One Story That Leads to Jesus, Day 244
Matthew 17
17Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone.G2532G3326G1803G2250G2424G3880G4074G2532G2385G2532G2491G846G80G2532G399G846G399G1519G5308G3735G2596G23982As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.G2532G3339G1715G846G2532G846G4383G2989G5613G2246G1161G846G2440G1096G3022G5613G54573Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.G2532G2400G3700G846G3475G2532G2243G4814G3326G8464Peter exclaimed, "Lord, it's wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I'll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."G1161G611G4074G2036G2424G2962G2076G2570G2248G1511G5602G1487G2309G4160G5602G5140G4633G3391G4671G2532G3391G3475G2532G3391G22435But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him."G846G2089G2980G2400G5460G3507G1982G846G2532G2400G5456G1537G3507G3004G3778G2076G3450G27G5207G1722G3739G2106G191G8466The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.G2532G3101G191G4098G1909G846G4383G2532G4970G53997Then Jesus came over and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid."G2532G2424G4334G680G846G2532G2036G1453G2532G5399G3361G53998And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.G1161G1869G846G3788G1492G3762G1508G2424G34419As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."G2532G846G2597G575G3735G2424G1781G846G3004G2036G3705G3367G2193G3739G5207G444G450G1537G349810Then his disciples asked him, "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?"G2532G846G3101G1905G846G3004G5101G3767G3004G1122G3754G2243G1163G4412G206411Jesus replied, "Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready.G1161G2424G611G2036G846G2243G3303G4412G2064G2532G600G395612But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn't recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer."G1161G3004G5213G3754G2243G2064G2235G2532G1921G846G3756G235G4160G1722G846G3745G2309G3779G3195G2532G5207G444G3958G5259G84613Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.G5119G3101G4920G3754G2036G846G4012G2491G91014At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said,G2532G846G2064G4314G3793G4334G846G444G1120G846G2532G300415"Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.G2962G1653G3450G5207G3754G4583G2532G2560G3958G1063G4178G4098G1519G4442G2532G4178G1519G520416So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."G2532G4374G846G4675G3101G2532G1410G3756G2323G84617Jesus said, "You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."G1161G2424G611G2036G5599G571G2532G1294G1074G2193G4219G2071G3326G5216G2193G4219G430G5216G5342G846G5602G342718Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.G2532G2424G2008G1140G2532G846G1831G575G846G2532G3816G2323G575G1565G561019Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"G5119G4334G3101G2424G2596G2398G2036G1302G1410G3756G2249G1544G846G154420"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."G1161G2424G2036G846G1223G5216G570G1063G281G3004G5213G1437G2192G4102G5613G2848G4615G2046G5129G3735G3327G1782G1563G2532G3327G2532G3762G101G521321G1161G5124G1085G1607G3756G1607G1508G1722G4335G2532G352122After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.G1161G846G390G1722G1056G2424G2036G846G5207G444G3195G3860G1519G5495G44423He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead." And the disciples were filled with grief.G2532G615G846G2532G5154G2250G1453G2532G4970G307624On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the Temple tax?"G1161G846G2064G1519G2584G2983G1323G4334G4074G2532G2036G5055G3756G5216G1320G5055G132325"Yes, he does," Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, "What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?"G3004G3483G2532G3753G1525G1519G3614G2424G4399G846G3004G5101G1380G4671G4613G575G5101G2983G935G1093G2983G5056G2228G2778G575G846G5207G2228G575G24526"They tax the people they have conquered," Peter replied. "Well, then," Jesus said, "the citizens are free!G4074G3004G846G575G245G2424G5346G846G686G1526G5207G165827However, we don't want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us."G1161G3363G4624G846G4198G1519G2281G906G44G2532G142G2486G4412G305G2532G455G846G4750G2147G4715G1565G2983G1325G846G473G1700G2532G4675
Matthew 18
