Study Desk

Then Mary said, "I am willing to be used of the Lord. Let it happen to me as you have said." Then the angel went away from her.

But John said to all of them, "I baptize you with water. There is One coming Who is greater than I. I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

The Holy Spirit came down on Him in a body like a dove. A voice came from heaven and said, "You are My much-loved Son. I am very happy with You."

When Simon Peter saw it, he got down at the feet of Jesus. He said, "Go away from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man."

Jesus went with them. When He was not far from the house, the captain told some friends to tell this to Jesus, "Lord, do not take the time to come to my house, because I am not good enough.

And I am not good enough to come to You. But just say the word and my servant will be healed.

For I am a man who works for someone else also, and I have soldiers who work for me. I say to this man, ‘Go!' and he goes. I say to another, ‘Come!' and he comes. I say to my workman, ‘Do this!' and he does it."

While Jesus was praying alone, His followers were with Him. Jesus asked them, "Who do people say that I am?"

Jesus said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said, "You are the Christ of God."

I have a baptism to go through. How troubled I am until it is over!

"He began to think about what he had done. He said to himself, ‘My father pays many men who work for him. They have all the food they want and more than enough. I am about dead because I am so hungry.

I am not good enough to be called your son. But may I be as one of the workmen you pay to work?"'

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not good enough to be called your son.'

"The boss said to himself, ‘What will I do now? The owner of the houses and lands is taking my work away from me. I cannot dig in the ground for a living. I am too proud to ask for help.

He cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, take pity on me. Send Lazarus. Let him put the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in much pain in this fire.'

No, instead you would say, ‘Get my supper ready. Dress yourself and care for me until I am through eating and drinking. Then you can eat and drink.'

Does the servant get thanks for doing what he was told to do? I am sure he does not.

For awhile he would not help her. Then he began to think, ‘I am not afraid of God and I do not respect any man.

The proud religious law-keeper stood and prayed to himself like this, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men. I am not like those who steal. I am not like those who do things that are wrong. I am not like those who do sex sins. I am not even like this tax-gatherer.

But the man who gathered taxes stood a long way off. He would not even lift his eyes to heaven. But he hit himself on his chest and said, ‘God, have pity on me! I am a sinner!'