Biblemerica by Jack Brackitt - HTML preview

²² 42 Mar 09:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
²³ 42 Mar 09:40 For he that is not against us is on our part.
²⁴ 41 Mat 19:03 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
²⁵ 41 Mat 19:04 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
²⁶ 41 Mat 19:05 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh?
²⁷ 41 Mat 19:06 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
²⁸ 41 Mat 19:07 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
²⁹ 41 Mat 19:09 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
³⁰ 41 Mat 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
³¹ 41 Mat 19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

55. The mental hospital

A holiday was coming up.¹ Jesus said, “You guys drive to Chicago, because it’s not my time yet.² And don’t worry, because the world doesn’t hate you – it hates me. I’m the one who tells them about their evil.”³

So, Jesus stayed in Wisconsin.⁴ But then he realized that his time had come,⁵ so he decided to secretly drive to Chicago.⁶ Jesus told some Lake County broadcasters about his upcoming visit, and they told their listeners.⁷ The people didn’t want to see Jesus, because they felt he was more focused on reaching Chicago.⁸

Teachers James and John learned about this. They contacted Jesus and asked, “Are you going to fire bomb them from the sky – like Elijah did?”⁹

 

Jesus reprimanded them: “You don’t know your spirit.¹⁰ I didn’t come to destroy people but to save them.”¹¹

 

Driving through Lake County,¹² Jesus passed in front of a mental hospital, and 10 patients sat in front.¹³

 

They yelled, “Jesus, help us!”¹⁴

 

Jesus said to them, “Pile in.”

 

The patients squeezed into Jesus’ van. He drove off, and suddenly everyone became healed.¹⁵ The men got out, and only one of them thanked Jesus.¹⁶

¹ 44 Joh 07:02 Now the Jew’s feast of tabernacles was at hand.
² 44 Joh 07:06 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come but your time is alway ready.
³ 44 Joh 07:07 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
⁴ 44 Joh 07:09 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
⁵ 43 Luk 09:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
⁶ 44 Joh 07:10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
⁷ 43 Luk 09:52 And sent messengers before his face and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
⁸ 43 Luk 09:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
⁹ 43 Luk 09:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
¹⁰ 43 Luk 09:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
¹¹ 43 Luk 09:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
¹² 43 Luk 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
¹³ 43 Luk 17:12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off
¹⁴ 43 Luk 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
¹⁵ 43 Luk 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you.”¹⁷

¹⁶ 43 Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
¹⁷ 43 Luk 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole.

Part 7. Conflict
56. Followers get an earful

Jesus walked into a Chicago radio station and began broadcasting.¹ The Illinois listeners were amazed. One caller said, “I hear you don’t have much formal education. How can you speak so knowledgeably?”²

Jesus replied, “My words belong to the one who sent me.³ If you do God’s work, all the words will come to you, too.⁴ Just stop speaking for yourself, and speak for God.”⁵

Another caller said, “I’ll follow you wherever you go, Professor.”⁶

 

“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and if necessary, you could hide in a basement tavern, or you could sit in an attic. But I have no place to rest.”⁷

 

To another caller Jesus said, “OK then, follow me.”

 

The caller replied, “Professor, my father just died, and of course I need to be there.”⁸

 

“Let the dead bury their dead,” Jesus answered. “You should get out and announce that God’s nation is coming.”⁹

 

Another called said, “I’ll just go home, say goodbye to my family, and I’ll join you.”¹⁰

Jesus replied, “If you’re looking back, you’re not ready.”¹¹ Later in the broadcast, Jesus said, “Moses gave us inoculations. And on a Sunday, you give a baby his shots.¹² But you’re getting me on Blue Laws because I healed a man on Sunday?¹³ You listeners don’t keep the laws Moses gave us. Why do you want to kill me?”¹⁴

¹ 44 Joh 07:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
² 44 Joh 07:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
³ 44 Joh 07:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
⁴ 44 Joh 07:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
⁵ 44 Joh 07:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
⁶ 43 Luk 09:57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
⁷ 43 Luk 09:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
⁸ 43 Luk 09:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
⁹ 43 Luk 09:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
¹⁰ 43 Luk 09:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
¹¹ 43 Luk 09:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

The phone lines lit up. “You’re the devil!” they exclaimed. “Who’s trying to kill you?”¹⁵

Jesus replied, “I did something good on a Sunday, and this shocked some people.¹⁶ But unfortunately, people judge according to the superficial. Instead, they should judge what is right.”¹⁷

Some in Chicago said to themselves, “This is Jesus – the one the authorities are trying to kill.¹⁸ Boy, he shoots his mouth off, and they say nothing to him. Maybe the authorities think he really is God’s son.”¹⁹

But many of the people believed in Jesus. They asked, “When the real leader comes, he won’t perform more miracles than this man has, will he?”^{20
Later in the broadcast, Jesus said, “I’ll stay around a little longer, but then I’m22}going to the one who sent me here.²¹ You’ll look for me, but you won’t find me.”

