ALIVE: Chapter 120, Miracles

As if a bumble bee watched Simon Peter’s mother in-in-law be healed and scurried out into the town and whispered into everyone’s ear that there was a man who could heal at Simon’s house, after the meal a large group of sick, lame and demon possessed people were gathered, their eyes looking up at the door at the top of the stairs of the elevated home. They were all starving for relief from their pain and suffering. Begging souls craved freedom from the strangulation of illness and demons. “Open to us. We beg. Healer come out and help us!” Simon’s wife looked out and reported that it looked like half the town had come to see the rabbi. 

Never before since the days of Abraham, or during the days of Isaac, or of Jacob; not during the four hundred years of slavery, nor during the days of shepherd turned king David, nor with the prophets, not even Elijah or Isaiah all this time while God, their Creator was their Lord and lawgiver, while they obeyed and worshipped the One who fashioned the sun and moon and stars with the same brilliance as He fashioned the ant and the antelope, had instant healing and relief from demon-control been an option. Never before. 

The news that a healer was in the home of Simon Peter caught like wildfire. 

Jesus heard the crowd call and excused Himself from His hosts, thanking the mother for the most delicious falafel He had ever tasted, and then He emerged from the home. He descended the long stairs looking out at the crowd that gathered, not as a crowd but one by one at each suffering person. He was reading each person’s face as a novel replete with joy and suffering.

His disciples followed Him, intuiting that their job was crowd control. As each person was brought before Jesus, He laid His hands on him or her and they were suddenly healed. Just as swiftly as the cause and the effects of the diseases were eradicated, demons emerged. Many of them crying out, “You are the Messiah, the Son of God!”

Jesus rebuked those demons, not allowing them to speak. They knew that He was the Christ, but Jesus did not want the label that could confuse and alienate the people. His mission was personal and needed to stay that way. 

The sun was setting rapidly as one by one the healed returned to their homes to continue to give thanks to the Lord and to share their joy with their families. Finally, there was only one very patient young crippled man left. He wore rags and was unshaven. A sickening sweet odor of sweat emanated from his body. His legs were deformed from birth. He could barely walk and couldn’t work like able bodied men. He had been waiting for hours, watching people be healed and being rid of the demons that plagued them more than any disease could. With every healing that he watched, the crippled man became more hopeful. No one left disappointed. He was glad to be last to have no one behind rushing him along. Finally, it was his turn. “What can I do for you?” asked Jesus. The young man whispered his misery. Jesus laid His healing hand on the man’s head and looking up silently asked His Father to heal the man’s soul, and then his body. The man’s face lit up, as bright as a flashlight, his legs straightened. He slowly grew taller. He looked down at his legs, and then up at Jesus in awe. Jesus smiled at his glowing face and prescribed the follow up therapy, “Repent as you thank and serve God who healed you.” The man assured Jesus that he would. He hugged Jesus, Who returned the hug, and sent him to run home. Then he turned and tore himself away because he was eager to run and to show his mother that he was a new man. He could work! He could marry! He could have a family of his own! He was filled with hope for a new Life. 

Jesus and his six exhausted disciples remained in the darkness of the balmy night. Young John was sleeping leaning up against a tree.  Simon said, “Let us all go inside and sleep. We have plenty of blankets.” 

Simon’s wife and mother in law were fast asleep by then, and soon also were all the new disciples and Jesus. What a day it had been! How the lives of these six men took a sharp right turn into a new world on that day. Sleep came quickly for each of them. 

Jesus was the first to rise before daybreak. He quietly opened the door and exited the home to go alone into a deserted place. To His surprise a handful of people were already waiting for Him to emerge from Simon’s house. They rushed up to the foot of the steps to hear Him teach. They tried to keep Him from leaving them, but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also because for this purpose I have been sent.” 

Phillip and James woke up too hearing the talk outside. The two men went out to see what was going on and notice Jesus trying to pull away.

James was the first to rescue Jesus, “Okay, that’s enough, you heard the rabbi. Go back to your homes. Let Him be. Go and pray to God yourselves. Now go!” One by one the men gave in and walked away disappointed. Yet, by the time they arrived at their homes, they noticed that their maladies had disappeared!

“Thank you.” said Jesus to James. “I’ll be back for you and then we will go to another town.”

It was still early enough that there were few people out. Jesus walked to the outskirts of the town and found a isolated place to commune with His Father and to listen for what His next steps should be. 

