THE KING CAME BY

 

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CHAPTER 1 The new king

Firstly I must introduce myself, my name is Miriam and I have a story to tell you, such an amazing story, but I digress, who I am, is not as important as telling you my story of the events that happened a few years ago and how they changed my life. It was the beginning of the week of the Passover Feast when I gazed upon the man who would change my life forever. There was such excitement in the air some people had said a new King was coming into Jerusalem and he would come riding in on the back of a donkey, so we gathered in the streets on either side waving palm branches in our hands waving excitedly as this man, the new King came riding into town. Children were jumping up and down with excitement, this was an important moment because it had been heard that this King was going to deliver the Jews from the oppression of the Romans, so the crowds all left their places of work and came out in the streets to greet with excitement their new King and Deliverer. "Hosanna!" They shouted in unison, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" I heard them cry then they shouted and I joined in "Blessed is the King of Israel!" It was at that moment when I gazed into his eyes as he was passing and he gave me this huge smile such a beautiful smile, and his eyes there was something about them, his eyes were so tender, so loving, so piercing, in that moment I felt he could see right into the depths of my soul and all that I had ever done. I had never ever seen a man quite like this man, and it was not because the people around me were heralding him in as their King.

Somewhere deep within me I knew my life had been changed forever; our spiritual leaders in the Temple did not carry a presence like this man, what was that fragrance that I smelt from him? It was beautiful, a sweet fragrant essence and I felt my legs go heavy, I was transfixed to the spot, and it was in fact difficult for me to keep standing. I knew then that this was indeed the Messiah, the one we the Jewish people had been waiting for. Although the crowds gathered only a few really sought to follow him, but I followed on with the band of followers for I had to know more.

They told me tales of the deaf and blind being healed, the lame walking, and even the dead being raised. I had never heard stories like this before, a moment of doubt flooded into my mind “Surely they are only making those stories up,” but even as that thought came into my head something touched deep within my spirit and I knew that what they were telling me must indeed be truth.

They went on to tell me how the disciples had told them about a wedding in Cana of Galilee where their Lord and Master had changed the water into wine, and how he had fed more than five thousand people from five loaves and two little fishes, such amazing stories.

I felt a hunger deep within me to get really close to the King to the one they called Jesus of Nazareth. There was something so significant about His countenance, something that really drew me to Him.

When I met with Jesus I was thirty-nine years old and recently widowed, and I was still hurting from the grief of bereavement, yet when I saw Jesus so much of the pain I had felt within me was lifted off. He saw me and he saw my hurts and at one glance he gave me a peace which I had never known before, I had never met a man like this man and I just had to be part of his band of followers, I saw miracles and I heard Jesus speak and many bear witness to things that had happened like Jesus walking on water and one of the disciples Peter stepped out the boat in faith and started to walk towards him, but he let fear get a grip of him though and started to sink and He cried out to Jesus for help and Jesus caught him just in the nick of time and he saved him. I’m not sure I could have done what Peter done though, he stepped out in faith believing that he could walk on water because the one he saw walking on water towards them was none other than the Son of God and he would help and enable him to walk on water and he did exactly that, that’s the kind of faith I desire to have always, and to keep on walking on water without faltering.

Some Greeks who also came to worship at the Passover Feast were seeking out Jesus because they had heard report of some of his miracles. They approached Philip, from Bethsaida in Galilee, with this request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." So Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their midst, yet so many would not believe in him, they went their own way, others particularly those amongst Jewish Leadership were afraid to publicly let it be known that they had believed his words, because of repercussions. That was sad to witness but I knew with a surety I had heard the voice of God and that of the Messiah I had heard my mother speak about when I was a child sitting on her lap. How she loved to talk to me about her love for God and that she believed the Messiah, the Saviour was coming. My mother had passed on some six years past, she was a lovely lady whom I dearly loved and respected, I learned so much from her.

Jesus shortly after arriving in Jerusalem went into the temple and seeing what was going on there was far from pleased and he drove out all who bought and sold in the sacred place, and He turned over the four-footed tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who sold doves. He said to them, The Scripture says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.”

 

People who were blind and the lame came to Him in the porches and courts of the temple, and He healed them all. The chief priests and the scribes though even witnessed those wonderful things Jesus did and the young people cried out excitedly with hope and anticipation in the porches and courts of the temple, Hosanna to you the Son of David! And the Pharisees and scribes were angry and indignant and it was after that occasion I am sure that they started to collude and plot against the Lord.

So they said to Him, “Can you hear what they are saying?” Jesus replied “Yes, I have heard them, have you never read that, out of the mouths of babes and infants you find perfect praise?”

