my house may be filled; for I tell you, that not
one of those who were first invited shall taste of my dinner.'"
Once when Jesus was walking along the road, a man ran up and knelt
before him and asked, "Good Master, what must I do that I may be sure of
eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is
good except one only: God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit
adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not
be dishonest. Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Master, I
have kept all these commands from my youth." Looking upon him, Jesus
loved him and said, "One thing you lack; go, sell all that you have and
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come with
me." But when the man heard this, he looked sad, and he went away in
sorrow, for he had great wealth. Then Jesus looked around and said to
his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the
Kingdom of God!" They were surprised at his words, but again he said,
"Children, how hard it is for those who trust in wealth to enter the
Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye
than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." And they were so
astonished that they said, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at
them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God, for with
God everything is possible."
THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS
Once a lawyer asked Jesus, "What is the most important of all the
commandments?" Jesus answered, "The most important is: 'The Lord our God
is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart,
with your whole soul, with your whole mind and with your whole
strength.'
"The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There
is no other commandment greater than these."
The lawyer said to him, "Teacher, you have rightly and truly said,
'There is one God and there is none other. Also to love him, with all
one's heart, and with all one's understanding, and with all one's
strength, and to love one's neighbor as one loves himself is far more
than all whole-burnt offerings and sacrifices.'"
When Jesus saw that the lawyer had answered wisely, he said to him, "You
are not far from the Kingdom of God."
THE REWARDS OF MODESTY AND UNSELFISHNESS
Once Jesus went into the house of a leading Pharisee to dine. When he
saw how the guests chose the best places, he gave them this advice:
"When any one invites you to a marriage feast, do not sit down in the
best place, for perhaps the host has invited some one of higher rank
than yourself. Then the host will come to you and say, 'Make room for
this man,' and with shame you will take the lowest place.
"Instead, when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so
that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, come up higher.'
Then you will be honored in the sight of all your fellow guests. For
every one who puts himself forward will be humbled, but he who does not
put himself forward will be honored."
Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not
invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors, for they
will invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. Then you will be
blessed. For they have no way of repaying you, and you will be rewarded
when the upright rise from the dead."
Peter said to him, "But we have left everything and have followed you."
Jesus answered, "I tell you, there is no one who has left home or
brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake
and for the good cause, who does not receive a hundredfold as much at
this present time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and
lands, along with persecution, and in the time to come eternal life. But
many who are first now will be last, and the last will be first."
HOW TO USE MONEY
A man from the crowd once said to Jesus, "Master, tell my brother to
give me my share of the property that belongs to us." Jesus answered,
"Man, who made me your judge to divide between you?" Then to the people
he said, "Take care that you do not become greedy for wealth, for life
does not consist in having more things than you need."
And he told them this story: "The land of a certain rich man bore large
crops; so he thought to himself, 'What am I to do, for I have no place
to store my crops.' Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will pull
down my barns and build larger ones in which I can store all my grain
and goods. Then I will say to myself, Now you have plenty of things laid
up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be happy.'
"But God said to him, 'Foolish man! This very night your life is
required of you, and who will have all the things that you have
gathered?' So it is with the man who lays up wealth for himself instead
of that which in the sight of God is the true wealth.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust
destroy, and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and
where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.
"No man can serve two masters: either he will hate one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to one and untrue to the other. You
cannot worship both God and wealth."
Once as Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury of the Temple, he
watched the way in which the people put in their money. Many rich men
were putting in large sums, but a poor woman came and dropped in two
small coins worth less than a penny. He called his disciples and said to
them, "I tell you, this poor widow has given more than all the rest who
have put their money into the treasury, for they have given out of their
plenty, but she out of her poverty has given all that she has, even that
which is needed to keep her alive."
DIFFERENT WAYS OF USING TALENTS
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who before going abroad called his
servants and gave what he had into their charge. To one he gave five
talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to what he
was able to do. Then the man went on his journey.
"The servant who had received five talents went at once and traded with
them and gained five more talents. In the same way the one who had
received two gained two more. But he who had received one talent went
away and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
"After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled
his accounts with them. When the one who had received five talents came
bringing five more, he said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I
have gained five more.' His master said to him 'Well done, good and
faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things, I will put
you in charge of many things. Share your master's happiness.'
"The one who had received the two talents also came and said, 'Master,
you gave me two talents. See, I have gained two more.' His master said
to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Share your
master's happiness.'