Simon Peter’s wife woke up, he nestled next to her in bed  and the couple quietly talked about their future. “I need to go. I need to follow this Man, but as long as we are in Galilee I promise I will work. I will work as often as I can and bring you and mother the income.” 

“But what are we to do, when you aren’t working?”

“Father will provide for you. Nothing can make me go back to my old life after what I have seen. I can’t explain why, but I know that I need to follow Him. Please try to understand.” said Simon. 

“After seeing my mother healed like that, I don’t think I have choice. I really thought she was on her deathbed. Okay. Please be careful and come back whenever you can. I will pack a bag for you with food.”

“Thank you my dear. I know I am leaving you in good hands. The Lord will care for you too.” they hugged and rolled out of bed each on his and her side to start their new lives apart. 

Soon the whole household was up and chatting and preparing for the morning meal. When Jesus returned, the grateful old mother fed Him again too, still amazed about her sudden healing. 

Jesus and His disciples were soon ready to venture out of Capernaum like a traveling hospital to heal, and teach and spread the word that indeed, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was among them. Jesus was clearly of God because of His authority over demons of which there were many. He didn’t even have to struggle with them; He simply spoke and they obeyed, which never ceased to astonish the new band of followers, the disciples. Anyone who witnessed the phenomenon were amazed, but for some of the healed the gifts didn’t last like a soon neglected toy. 

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Not since the days of Moses had anyone commanded nature as did Jesus. Instead of healing, God had Moses send plagues. The first. The plague that cracked opened the door of freedom in the dungeon of Egyptian oppression and slavery was turning the river into blood. That was not a random plague; the bloody river foreshadowed the water and the blood that trickled out the Christ’s pierced crucified Body. The bloody Nile heralded a brand new chapter in deliverance. Freedom from Pharaoh foreshadowed freedom from death. The water and the blood of Christ’s pierced side, was the clarion call of salvation. Horrifying bloody water, was the first and last event of God’s plan for ultimate freedom from oppression. 

Remember my friends that what followed the bloody river were more plagues, and the stiffening of Pharaoh’s resolve to keep the Jews, God’s people in bondage. Freedom came after a long struggle and more miracles. 

To be able to walk away from the exploitation of Pharaoh only made sense if one walked  toward union with the perfect God. The water and the blood of Christ’s wound was the first sign, like the bloody river of old that God was about to do something magnificent. But we get way far ahead of ourselves by pointing out these key events in the parallel covenants. For now, centuries after the Passover, Jesus was free to travel throughout Galilee. 

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“Where do we go first?” asked Phillip looking around at his friends and then at Jesus. 

Just about every other man shrugged his shoulders and looked at Jesus for the answer. 

With six bearded faces and the two women peering at Him for the answer, Jesus simply replied, “We go synagogue hopping! Phillip where can we find a map? I want to go into every synagogue in Galilee and in Judaea. This is where the people gather; this is where they will meet Me. We go to teach and to heal. We go to set men free from that bondage of ignorance and exploitation. We go to diminish the devil. Are you ready?!”

Simon’s wife secretly craved to join the men, but she knew that she had to stay back with her mother. She was keenly aware of how exciting this mission was, having no notion of the down sides. 

With hugs and handshakes, one by one the men thanked Simon’s wife and mother-in-law for their hospitality. 

The men filed out of the cozy home in Capernaum and into the homeless life of vagabonds. “Where do we go first?” asked young John who was brave enough to spout out a question without an answer? 

Jesus silently waited to hear if any of His new friends would step up. 

Simon Peter said, sensing the responsibility that his wife reminded him of, “Do you mind if we go over to Lake Gennesaret, I have boats there and I want to check on them.”

“Sure, it’s as good a place as any.” replied Jesus. “I don’t think I’ve been there before. Lead the way.” 

From Capernaum the men walked south towards Tiberius where they came from, well rested and full. They chatted getting to know each other better as they walked. Jesus was quiet, listening attentively to what his men thought was interesting or important. The weather was perfect for a trek such as this, not too hot as it often can be, and not too breezy. The quality of light was unique to that region. No one noticed. 

Phillip piped up to ask, “Does anyone think we should get donkeys if we are to be traveling so much?” James replied for everyone, “One more thing to take care of and to feed. No. Our own feet will take care of us.” Phillip shrugged his shoulders still wishing he had a donkey after having walked for three hours. 

