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MAY 17
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come he got better. And they said to him,
down before my child dies!” “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left
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50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son him.” So the father knew that it was at the
lives.” So the man believed the word that Je- same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your
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sus spoke to him, and he went his way. And son lives.” And he himself believed, and his
as he was now going down, his servants met whole household.
him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” 54 This again is the second sign Jesus did
52 Then he inquired of them the hour when when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
DAY 16:What is a believer’s role in the evangelism of the world?

In the context of the Samaritan woman and village coming to faith in Christ,Jesus spoke of the
harvest and the need for workers in John 4:35. Jesus used the fact that they were surrounded by
crops growing in the field and waiting to be harvested as an object lesson to illustrate His urgency
about reaching the lost,which the “harvest”symbolized.The event probably happened in December
or January,which was 4 months before the normal spring harvest (mid-April).Crops were planted in
November, and by December or January the grain would be sprouting up in vibrant green color.
Jesus points out the Samaritan woman and people of Sychar (“lift up your eyes”) who were at that
moment coming upon the scene (v. 30) looking like a ripened “harvest” that urgently need to be
“gathered,”i.e.,evangelized.“Already white for harvest.”Their white clothing seen above the growing
grain may have looked like white heads on the stalks, an indication of readiness for harvest. Jesus
knew the hearts of all (2:24), so was able to state their readiness for salvation (vv.39–41).
This episode represents the first instance of cross-cultural evangelism (Acts 1:8). In vv. 36–38,
the Lord’s call to His disciples to do the work of evangelism both then and now contains promises of
reward (“wages”), fruit that brings eternal joy (v. 36), and the mutual partnership of shared privilege
(vv.37,38).
When He talked with the Samaritan woman, Jesus was performing the will of the Father and
thereby received greater sustenance and satisfaction than any mere physical food could offer Him
(v. 34). Obedience to and dependence upon God’s will summed up Jesus’ whole life (Eph. 5:17).
Certainly, the same is true for any follower of Christ.

May 17 in here.” Nevertheless David took the strong-
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hold of Zion (that is, the City of David).
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Now David said on that day, “Whoever
climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats
2 Samuel 5:1–6:23
the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and
5 at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and
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are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time the lame shall not come into the house.”
past, when Saul was king over us, you were the 9 Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and
one who led Israel out and brought them in; called it the City of David. And David built all
and the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd
My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’ ”
3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the
king at Hebron, and King David made a
covenant with them at Hebron before the 5:1,2 all the tribes of Israel. The term “all” is
used 3 times (vv. 1,3,5) to emphasize that the
LORD. And they anointed David king over Is- kingdom established under King David was
rael. David was thirty years old when he truly a united monarchy. The “elders” of Israel
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began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In (v. 3), representing the “tribes” (v. 1), came to
Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years David at Hebron with the express purpose of
and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned submitting to his rule. Three reasons were
thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. given by the Israelites for wanting to make
6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem David king: 1) he was an Israelite brother
against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the (Deut. 17:15); 2) he was Israel’s best warrior
land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall and commander; and 3) he had been chosen
not come in here; but the blind and the lame by the Lord to be the king of Israel.
will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come
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