18About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"G1722G1565G5610G4334G3101G2424G3004G5101G686G2076G3187G1722G932G3772 2Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.G2532G2424G4341G3813G4341G2476G846G1722G3319G846 3Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.G2532G2036G281G3004G5213G3362G4762G2532G1096G5613G3813G1525G3364G1525G1519G932G3772 4So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.G3748G3767G5013G1438G5613G5124G3813G3778G2076G3187G1722G932G3772 5"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.G2532G3739G1437G1209G1520G5108G3813G1909G3450G3686G1209G1691 6But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.G1161G3739G302G4624G1520G5130G3398G3588G4100G1519G1691G4851G846G2443G3458G3684G2910G1909G846G5137G2532G2670G1722G3989G2281 7"What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.G3759G2889G575G4625G1063G318G2076G4625G2064G4133G3759G444G1565G1223G3739G4625G2064 8So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet.G1161G1487G4675G5495G2228G4675G4228G4624G1581G846G1581G2532G906G575G4571G4675G2076G2570G4671G1525G1519G2222G5560G2228G2948G2228G2192G1417G5495G2228G1417G4228G906G1519G166G4442 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.G2532G1487G4675G3788G4624G4571G1807G846G1807G2532G906G575G4675G2076G2570G4671G1525G1519G2222G3442G2228G2192G1417G3788G906G1519G1067G4442 10"Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.G3708G2706G3361G1520G5130G3398G1063G3004G5213G3754G1722G3772G846G32G1223G3956G991G4383G3450G3962G3588G1722G3772 11G1063G5207G444G2064G4982G3588G622 12"If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?G5101G1380G5213G1437G5100G444G1096G1540G4263G2532G1520G1537G846G4105G863G3780G863G1768G4198G1909G3735G2212G3588G4105 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn't wander away!G2532G1437G1096G2147G846G281G3004G5213G3754G5463G3123G1909G846G2228G1909G1768G3588G4105G3361G4105 14In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish.G3779G2076G3756G2307G1715G5216G3962G3588G1722G3772G2443G1520G5130G3398G622 15"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.G1161G1437G4675G80G264G1519G4571G5217G2532G1651G846G1651G3342G4675G2532G846G3441G1437G191G4675G2770G4675G80 16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.G1161G3362G191G3362G191G3880G3326G4675G1520G2228G1417G2089G2443G1909G4750G1417G2228G5140G3144G3956G4487G2476 17If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.G1161G1437G3878G846G2036G1577G1161G2532G1437G3878G1577G2077G4671G5618G1482G2532G5057 18"I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.G281G3004G5213G3745G1437G1210G1909G1093G2071G1210G1722G3772G2532G3745G1437G3089G1909G1093G2071G3089G1722G3772 19"I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.G3825G3004G5213G3754G1437G1417G5216G4856G1909G1093G4012G3956G4229G3739G1437G154G1096G846G3844G3450G3962G3588G1722G3772 20For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."G1063G3757G1417G2228G5140G1526G4863G1519G1699G3686G1563G1510G1722G3319G846 21Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"G5119G4334G4074G846G2036G2962G4212G3450G80G264G1519G1691G2532G863G846G2193G2034 22"No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!G2424G3004G846G3004G3756G4671G2193G2034G235G2193G1441G2033 23"Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.G1223G5124G932G3772G3666G444G935G3739G2309G4868G3056G3326G846G1401 24In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.G1161G846G756G4868G1520G4374G846G3781G846G3463G5007 25He couldn't pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.G1161G846G2192G3361G591G846G2962G2753G846G4097G2532G846G1135G2532G5043G2532G3956G3745G2192G2532G591 26"But the man fell down before his master and begged him, 'Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.'G1401G3767G4098G4352G846G3004G2962G3114G1909G1698G2532G591G4671G3956 27Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.G1161G2962G1565G1401G4697G630G846G2532G863G846G1156 28"But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.G1161G1565G1401G1831G2147G1520G846G4889G3739G3784G846G1540G1220G2532G2902G846G4155G3004G591G3427G3748G3784 29"His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it,' he pleaded.G3767G846G4889G4098G1519G846G4228G3870G846G3004G3114G1909G1698G2532G591G4671G3956 30But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.G1161G2309G3756G235G565G906G846G1519G5438G2193G3739G591G3784 31"When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.G1161G846G4889G1492G1096G4970G3076G2532G2064G1285G846G2962G3956G1096 32Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.G5119G846G2962G4341G846G3004G846G4190G1401G863G4671G3956G1565G3782G1893G3870G3165 33Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'G1163G3756G4571G2532G1653G4675G4889G2532G5613G1473G1653G4571 34Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.G2532G846G2962G3710G3860G846G930G2193G3739G591G3956G3784G846 35"That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart."G3779G3450G2032G3962G4160G2532G5213G3362G575G5216G2588G863G3362G1538G846G80G846G3900
Psalms 89