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The band of brothers arrived in the village by the lake of Gennesaret. The word that a rabbi who can heal all manner of diseases and ailments, even demon possession was spotted! Men and women filed out of their homes and and shops to go to see this super-man. By the time Jesus and His men reached the lake they were surrounded by people pressing in on them. A few young boys even entered the lake to get close enough to hear. The crowd knew enough about Jesus to yearn to hear for themselves His remarkable wisdom. Each soul sought relief from illness, but also from all manner of strife. Young men and old, women too, yearned for peace, and health, and they believed this man could give it to them. 

Jesus and the men looked around them to assess the situation. He spotted two boats on the lake. In a voice loud enough for His men to hear, He said, “Look at those boats!” 

Simon said, “Yes, they are mine. My fisherman over there, with the other one are cleaning their nets. Good idea, get into that boat and speak from there. I’ll tell my men that I’m here.” 

Jesus and Andrew climbed into the large row boat, while Phillip and Nathanael aimed to hold back the crowd to give Jesus some space.  Simon quickly  went over to tell his man what was going on with the boat and then rushed back to get into the boat himself. Simon and Andrew took the oars and pushed the boat away from the shore. 

“That’s good. Stop here.” said Jesus. 

The crowds of people were watching from the shore. Was He going to flee from them? Others sat patiently watching and waiting, knowing instinctively that what this young Man had to say could give them peace and strength to face their days, guide them gently away from self-inflicted misery. He could open their eyes to reality untainted by fear. They wanted that and they waited. 

What Jesus said to that crowd at the Lake of Gennesaret was for them, at that moment. It was not recorded. One hour later Jesus asked them to go back to their homes, kneel by their beds and individually seek the Lord God, and with fervor born of faith and inner sight to pray for continued guidance through this dangerous world. Gradually and in remarkable silence the crowd thinned out until there were only a handful of stunned contemplatives left. One of the stragglers stayed because he had no home of his own, the other because his home was filled with loud children and he couldn’t pray there. A woman refused to take her eyes off of Him. She knew the power of that moment and clung to it with every fiber of her being. There were no healing miracles that day. Just teaching that made invisible miracles occur in the souls of the select.
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Meanwhile, back in the boat Jesus turned to Simon and said, “Let’s go fishing! Push out a bit. Over there”pointing northeast “and let down those nets into the deep.”

Simon replied, “Two problems. The good nets are being cleaned, and these are old. Besides, Master, my men said they sat here fishing all night, and took nothing.” Jesus didn’t reply, He just looked at Simon who after the pause added, “okay, as you say, of course I will let down the old nets.” And he and Andrew let down the old nets and secure them to the boat. 

By then the other boat was launched and the men who had been cleaning the nets came up to them to see what was going on. “Hey! What are you doing?! It’s mid day!” The hired fisherman  man shouted. Suddenly, Andrew felt a tug and the boat grew very heavy. So heavy that they were afraid it would sink. Simon and Andrew rushed over to where the nets were fastened to the boat and began to raise the net. It was overloaded with fish. “Hey help us! Our nets are breaking! We’re sinking!”

The other boat rush along side and let down their nets to allow the fish to swim into them too. The two boats together brought in the haul that was so great, that no one, especially on Lake Gennesaret, especially at midday had ever brought in. Such a catch, even to this day, has never happened.

When they managed to haul themselves, the boats, and the fish to shore and pulled in the nets so that swarms of fish 50 feet long and 20 feet wide were wriggling on the beach. 

Only then could all the men take a breath. The boats were safe, they were on land again. 

Simon Peter looked at Jesus who had been working hard alongside them. He fell to his knees and said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” He was overcome with emotion.  

Jesus looking down at Simon on his knees and simply replied, “Fear not; from now on, you will be a  fisher of men. 

If there had ever been a doubt in Simon Peter’s mind, it vanished. Simon felt the change within himself.  He felt a noticeable softness in his heart, almost childlike innocence and acceptance of anything that he saw from Jesus, who upended the world he had known. Jesus presented him with a new mystical world where anything is possible. That was shocking and compelling. He wanted always to live there, to stay this way. He became hungry to know more. In his heart Simon Peter knew that following Jesus wasn’t just an experience, a vacation, it was a rebirth.  It was time to drop the Simon and to be called only Peter.

Peter turned the boat back over to his men, who were also still in shock, holding the cleaned nets. Now they knew why their master had to abandon his boats, even his whole fleet. These men, instead of feeling the joy of advancement in their profession, were humbled. Humbled and confused..