Jesus asks his friends to help
(From the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 9 & 10)

When Jesus was alive on the earth, he traveled all over the area that we know today as Israel. Everywhere he went, he told people, "I've got good news! God loves you! God is making a special kingdom right here on earth!"

Wherever he went, Jesus took special care of sick people. He touched them and spoke tenderly to them. "God loves you very much. God is with you, even when you feel awful and all alone. God will never turn his face from you." Jesus' words gave people hope. He made them feel like someone really cared about them. He made them feel loveable again. And that made them feel a lot better!

But there were many, many people with many, many problems. Jesus knew that he could not spend time with every single person who needed his special touch and his encouraging words about God's love.

So he asked the men he was traveling with to help him. "What do need us to do, Jesus?" they asked.

"I need you to go to every Jewish village. Pay special attention to anyone who is sick or troubled in any way. As you go, tell everyone the good news: God's kingdom has come near!"

One of Jesus' friends asked him, "What if someone tries to give us money?"

Jesus replied, "God's love is free. You received God's love without having to pay for it. Share God's love without asking for money."

These are the 12 who helped Jesus: Peter and his brother Andrew; James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot, the one who who two years later would turn against Jesus.

Questions to think and pray about:
Has someone ever treated you kindly when you were sick?
How did that make you feel?
What do think God"s kingdom is like?
Where do you see signs that it has come near?

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