Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 16
16
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
1The Separated Ones (Pharisees) and Upright Ones (Sadducees) came again to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to put him to the test and find something to accuse him with.
“Show us a powerful sign from the spirit-world above,” they demanded, “to prove to us who you are.”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was growing weary of their ongoing attacks, but as always he was able to answer them with great wisdom.
2 He looked to the west. “When the sun is setting you say, ‘The sky is red. It will be a good day tomorrow.’” He then turned to the east. 3“At the sunrise you say, ‘The sky is dark and red. There will be a storm today.’”
Then he turned to look into the faces of the spiritual leaders.
“You understand what the earth and sky are saying, but you are blind to the message of the season you live in. 4It is the bad-hearted and unfaithful people of today who look for signs, but the only sign they will be given is the sign of the prophet Wings of Dove (Jonah).”#16:4 Jonah 1:17–2:10
After saying this, he left them and went on his way.
CONFUSION ABOUT THE FRYBREAD
He and his followers took their canoe to cross again to the other side of the lake.
5When they came to shore, his followers realized that they had forgotten to bring frybread with them.
6Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them, “Be on the lookout for the yeast of the Separated Ones (Pharisees) and the Upright Ones (Sadducees).”
7His followers tried to understand why he said this. They said to each other, “Is it because we forgot to bring more frybread?”
8When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) heard them, he said, “Why are you talking like this? Why are you worried that you forgot to bring frybread? Is your faith so small? 9Do you have no understanding? Have you forgotten so soon how many baskets of broken pieces were left over when I fed the five thousand with five pieces of frybread? 10How about the seven basketsful left over when I fed the four thousand?”
11“How do you not understand that I was not talking about frybread? Beware of the yeast of the Separated Ones (Pharisees) and the Upright Ones (Sadducees)!”
12They finally understood he was talking about the teachings of the Separated Ones (Pharisees) and the Upright Ones (Sadducees), not about yeast in frybread.
YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE!
They journeyed on and came into the territory of Ruler of the Horsemen (Caesarea Philippi).
This territory was ruled by Chief Looks Brave (Herod) under the authority of the Ruler of the People of Iron (Caesar). There was a cave and a deep, bottomless pit there that was called by the local people “The Gate of the Dark Underworld of Death (Hades).” This was a place of bad medicine and lying spirits.
13When they came into this place, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked the ones who were walking the road with him, “Who do the people think the True Human Being is? What are they saying?”
His followers looked around at each other and then back to Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
14“Some say Gift of Goodwill (John) who performed the purification ceremony,”#16:14 Baptism they answered. “Others say Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah), or even Lifted by Creator (Jeremiah), or one of the other prophets.”
He then lowered his voice and spoke in a more serious tone.
15“So tell me,” he asked them, “How do you see me? Who do you say that I am?”
Silent faces stared back at him. They began to look at each other, and some looked down to the ground. The moment of truth had come, but no one dared to speak. Then suddenly a voice pierced through the silence.
16“You are the Chosen One,” One Who Hears, also called Stands on the Rock (Simon/Peter), answered, “the Son of the living Creator!”
17Creator Sets Free (Jesus) smiled at him and said, “One Who Hears (Simon), Son of Wings of Dove (Bar-Jonah), Creator’s blessing rests on you, for flesh and blood did not help you see, but my Father from above opened your eyes. 18For this reason I have given you the name Stands on the Rock (Peter),#16:18 Greek petros, meaning a small rock or stone and upon this great rock#16:18 Greek petra, meaning a huge rock I will make my sacred family stand strong. And the powers#16:18 Lit. gates of the Dark Underworld of Death (Hades) will not stand against them.
19“I am giving you the authority#16:19 Lit. keys of Creator’s good road from above. The things you do not permit on earth will be what Creator has not permitted in the spirit-world above. The things that you permit on earth will be what Creator has permitted in the spirit-world above.”
20He then instructed his followers not to tell anyone that he was the Chosen One.
ACCUSER TESTS HIM AGAIN
21Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then began to tell his followers that he must go to the Village of Peace (Jerusalem), where the elders, the head holy men, and the keepers of the scrolls would make him suffer many things and then kill him, and that on the third day he would return from the dead.
22But Stands on the Rock (Peter) pulled him away from the others and spoke sharply to him, “Wisdomkeeper, do not even think this way! This must never happen to you!”
23“Get out of my way, Accuser (Satan), you evil trickster!” he said to Stands on the Rock (Peter). “You have become a stone to trip over and make me stumble on my path. Your thoughts are against the Great Spirit, for his ways are not the ways of human beings.”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) knew that his follower’s thinking was being affected by Accuser (Satan).
WALKING THE ROAD OF THE CROSS
24“To walk the road with me,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to his followers, “you must turn away from your own path, and always be ready to carry your cross with me to the place of ultimate sacrifice. 25The ones who hold on to their lives will not find life, but the ones who are willing to let go of their lives, for me and my message, will find the true life. 26How will it help you to get everything you want but lose this life? Is there anything in this world worth trading for your life?
27“When the True Human Being comes, along with his spirit-messengers, after being honored by his Father, he will then give to everyone the honor they deserve for what they have done.
28“I speak from my heart, there are some of you standing here today who, before you die, will see the True Human Being coming and bringing with him the power of his good road.”
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Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 16: FNVNT
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