Study Desk

They are like the fans in the stands while the cowboys stand in the arena and talk to them. The cowboys say to them, 'We rode the rough stock for you and got bucked off, but you didn't cheer because you wanted to see us rope. We roped fast and quick, but you didn't clap because no one got bucked off.'

She loves much because she has been forgiven much. The one who doesn't need forgiving usually doesn't care that much."

Other seed fell next to some rocks where there wasn't much dirt. The seed took root quickly in the shallow soil, but they withered quickly because there was nowhere for the roots to go.

The seed in the rocks stands for those who love the good news and immediately act like it changes their whole world. But they don't last long because it was all emotion and no faith. They wither quickly when faced with any kind of adversity.

Then Jesus's mom and brothers came to see him, but they couldn't get close because of the big crowd.

They had no more than got both feet on the ground when a naked man possessed by an evil spirit started trotting out of the cemetery to go and talk to them. He lived among the tombs because he wouldn't stay in a house.

This was the last straw for some of these people. They all started mocking him and laughing at him because they knew she was dead.

When Herod, the fellow who ran the area of Galilee, heard about all these things that were happening, he started getting a sinking feeling because folks were saying that John the Baptizer had come back to life.

Then John spoke up, "Boss, we seen a fellow driving demons out in your name, but we put a stop to that because he doesn't ride in our crew."

Stay there until you finish your job. Let them take care of you because the worker deserves his wages. Don't be moving around to other houses.

'We are shaking your dust off our boots because y'all didn't welcome us. Your fate is in your hands now. God's outfit is right outside the gates.'

But don't pat yourselves on the back because of these things, be happy that you are in God's tally book."

He shuts the door in your face and tells you to leave because everyone is asleep.

Some folks started a rumor that said, "He can kick demons out of people because he rides for the devil."

The Queen of Sheba traveled all the way from her foreign land to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. On Judgment Day, she will condemn y'all because now there is one even wiser than he was.

But listen, be afraid of the One who has power over your soul. We should fear the Boss because he is the only one who has the authority and power to throw you in the trash fire which is forever. He's the One you should be bowing down to.

I'm telling you the truth. If you ride for me in public down here, I will show the angels in heaven that you have eternal life in God's outfit because you are in my tally book.

Now families will be torn apart because of me.

I mean, if someone is trying to take you to court because you did something wrong, wouldn't it be better to try to make amends before the court hearing? If you don't, you will be found guilty and thrown in jail.

About this time, some people asked Jesus if it was because of sin that God had allowed Pilate to kill some people from Galilee who were making sacrifices at the main church in Jerusalem.