Jesus taught in the synagogues.

 A synagogue is a “house of instruction”, “house of learning”, “gathering place”, “place of worship” and “place of prayer”. In Jesus’ day synagogues were scattered all over the country. And people didn't just go there on the Sabbath day. It was open daily and people learned about the Jewish way of life as well as having the rabbis explain the Scriptures.  Synagogues were first and foremost schools of instruction from the scrolls for the boys. 

It was in the synagogue in Nazareth, His boyhood home that Jesus read the words of Isaiah and announced that the prophecy had been fulfilled.  Interestingly, this particular reading from the scrolls was the regular reading for that day.  How appropriate that it just so "happened" that Jesus chose this day to announce His mission. At first the people spoke well of Him and then later they drove Him out of town to throw Him off a cliff. What happened???  

Jesus announced to the weary fishermen to cast their nets once again to catch fish. Peter announced that they had fished all night and caught nothing. “But because you say so…”

What a compelling statement. If only we would all obey Him just because He said so!

In the synagogue at Capernaum the evil spirits declared that Jesus was the Holy One of God.

We read several times in Scripture that Jesus often sought solitary places to pray. Early on in His public mission, He affirmed that He had come to preach and not just to heal. 

The leper had the most wonderful of attitudes in petitioning God. He said, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” What a great statement of faith. The leper knew that Jesus could heal him. He asked for his cleansing only IF Jesus was willing. A model prayer for all of us, wouldn’t you say?