Deep and Wide

In Mark chapter 1, a leper approaches Jesus. He believes that Jesus has the power to heal him, but will he? He gets down on his knees and begs. No one is allowed to touch people with leprosy. What will Jesus do?

When Jesus went to Simon's house, he found his mother-in-law sick in bed. She had a fever! When Jesus took her hand, the fever left her and she got right up! That evening people brought the sick and those oppressed by unclean spirits up to Simon's door. Jesus healed a lot of people from their diseases and told the unclean spirits to get out. When God's kingdom comes near, people get...

When Jesus taught in a synagogue, one of the men shouted out to him, asking him "Are you going to destroy the evil spirits?" Jesus didn't want the evil spirit to talk! He told the unclean spirit to be quiet and get out of that man.  Everyone was amazed when the man was violently shaken, and the spirit came out of him screaming! Nobody they knew could command unclean spirits. This wa...

Jesus taught people by the shore of the lake. It was so crowded, he got into Simon's boat. After he taught, Simon and his friends went fishing because Jesus told them to. What a surprise! It wasn't the right time of day to fish, but the fish were practically throwing themselves into the boat! Simon was afraid. He knew he was not a good man. But Jesus reassured him. He was going to help J...

In John chapter 2, Jesus and his disciples are invited to a wedding. They are celebrating by feasting and drinking wine. Then, Mary gets the message - they are out of wine. She tells Jesus. Jesus tells some helpers to fill up the ceremonial jars with water. When they are full, he tells them to take a little bit to the man in charge of the drinks. The man is excited! This wine is even better than t...

John the Baptist saw Jesus walking by, and told a few of his followers - there goes the One God has chosen to be the Savior, the Lamb of God! How can Jesus save us? He has something that we need - he has perfect blood - it has no sin! And he doesn't keep it for himself, he is willing to share it! In this story, four men start to follow him, and he becomes their teacher. 

From Mark chapter 6. Full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus knew it was time to do what his father asked. He went to the synagogue in Nazareth and read Isaiah 61, where the Messiah announces what his mission is. But this was his hometown, and the people didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah! They were furious and wanted to throw him over a cliff. 

John said that Jesus is the Lamb of God. If Jesus was a perfect lamb, he could take away the sin of the world! But if Satan could get Jesus to sin, he wouldn't be perfect anymore. Satan tried three times to get Jesus to disobey God. Is Jesus willing to do what Satan says?

When he was about thirty years old, Jesus went to John to be baptized. When Jesus came up out of the water, John saw something special happen. The Holy Spirit came down from heaven like a dove, and stayed on Jesus. That's how John knew that Jesus was the chosen king. Jesus had arrived to begin God's kingdom, and take away the sin of the world.

When he is about twelve, Jesus travels with his relatives to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. After the feast, the family begins the journey back to Nazareth.  After a day's travel, Mary and Joseph realize that Jesus is not with the other children! They turn back to look for him. After three days, they find him in the temple, studying with the teachers there. What was Jesus thinking? D...

When Jesus was eight days old, his parents brought him to the temple to dedicate him to the Lord and to offer the sacrifice, because he was the firstborn son.  While they were there, Simeon took Jesus into his arms. Simeon had been told that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Christ. Now, the Holy Spirit showed Simeon that this was the one. Simeon told Mary and Joseph that Jesus wo...

When King Herod realized the wise men were not coming back, he sent soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the male children two years old and younger. Thank God, Joseph was warned in a dream, and he escaped with Mary and Jesus to Egypt. When Herol was dead, Joseph got a message that it was safe to return. 

In the book of Matthew chapter 2, we hear about the wise men who came looking for the baby Jesus. They had been studying the stars and the stars had led them to Jerusalem. They asked, "Where is he? Where is he who is born King of the Jews?" The Bible scholars told King Herod that the birthplace was Bethlehem, so he sent the wise men to look for him there. When they found him, they gave h...

In Luke 2, we read how the angel came and announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds who were near Bethlehem. They hurried to find the baby. When they found him, they told Mary and Joseph what the angels had said about Jesus. The shepherds were amazed. What the angels said happened! 

A poem for Christmas Eve written by Deep and Wide podcaster, Joy Thomas

In Luke chapter 2, we hear the story of how Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem. There was no room available, but they found shelter in a stable. Mary gave birth to Jesus there. She swaddled him up, and laid him in a manger. 

People aren't very good at keeping rules. If they think they have to keep rules to be close to God, they might even give up trying. God made new promises to his people. He promised he would give them a new heart, a new spirit. And he would forgive all their sins. He promised a king, one born in Bethlehem that would lead his people like a good shepherd into a new kingdom. 

When Elizabeth had her baby, people asked her what his name would be. She answered that his name would be John, even though no one else in her family had that name. So, they asked Zechariah, because he might want the baby named after him. He wrote on a tablet that the baby's name was John! And that's when he was able to talk again. He knew this was no ordinary baby. He spoke through the...

When Mary heard that Elizabeth was going to have a baby, she hurried to their little village for a visit. Elizabeth's baby was growing inside her. He was already full of the Holy Spirit! When he heard Mary's voice, he jumped for joy. Mary was so inspired, she spoke what sounded like a song, saying how wonderful God is. She knew that she was going to be famous. Even today, we remember who...

In Luke chapter 1, an angel goes to visit Mary. He tells her she will be a mother, and the baby will be named Jesus. Mary asks how that will happen, because there is no father. The angel tells her, that the Holy Spirit will plant the baby inside her, so that Jesus will be called the Son of God. Mary is happy to do what God wants. But what will Joseph say? She is going to marry Joseph soon. Will Jo...

In the days before Jesus was born, a priest named Zachariah was serving in the temple. An angel of the Lord appeared to him! He told him that Zachariah and Elizabeth were going to have a baby boy. God had special plans for this child. When Zachariah couldn't believe it, the angel, Gabriel, made it so Zachariah wouldn't be able to speak. But Elizabeth could speak, and she knew that God ha...

King Xerxes wanted to honor Mordecai for saving his life. Haman had to put a royal robe on him, put him on the king's horse and lead him around Suza, calling out that Mordecai was being celebrated! Now Haman is worried. What if the king finds out Haman's evil plan? His friends and his wife tell him he is doomed. At the banquet, Queen Esther asks the king to save her life, and the life of...

Haman was pretty happy. He felt special because the Queen invited only him and the king to a private banquet. He bragged about how great he was, and how much money he had and how many children he had. But Mordecai was still bothering him. His wife and friends suggested that he hang Mordecai up on a high pole. The next day Haman entered the court. He was about to ask the king permission to hang Mor...

Mordecai is devastated when he hears about the king's edict ordering a date of execution for all the Jews in Babylon. He gets a message to Queen Esther to beg the king to change his mind. The problem is, if Esther goes to see the king uninvited, she may be put to death. Will the king be glad to see her? Will he listen to her request?

Haman was furious when Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow down to him. Haman's family hated Jews. He told the king that all the Jews should be annihilated from King Xerxes kingdom because they didn't obey all the king's laws. The king told him to go ahead and issue the decree. What will happen to Mordecai, and Queen Esther?