w, working among you." His voice became stern. "The trouble is that
you do not really believe in God at all. You do not wish to give
yourselves to him. You always want to live for yourselves a little
longer. You are blind to the rule of God because you are stubborn and
unwilling to obey his will.

"The prophets tell you what God wants you to do! Have you obeyed them?
No! Repent your sin! Give yourselves to God! On this very day you shall
find his Kingdom!"

The people were looking at Jesus blankly. They had never heard anyone
speak like this before. But Philip was able to understand one thing: the
Kingdom of which Jesus had been speaking was very different from
anything he had expected.

Behind them Simon and Philip heard a man say, "He doesn't speak as the
scribes do!" Scribes always read or recited from memory the comments
which the great Rabbis had written on the Law and the Prophets.

Suddenly there was a fearful scream in the rear of the building. A man
had jumped from his bench near the back of the synagogue and was rushing
down the aisle. Insanely he yelled: "Ha! Jesus of Nazareth! What
business have you with me?"

"Let me out of here!" exclaimed a frightened man on the front benches.
"He has a demon!" In his haste to get out of reach, the man tipped the
bench over and it struck the stone floor with a bang.

"Have you come to destroy us?" shrieked the madman. "I know who you are!
You are the Holy One from God!"

"Silence! Come out of him!" In an instant, Jesus had taken complete
control of the man; as though all his strength suddenly melted away, he
dropped to the floor and lay still. A single moan broke the tense
silence of the synagogue. He seemed to be dying. Jesus motioned to the
elders and they brought a cup of water.

In a moment the man stood up. He was weak but in his right mind. Utter
amazement filled the people.

The elders were looking at one another, shaking their heads. "There is
no doubt about it. He is free!" Others asked in wonder: "Who can this
Rabbi be? He even has power over demons!"

People pressed toward the front of the room to stare at the man whom
Jesus had healed. After a while, they began to drift away, talking
excitedly. Philip did not push forward with the curious crowd but stood
staring at Jesus. Even after the people had all gone, he continued to
gaze wonderingly at Jesus. He could hardly believe his eyes: The man who
had been so violent now sat quietly listening to Jesus