 

Some Illinois listeners asked each other, “Where will he go that we can’t find him? Will he teach the uncivilized?”²³

 

On the last day of the holiday, Jesus told his listeners, “If anyone is thirsty, come to me and drink.”²⁴

¹² 44 Joh 07:22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
¹³ 44 Joh 07:23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
¹⁴ 44 Joh 07:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
¹⁵ 44 Joh 07:20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil who goeth about to kill thee?
¹⁶ 44 Joh 07:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
¹⁷ 44 Joh 07:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
¹⁸ 44 Joh 07:25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
¹⁹ 44 Joh 07:26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
²⁰ 44 Joh 07:31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
²¹ 44 Joh 07:33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
²² 44 Joh 07:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
²³ 44 Joh 07:35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
²⁴ 44 Joh 07:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

However, people still talked under their breath about Jesus, because one Illinoisan feared another.²⁵

 

Some said, “That Jesus is a good man.”

 

Others said, “He deceives people.”²⁶

 

Some said, “Jesus is our savior.”

Others asked, “Would our savior come from Wisconsin?²⁷ Isn’t it true the savior descends from our forefather David? Since David lived in Pullman, it’s logical our leader would be from there.”²⁸

This caused a division with the people.²⁹ Some wanted Jesus arrested – but they certainly weren’t going to do it.³⁰

²⁵ 44 Joh 07:13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
²⁶ 44 Joh 07:12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him for some said, He is a good man others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
²⁷ 44 Joh 07:41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
²⁸ 44 Joh 07:42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
²⁹ 44 Joh 07:43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
³⁰ 44 Joh 07:44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

57. Getting Jesus

 

57. Getting Jesus

 

The leading broadcasters and politicians said to the officers, “You heard Jesus on the radio. Why didn’t you arrest him?”¹

 

The officers answered, “Yes, we heard him. And there’s no one else like him!”²

The politicians said, “So, he’s gotten at you, too.³ Do any of the other leaders or politicians support him?⁴ Because people who don’t know our laws are heading for trouble.”⁵

A politician named Nicodemus (recall that he met Jesus one night) asked,⁶ “According to the law, do we have to see Jesus committing crimes before we act against him?”⁷

They answered, “That’s a good question. Do you know anyone from Wisconsin? We need to search up there and stop this false leader.”⁸ Then they all went home.⁹

¹ 44 Joh 07:45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
² 44 Joh 07:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
³ 44 Joh 07:47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
⁴ 44 Joh 07:48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
⁵ 44 Joh 07:49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
⁶ 44 Joh 07:50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
⁷ 44 Joh 07:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
⁸ 44 Joh 07:52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
⁹ 44 Joh 07:53 And every man went unto his own house.

58. Michigan Avenue broadcast

Jesus drove to the eastern side of the Loop¹ and sat down at the street level Michigan Avenue radio studio. People stood outside the studio and watched Jesus. Also, listeners tuned in from all over, and Jesus taught everyone.²

The politicians and reporters brought a woman to the studio window.³ They said to Jesus, “Professor, we caught this woman committing adultery.⁴ According to Moses’ law, she should be executed. What do you say about this?”⁵ They were testing him – looking for something they could use to accuse him.

Jesus took a piece of paper, wrote something on it, and held it up to the window.⁶ Almost in unison, the street crowd read Jesus’ words on the paper: “The one without sin should shoot first.”⁷

The politicians and reporters slunk away.⁸ Jesus leaned out the door and asked the woman, “Where are your accusers? Aren’t they castigating you?”⁹

 

She said, “No, professor.”

