Matthew 28

1 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb.2 Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it.3 Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white.4 The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.5 The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross.6 He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.7 “Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”8 The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples.9 Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. “Good morning!” he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him.10 Jesus said, “You’re holding on to me for dear life! Don’t be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I’ll meet them there.”11 Meanwhile, the guards had scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened.12 They called a meeting of the religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of money and gave it to the soldiers,13 bribing them to say, “His disciples came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping.”14 They assured them, “If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we will make sure you don’t get blamed.”15 The soldiers took the bribe and did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council, is still going around.16 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion.17 The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.18 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you:19 Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.20 Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Mark 1

1 The good news of Jesus Christ—the Message!—begins here,

2 following to the letter the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Watch closely: I’m sending my preacher ahead of you;
He’ll make the road smooth for you.

3 Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!4 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins.5 People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life.6 John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.7 As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life.8 I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”9 At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.10 The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him.

11 Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”
God’s Kingdom Is Here12 At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild.13 For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him.14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God:15 “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”16 Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work.17 Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.”18 They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.19 A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets.

20 Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.
Confident Teaching21 Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching.22 They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars.23 Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and yelling out,24 “What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you’re up to! You’re the Holy One of God, and you’ve come to destroy us!”25 Jesus shut him up: “Quiet! Get out of him!”26 The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms, protesting loudly—and got out.27 Everyone there was incredulous, buzzing with curiosity. “What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and sends them packing!”28 News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee.29 Directly on leaving the meeting place, they came to Simon and Andrew’s house, accompanied by James and John.30 Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus.31 He went to her, took her hand, and raised her up. No sooner had the fever left than she was up fixing dinner for them.32 That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him,33 the whole city lined up at his door!

34 He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn’t let them say a word.
The Leper35 While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed.36 Simon and those with him went looking for him.37 They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.”38 Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I’ve come.”39 He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons.40 A leper came to him, begging on his knees, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.”41 Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.”42 Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy.43 Jesus dismissed him with strict orders:44 “Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people.”

45 But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over.
A Paraplegic

Mark 2

1 After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home.2 A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word.3 They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men.4 When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher.5 Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.”6 Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves,7 “He can’t talk that way! That’s blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.”8 Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical?9 Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking’?10 Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . .” (he looked now at the paraplegic),11 “Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.”

12 And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!”
The Tax Collector13 Then Jesus went again to walk alongside the lake. Again a crowd came to him, and he taught them.14 Strolling along, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, at his work collecting taxes. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” He came.15 Later Jesus and his disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers.16 The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: “What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riff-raff?”

17 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit.”
Feasting or Fasting?18 The disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees made a practice of fasting. Some people confronted Jesus: “Why do the followers of John and the Pharisees take on the discipline of fasting, but your followers don’t?”19 Jesus said, “When you’re celebrating a wedding, you don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but not now. As long as the bride and groom are with you, you have a good time. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come!”21 He went on, “No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match.22 And you don’t put your wine in cracked bottles.”23 One Sabbath day he was walking through a field of ripe grain.24 As his disciples made a path, they pulled off heads of grain. The Pharisees told on them to Jesus: “Look, your disciples are breaking Sabbath rules!”25 Jesus said, “Really? Haven’t you ever read what David did when he was hungry, along with those who were with him?26 How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, with the Chief Priest Abiathar right there watching—holy bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat—and handed it out to his companions?”27 Then Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to serve us; we weren’t made to serve the Sabbath.

28 The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath. He’s in charge!”
Doing Good on the Sabbath