Jesus Brings Wholeness

Luke 5:12-26

12
Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw
Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make
me clean.’ 13Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I do choose. Be made
clean.’ Immediately the leprosy left him. 14And he ordered him to tell no one. ‘Go’, he said, ‘and
show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a
testimony to them.’ 15But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds
would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. 16But he would withdraw to deserted
places and pray.
17
One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting nearby (they had
come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord
was wit him to heal. 18Just then some men came, carrying a paralysed man on a bed. They were
trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; 19but finding no way to bring him in because of
the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the
middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. 20When he saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are
forgiven you.’ 21Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, ‘Who is this who is
speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ 22When Jesus perceived their
questionings, he answered them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 23Which is
easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you”, or to say, “Stand up and walk”? 24But so that you
may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the one who
was paralysed—‘I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.’ 25Immediately he
stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God.
26
Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We
have seen strange things today.’

Jesus Goes Public

Mark 1:14-20

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and
saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the
good news."
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into
the sea-- for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish
for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he
saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.
Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and
followed him.

A Fearless Witness

John 1:19-34

19Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him
who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."
21They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the
Prophet?" He answered, "No."
22Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do
you say about yourself?"
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert,
'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "
24Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are
not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the
one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."
28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has
surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came
baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain
on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told
me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the
Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

What if God Was One of Us? – The Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:13-17
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter
him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then
John consented.
16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was
opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice
from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."