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him to do some

      miracle to prove that

      he was the Christ.

      When they saw he

      would do no miracle,

      but only wanted to

      talk to them, they

      grew more and more

      angry, till at last they Jesus rejected at Nazareth

      were too angry to

      listen any longer. They rose, took hold of him, and led him out

      of the room to a high hill, meaning to throw him down and kill

      him. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went

      away, very sad.

      42

      A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

      Jesus went from Nazareth to Capernaum, and there the people

      made him very welcome. As soon as they heard of his being in

      the city they crowded around him to hear him talk. One morn¬

      ing as the people were pressing close about him lie stood by the

      Sea of Galilee. There

      were two fishing-boats

      on the shore of the lake

      belonging to his four

      disciples. The fisher¬

      men were not in their

      boats but were near

      by washing their nets.

      Jesus stepped into one

      of the boats, which be¬

      longed to Peter and

      Andrew, and asked

      Peter to push out a

      little from the land.

      He could talk more

      easily if the people

      were not so close about

      him. Peter did as he

      was asked. Then Jesus

      sat down and taught

      Christ on the Shore of the Lake

      the people.

      When he had finished talking he said to Peter, «Now push

      out into deep water and let down your net for a haul of fishes.»

      Peter had seen enough of his Master to trust him, and obeyed at

      once. But when they came to the deep water he said, “ Master,

      we have been out all night, and have caught nothing. Yet, be¬

      cause you have asked me to do so I will let down the net.» And

      he let it down. When he began to pull it in it seemed heavy.

      THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

      43

      He looked; the net was so full of fishes that it had broken. He

      and Andrew could not pull it in, and called to their friends in the

      other boat to come and help them. John and James came at

      once, and together the four men pulled in so many fishes that

      both boats were full, and began to sink. How surprised they

      were!

      Peter, who had obeyed his Master because he loved him, but

      who had not believed that they would catch any fish, fell down at

      his Lord’s knees and

      said, “ Depart from me,

      for I am a sinful man,

      0 Lord.» He said this,

      not because he wanted

      Jesus to leave him, but

      because he did not feel

      good enough to be the

      friend of this wonderful

      Christ.

      Jesus knew what he

      meant, and after they

      had taken their boats

      to land he asked Peter

      and the other disciples

      too, if they would not

      like to go with him and

      become fishers of men.

      How could they be

      that? By helping to Christ and the Fishermen

      save men as their Mas¬

      ter was doing; by throwing a net of love around them, which

      would draw them away from wicked places and wicked com¬

      panions; then by teaching them to love God and keep his com-

      44

      A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

      mandments. When Jesus asked if they would do this, they

      gladly left their boats and nets and followed him. They stayed

      with him all the time he was on earth, travelling through the

      cities and villages with him, hearing him teach the people, and

      learning many things from him in their long quiet talks. After

      he left them they still

      tried to teach the people

      what they had learned

      from him.

      On the Sabbath day

      they went together to

      the synagogue at Ca¬

      pernaum and Jesus

      taught the lesson.

      Most of the people of

      this city loved to listen

      to him; for he knew

      how to explain what he

      had read and made the

      service very interest¬

      ing.

      This day an insane

      man was in the syna¬

      gogue. The Jews be¬

      lieved that if a person

      was insane it was be¬

      cause a wicked spirit got into him which was stronger than he

      was and so made him do these strange things. They thought

      that if the evil spirit could be driven out the man would be like

      other people.

      The people were quietly listening to what Jesus was saying

      w T hen all at once this insane man called out: “ Let us alone. What

      The Cure of the Insane Man

      THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

      45

      have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to

      destroy us? I know who you are; the Holy one of God.»

      Every

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