After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.  Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’  Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.  Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 

Picture this scene: You are in a crowd, listening to Jesus preach. Of course, it’s wonderful, if you can even imagine the preaching of Jesus. And as Jesus is wrapping up, surprisingly, he calls you out of the crowd and up to the front with him.

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’

The life and ministry of Jesus frequently raised questions. And Jesus, always desiring to speak the truth, answered them as directly as possible. With one exception, he did not duck any question, even when he knew that his answer would not sit well with the questioner.

I went with my friend to see Jesus. Yes, I did. Why? Because he worried me, that’s why. I had not seen him like that, ever, and I was concerned for him. I still am. He seemed troubled, as if something was not right, and I wanted to be there with him when he met Jesus.

People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. But Jesus called for them and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’

“Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.’” (Luke 13)

The narrow door. What is it? Where can I find it? Why is it narrow? Does God purposely make it hard to enter?

Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”

At the time, it didn’t occur to me to consider how Jesus began his ministry. He invited me to follow him and I accepted, never thinking about his long-range plan or his strategy, or if he even had one.

But now, decades later, I can look back and reflect. And when I do, I can honestly say that it’s a miracle that the ministry of Jesus ever got off the ground.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also, for that is what I came out to do.” 

We Jews have long worshiped our YHWH God as the One God, the “God of the Universe.” You surely know that in our century, what you call the first century, other religions worship many gods. In fact, there is a whole panoply of gods, worshiped by Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and more. We Jews are alone in our insistence that there is only one God.

It’s a good thing that Jesus didn’t keep score. If he had, I believe that he might have been overwhelmed with discouragement. I mean, he came to bring the Kingdom of God “near” as he said, and to call us to repent. And now, as he is turning toward Jerusalem from his t

If you know anything about us, the twelve closest followers of Jesus, you have to wonder. I mean, you have to wonder why on earth did Jesus choose us? You surely understand how unlikely we are. I don’t need to list our faults and shortcomings, you probably already know them.

Once when he was in one of the cities, a man covered with a skin disease was there. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I am willing. Be made clean.” Immediately the skin disease left him. And he ordered him to tell no one.

“Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’”

“Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, ‘Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.’ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me.”

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.”

You’ve heard about Jesus the “divider.” I wrote to you about Him in my first letter.

But since then, things have changed, at least for me they have.

So, listen: Jesus never truly wanted to divide, only unite. But He knew how the world would receive him and that many would oppose His message of love, justice and mercy. He could see into the depths of our hearts, and He knew that some could not abide Him, as He so wanted. Actually, He desperately wanted to unite, not divide.

We’ve all been called to something at one time or another. Maybe it’s nothing more than a call from a friend to join a party or take a trip. Or perhaps it’s something much more serious, like a calling to a lifelong task or career, one that you may (or may not) feel qualified to perform. When the call comes, how do you respond? How do you decide?

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 

Here I am again, the “Anonymous Apostle.” You thought you were through with me, didn’t you? But I am back to tell you another story about Jesus. See what you think.