Study Desk

The bigwig preachers kept an eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the guy on the day of rest. They were always on the lookout for some way to talk bad about him.

Jesus said to the guy, "Come up front for a second."

Then Jesus turned to all the scowling preachers and said, "Is it against the Law to do something good for someone who is in a bad way?" They sat there and didn't say a word.

Jesus looked hard at them, but he felt sorry for 'em because of their stubbornness and pride. He told the guy with the crippled wing, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and it was completely normal.

they sent some people in to get him.Someone in the crowd said, "Hey! Your mom and brothers are outside looking for you."

He motioned toward all the cowboys who were sitting around and learning from him. "Here is my family right here. Whoever rides for the Boss's outfit is my family."

but they withered quickly because there was nowhere for the roots to go.

He told them, "The secret of the Boss's outfit has been given to you. But for the sake of everyone else, I teach with stories

The seed that fell on the road stands for those who hear the good news, but they let Satan take it away before it does anything to them.

The seed in the rocks stands for those who love the good news and immediately act like it changes their whole world.

The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear God's good news,

but the words that could save them are choked out by worry, lusting after money, and the desire for materialistic things.

If you got ears, you'd best use them for listening to what I'm saying."

And finally, the grain is ready for harvest. Then the farmer comes and cuts the wheat with a sickle."

But soon, after they had bedded down for the night, a terrible storm came upon them. Lightning struck all around and the wind threatened to blow them all away . . . if the waves didn't drown them first.

but Jesus told him to go home. "Tell people what God has done for you and that he had mercy on you."

There was also a woman in the crowd who had been bleeding for twelve years.

But Jesus ignored their jibe and continued to look for whoever had laid a hand on him.

"Isn't this that carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son? Aren't those his sisters who live near here?" Because of all their questions, they didn't hear him; because of their looking for answers elsewhere they couldn't see him; and they got offended that this ordinary fellow would stand up in front and dare to teach them.

Then Jesus said to 'em all, "A cowboy who rides for God gets respect for what he does everywhere except his hometown. All the people he grew up with, including his family, think they know who he really is, but they don't."