The Life of Jesus Christ - Chapter 2 - John the Baptist and Jesus begin their work - Part 6
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An online Bible Study course by Barrie Wetherill about the life of Jesus. This book is in EasyEnglish Level B. Use the links below for other online Bible Study books and commentaries that will help you. Or go to the Word List, which explains words with a *star.
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What was Jesus’ purpose during those 40
days?
People in the Bible were often alone for a long time. During
such times, they prayed and thought about God. Often this was before they did an
important work for God. Sometimes it was before God had a special message for
them. Men like Moses and Elijah were often alone with God for a long time. They
were active men. They changed the world for good. When they were alone with God
they learned more about him. They learned more about the power of the *Holy
Spirit.
God wants us to know him better. This is how. Sometimes we can
make ourselves nearly crazy with too much activity. He does not want this. He
wants us to get right with Him. He wants us to spend time in thought and prayer
about him. Then we can be sure about what he wants. When we do something, we do
it in God’s way. We do it for God, with his power.
This was very important for Jesus. He came to show us what God
is like. He helps us to understand God. He came to bring us back to God. We
could never do this ourselves. Jesus knows that. How could he do it? There is a
right way to obey God. Here Jesus established for always that right way. Men
admire importance and power. Jesus chose to suffer and to die. The *Devil came
to him at the beginning. There was a special reason for this. The *Devil wanted
to make Jesus do wrong things. He wanted Jesus to choose his method, and not
God’s method. This is very important for us, when we work for God.
The *Devil is *prince of this world. He rules over people. He
makes them do wrong things. But Jesus, who is the great friend of people, had
come into the world. The Devil saw this. At Jesus’ *baptism God showed it
clearly to all. The *Devil’s rule was going to end. Jesus would set men free
from that rule. The *Devil decided to fight Jesus with all his strength. He had
attacked Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Here he attacked the second Adam in
the desert. The second Adam is Jesus.
Adam and Eve had done nothing wrong. The *Devil tried to make
them do wrong things. Christ had also done nothing wrong. The *Devil tried to
make him choose wrong things too. We can learn two things from this.
·
The *Devil will try to make us do wrong things. This is not a *sin
for us. The *Devil tried to make even Jesus do wrong things. It is *sin only
when we give in to it.
·
This happens in everybody’s life. It happened to Jesus. And it
will happen to us. Jesus defeated the *Devil. So he can give us power to defeat
him too.
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2002-2005, Wycliffe Associates (UK)