He left the city and went out to the town of Bethany a mile and a half east of Jerusalem and lodged there overnight.

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Erica

I'm looking forward to reading your book. I have a question for you, are you doing any Biblical research for your book? I am for mine and I was just wondering if it is as difficult for anyone else as it is for me. Thanks.

CHAPTER 2 The shrivelling fig tree

The following morning Jesus came back into Jerusalem what a delight it was to see him, and when he was approaching Jerusalem he saw a fig tree and was hopeful of finding figs to eat for breakfast but this tree had no figs growing on it, only leaves were growing on this tree and he ordered the tree to shrivel up and die. My new friends and I had just caught up with Jesus and the disciples when this happened. It was amazing to see this fig tree just shrivel up and die before our very eyes, but then this was the kind of authority with which Jesus spoke Even his closest disciples when saw it had shrivelled up and die rubbed their eyes, saying, "Did we really see this, a leafy tree one minute, a dry stick the next, wow!?"

But Jesus treated it like an every day occurrence; after all I now understand that He along with the Father and the Spirit as God created the heavens and the earth. And Jesus said, "If you embrace this kingdom life and don't doubt God, you'll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you'll be able to tell it to jump into the lake, and it will jump. Absolutely everything, small things to large things, as long as you make it a part of your believing prayer, your faith will get answered as you seek to do what God would have you do."

Then Jesus returned to the temple once again, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him asking what it was that he was teaching and they asked him "Show us your credentials, which authorized you to teach here?" Jesus answered, "Can I ask you a question first. You can answer my question and I'll answer yours. Regarding the baptism of John can you tell me who authorized it was it heaven or humans?" They felt awkward and were so obviously placed on the spot and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, "If we say 'heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe him; Even if we say 'humans,' we're up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet."

They decided to reply that they were unsure. "We don't know," they replied. Jesus said, "Then neither will I answer your question.

"Tell me what you think of this story: A man had two sons and he went to the first asking, Son, I want you to go out for the day and work in the vineyard.' "The son answered, 'I don't want to.' Later on he thought better of it and went. "The father gave the same command to the second son. He answered, 'Sure, glad to.' But he never went. "Which of the two sons did what the father asked?" They said, "The first." Jesus said, "Yes, and I tell you that thieves and the prostitutes are going to see God's kingdom before you.

John the Baptist came to you telling you how to go on the right road. You turned up your noses at him, but the crooks and whores believed him. Even when you saw their changed lives, you didn't care enough to change and believe him.

"Here's another story and I want you all to listen carefully. It’s about a man, a wealthy farmer, who planted a vineyard. He fenced the vineyard and dug a winepress then he put up a watchtower, and turned it over to the farmhands and went off on a trip. When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent his servants back to collect his profits. "The farmhands grabbed the first servant and beat him up. The next one they murdered. They threw stones at the third but he got away. The owner tried again, sending more servants. They got the same kind of treatment. The owner didn’t know what to do next. So he decided to send his son. 'Surely,' he thought, 'they will respect my son.' "But when the farmhands saw the son arrive, they rubbed their hands in greed.’this is his son and heir! Let's just kill him and have it all for ourselves.' So they grabbed the son, threw him out, and killed him.

“What then do you think will be the owner of the vineyard’s reaction when he arrives home from his trip, what do imagine he will do to the farmhands?"

They answered "He'll kill them for all they are a rotten bunch so good riddance to them, then he'll assign the vineyard to farmhands who will hand over the profits when it's time." Jesus looked at them, studying their faces and said, "That’s correct and you can read it for yourselves in God’s Word, the stone the masons threw out is now the cornerstone. This is God's work and it seems so marvellous to the eyes of men, it can hardly be believed! "You know God's kingdom will be taken back from you and handed over to a people who will really live out a kingdom life. Whoever stumbles on this Stone gets shattered; whoever the Stone falls on gets smashed."

When the Scribes and the Pharisees listened to this story, they knew it was aimed at them and hey wanted to arrest Jesus and put him in jail, but because the people would be outraged at that point in time they held back, because the people believed Jesus to be a prophet sent from God.

 

Jesus was an amazing story teller, He had so many stories to tell and he made those stories come alive, so many would gather and listen to him with tentative ears. He said "God's kingdom is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. Then he sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn't come! "So, he sent out more of his servants, instructing them to tell the guests, 'Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving you must come to the feast!' "They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his business. The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up the messengers and then they killed them. The king was furious and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city." Then he told his remaining servants, “We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited turned down their invitations. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.” The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they could find, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet hall was full with every place filled. When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn't properly dressed. He said to him, “Why have you come in here looking like that?” The man didn’t know how to answer. Then the king told his servants to get him out of here fast and just tie him up and ship him off to hell, making sure he couldn’t get back in. Jesus concluded this story by saying “This is what I mean when I say that many get invited but only a few make it.”

