The text for this morning's messages from Matthew chapter 12 verses 14 through 21.

The Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how to destroy him.

Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there,

and many followed him, and he healed them all,

and ordered them not to make him known.

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah.

Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.

I will put my spirit upon him and he shall proclaim justice to the

Gentiles. He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will not break a bruised

Reed or quench a smoldering wick till he brings justice to victory and in his

name will the Gentiles hope.

As I've tried to prepare my own heart for Holy Week and what is coming. A series of pictures has come before my mind again

and again. And I want to try to take you into that gallery and let you see what is there.

Little Lamb was born in one of these pictures, all woolly white and with skinny legs and a wet nose, pretty much like all the other lambs.

But as this little lamb grew into a sheep, the other sheep began to notice something different about this land.

It had a strange lump on his forehead

and at first they thought he'd been hit by something, but it never went down.

And even that lump might have ceased to draw attention to itself if it hadn't been for the fact that he started doing

strange things.

The lump seemed to be so heavy that he always walked around with his head near the ground as though he were bowing in reverence to some invisible king. Then he began to seek out other sheep who were sick or wounded and

he would use that firm, soft lump of wool that was on his forehead to help them back on their

feet or to wipe away their tears.

...