The Sign of Immanuel

   When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

       Now the house of David was told, "Aram has allied itself with Ephraim"; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

       Then THE LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman's Field. Say to him, 'Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood--because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah's son have plotted your ruin, saying, "Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it." Yet this is what THE SOVEREIGN LORD says:

       " 'It will not take place,

          it will not happen,

       for the head of Aram is Damascus,

          and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.

       Within sixty-five years

          Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.

       The head of Ephraim is Samaria,

          and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah's son.

       If you do not stand firm in your faith,

          you will not stand at all.' "

       Again THE LORD spoke to Ahaz, "Ask THE LORD your GOD for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."

       But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put THE LORD to the test."

       Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my GOD also? Therefore THE LORD HIMSELF will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call HIM IMMANUEL. HE will eat curds and honey when HE knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. THE LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah--HE will bring the king of Assyria."

       In that day THE LORD will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. In that day THE LORD will use a razor hired from beyond the River--the king of Assyria--to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to take off your beards also. In that day, a man will keep alive a young cow and two goats. And because of the abundance of the milk they give, he will have curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns. Men will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.

Isaiah: chapter 7

The Birth of JESUS CHRIST

       This is how the birth of JESUS CHRIST came about: HIS mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through THE HOLY SPIRIT. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

       But after he had considered this, an angel of THE LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from THE HOLY SPIRIT. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give HIM the name JESUS, because HE will save HIS people from their sins."

       All this took place to fulfill what THE LORD had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call HIM IMMANUEL"--which means, "GOD with us."

       When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of THE LORD had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave HIM the name JESUS.

Gospel of Matthew: chapter 1, verses 18 - 25

The Ascension

       When HE had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, HE lifted up HIS hands and blessed them. While HE was blessing them, HE left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped HIM and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising GOD.

Gospel of Luke: chapter 24, verses 50 - 53

JESUS Reinstates Peter

       When they had finished eating, JESUS said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love ME more than these?"

       "Yes, LORD," he said, "YOU know that I love YOU."

       JESUS said, "Feed MY lambs."

       Again JESUS said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love ME?"

       He answered, "Yes, LORD, YOU know that I love YOU."

       JESUS said, "Take care of MY sheep."

       The third time HE said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love ME?"

       Peter was hurt because JESUS asked him the third time, "Do you love ME?" He said, "LORD, YOU know all things; YOU know that I love YOU."

       JESUS said, "Feed MY sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." JESUS said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify GOD. Then HE said to him, "Follow ME!"

       Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom JESUS loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against JESUS at the supper and had said, "LORD, who is going to betray YOU?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "LORD, what about him?"

       JESUS answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow ME." Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But JESUS did not say that he would not die; HE only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

       This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

       JESUS did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Gospel of John: chapter 21, verses 15 - 25

JESUS and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

       Afterward JESUS appeared again to HIS disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

       Early in the morning, JESUS stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was JESUS.

       HE called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"

       "No," they answered.

       HE said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

       Then the disciple whom JESUS loved said to Peter, "It is THE LORD!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is THE LORD," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

       JESUS said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."

       Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. JESUS said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask HIM, "Who are YOU?" They knew it was THE LORD. JESUS came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time JESUS appeared to HIS disciples after HE was raised from the dead.

Gospel of John: chapter 21, verses 1 - 14

JESUS Appears to the Disciples

       While they were still talking about this, JESUS HIMSELF stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

       They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. HE said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at MY hands and MY feet. It is I MYSELF! Touch ME and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

       When HE had said this, HE showed them HIS hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, HE asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave HIM a piece of broiled fish, and HE took it and ate it in their presence.

       HE said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about ME in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."

       Then HE opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. HE told them, "This is what is written: THE CHRIST will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in HIS name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I AM going to send you what MY FATHER has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Gospel of Luke: chapter 24, verses 36 - 49

On the Road to Emmaus

       Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, JESUS HIMSELF came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing HIM.

       HE asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

       They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked HIM, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

       "What things?" HE asked.

       "About JESUS OF NAZARETH," they replied. "HE was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before GOD and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed HIM over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified HIM; but we had hoped that HE was THE ONE who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find HIS body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said HE was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but HIM they did not see."

       HE said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not THE CHRIST have to suffer these things and then enter HIS glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, HE explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning HIMSELF.

       As they approached the village to which they were going, JESUS acted as if HE were going farther. But they urged HIM strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So HE went in to stay with them.

       When HE was at the table with them, HE took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized HIM, and HE disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while HE talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

       They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! THE LORD has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how JESUS was recognized by them when HE broke the bread.

Gospel of Luke: chapter 24, verses 13 - 35

JESUS Appears to Mary Magdalene

       Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where JESUS' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

       They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

       "They have taken my LORD away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put HIM." At this, she turned around and saw JESUS standing there, but she did not realize that it was JESUS.

       "Woman," HE said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"

       Thinking HE was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried HIM away, tell me where you have put HIM, and I will get HIM."

       JESUS said to her, "Mary."

       She turned toward HIM and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

       JESUS said, "Do not hold on to ME, for I have not yet returned to THE FATHER. Go instead to MY brothers and tell them, 'I AM returning to MY FATHER and your FATHER, to MY GOD and your GOD.'"

       Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen THE LORD!" And she told them that HE had said these things to her.

Gospel of John: chapter 20, verses 10 - 18

The Empty Tomb

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one JESUS loved, and said, "They have taken THE LORD out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put HIM!"

       So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around JESUS' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that JESUS had to rise from the dead.)

Gospel of John: chapter 20, verses 1 - 9

The Resurrection

       On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of THE LORD JESUS. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? HE is not here; HE has risen! Remember how HE told you, while HE was still with you in Galilee: 'THE SON OF MAN must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered HIS words.

       When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Gospel of Luke: chapter 24, verses 1 - 12