- 2 months ago
Life of Jesus
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00:00In the days when the land of Israel was under the rule of the great Roman Empire, taxes
00:22had to be paid to the emperor. These taxes were collected by publicans, and the people
00:28of Israel hated these publicans because they were regarded as disloyal to their own people.
00:34Besides the taxes being heavy and unjust, most of the collectors were dishonest and grew
00:39rich at the expense of their fellow men. Taxes had to be paid on imports and exports, on all
00:45that was bought and sold, for bridges and roads and harbors. Taxes on axles, wheels, pack animals,
00:52ships, food, and just about everything imaginable. No one could escape the burden of taxes levied
01:00by the Romans, nor could anyone escape the added charges collected by the publicans. And there
01:06was a time in Capernaum when Matthew Levi was no different from other publicans. He too was
01:13despised by the people. But then one day Capernaum suddenly was stirred with excitement. The news
01:22was spreading that the great prophet of Galilee had returned, and was even now among them.
01:27Have you heard the news? No. Have the Romans raised the taxes again?
01:31Oh, that would not be news. This is. Jesus of Nazareth is here. Jesus of Nazareth. I would
01:37like to hear him again. I will go with you. You're not closing so early in the day, are
01:45you? For today, yes. Just for today. But why today? Well, he has returned. And I must hear
01:51him teach. You speak riddles. Who has returned? The great prophet. The teacher. Perhaps even
01:57the Messiah. Do you mean Jesus of Nazareth? That is right. I've heard many things about this
02:04man. I think I shall have a look at him myself. Come. Come. Let us hurry. Matthew Levi had
02:14heard about Jesus too. For it was in Capernaum that the great teacher had already healed the
02:20nobleman's son, driven the demon from the man in the synagogue, and cured the mother-in-law
02:25of Simon the fisherman. All these stories had made quite an impression on all the people
02:30of Capernaum. And Matthew Levi was no exception. The desire to see Jesus again prompted Matthew
02:38Levi to leave his tax booth and go with the others to hear the great teacher.
02:50We have exciting news. He's here. He has returned. The master? Are you sure? I have seen him with
02:55my own eyes. We must take your brother to him. Yes. Yes. Come in. Jesus of Nazareth has come
03:03back again. And we'll take you to him. He has healed others. He can heal you. And I know
03:08he can. If I could but see him. We had better hurry. I fear there will be a crowd.
03:25Many people had come to Capernaum to see and hear Jesus. Even from Judea and Jerusalem they
03:33had come, including some of the scribes and Pharisees who hoped to gather evidence against
03:37Jesus. Look at the crowd. We will never get to him. But we must. How? We can't even get
03:43near the door. I have an idea. I know how we can reach you. Come, I will show you.
03:55Meanwhile, Jesus was teaching the word of God to those who had come to hear him. There was no
04:08doubt as to why most of these people had come to hear Jesus. Their feelings were reflected in
04:12their faces. His fame had traveled quickly throughout Israel. He had healed many, and some believed he
04:19was the promised Messiah. Others wondered at his teachings, which were so different from those of the
04:25scribes and Pharisees. These religious rulers of Israel were not only jealous of Jesus' growing
04:30popularity, but they also resented him because he publicly condemned their cold, formal religion
04:38and their works. And he preached to the people to recognize God as a gracious Father who forgives
04:45sinners. Inasmuch as these religious rulers completely misunderstood God's commandments and did not
04:51consider themselves sinners. They claimed that Jesus' teachings were an outrage against their God.
04:57They would stop this so-called prophet.
05:00They would stop this so-called prophet.
05:04terming it is.
05:08Terms for death!
05:11They pretended to live.
05:15Terms for death!
05:22Mortations for death!
05:27Oh!
05:29It evening!
05:32Take heart, my son.
06:02Your sins are forgiven.
06:05Why did this man speak thus?
06:07It is blessed for me.
06:09Who can forgive sins but God alone?
06:12Why do you think evil in your hearts?
06:15For which is easier to say,
06:17your sins are forgiven, or to say, rise and walk?
