The Provocative Community of Jesus

1 Peter 3:8-18

8Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. 10For
‘Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; 
11let them turn away from evil and do good;
 let them seek peace and pursue it. 
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
 and his ears are open to their prayer.
 But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’
13Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.

The Thirst of Jesus

Mark 14:17-26

17 When it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ 19They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ 20He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. 21For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’
22While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ 23Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’
26When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Brings Joy to the Feast

John 2:1-11

1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine gave out, the
mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what
concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5His mother said to the servants,
“Do whatever he tells you.” 6Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of
purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.”
And they filled them up to the brim. 8He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the
chief steward.” So they took it. 9When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did
not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward
called the bridegroom 10and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the
inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples
believed in him.

The Aggressive Forgiveness of Jesus

Luke 5:17-26, NRSV

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.’