Jesus Preaches in Galilee

He came to Nazareth, the city in Galilee where He had been brought up. On the Feast of Firstfruits, also called Pentecost, he went into the synagogue and stood up to read from the scriptures. He was given the scroll that the Jews traditionally read from on the Feast of Firstfruits, the book of Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place he wanted and read"

He then rolled up the scroll and gave it to the attendant and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on Him, and he began to speak: "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."

And they all approved of and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. But they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"

And he said unto them, "Surely you will tell me this proverb, 'Physician, heal thyself,' whatever we have heard that you have done in Capernaum, do it also here in your own country. But truly I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

"I tell you the truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months and great famine was throughout all the land, Elijah was not sent to any of them, he was sent to Sarepta, a city of Sidon, to a gentile widow.

"And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet but none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."

And everyone in the synagogue was filled with furious wrath when they heard these things and they rose up and drove him out of the city to the edge of the cliff where the city was built, intending to cast him down to the bottom. But he escaped by passing through the middle of the crowd and went his way.

After leaving Nazareth He went to Capernium and taught the people each Sabbath day bringing the same message, "Repent, the Kingdom of God is drawing near."

In traveling over the country preaching and baptizing, Jesus had gathered followers, disciples, who sometimes traveled with Him and sometimes stayed at home to make their living. Now it was time to select the twelve who would become his closest disciples and later apostles, who would travel with Him for the rest of His ministry.

As He was walking by the Sea of Galilee the people milled about Him wanting to hear the word of God. He saw two ships manned by some of His disciples standing near the shore but the men were washing their nets. He boarded one of the ships, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the people out of the ship.

When He had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Go out into the deeper water and let down your nets."

But Simon said to him, "Master, we have worked all night and have taken nothing, but because you have said it we will let down the net."

When they had done this they caught a great school of fish and their net began to brake. They signaled their partners in the other ship to come and help them, and they came and filled both the ships with so many fish that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw all this he fell down at Jesus' knees and said, "Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

He and everyone else who was there was astonished at the great catch of fish they had taken. So too were James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said to Simon, "Fear not, from now on you will catch men." And when they had brought their ships to land, they left their businesses to Zebedee and his employees and followed him.

Life of Christ Part Ten - Jesus Heals

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