The Good Story Continues 3
3
RISE UP AND WALK
1In the middle of the afternoon the people would gather at the sacred lodge for a time of prayer. Stands on the Rock (Peter) and He Shows Goodwill (John) were walking together on their way to the lodge. 2Some people were carrying a man who had been unable to walk from his birth. Each day they would lay him down by the entrance to the lodge called the Beautiful Gate, so he could ask for handouts from the ones who were going into the lodge.
3When the man saw Stands on the Rock (Peter) and He Shows Goodwill (John) passing by, he asked them for a handout. 4They stopped right in front of the man, looked straight at him, and said, “Look at us!”
5The man did as they said, hoping they would give him something.
6-7Stands on the Rock (Peter) said to him, “I have no silver or gold to give to you, but I have a gift for you that is worth much more.”
He reached his hand out to the man and said, “I represent the Chosen One, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) from Seed Planter Village (Nazareth). In his name I tell you now—stand up and walk!”
Stands on the Rock (Peter) took hold of his hand and began to pull him up. 8The man felt strength returning to his legs and feet and pushed himself up on his own feet and began to walk! He danced through the Beautiful Gate and went into the lodge, walking and leaping and giving praise to the Great Spirit.
9All the people looked at the man 10and saw that he was the same one who sat and asked for handouts at the gate. Wonder and amazement swept through the crowd like a wildfire when they saw him healed and strong.
11The man threw his arms around Stands on the Rock (Peter) and He Shows Goodwill (John) and would not let go of them. A great crowd of people ran up and began to circle around them under the covered walkway named after the great chief Stands in Peace (Solomon). They looked at Stands on the Rock (Peter) and He Shows Goodwill (John) with wonder and amazement on their faces.
STANDS ON THE ROCK SPEAKS OUT AGAIN
12When Stands on the Rock (Peter) saw all the people, he lifted up his voice to give the people an answer for the healing of the crippled man.
“Fellow Tribal Members,” he said to them, “you should not be amazed at us, or think that we are holy enough to make a crippled man walk. 13It was the one who walked with Father of Many Nations (Abraham), He Made Us Laugh (Isaac), and Heel Grabber (Jacob)—the Great Spirit of our ancestors, who has done this.
“The Giver of Life has honored Creator Sets Free (Jesus), the one who served him and did all he asked. The same one you turned over to Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate), the governor from the People of Iron (Romans), to be put on trial for his life. The same one you turned your back on, in front of Spear of the Great Waters (Pilate), when he wanted to release him.
14“But you turned your back on the Holy and Upright One and then asked for a violent murderer to be set free. 15In doing so you killed the Maker of Life! But the Giver of Breath brought him back to life from the dead! This we have seen with our own eyes.
16“It is only because of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), and all that his name represents, that this man stands before you healed and strong now. You can see for yourselves what trusting in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) has done for him.”
THIS IS WHAT THE PROPHETS FORETOLD
Stands on the Rock (Peter) continued to speak boldly.
17“Fellow Tribal Members,” he said, “I understand that neither you nor your leaders knew what they were doing when they had Creator Sets Free (Jesus)killed. 18But this is how the Great Spirit fulfilled all that the prophets foretold when they spoke of the suffering of the Chosen One.
19“You must think in a new way and return to the Great Spirit to walk this new path he has chosen for us all. Then you will be healed of your broken ways, 20and Creator will shine his face on you and give you cool, fresh water to drink from his river of life. He will then give to you the one he selected to be his Chosen One—Creator Sets Free (Jesus). 21He has gone up into the spirit-world above to remain there until the time comes when Creator will restore all things.
“Creator spoke of these things long ago through his holy prophets. 22Listen to the words of Drawn from the Water (Moses), when he said, ‘The Great Spirit Chief will raise up a prophet from among the tribes, in the same manner he raised me up. You must listen to this prophet and do all he says, 23for any among the tribes who fail to follow his ways will come to a bad end.’#3:23 Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19
24“All the prophets, from Creator Hears Him (Samuel) and all who spoke in the generations that followed, told about these very days we are living in. 25Every Tribal Member is a descendant of those prophets and of the peace treaty Creator made with our ancestors. Did not the Great Spirit promise our ancestor Father of Many Nations (Abraham) that through his descendants he would bless all the families who dwell on earth?
26“That day has come! The Great Spirit has raised up his servant, Creator Sets Free (Jesus), and sent him first to the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) to bless you and turn you back from your worthless, evil ways.”
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The Good Story Continues 3: FNVNT
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