Memory Text: Matthew 10:8 KJV “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

Sunday – Compassion and Forgiveness
Things Jesus showed compassion over:
Matthew 14:14 NKJV “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.”
Matthew 15:32 NKJV “Now Jesus called His disciples to [Himself] and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."”
Matthew 20:34 NKJV “So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.”
Mark 1:41 NKJV “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out [His] hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."”
Mark 6:34 NKJV “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.”
Luke 7:13 NKJV “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."” (Lu 7:13 NKJV)
Role forgiveness should play in a disciple’s experience:
Luke 17:3-5 Holman “3 Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.””
Ephesians 1:7 Holman “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 4:32 Holman “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
Colossians 1:14 Holman “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Monday – The Ostracized and Marginalized
Class distinctions and the wealthy:
Luke 16:19-31 God’s Word to the Nations “19 ¶ "There was a rich man who wore expensive clothes. Every day was like a party to him. 20 There was also a beggar named Lazarus who was regularly brought to the gate of the rich man’s house. 21 Lazarus would have eaten any scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Lazarus was covered with sores, and dogs would lick them. 22 "One day the beggar died, and the angels carried him to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 He went to hell, where he was constantly tortured. As he looked up, in the distance he saw Abraham and Lazarus. 24 He yelled, ‘Father Abraham! Have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue. I am suffering in this fire.’ 25 "Abraham replied, ‘Remember, my child, that you had a life filled with good times, while Lazarus’ life was filled with misery. Now he has peace here, while you suffer. 26 Besides, a wide area separates us. People couldn’t cross it in either direction even if they wanted to.’ 27 "The rich man responded, ‘Then I ask you, Father, to send Lazarus back to my father’s home. 28 I have five brothers. He can warn them so that they won’t end up in this place of torture.’ 29 "Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets. Your brothers should listen to them!’ 30 "The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! If someone comes back to them from the dead, they will turn to God and change the way they think and act.’ 31 "Abraham answered him, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone comes back to life.’"”
Jesus and the religious leaders:
Luke 18:9-14 CEV “9 ¶ Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else: 10 Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. 12 I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn." 13 The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, "God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner." 14 Then Jesus said, "When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored."”

Tuesday – Ethnic and National Bigotry
What do these texts tell us about the ethnic and national diversity in Israel, God’s chosen nation?
Exodus 12:38 ESV “A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.”
Exodus 18:1 ESV “Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father–in–law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.”
Number 12:1 ESV “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.”
Ruth 1:16-17 ESV “16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you."”
Matthew 23:15 ESV “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.”
Matthew 23:15 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES The Pharisees gained them either to swell their numbers, or to make gain by extorting their money under various pretences; and when they had accomplished that, they took no pains to instruct them, or to restrain them. They had renounced their superstitions, which had before somewhat restrained them. The Pharisees had given them no religion in its place to restrain them, and they were consequently left to the full indulgence of their vices.

Wednesday – The Church and Its Mission
How is the church supposed to do all the numerous tasks God wants it to do in the world?
Acts 20:28 Moffatt NT “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you guardians; shepherd the church of the Lord which he has purchased with his own blood.”
1 Corinthians 12:14-22 Moffatt NT “14 Why, even the body consists not of one member but of many. 15 If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not the hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that does not make it no part of the body. 16 If the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not the eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that does not make it no part of the body. 17 If the body were all eye, where would hearing be? If the body were all ear, where would smell be? 18 As it is, God has set the members in the body, each as it pleased him. 19 If they all made up one member, what would become of the body? 20 As it is, there are many members and one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ 22 Quite the contrary. We cannot do without those very members of the body which are considered rather delicate,”
Ephesians 4:11-13 Moffatt NT “11 he granted some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to shepherd and teach, 12 for the equipment of the saints, for the business of the ministry, for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ, 13 till we should all attain the unity of the faith and knowledge of God’s Son, reaching maturity, reaching the full measure of development which belongs to the fulness of Christ—”
Colossians 1:17-18 Moffatt NT “17 he is prior to all, and all coheres in him. 18 Also, he is the head of the Body, that is, of the church, in virtue of his primacy as the first to be born from the dead—that gives him preeminence over all.”

Thursday – The Prayer Factor
What occasioned these prayers of Jesus?
a. People look on Jesus as a miracle worker:
Luke 5:15-16 KJ21 “15 But so much the more His fame spread abroad, and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 16 And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness and prayed.”
Luke 5:15 COMMENTARY ROBERTSON’S NT WORD PICTURES The more the crowds came as a result of the leper's story, the more Jesus turned away from them to the desert regions and prayed with the Father. It is a picture of Jesus drawn with vivid power. The wild enthusiasm of the crowds was running ahead of their comprehension of Christ and his mission and message.
b. Jesus had just healed a man with a withered hand, and the religious leaders hated Him because it was done on a Sabbath
Luke 6:12-13 KJ21 “12 ¶ And it came to pass in those days that He went out onto a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples, and from them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles:”
Luke 6:12 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES And continued all night in prayer to God. There has been a difference of opinion about this passage, whether it means that he spent the night in the act of praying to God, or in a place of prayer. The Jews had places of prayer, called oratories, built out of their cities or towns, where they could retire from the bustle of a city and hold communion with God. They were built on the banks of rivers, in groves, or on hills. They were rude enclosures, made by building a rough wall of stone around a level piece of ground, and capable of accommodating a small number who might resort thither to pray.
c. Jesus was about to be glorified and sustained by His Father before He went to His death at Jerusalem.
Luke 9:28-31 KJ21 “28 ¶ And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 And as He prayed, the appearance of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistening. 30 And behold, there talked with Him two men, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.”
Luke 9:28 COMMENTARY ROBERTSON’S NT WORD PICTURES Into the mountain (eis to oros). Probably Mount Hermon because we know that Jesus was near Caesarea Philippi when Peter made the confession.