"Then he who had received one talent came and said, 'Master, I knew that
you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where
you have not winnowed; so I was afraid and hid your talent in the
ground. There you have what belongs to you.'
"But his master answered, 'Idle, worthless servant! You knew that I reap
where I have not sown and gather where I have not winnowed. You ought
therefore to have put my money in the hands of bankers and on my return
I would have received it with interest. Take my talent away from him and
give it to the servant who has the ten talents; for to every one who has
shall more be given and he shall have plenty; but from him who has only
a little, even what he has shall be taken away. Throw this worthless
servant into the outer darkness where men shall wail and grind their
teeth.'"
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
Once a lawyer stood up to test Jesus with this question, "Master, what
shall I do to receive eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written
in the law? How does it read?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your
strength and with all your mind; also your neighbor as yourself." Jesus
said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
But wishing to justify himself he said to Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
Jesus answered, "A certain man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho fell
in with robbers who after stripping and beating him went away, leaving
him half dead. Now it happened that a certain priest was going by the
same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
"In the same way a Levite, when he came to the place, looked at the man
and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, travelling along, came
near to where the man was, and when he saw him he was filled with pity.
He came to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine.
Then he set him on his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care
of him. The next day he took out two pieces of money and gave them to
the inn-keeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend I
will pay you when I return.'
"Which of these three do you think proved neighbor to the man who fell
in with robbers?" He said, "The man who took pity on him." Jesus said to
him, "Then go and do likewise."
THE WAY TO TREAT THOSE WHO WRONG US
"If your brother wrongs you, go, show him his fault when you and he are
alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. Even
though he wrongs you seven times in a day, if he turns to you seven
times and says, 'I am sorry,' you shall forgive him."
[Illustration: (C) _Curtis Publishing Company_
_The Good Samaritan_
Painted by Herbert Moore]
Peter came and said to Jesus, "Master, how often am I to let my brother
wrong me and forgive him? Seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I tell you,
not seven times but seventy times seven.
"That is why the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who wished
to settle his accounts with his servants. When he had begun to settle
them, a man was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; but as
he was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold, together with
his wife and children and all that he had, in payment of the debt. At
this the servant threw himself on the ground and begged of him, 'Master,
have patience with me and I will pay you all I owe you.' Then the master
out of pity for him let him go and forgave him his debt.
"But as soon as the servant went out, he found one of his fellow
servants who owed him one-sixtieth of a talent, and he seized him by the
throat and said, 'Pay me what you owe me.' The man fell down and begged
him, 'Have patience with me and I will pay you.' But he would not and
had him imprisoned until he should pay what was due.
"Now when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were troubled
and came and told their master what had happened. Then the master called
him and said, 'You wicked servant! When you begged of me, I forgave you
all your debt. Should you not then show the same mercy to your fellow
that I showed to you?' And in anger his master turned him over to the
jailers until he should pay all that was due. So also will my heavenly
Father do to you unless each of you sincerely forgives his brother."
THE GOLDEN RULE
"You have heard the saying, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may become sons of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun
to rise on the wicked and the good alike, and sends rain on both those
who do right and those who do wrong. For if you love only those who love
you, what reward have you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers as
much? And if you show courtesy only to your friends, what more are you
doing than others? Do not even the heathen do as much? You must
therefore become perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.
"Therefore, whatever you wish that men should do to you, do even so to
them."
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY HAPPY
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called the sons of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted because of their righteousness,
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when you are reviled, persecuted, and falsely maligned
because of loyalty to me;
Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so the
prophets were persecuted who came before you."
JESUS SENDS OUT THE FIRST MISSIONARIES
[Illustration: _Christ on the Hilltop_
Painted by C. A. Slade]
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the good news about the Kingdom of God, and
healing all kinds of diseases and weaknesses. At sight of the crowds,
troubled and scattered like sheep without a shepherd, he was filled
with pity, and said to his disciples, "This is a large harvest, but the
laborers are few. Pray to the lord of the harvest to send laborers into
his fields."
Then calling the twelve disciples, he sent them out two by two; and he
gave them power over evil spirits. He told them to take nothing for
their journey but a staff. Also he said, "Go your way. Remember that I
send you out as lambs among wolves. Take with you neither purse nor bag
nor an extra pair of shoes, and do not stop to greet any one on the
road. Whatever household you first enter, say, 'Peace to this house!'
