Shining Light Tells the Good Story 12

CREATOR SEES ALL

1Many thousands of people were now crowding around Creator Sets Free (Jesus), so many that they were trampling on each other. Before he spoke to the crowd, he first said to his followers, “Be on the lookout for the teachings#12:1 Lit. yeast of the Separated Ones (Pharisees) who put on a false face. 2Remember, nothing can be hidden from Creator’s eyes. He will uncover all secrets. 3What is spoken in darkness will be heard in the light, and what is whispered in secret will be shouted from the rooftops.

4“Hear me, my friends, do not fear the ones who can kill only the body. For there is nothing more they can do. 5You should fear the one who, after you have been killed, has the right to throw you into the Valley of Smoldering Fire. This is what should make you tremble.

6“Five small winged ones could be traded for two stones, yet Creator cares for each of them. 7He even knows the number of hairs on your head. Do not fear. Are you not worth more to him than many small winged ones?

8“Listen! When you represent me before others, the True Human Being will represent you before Creator’s spirit-messengers. 9But the ones who disown me will be disowned before them.

10“Anyone who speaks against the True Human Being can be forgiven, but speaking evil of the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11“When they drag you into their gathering houses and before government rulers, do not worry how to defend yourselves or what to say. 12When that time comes, the Holy Spirit will give you the words to speak.”

LOOK OUT FOR GREED

13Someone from the crowd pushed forward and said to him, “Wisdomkeeper, tell my brother to give me my part of what our father left to us.”

14Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to him, “Who made me the one to decide this between you and your brother? 15Watch your step, or greed will make you stumble. Remember, one’s life is not made up of many possessions.”

There were many people in the crowd who heard what he said about possessions, 16so he told this story to help them see more clearly.

“A man with many possessions had a field that was growing a great harvest of food. 17‘What will I do with all this food?’ he said to himself. ‘I have no room in my storage barns for this great harvest.’

“The man thought about it and then said to himself again, 18‘I know what I will do, I will tear down my old storage barns and build larger ones. 19I will have enough to last me many winters. Then I will take my rest, eat, drink, and celebrate.’

20“But the Great Spirit said to him, ‘Why are you being so foolish? This is the day you will cross over to death and give an answer for your life. Now who will get the goods you have stored up for yourself?’”

Creator Sets Free (Jesus) let the people think about the story, and then he said, 21“This is how it will be for the ones who make themselves rich but forget about Creator’s true riches.”

FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK

22Then he said to the ones who walked the road with him, “This is why I am telling you not to be troubled about getting enough to eat or drink, or what to wear. Is eating, drinking, and clothing yourself all there is? 23Does your life not have more meaning?

24“Look to the ravens, the winged ones who fly above us. Do they plant seeds and gather the harvest into a storehouse? No! But the Great Spirit gives them plenty to eat. Do you not know he cares even more for you? 25Will worrying about these things help you live one hour longer? 26If you cannot do such a small thing, why worry about other things?

27“Have you seen how the wildflowers grow in the plains and meadows? Do you think they work hard and long to clothe themselves? No! I tell you, not even the great chieftain Stands in Peace (Solomon), wearing his finest regalia, was dressed as well as even one of these.

28“If the Great Spirit covers the wild grass in the plains with such beauty, which is here today and gathered for tomorrow’s fire, will he not take even better care of you? Why is your faith so small? 29Why worry so much about what to eat or drink? 30This is what the Nations of the world, who have lost their way, have given their hearts to, but your Father from above knows you need these things.

31“If you will make Creator’s good road your first aim, he will make sure you have all you need for each day. 32Do not fear, for even though you are a small flock, it makes your Father’s heart glad to give you the good road!

33“Share your possessions with the ones in need, and you will have money pouches that never wear out, filled with possessions from the spirit-world above. 34For where you store your possessions is where your heart will be.

35“Be ready at all times, with your torches burning bright. 36Be like the ones who, waiting for their chief to return from a distant wedding feast, are watching and ready to welcome him. 37When he returns and finds them ready, he will take off his chiefly garments, dress himself in servant’s clothes, sit them at his own table, and serve them a great feast. 38He will do this whether he returns late in the night or early in the morning.

39“Here is another way to see what I am saying. If the elder of a family had known what night the thieves were coming, he would not have let them break in. 40In the same way you must always be ready, for the True Human Being will return at a time you do not expect.”

WHO IS THIS STORY FOR?

41Hearing this, Stands on the Rock (Peter) said to him, “Wisdomkeeper, is this story for us, or for all people?”

42“You tell me,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered, “who is the wise one, worthy of trust? The uncle who feeds and cares for the family while the elder is away? 43-44Yes, and when the elder returns, he will honor that uncle, take him into his home, and share everything with him.

45“But what if the uncle says to himself, ‘It will be a long time before he returns,’ then begins to abuse the family, eat all the best food, and get drunk on the wine? 46I will tell you what will happen,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) continued. “The elder will return at an unexpected time and find the uncle abusing his family. He will then put him out of the family and send him away to live with the other outcasts.

“Who is the story for?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus)asked his followers. 47“Like the bad-hearted uncle, it is for the ones who know Creator’s right ways but fail to walk in them. They will be given the greatest punishment, 48for more is required from the ones who are given and trusted with more. As for the ones who do not know but still fail to do what is right, their punishment will not be as great.”

MY MESSAGE WILL BRING DIVISION

Creator Sets Free (Jesus) knew that his followers were not prepared for the effect his message would have on their nation and what would soon happen to him in the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem).

49“I came down from above to ignite a fire on this land, and how I long for it to burn!” he said to his followers. 50“I have a purification ceremony#12:50 Baptism with fire to accomplish—and I am desperate to finish it!

51“Do you look for me to bring peace to this land? No! I tell you, first there will be great conflict. 52The message I bring will pierce like the blade of a long knife. It will even separate family members. A family of five will take sides, three against two and two against three. 53Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, uncles and nephews, aunties and nieces. They will all fight like enemies, all because of me and my message.”#12:53 Micah 7:6

54Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then said to the crowd, “When a cloud rises in the west, you say, ‘It will rain soon,’ and so it does. 55The wind blows from the south and you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and so it is.”

Then he spoke to the spiritual leaders, 56“You who wear false faces! You understand what the earth, wind, and sky are saying, but you are blind to the message of the season you live in.

57-58“If someone has a complaint against you, why not work things out on the way to tribal council? Can you not decide on your own what is right and come to an agreement? The council may decide against you and turn you over to ones who have the power to banish you 59where there is no way back until honor is restored.”

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