d they saw that there would
be trouble: there was a man present with an arm made lame from
dropsy--and they knew Jesus would surely heal him if he asked. The
synagogue was crowded. The people bowed respectfully as Symeon and the
leading men of the town entered, but they smiled when they had passed:
Jesus was there, and they too had seen the man with the lame arm.

"Do you think he would dare to heal him?" one of the Pharisees whispered
to Symeon.

"I hardly believe he will," replied Symeon. "To break the Sabbath law
right in the synagogue would be a direct attack on religion."

At that moment the lame man went to where Jesus sat. Instantly the room
was quiet. Everyone knew the charge against Jesus: that he broke the Law
of God deliberately.

Jesus looked at the man and said, "Will you come with me?" He led the
man to the front of the synagogue where he could speak to the elders and
Pharisees.

"I ask you," demanded Jesus, "is it right to help or to hurt on the
Sabbath Day? Should one save a life?" The men said nothing.

"Is there a single one of you that would leave a sheep in a ditch all
day long if it fell in on Sabbath morning?" Everyone knew the rule: A
farmer was permitted to save a sheep on the Sabbath.

"Well, isn't a man worth more than a sheep?"

The question was clear to every listener: Which was more important, the
Sabbath rule or this man's need? Simon smiled, but the Pharisees felt
differently. Symeon could hardly contain himself. He wanted to rise up
and cry out to everyone that these were trick questions; that this bold
Nazarene was trying to tear down the sacred Law of God himself; that
religion itself would be destroyed if he succeeded. But he sat still and
said nothing.

Jesus turned to the man. "Stretch out your arm," he said gently.

The instant the man obeyed, his withered arm became as strong as the
other. A murmur of awe went over the congregation. Symeon rose and
strode out of the synagogue, followed by the religious officials of
Capernaum. Outside, Symeon turned to the others and declared firmly: "We
must save our holy religion at all costs. He has won over the people
with his trickery, but God is on our side! We must go to King Herod and
ask him to help us put this man out of the way!"

[Illustration]

7. MISSIONARIES OF THE KINGDOM

It took less than a week for the report that Jesus had defied the
Pharisees to spread throughout all Galilee. Those who most welcomed the