THE STORY chapter # 23
(My home church is participating in the study of THE STORY – The Bible As One Continuing Story Of God And His People. Foreword by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee. Each week, my Thursday post focuses on our current study chapter.)
John the Baptist, son of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, was preaching repentance near the Jordan River. Many came out to be baptized by John, and Jesus was one of them. The moment John saw Jesus, John 1:29, he knew Him as the Lamb of God, the One who would pay the penalty for our sin.
After the baptism, the Spirit of God descended on Jesus Matthew 3:16. Then He was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by satan. First, Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights, then satan tempted Him to:
- Turn stones into bread.
- Throw Himself from the highest point of the temple and be saved by angels.
- Bow down to satan and he would give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.
With each temptation, Jesus quoted scripture and controlled the situation. In fact Jesus shooed satan away by saying “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”
Jesus soon began ministering to the public. He specifically gathered together twelve disciples, who traveled with him: Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Jesus’ first miracle can be found in, John 2:1-11. Jesus, at the nudging of His mother, turned water into wine at a wedding. Mary, though surely not expecting this miracle, simply wanted Jesus to do something to prevent the wedding family from being embarrassed for their shortage at their banquet. The miracle revealed Jesus’ power over all things, and his desire to help others. It was not a miracle to reveal Himself as great.
THE STORY foreword by Max Lucado & Randy Frazee
Lift Him Up 