Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 344
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IMMERSE
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MESSIAH
12:11-29
And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath,
wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much
more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to
do good on the Sabbath.”
Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out
his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! Then the Pharisees
called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.
But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many
people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, but he warned
them not to reveal who he was. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not fight or shout
or raise his voice in public.
He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
And his name will be the hope
of all the world.”
Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was
brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.
The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of
David, the Messiah?”
But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of
demons.”
Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil
war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And
if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His
own kingdom will not survive. And if I am empowered by Satan, what
about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the
Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who
is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his
goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up
and then plunder his house.
