1. Jesus and his six apostles left Cana early the next morning without saying good-bye to anyone. On the way back to Capernaum, Jesus told them to never mention what happened with the water turning to wine. Also, he told them that when they were out preaching by themselves, to stay away from the cities of Sepphoris and Tiberias.
2. Jesus told the apostles to return to their nets and go fishing until John finished his mission, which was to prepare the way for theirs. Jesus went back to work in the boatshop with Zebedee. He was scheduled to speak at the synagogue that Saturday, and then meet with the apostles afterwards.
3. On Saturday, March 2, A.D. 26, Jesus held his first public talk after his baptism. The synagogue was overcrowed with people expecting to see more miracles. This wasn’t going to happen. Instead, Jesus read from the Prophet Isaiah and then told the people to be patient: they were, of course, confused.
4. Jesus taught the apostles every night preparing them for the future. He warned them that the people would demand signs as proof: that they would be slow to recognize that the revelation of his Father’s love was in and of itself the credentials of Jesus’ divinity.
5. Jesus trained his apostles in Capernaum for four months. They learned to live with Jesus, the man-God. The group kept to themselves, and no miracles happened. The people’s excitement calmed down. Herod knew about Jesus, but he decided that John was his bigger threat.
6. Jesus taught the six apostles about the different cults and political groups that were then in Palestine. They were to take in people from all of these groups, including the Samaritans, but they were not to join in any of their beliefs or practices. All of these groups believed in some sort of a coming Messiah.
7. On Tuesday, June 18, A.D. 26, Jesus was at his workbench in the boatshop when Peter told him that John had been arrested. For the second time Jesus laid down his tools and took off his apron, this time saying, “The Father’s hour has come. Let us make ready to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom.”
8. At the synagogue on Saturday, June 22, Jesus proclaimed the establishment of the Father’s kingdom. He said it would include Jews and gentile, rich and poor, and free and bond because our Father is no respecter of persons; his love and his mercy are over all people.
9. Jesus told the people that God has sent his spirit into each of their minds, and that when Jesus’ work was done on Earth the Spirit of Truth would also be available to us, and that together the two would guide us in spiritual understanding and divine righteousness.
10. Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world: no will be no armies for worldly glory. We are to know Jesus as the Son of Man, the Prince of Peace, and the revelation of the everlasting Father through making moral decisions that bring us joy, righteousness, and eternal life. But, we must enter with the faith and trust of a little child.
11. In the kingdom are people seeking perfection through service. To be great in my Father’s kingdom you first become a server of all. If you are willing to serve your fellow men, you will sit down with me in my kingdom like I will soon sit down with my Father in his kingdom.
12. Remember, this is a process, not an event. There’s a period of time between the establishment of the kingdom in the soul of a man, and when the kingdom ripens into the full fruit of everlasting righteousness and eternal salvation.
13. Jesus said, those who enter the kingdom will ascend to the Father and they will attain the right hand of his glory in Paradise. Jesus didn’t come to call the would-be righteous, but rather sinners and all who hunger and thirst for the righteousness of divine perfection.
14. When Jesus was done, he sat down. Everyone was astonished. They weren’t ready for his words. About a third of them believed Jesus, another third were already rejecting a spiritual and not material kingdom, and the rest of the folk just thought he might be a bit wacko.
Okay, folks, that’s it for the highlights of Son of Man: Urantia, Chapter 16, part 2, “Hanging Out in Galilee.”
This week is Chapter 17, part 1, “Training the Kingdom’s Messengers.”
Have a fantastic week out there, everyone!
Bob