The Story of Jesus The Christ - Helen Braun Hojt

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to the evil spirit, “ Be quiet, and come out

      of him.» The man fell to the floor where he tossed about for a

      few minutes. When he stood again he was like other people.

      The evil spirit had gone forever. He was insane no more.

      Every person in the synagogue was filled with wonder, and

      one began asking another: “ What does this mean? Where does

      this nian get his power? For he commands even the unclean

      spirits and they obey him.» And in all the country round about

      in Galilee people talked of what had happened here.

      After the service was over Jesus and his four friends went to

      Peter’s house, for they were all to take dinner there. Peter’s

      wife’s mother lived with him, and when Jesus reached the house

      he found her very sick with a fever. He went right into the

      room where she lay. Her skin was dry and hot, and she was in

      great pain. The Saviour stood over her, took her hand in his,

      and lifted her up. At once the fever left her, and she was well;

      so well that she was able to get up and wait on the visitors.

      THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

      The Jewish Sabbath ended at sunset on the day we call Sat¬

      urday, and hardly had the sun gone down this Sabbath afternoon

      when men and women came in crowds to Peter’s door. They

      had heard of what Jesus had done that day, and every one had

      brought with him some sick friend whom he wanted the Saviour

      to help. All sorts of peo] 3le came; men and women, old and

      young, those who had been sick a little while, and those who had

      been sick so long that they never expected to be any better.

      There were also many with evil spirits, like the one who had

      cried out in the synagogue that morning.

      46

      A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

      Jesus was tired. Do you think he felt like seeing all these

      needy people and doing something for every one of them? He

      did not think of himself. He thought of their pain, and, laying

      his hands on all the sick ones, he cured them and drove out all

      the evil spirits.

      Early the next morning, long before sunrise, he slipped quietly

      away from the house and walked out into the country where he

      could be alone with God

      and pray. For Jesus, the

      Son of God, felt that he

      needed to ask his Father

      for help and strength to

      do his work. But he was

      not alone long. Peter and

      the other disciples came to

      him, and said, “ The people

      have come again this morn¬

      ing for help and are look¬

      ing for you.» Jesus an¬

      swered: “ We must not stay

      here any longer, for people

      in other places need us.

      Let us go to the next towns

      that I ma}» preach there

      also.»

      By this time many of

      the men and women who

      Healing the Sick had followed the disciples

      joined them and begged

      Jesus not to leave Capernaum. But he could not do as they

      wished. He said, u 1 must go and preach the Kingdom of God

      to other cities, also, for that is my work.»

      TIIE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

      47

      So lie left Capernaum and went through other towns of

      Galilee, healing the sick and teaching in the synagogues.

      While passing through one of these cities a man who was a

      leper saw him and kneeled down before him. Now leprosy is

      a very dreadful disease or

      sickness that people in hot

      countries sometimes have;

      and one who takes the dis¬

      ease almost never gets free

      from it. He is called a

      leper, and is not allowed

      to touch anybody, for a

      touch might give the dis¬

      ease to the one who did not

      have it. He must leave

      his home and live with

      other lepers, and if he sees

      any one coming near him

      he must call out so that

      they will keep away. The

      Jews always called out

      «Unclean! Unclean!»

      But this leper did not

      cry “ Unclean.» He went

      as near Jesus as he dared,

      fell down before him and said, «Lord, if you are willing you can

      make me well.» The Saviour felt sorry for the poor man; he

      put out his hand and touched him and said, “ I am willing; you

      shall be well.» As soon as he spoke the leprosy left the man;;

      he was well.

      Jesus said, “ Tell no man how you were cured, but go and

      show yourself to the priest.»

      The Great Physician

      48

      A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

      The leper must do that to obey the law of the country, which

      was somewhat like this: If a man who thought he had leprosy

      found that it was a mistake and he did not have the disease, or

      if one who was a leper had been cured of his trouble, he must

      first go to the priest and prove that he was free from the disease.

      Then he must go through a form of cleansing, and the priest must

      offer sacrifices for him. After all this had been done he was

      called clean and allowed to live with his family again. The

      lepers went to the priests to be sure that they did not have the

      disease, because the priests were the ones who were taught to

      know the disease whenever they saw it; and they were the ones

      who had

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