89[A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.] I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.H4905H387H250H7891H2617H3068H5769H6310H3045H530H1755H17552Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.H559H2617H1129H5769H530H3559H80643The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him.H3772H1285H972H7650H1732H56504‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” InterludeH2233H3559H5704H5769H1129H3678H1755H1755H55425All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.H8064H3034H6382H3068H530H6951H69186For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?H7834H6186H3068H1121H410H1819H30687The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.H410H7227H6206H5475H6918H3372H54398O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful.H3068H430H6635H2626H3050H530H54399You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves.H4910H1348H3220H1530H7721H762310You crushed the great sea monster. You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.H1792H7294H1792H2491H6340H341H5797H222011The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.H8064H776H8398H4393H324512You created north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.H6828H3225H1254H8396H2768H7442H803413Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.H1369H2220H5810H3027H7311H322514Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.H6664H4941H4349H3678H2617H571H6923H644015Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.H835H5971H3045H8643H1980H3068H216H644016They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness.H8034H1523H3117H6666H731117You are their glorious strength. It pleases you to make us strong.H8597H5797H7522H7161H7311H731118Yes, our protection comes from the Lord, and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.H3068H4043H6918H3478H442819Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people. You said, “I have raised up a warrior. I have selected him from the common people to be king.H1696H2377H2623H559H7737H5828H1368H7311H977H597120I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil.H4672H1732H5650H6944H8081H488621I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong.H3027H3559H2220H55322His enemies will not defeat him, nor will the wicked overpower him.H341H5378H1121H5766H603123I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him.H3807H6862H6440H5062H813024My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and by my authority he will grow in power.H530H2617H8034H7161H731125I will extend his rule over the sea, his dominion over the rivers.H7760H3027H3220H3225H510426And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’H7121H1H410H6697H344427I will make him my firstborn son, the mightiest king on earth.H5414H1060H5945H4428H77628I will love him and be kind to him forever; my covenant with him will never end.H2617H8104H5769H1285H53929I will preserve an heir for him; his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.H2233H7760H5703H3678H3117H806430But if his descendants forsake my instructions and fail to obey my regulations,H1121H5800H8451H3212H494131if they do not obey my decrees and fail to keep my commands,H2490H2708H8104H468732then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their disobedience with beating.H6485H6588H7626H5771H506133But I will never stop loving him nor fail to keep my promise to him.H2617H6331H530H826634No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.H1285H2490H8138H4161H819335I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie.H259H7650H6944H3576H173236His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun.H2233H5769H3678H812137It will be as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky!” InterludeH3559H5769H3394H539H5707H7834H554238But now you have rejected him and cast him off. You are angry with your anointed king.H2186H3988H5674H489939You have renounced your covenant with him; you have thrown his crown in the dust.H5010H1285H5650H2490H5145H77640You have broken down the walls protecting him and ruined every fort defending him.H6555H1448H7760H4013H428841Everyone who comes along has robbed him, and he has become a joke to his neighbors.H5674H1870H8155H2781H793442You have strengthened his enemies and made them all rejoice.H7311H3225H6862H341H805543You have made his sword useless and refused to help him in battle.H7725H6697H2719H6965H442144You have ended his splendor and overturned his throne.H2892H7673H4048H3678H4048H77645You have made him old before his time and publicly disgraced him. InterludeH3117H5934H7114H5844H955H554246O Lord, how long will this go on? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger burn like fire?H3068H5641H5331H2534H1197H78447Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence!H2142H2465H1254H1121H120H772348No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave. InterludeH1397H2421H7200H4194H4422H5315H3027H7585H554249Lord, where is your unfailing love? You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.H136H7223H2617H7650H1732H53050Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced! I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.H2142H136H2781H5650H5375H2436H7227H597151Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord; they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.H341H2778H3068H2778H6119H489952Praise the Lord forever! Amen and amen!H1288H3068H5769H543H543
Dublin, OH
—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."G1161