At the time I understood only a little of the significance of what Jesus was saying. But now I know that he was telling us all but particularly here this story was directed at the Jewish leaders that they like the rest of us as Jews have always had a special place in God’s heart but although they were rejecting the invitation Jesus was extending to his own wedding feast in heaven, he was going to invite others who will say yes to His invitation to come along, inviting people of every tribe and nation of the world to come along as well as all of the Jewish nation who will respond to his invitation to come to this wonderful wedding of Jesus the King of Kings.

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INVITATION TO A WEDDING (the Wedding Feast of the Lamb)

My dear friend

Hello there, I want to extend an invitation personally to you,

I am so excited and looking forward to my Wedding Day,

That day is coming soon and I would love for you to be there too,

Come and follow me and throughout eternity with me you will stay.

For I am so longing for you to come running into my arms,

My arms are opened wide and I am calling out your name,

Come to me I want you to be part of the true church, my bride,

Dear one, this world has no answers, come and in me abide.

I loved you so much that I came and died on the cross for you,

And now I’m longing for the day you will say” I love you too,”

This wedding feast will be like no party you have ever seen,

Come to me and you will be happier than you have ever been.

Dear friend I am looking forward with anticipation for your reply,

Repent of your sins and I will remember them no more,

And all heaven will be rejoicing as I will be throwing a party.

I will prepare a mansion just for you as part of the bride I adore.

People from every tribe and nation have answered my call,

They have said yes to me and they have surrendered their all,

I want to pour my love upon you and give you real peace,

This love I have for you my friend will never ever cease.

The Groom –JESUS CHRIST

RSVP

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CHAPTER 3 The ensnarers

The Pharisees thought they would lay a trap for Jesus, they sent some of their own disciples to ask him questions. They said “Teacher we know you are a good man, a man of integrity you teach God’s ways accurately, and you are indifferent to popular opinion, and don't pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

Jesus saw though that this was a trap they were trying to ensnare him with and you should have seen the expressions on their faces when he answered them. "You crowd of hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a coin.” They handed him a denarius. He held it up and showed them Caesar’s portrait and inscription “Who do you see here? Render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s.” They went away astonished at his words and they could not reply after that, they speechlessly hurried on their way.

Later that day the Sadducees decided to come and quiz Jesus themselves on the resurrection of the dead which they did not believe in. "Teacher," they said, "Moses said that if a man who has no children dies, his brother must marry the widow so that they can have children who will be considered the dead man's children. Here's an illustration where there were seven brothers. The first brother married and died, leaving no child, and his wife passed to his brother. The second brother also left her childless, then the third--and on and on, all seven. Then the wife died. At the resurrection, whose wife would she be? She was a wife to each of them.”

Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will not marry nor will they be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven .But about the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

Many were gathered there listening to this, and we were astonished at his teaching, nobody else taught quite like Jesus. The Sadducees were silenced at this point and slipped away.

Not to be outdone the Pharisees hearing about how Jesus had outdone their disciples and then the Sadducees decided to come against Jesus with an onslaught. One of them asked "Teacher, which commandment in God's Law is the most important?" Jesus answered “Love the Lord your God with your whole heart and soul and with your whole mind. This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is just like it you must love your neighbour as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Before the Pharisees had the chance to ask anything else, wile they were still trying to conjure stuff up in their minds Jesus threw a question into the mix. He asked them "What do you think about the Christ?

Whose son is he?"

They answered "David's son."

Jesus replied, "Well, if this is so and Christ is David's son, how can you explain that David, under inspiration, named Christ his 'Lord’? The scripture says the Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."

They stood perplexed, not knowing how to answer. Jesus had the upper hand and he asked them “If David calls him 'Lord, how the Christ can be his son?"

The Pharisees were literalists and were stuck for an answer. They turned away for they could see that Jesus had the upper hand and they did not know how to confound this man.

I was glad to see them go, they may have been our religious leaders but something troubled me about them. Jesus was about to clarify some of that to me and the others who sat at his feet.

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CHAPTER 4 God's authority

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CHAPTER 5 Story of the ten virgins

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CHAPTER 6 Jesus betrayed

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CHAPTER 7 Crucify Him

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CHAPTER 8 Golgotha's hill

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CHAPTER 9 Sadness turns to joy

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CHAPTER 10 Jesus is alive

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