And if the man living there is worthy, your peace will rest upon him;
but if not, it shall return to you. Stay at the same house, eating and
drinking what they give you, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not
go from one house to another.
"Also in whatever town you enter, if the people receive you, eat what
they set before you. Heal those in that town who are ill, and tell them,
'The Kingdom of God is near you.' But if you enter any town where the
people do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'Even the
dust of your town which clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest
against you.' But know this: that the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell
you, on that day it will be better for Sodom than for that city.
"Do not give to the dogs that which is sacred, nor throw your pearls
before swine, for fear that they trample them under their feet and then
turn back to attack you. He who hears you, hears me; he who rejects you,
rejects me; he who rejects me, rejects him who sent me."
So Jesus' disciples went out and preached so as to lead men to be sorry
for their sins and live as they should. They also cast out many evil
spirits and cured many sick by pouring oil upon them. Then returning to
Jesus they told him what they had done and taught.
JESUS PRAISES JOHN THE BAPTIST
When John heard in prison what Jesus was doing, he sent his disciples to
ask him, "Are you the Promised One who is coming, or are we to look for
some one else?" Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you see and
hear: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf
hear, the dead are brought back to life, and the poor have the good
news told to them. Blessed is the man who does not lose faith in me."
As the disciples of John went away, Jesus talked to the people about
John: "What did you go into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the
wind? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Men
dressed like that live in palaces. But why did you go out? To see a
prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet! This is he of whom it
is written:
"'Behold, I send my messenger before you,
Who shall make the way ready for you.'
"I tell you, no man has appeared who is greater than John the Baptist;
and yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.
"To what shall I compare the people of to-day? They are like children
sitting in the market-places, who call to their playmates and say:
"'We played the pipes for you but you would not dance;
We cried but you would not lament.'
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and men said, 'He has an evil
spirit!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and men say, 'He is a
great eater and drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' But
what I do shows that I am wise and right."
Now when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in
public and delighted him. Thereupon he promised with an oath that he
would give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said
to him, "Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist." Although
the king did not wish to do it, yet because of his oath and his guests
he ordered that it be given her. So he commanded that John be beheaded
in prison, and his head was brought on a dish and given to the girl, and
she brought it to her mother. Then John's disciples came and carried
away the body to bury it.
JESUS FEEDS THE HUNGRY
When Herod the ruler of Galilee heard what Jesus was doing, he was
greatly puzzled, for some said that John had come back from the dead,
some that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the old prophets
had come to life again. Herod said, "I have beheaded John; but who is
this of whom I hear these stories?" And he tried to find him.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Come by yourselves to some quiet
place and rest a while"; for so many people were coming and going that
the disciples could not find time even to eat. So they went in a boat by
themselves to a quiet place; but many people saw and knew them as they
went, and, running from all the towns, they arrived before them. When
Jesus landed he found a large crowd waiting for him. Feeling sorry for
them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, he began to teach
them many things.
As it was already late in the day, his disciples came to him and said,
"This place is far away from any town and it is now late. Send the
people away to the neighboring farms and villages to buy food for
themselves." But he answered "Give them some food." They replied, "Are
we to go and buy two hundred silver pieces' worth of food for them?" He
said, "Go and see how many loaves you have." When they found out, they
said, "Five, and two fishes." Then he commanded them to make the people
sit down in groups on the green grass.
So they sat down in companies of a hundred and of fifty. Then Jesus took
the five loaves and the two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, he
blessed the loaves, and broke them in pieces; and he gave to the
disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fishes among
them, and all ate and had enough. Then they picked up twelve baskets
full of broken pieces of the bread and fish, although the number of the
people who had shared them was five thousand.
Then Jesus had his disciples enter the boat and cross before him to
Bethsaida, while he himself sent away the crowd. After sending them
away, he climbed a hill to pray. When evening came the boat was in the
middle of the sea and he alone on the land. Seeing that they were having
trouble as they rowed, for the wind was against them, he went to them at
about three o'clock in the early morning, walking on the sea as if he
intended to pass them. When they saw him walking on the sea, they
believed that he was a ghost and cried out, for all saw him and were
frightened; but he spoke to them at once, saying, "Have courage, it is
I; do not be afraid." Then he went on board the boat and the wind
dropped, but they were greatly astonished for they had not learned the
lesson of the loaves, for they were slow to understand its meaning.