<h2>Twelve Preachers Sent Out</h2><div class="chaptertitle">CHAPTER 39</div>
<div class='cap'>JESUS HAD now preached in nearly all parts of Galilee,
except in the middle portion, the region around
Nazareth, the home of his younger days. You
remember that when he had tried to speak in Nazareth,
soon after coming from Judea, the people refused to listen
to him, thinking that one who had been only a workingman
and not a Rabbi or scribe could not teach them
anything.</div>
<p>But Jesus loved those people in Nazareth, for many
of the men had been with him boys at school; and his own
sisters lived there with their children, boys and girls, who
were his nephews and nieces. He longed to see them all,
and made up his mind to go again to Nazareth, and see
if its people would this time listen to him. On his earlier
visit he had been alone, and the men of Nazareth in their
anger had tried to kill him by throwing him down a very
steep hill; but now Jesus had with him his twelve disciples
and many more who followed him from place to
place. On this visit the men of Nazareth did not venture
to do him harm, because of his many friends around
him.</p>
<p>As before, Jesus went to the village church on the
Sabbath day and preached. Again the people listened
to him with wonder at his words; but again they said:</p>
<p>"Is not this the carpenter who used to make plows
and hoes and tables for us? How can he teach us?"</p>
<p>He could only do a few of his great works, because the
people would not believe in him. He did, indeed, lay his
hands upon a few that were sick, and made them well;<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</SPAN></span>
but he could only wonder at the hardness of heart in
those among whom he had lived so many years.</p>
<p>Leaving Nazareth with a sad heart, he went around
the villages in middle Galilee, teaching in the churches
and curing sickness of all kinds. As he saw how poor
the people were, how
little they knew of the
truth, and how greatly
they longed for it, he
felt a great pity for
them. They seemed to
Jesus like sheep that
were lost and wandering,
not having any
shepherd. He said to
his disciples:</p>
<p>"The harvest truly
is rich, but the workers
in it are very few. Pray
very earnestly to the
Lord of the harvest that
he may send out workers
to gather in his
harvest."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus-243.jpg" width-obs="284" height-obs="450" alt="painting" /> <span class="caption">"Peace be to this house"</span></div>
<p>Jesus knew that
the time of his work in
Galilee was nearly ended.
There were other
parts of the land of Israel where he had not yet preached,
and he wished to visit them. He knew, too, what none
but himself knew, that in a year he would be taken away
from the earth, and his disciples would be left alone to
carry on his work and preach to all the people the news
of God's kingdom. He made up his mind to send out
his twelve disciples, whom he named "the apostles," and<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</SPAN></span>
to let them begin their work by preaching in the villages
of Galilee which he had not found time to visit.</p>
<p>So he called together his twelve disciples, and
divided them into pairs, sending two men together, that
they might help each other. He poured upon them some
of his own power to cure diseases and to cast out evil
spirits from men. He gave them commands about their
work, to whom they should go and how they should act.
He said:</p>
<p>"Do not go to any city of the Gentiles, the foreigners;
and keep away from the villages of the Samaritan people.
Your work just now is to be among the lost sheep of the
house of Israel. Go to the Jews throughout the land, and
tell them that the kingdom of God has come, and that
they may enter it. Cure the sick, raise the dead to life,
cleanse the lepers, cast out the evil spirits from men.
Give freely, without being paid; for you have received
the gift of God freely.</p>
<p>"Do not take with you any money of gold or silver
or copper in your girdle; nor a bag to carry food for the
road; nor two shirts, nor a pair of shoes; but go wearing
only sandals on your feet. For God's workman deserves
his food, and it will be given to him.</p>
<p>"When you come to a village, ask for some good man,
go to his house, and stay there while you are in that
village. Do not go visiting from one house to another.
When you come to a house say, 'Peace be to this house.'
If the people dwelling in that house are worthy of your
peace, then peace shall be given to them; if they are not
worthy, your peace shall come back to you. And if in
any place the people will not hear you nor give you
welcome, then as you go out of that house or that city,
take off your sandals and shake the dust of that place
from them as a sign. I say to you in truth that in the day
of judgment it shall be worse for the cities that have<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</SPAN></span>
refused you than for Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities
upon which God rained down fire.</p>
<p>"You are sent forth like sheep among wolves; so
be wise like serpents, yet harmless like doves. But you
must watch against evil men, for they will seize you and
hand you over to
courts to be judged;
you will be beaten
in their court-rooms;
you will be brought
before governors
and kings, because
you are my followers.
Now, when they
bring you up for
trial, do not be anxious
about what you
shall speak or how
you shall say it; for
what to speak shall
be given you when
you need it. For it
is not you that
speak, but the spirit
of your Father in
heaven that speaks
in you."</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus-245.jpg" width-obs="327" height-obs="450" alt="painting" /> <span class="caption">"Whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, he will not lose his reward"</span></div>
<p>Many more
words Jesus spoke to his twelve disciples; and at the end
of his charge he said this:</p>
<p>"Whoever receives you and listens to you, it is the
same as though he received me, your teacher; and whoever
receives me, receives my Father who sent me. He
that receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall
receive a prophet's reward. He who receives a good man<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</SPAN></span>
because he is a good man shall receive a good man's
reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones
even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple of mine,
I tell you truly, he will not lose his reward."</p>
<p>After giving his commands to the twelve disciples,
Jesus sent them out to preach, while he himself went to
other places telling the people the good news of the
Kingdom of God.</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus-246.jpg" width-obs="500" height-obs="491" alt="photo" /> <span class="caption">The great mosque at Damascus</span></div>
<hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</SPAN></span></p>
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