Shining Light Tells the Good Story 13

TAKE A NEW PATH

1Then some of the people there told Creator Sets Free (Jesus) about the people from Circle of Nations (Galilee) whom Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate) had put to death and mixed their blood with their own ceremonial offerings.

2He said to them, “Do you think it was because of their bad hearts and wrongdoings that they suffered? Do you think their hearts were worse than all the others in Circle of Nations (Galilee)? 3No, I say to you! But if you, the people of Village of Peace (Jerusalem), do not change your ways of thinking and take a new path, you will all die in the same way.

4“What about the eighteen people on whom the tower in Sending Village (Siloam) fell? Do you think they were worse than all others living in Village of Peace (Jerusalem)? 5No, I say to you! But if you, the people of the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem), do not change your ways of thinking and take a new path, you will all die in the same way.”

6So he told them this story, “There was a man who planted a fig tree in his garden, but when he came to find fruit, there was none. 7He said to the keeper of the garden, ‘I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three seasons and have found none. Cut the tree down! Why waste good dirt on it?’

8“But the garden keeper answered the man, ‘Give me another season. I will dig around the tree and fertilize it. 9If it has no fruit after that, then cut it down.’”

CONFLICT ABOUT THE DAY OF RESTING

10On another Day of Resting, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was teaching at a gathering house. 11There was a woman there who had a spirit of weakness for eighteen winters. Her back was bent and twisted, so she could not stand up straight.

12When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) saw her, he told her to come to him and said, “Honored woman, you are set free from your weakness.” 13He put his hands on her, and right away she stood up straight and gave thanks to the Great Spirit.

14The headman of the gathering house was offended because Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had healed on the Day of Resting. He stood up and told the people, “Are there not six other days to do your work? Come on one of those days to be healed, not on the Day of Resting.”

Creator Sets Free (Jesus) helped the woman back to her seat. He then turned to the headman with a look of sorrow mixed with anger on his face.

15“You who wear false faces!” he said to the headman. “Is there anyone who would not untie his horse on the Day of Resting and take it to a watering hole? 16This woman is a daughter of Father of Many Nations (Abraham). Accuser (Satan), that evil trickster, has kept her this way for eighteen winters. Why should she not be set free on the Day of Resting?”

17The enemies of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) were put to shame by his words, but the hearts of the people jumped for joy because of the wonderful things he was doing.

THE GOOD ROAD WILL FILL THE EARTH

18“What is Creator’s good road like? What can I compare it to?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked. 19“It is like a man who planted in his garden a single grain of mustard seed,#13:19 The mustard plant was used as an herbal medicine. where it grew into a great tree, large enough for the winged ones who soar in the sky to find lodging in its branches.

20“Again, think of Creator’s good road 21like the yeast a grandmother uses when she makes frybread dough. She mixes a little yeast into a large amount of flour, then the yeast spreads throughout all of the dough.”

WILL ONLY A FEW FIND THE GOOD ROAD?

22Creator Sets Free (Jesus) continued to travel on to Village of Peace (Jerusalem). As he passed through the villages on the way, he would stop and teach the people. 23At one of these villages a man asked him, “Wisdomkeeper, will only a few find their way onto the good road and be set free?”

24“Yes,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to the man, “so make it your aim to enter in by the narrow way that I have taught you. There will be many who try to enter some other way but will not be able.

25“Once the elder of a home has closed the door, others will come pound on the door and say to him, ‘Elder! Elder! Open the door for us!’

“But the elder will tell them, ‘I do not know who you are.’

26“‘But did we not eat and drink with you?’ they will argue. ‘Did you not teach on our village pathways?’

27“‘No!’ he will say to them, ‘I do not know where you are from. Go away from me, you bad-hearted trouble makers!’

28“For there will be much weeping and grinding of teeth in anger when you see Father of Many Nations (Abraham), He Made Us Laugh (Isaac), Heel Grabber (Jacob), and all the prophets of old, feasting in the Land of Creator’s good road, but you are on the outside looking in! 29People will come from many Nations, from the east, south, west, and north, and sit down to join in the feast.

“So you see,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to the man, 30“some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

The man’s face became pale as the meaning of the words of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) sank into his heart.

NO PEACE IN VILLAGE OF PEACE

31At that time some of the Separated Ones (Pharisees) came to him and said, “You should leave this place! Looks Brave (Herod) is looking for you—to put you to death.”

32He answered them, “You can tell that sly coyote to look out! I am forcing out evil spirits and healing the sick today and tomorrow. On the third day I will finish the work I came to do. 33That is why I will go from this place today, tomorrow and the day after. For a prophet cannot be put to death this far from Village of Peace (Jerusalem)!

34“O Village of Peace (Jerusalem), you who kill the prophets and stone to death the ones sent to you! How I have longed to gather your children together, like the eagle gathers her young under her wings, but you would not have it. 35Look! Your house has fallen and will be left in ruins!

“I speak from my heart, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes representing the Great Spirit!’”#13:35 Psalm 118:26

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