Jesus Heals a deformed hand on the Sabbath

This is the first record of the Pharisees trying to trap Jesus so that they could bring a charge against Him. in this one they specifically watch to see if he will heal on the Sabbath - Oooo that sounds naughty doesn't it!!??

So Jesus asks them point blank are you meant to be nice or do harm on the Sabbath (duh!), well apparently the Pharisees don't know the answer to this question, as they get into a big huff about it, when Jesus shows them that it's the former and not the latter.

A Discussion about the Sabbath

This is when Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees for allowing his disciples to eat ears of corn from a field on the Sabbath. Jesus points out that they are being anal, and that the Sabbath was designed for rest, not inconvenience.

A Discussion about Fasting

This is the passage where John's disciples ask Jesus why his disciples aren't fasting, Jesus tells them that the guests at a party would fast if the groom was there (which makes sense to me), but he then goes on to use 2 other parables which make no sense to most people, unless they have studied it before. These are the new wine in old wine skins, and the new patch on an old cloak. Most people that I know have no direct experience of these situations (wine comes in bottles not skins, and few people that I know still patch their clothes, and if they do they probably use preshrunk material, and aren't going to worry about the patch pulling away from the original garment. I asked about this one last year

Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)

In this passage Jesus meets Levi the Tax collector and just goes straight up to him and tells him to follow him. Levi/Matthew then has a party and invites his friends (other tax collectors as pretty much the rest of society shunned him), Jesus and his disciples. This is the passage in which Jesus teaches us that we don't have to clean up our act to become Christians we need to follow Christ and he will help us do it.

"Healthy people don't need a doctor--sick people do. I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough."

the second part of this quote talks of how we need to spend time in the world - and not shut ourselves off, otherwise how will we reach those that need Jesus the most (especially as they are more likely to realise so than those who already think they are good).
Matthew is disciple number five.

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

This is the story of the man who is lowered by his friends through the roof of the house where Jesus is teaching from - well at least that part is mentioned in Mark & Luke, Matthew doesn't mention it. They all however talk about Jesus forgiving the mans sins (which only God can do). This gets the pharisees' knickers in a twist as they get all upset over this, and so without them even having a chance to whinge about it to Jesus, he turns round and asks them;

"Why do you think this is blasphemy? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man, `Your sins are forgiven' or `Get up, pick up your mat, and walk'?"

So to prove that Jesus is who he says he is he tells the man to get up and walk, which he does! This impressed all those there at the time - it's a shame that so many non-believers write it off now .

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

This passage kinda skips ahead in Matthew, but unless he did it more than once (of which it is highly probable), I think they are talking on the same event. In this event a man turns up and asks Jesus to heal him fully knowing that he can. Jesus does so and then commands him to go give the offering as commanded by Moses. This part I am not quite sure about. I guess it is too demonstrate that His power comes from God and is not of his own, but I am not 100% about that.

Jesus Continues to Preach

In this Passage we see Jesus take one of his many trips into the wilderness. hmm maybe this is a good idea - I know I haven't done it for a while, but heading out into the wilderness to pray can definitely give you some time away to focus on God. The last time I tried it though my mind went everywhere, but where I wanted it to go. I think probably because I don't do it often enough, maybe if I practiced a bit more then I would be a little better at it!! Anyway the disciples head up a search party to find him and ask him to return to the city, but Jesus tells him that his message is for everyone not just them. They then head out and travel throughout the land, with Jesus teaching wherever they go.

Peter's Mother-in-law gets healed

This is one of the few times when Jesus heals a relative of the disciples - of course it doesn't get as much attention as raising Lazarus from the dead (how come he wasn't a disciple - he certainly gets more press than some of the others did!). Simon-Peter's mother-in-law has the fever and Jesus heals her - the callous would say so that he could be fed, as that is what she immediately does.

Jesus Casts Out a Demon

Here Jesus is challenged in the temple by a demon who says

"Why are you bothering us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One sent from God."

Jesus silences the demon and commands him to come out. This must have been very impressive to see, and it certainly has an immediate effect in the Synagogue as it creates an instant whisper as people discuss who this must be if he can cast out demons like that. The news of Jesus and his abilities then spreads through the region like wildfire.

The First Disciples

This is the story when Jesus picks up the fishermen that he wants for disciples. In Matthew, Mark & Luke they quote Jesus as saying

"come with me and be fishers of men"

Interestingly especially considering the story in Luke of what has just happened they put aside their whole business and do so (In Luke they have just landed the biggest catch they have ever had, and they don't even try to profit from that before going off with Jesus). This speaks volumes to me, I know that I would have real problems just getting up and leaving my job, and I have no idea how these guys do it, especially as they have only just met Jesus. As down to earth type guys who have been fishermen all their lives you figure that Jesus must have made a really good impression to be this effective. Also we don't hear any complaints from Zebedee (James & John's Dad), so I figure that Jesus had the same impression on him (he just knew that as he had a family to support and wasn't single like the other guys, that God needed him elsewhere) Hmmm does this speak to how missionaries, and full time ministers should work now? Not from the point of view that they should all be single, just that God will only call those who can support their family at the same time by doing so. Probably not, I could well be reading way too much into it.
Finally in John Jesus tells us that Simon is renamed to Cephas/Peter which means rock.
This brings the count of disciples to four.