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Chapter 9 - Beginning the Public Work (view source)
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[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]]
==CHAPTER 9==
==CHAPTER 9==
===BEGINNING THE PUBLIC WORK===
===BEGINNING THE PUBLIC WORK===
ON THE first day of the week, January 19, A.D. 27, Jesus and the twelve apostles made ready to depart from their headquarters in Bethsaida. They did not get away from Zebedee's house until near noon because the families of the apostles and others of the disciples had come to say good-bye. Just before leaving, the apostles missed the Master, and Andrew went out to find him. He found Jesus sitting in a boat down the beach, weeping. He ventured to approach Jesus and ask:
ON THE first day of the week, January 19, A.D. 27, Jesus and the twelve apostles made ready to depart from their headquarters in Bethsaida. They did not get away from Zebedee's house until near noon because the families of the apostles and others of the disciples had come to say good-bye.
Just before leaving, the apostles missed the Master, and Andrew went out to find him. He found Jesus sitting in a boat down the beach, weeping.
He ventured to approach Jesus and ask:
*"On this great day, Master, when we are to depart for Jerusalem to proclaim the Father's kingdom, why is it that you weep? Which of us has offended you?"
*"On this great day, Master, when we are to depart for Jerusalem to proclaim the Father's kingdom, why is it that you weep? Which of us has offended you?"
*"No one of you has grieved me. I am saddened because none of my father Joseph's family have remembered to come over to bid us Godspeed."
*"No one of you has grieved me. I am saddened because none of my father Joseph's family have remembered to come over to bid us Godspeed."
At this time Ruth was on a visit to her brother Joseph at Nazareth. Other members of his family were kept away by pride, disappointment, misunderstanding, and petty resentment indulged as a result of hurt feelings. The first day Jesus and the apostles only journeyed as far as Tarichea, where they rested for the night. The next day they traveled to a point on the Jordan near Pella where John had preached about one year before.
At this time Ruth was on a visit to her brother Joseph at Nazareth. Other members of his family were kept away by pride, disappointment, misunderstanding, and petty resentment indulged as a result of hurt feelings.
====Leaving Galilee====
The first day Jesus and the apostles only journeyed as far as Tarichea, where they rested for the night. The next day they traveled to a point on the Jordan near Pella where John had preached about one year before.
This entire year of A.D. 27 was spent in quietly taking over John's work in Perea and Judea.
Said the Master:
Said the Master:
*"You have been taught to look for the coming of the kingdom of God, and now I come announcing that this long-looked-for kingdom is near at hand, even that it is already here and in our midst. In every kingdom there must be a king seated upon his throne and decreeing the laws of the realm. So have you developed a concept of the kingdom of heaven as a glorified rule of the Jewish people over all the peoples of the earth with Messiah sitting on David's throne and from this place of miraculous power promulgating the laws of all the world.
*"You have been taught to look for the coming of the kingdom of God, and now I come announcing that this long-looked-for kingdom is near at hand, even that it is already here and in our midst. In every kingdom there must be a king seated upon his throne and decreeing the laws of the realm. So have you developed a concept of the kingdom of heaven as a glorified rule of the Jewish people over all the peoples of the earth with Messiah sitting on David's throne and from this place of miraculous power promulgating the laws of all the world. But, my children, you see not with the eye of faith, and you hear not with the understanding of the spirit. I declare that the kingdom of heaven is the realization and acknowledgment of God's rule within the hearts of men. True, there is a King in this kingdom, and that King is my Father and your Father. We are indeed his loyal subjects, but far transcending that fact is the transforming truth that we are his sons. In my life this truth is to become manifest to all. Our Father also sits upon a throne, but not one made with hands. The throne of the Infinite is the eternal dwelling place of the Father in the heaven of heavens. He fills all things and proclaims his laws to universes upon universes. And the Father also rules within the hearts of his children on earth by the spirit that he has sent to live within the souls of mortal men.
*"When you are the subjects of this kingdom, you indeed are made to hear the law of the Universe Ruler. But when, because of the gospel of the kingdom that I have come to declare, you faith-discover yourselves as sons, you henceforth look not upon yourselves as law-subject creatures of an all-powerful king but as privileged sons of a loving and divine Father. Verily, verily, I say to you, when the Father's will is your law; you are hardly in the kingdom. But when the Father's will becomes truly your will, then are you in very truth in the kingdom because the kingdom has thereby become an established experience in you. When God's will is your law, you are noble slave subjects. But when you believe in this new gospel of divine sonship, my Father's will becomes your will, and you are elevated to the high position of the free children of God, liberated sons of the kingdom."