 

Jesus said, “And I won’t either. Take a bus out of here and be good.”¹⁰

 

Jesus spoke to his radio audience: “Friends, I am the light of the world. Follow me, and you’ll never walk into darkness. You’ll have the light of life.”¹¹

 

A politician called in and said, “Since you’re making these claims about yourself, they can’t be valid.”¹²

¹ 44 Joh 08:01 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
² 44 Joh 08:02 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
³ 44 Joh 08:03 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
⁴ 44 Joh 08:04 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
⁵ 44 Joh 08:05 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned but what sayest thou?
⁶ 44 Joh 08:06 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
⁷ 44 Joh 08:07 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
⁸ 44 Joh 08:09 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
⁹ 44 Joh 08:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
¹⁰ 44 Joh 08:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee go, and sin no more.
¹¹ 44 Joh 08:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
¹² 44 Joh 08:13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

“However,” Jesus replied, “what I’m saying is true. You wouldn’t understand this, because you don’t know where I came from or where I’m going.”¹³

 

Another caller asked, “Where is your father?”

Jesus answered, “You don’t know me or my father. If you knew me, you would also know my father.”¹⁴ Jesus was saying all this, but nobody arrested him. This is because it wasn’t his time yet.¹⁵

“You will die in your sins,” Jesus continued. “Unless you believe that I am the one, you will die in your sins.”¹⁶ He then spoke to the Illinoisans who believed in him: “If you stay true to my words, then you can be my followers.¹⁷ You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”¹⁸

Callers responded, “We are from the forefather Abraham, and nobody has ever held us. How are you making us free?”¹⁹

Jesus replied, “I know you’re from Abraham. But you want to kill me, because my words aren’t connecting with you.²⁰ By the way, Abraham was glad to see me arrive.”²¹

The caller shot back: “You aren’t even 50 years old! And you’ve seen Abraham?”²²

Jesus replied, “Are you sitting down, sir? Before Abraham came into existence, I lived.²³ You didn’t know him, but I did. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be a liar like you. But I not only know him, I follow his words.”²⁴

¹³ 44 Joh 08:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
¹⁴ 44 Joh 08:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
¹⁵ 44 Joh 08:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
¹⁶ 44 Joh 08:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
¹⁷ 44 Joh 08:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
¹⁸ 44 Joh 08:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
¹⁹ 44 Joh 08:33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
²⁰ 44 Joh 08:37 I know that you are Abraham’s seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.
²¹ 44 Joh 08:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it, and was glad.
²² 44 Joh 08:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
²³ 44 Joh 08:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
²⁴ 44 Joh 08:55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you but I know him, and keep his saying.

Outside the studio, someone flashed a concealed handgun at Jesus. Since his program was over, Jesus left and walked through the angry crowd.²⁵

 

²⁵ 44 Joh 08:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

 

59. The blind man

 

As he was walking on, Jesus and his teachers saw a blind man.¹ The teachers asked Jesus, “Why is this man blind? Did he sin, or did his parents?”²

 

Jesus replied, “Nobody sinned. He is blind so the works of God might be revealed in him.”³

Jesus took some soot from a car’s tail pipe and rubbed it onto the man’s eyes.⁴ “Go and wash your eyes in the Chicago River,” Jesus said. The man did so and came back with sight.⁵

Some people brought the now-seeing man to the politicians.⁶ The reason: Jesus had restored the man’s sight on a Sunday, and that was against the law.⁷

There was a disagreement amongst the politicians. Some said, “This Jesus isn’t from God, because he works on Sunday.” Others asked, “If Jesus is a sinner, how could he do such wonderful things?”⁸

Some Illinoisans didn’t believe the man was previously blind, so they called his parents.⁹ The politicians asked, “Is this your blind son we’re talking to? How can he see now?”¹⁰

His parents replied, “Of course this is our son, and yes, he was born blind.¹¹ We don’t know why he’s able to see now. He’s old enough – ask him.”¹² His parents were cautious, because they feared these civilized Illinoisans.¹³
The Illinoisans said to each other, “Now we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”¹⁴

¹ 44 Joh 09:01 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
² 44 Joh 09:02 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
³ 44 Joh 09:03 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
⁴ 44 Joh 09:06 He had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
⁵ 44 Joh 09:07 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
⁶ 44 Joh 09:13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
⁷ 44 Joh 09:14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
⁸ 44 Joh 09:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
⁹ 44 Joh 09:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
¹⁰ 44 Joh 09:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
¹¹ 44 Joh 09:20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind
¹² 44 Joh 09:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not he is of age; ask him he shall speak for himself.
¹³ 44 Joh 09:22 These words spake his pare