Welcome back to my story.

I have given many talks and sermons and taken action, like when I cleansed the temple that the priests had turned into a marketplace for their business interests. That was my action to send an important message to the rulers, the priests, and the authorities. It was a challenge to them to accept their wrongdoing and to repent, change, and serve the poor and the oppressed and never to abuse their position to enrich themselves.

The same is true today as you read this: if you are my follower, be faithful to my teaching and serve and protect the poor, the victims, and the exploited from the abuse of the powerful people.

You may be called upon to challenge the authorities at some time, to take a stand for the sake of the victims, for justice, and for what is right and true. Do not fear, do not hesitate; I am with you. I stand with you. Your voice is my voice.

If this is your chosen mission, and you have accepted it, and if you will choose to follow my example, to share my words and my actions, you may suffer for taking that stand, especially if you challenge the authorities in church or the state, as I did.

If you are my follower already or if you will become my follower and friend and live out the truth and take the challenge, then the words below can apply to you. I spoke of happiness and sorrow. Luke remembered them and wrote them down in chapter 6 of his book.

I said that if you were poor and hungry and sad and were rejected and insulted, and if others said you were evil, remember they said the same of me and of all my prophetic friends, and you are my friend. So find joy in the fact that your hardship and suffering are evidence of your true friendship and loyalty to me.

Such experiences may come to you who follow me and live out my values faithfully and together do good and challenge evil and believe that we will overcome and win. Then you will be happy, you will be fulfilled, and it will be your reward, as you deserve.

Come again and learn more, Jesus.