06:21But that you may know the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,
06:26I say to you,
06:28Arise.
06:30Take up your bed and go home.
06:44The crowd was astonished.
06:51Never had they seen anything like this.
06:58This was a miracle.
07:00Indeed, this Nazarene must be the Son of God.
07:07He must be the Messiah.
07:09Yes, there was great rejoicing over the healing of the paralyzed man.
07:15Again, Jesus had shown that he had come not only to heal the sick,
07:22but to bring comfort to those who were in distress because of their sins.
07:26He had said and proved that those who are truly repentant for their sins
07:30can obtain God's grace and forgiveness.
07:33But could it be that Jesus was offering salvation to everyone?
07:37To the paralyzed man, Jesus had said,
07:40Son, thy sins are forgiven.
07:44He had asked no question.
07:45He had asked no question.
07:46He seemed to know what was in the man's heart.
07:51But would Jesus look at a despised publican such as Matthew Levi,
07:58one whose occupation had brought disgrace upon himself and his family?
08:06And after this, Jesus went out and saw this same tax collector named Matthew Levi sitting at his tax office.
08:36Follow me.
08:39Follow me.
08:56This was the most important moment in Matthew's life.
09:00When Jesus looked lovingly at Matthew,
09:03his very soul was so stirred that he obeyed the master's command and joined the other disciples.
09:12But Levi, I cannot understand all of this.
09:16First you leave your job to follow that rabbi from Nazareth,
09:19and now you invite us to dine with him?
09:22You should not question our host.
09:24After all, he was a fellow tax collector.
09:27Levi, perhaps your new teacher will protect us all from the people who hate us.
09:33The Pharisees too?
09:36Jesus can save us from our sins.
09:45I have no sin except my money.
09:48Levi, do you really think this teacher will come here and eat with us?
09:54I doubt it.
09:55After all, who would be seen with publicans except other publicans?
10:00He will come.
10:03He might.
10:04But I am sure his followers will never come.
10:08Of course they will not.
10:09Have we not collected taxes from them all?
10:12That is so.
10:13And do you think they can overlook that?
10:15The master forgave my sins.
10:20I follow him with the others, and they also follow even as I.
10:24They will all be here.
10:27My hope is that when you see and hear him, you too will accept him.
10:33Levi, we accept your hospitality, but do not expect us to accept your ideas.
10:39If your teacher does come and eat with us, we shall be honored by his presence.
10:44But as tax collectors, we deserve the right to levy our own opinions as well as taxes.
10:50I know you will enjoy his company and the gracious words that fall from his lips.
10:56Ah, here he comes now.
10:58Welcome, master and friend.
11:00We were expecting you.
11:02This is Jesus.
11:05And so, Jesus was welcomed into the house of Matthew Levi, the tax collector.
11:15Now a follower of the Savior.
11:18Except for Jesus and the disciples, the other guests that night were all publicans and sinners.
11:37The people most despised not only by the townspeople, but also by the Pharisees and scribes.
11:43And when the Pharisees saw Jesus and his followers in such company, they were amazed.
11:51Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?
12:01Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?
12:16Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
12:20I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repent us.
12:25Go and learn what this means.
12:27I desire mercy and not sacrifice.
12:30Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast?
12:34But your disciples do not fast.
12:36Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
12:40As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
12:43But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them.
12:47And in those days they will fast.
12:50No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment.
12:55If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.
13:00Neither is new wine put into old wineskins.
13:03If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed.
13:08But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.
13:13But the hearts of those scribes and Pharisees had become hard and dry, just as the wineskins that Jesus had mentioned.
13:22Completely disappointed, they could but turn away to wait for another chance to trap the Savior of mankind.
13:29But Jesus knew that the truth which he preached would triumph in spite of all his enemies.
13:40As for Matthew, he had found a new peace.
13:43His sins had been forgiven.
13:45His heart and life had been changed.
13:48He was no longer Matthew Levi, the despised tax collector.
13:53From now on, he was Matthew, the disciple of Jesus Christ.
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