*"When you are the subjects of this kingdom, you indeed are made to hear the law of the Universe Ruler. But when, because of the gospel of the kingdom that I have come to declare, you faith-discover yourselves as sons, you henceforth look not upon yourselves as law-subject creatures of an all-powerful king but as privileged sons of a loving and divine Father. Verily, verily, I say to you, when the Father's will is your law; you are hardly in the kingdom. But when the Father's will becomes truly your will, then are you in very truth in the kingdom because the kingdom has thereby become an established experience in you. When God's will is your law, you are noble slave subjects. But when you believe in this new gospel of divine sonship, my Father's will becomes your will, and you are elevated to the high position of the free children of God, liberated sons of the kingdom."
====The Sojourn at Amathus====
====The Sojourn at Amathus====
The Master and his apostles remained near Amathus for almost three weeks. Andrew was much occupied with the task of adjusting the constantly recurring misunderstandings and disagreements between the disciples of John and the newer disciples of Jesus. When Andrew came to Jesus with these questions, he would always say:
The Master and his apostles remained near Amathus for almost three weeks.
Andrew was much occupied with the task of adjusting the constantly recurring misunderstandings and disagreements between the disciples of John and the newer disciples of Jesus.
When Andrew came to Jesus with these questions, he would always say:
*"It is not wise for the host to participate in the family troubles of his guests. A wise parent never takes sides in the petty quarrels of his own children."
*"It is not wise for the host to participate in the family troubles of his guests. A wise parent never takes sides in the petty quarrels of his own children."
====Teaching about the Father====
====Teaching about the Father====
While sojourning at Amathus, Jesus spent much time with the apostles instructing them in the new concept of God. Again and again did he impress upon them that God is a Father, not a great and supreme bookkeeper who is chiefly engaged in making damaging entries against his erring children on earth, recordings of sin and evil to be used against them when he subsequently sits in judgment upon them as the just Judge of all creation. The Jews had long conceived of God as a king over all, even as a Father of the nation, but never before had large numbers of mortal men held the idea of God as a loving Father of the individual.
While sojourning at Amathus, Jesus spent much time with the apostles instructing them in the new concept of God. Again and again did he impress upon them that God is a Father, not a great and supreme bookkeeper who is chiefly engaged in making damaging entries against his erring children on earth, recordings of sin and evil to be used against them when he subsequently sits in judgment upon them as the just Judge of all creation.
The Jews had long conceived of God as a king over all, even as a Father of the nation, but never before had large numbers of mortal men held the idea of God as a loving Father of the individual.
In answer to Thomas's question:
In answer to Thomas's question:
====Spiritual Unity====
====Spiritual Unity====
One of the most eventful of all the evening conferences at Amathus was the session having to do with the discussion of spiritual unity.
One of the most eventful of all the evening conferences at Amathus was the session having to do with the discussion of spiritual unity.
*"Simon, Simon, how many times have I instructed you to refrain from all efforts to take something out of the hearts of those who seek salvation? How often have I told you to labor only to put something into these hungry souls? Lead men into the kingdom, and the great and living truths of the kingdom will presently drive out all serious error. When you have presented to mortal man the good news that God is his Father, you can the easier persuade him that he is in reality a son of God. And having done that, you have brought the light of salvation to the one who sits in darkness. Simon, when the Son of Man came first to you, did he come denouncing Moses and the prophets and proclaiming a new and better way of life? I came not to take away that which you had from your forefathers but to show you the perfected vision of that which your fathers saw only in part. Go then, Simon, teaching and preaching the kingdom, and when you have a man safely and securely within the kingdom, then is the time, when such a one shall come to you with inquiries, to impart instruction having to do with the progressive advancement of the soul within the divine kingdom."
*"Simon, Simon, how many times have I instructed you to refrain from all efforts to take something out of the hearts of those who seek salvation? How often have I told you to labor only to put something into these hungry souls? Lead men into the kingdom, and the great and living truths of the kingdom will presently drive out all serious error. When you have presented to mortal man the good news that God is his Father, you can the easier persuade him that he is in reality a son of God. And having done that, you have brought the light of salvation to the one who sits in darkness. Simon, when the Son of Man came first to you, did he come denouncing Moses and the prophets and proclaiming a new and better way of life? I came not to take away that which you had from your forefathers but to show you the perfected vision of that which your fathers saw only in part. Go then, Simon, teaching and preaching the kingdom, and when you have a man safely and securely within the kingdom, then is the time, when such a one shall come to you with inquiries, to impart instruction having to do with the progressive advancement of the soul within the divine kingdom."
Simon was astonished at these words, but he did as Jesus had instructed him, and Teherma, the Persian, was numbered among those who entered the kingdom. That night Jesus discoursed to the apostles on the new life in the kingdom.
Simon was astonished at these words, but he did as Jesus had instructed him, and Teherma, the Persian, was numbered among those who entered the kingdom.
That night Jesus discoursed to the apostles on the new life in the kingdom.
He said:
He said: