and women. When the Christ conies, he said, he will give
you a new heart, and that is what you need to be really good.»
We should all pray just as David did so long ago: «Create
in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within
me.» This is nfot a very long prayer, but it means a great deal;
for when we have been given new, clean hearts we will never
again do wrong without being very, very sorry, and praying to
be forgiven.
THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST
THE OPENING OF THE MINISTRY
One day John was preaching as usual, when a stranger came
to him and asked to be baptized. John looked at him for a
minute, and then said:
«I need to be baptized
by you. Why do you
come to me?» For in
that one look something
in the strangers face
told John that it was
Jesus, the Christ, who
had asked to be bap¬
tized. Although they
were cousins, their
homes were so far apart
that they had never
seen each other.
John knew that the
Saviour did not need to
repent, for he had never
done anything that was
wrong. He did not want
to baptize him, but Jesus
said: «I want you to do it. It is right that you should, even if
you do not know the reason why.» Then they both went into the
Jordan, and Jesus was baptized.
When he came up out of the water something in the form of
a dove rested on his head, and a voice from heaven said, This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.» It was Gods
voice.
Baptism of Jesus
24
THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST
25
Jesus did not wait to talk to the people then; he went off by
himself into the wilderness, where he could be alone with God.
He wanted to think about the new life he had just begun. He
had no home now, for he had given up his home and everything
that was dear to him in Nazareth, to spend the rest of his life in
doing good to others, and in teaching them how to be happy.
Forty days and forty nights he spent in this wilderness, think¬
ing much of what others needed, but so little about what he him¬
self needed that in all that time he had eaten nothing. Now he
felt hungry. Round about him were some smooth stones shaped
much like the loaves of bread they used in that country. They
were something like our crackers.
Has not the wicked spirit Satan sometimes whispered in your
ear, asking you to do something which you knew was not right?
Well, that wicked spirit came to Jesus now when he was so
hungry, and said: If you are the Son of God, you can do any¬
thing you want to. Just turn these stones into bread.» Jesus
was able to do this, for in a few days he did something just as
wonderful; but he had been asking God for power to help other
people, not to help himself. He did not turn the stones into
bread, but answered Satan with a Bible verse which means that
although we need to feed our bodies we also need to trust and
obey God, w T ho has promised to take care of us.
Satan whispered to him again and said: If you are the Son
of God, why do you not throw yourself down from the high roof
of the temple at Jerusalem? God will send his angels to take
care of you, for he has promised to do so. They will hold you
up in their hands so that you will not get hurt. And when the
people see angels taking care of you, and not allowing you to fall,
they will believe at once that you are the Christ, and they will
worship you.» Again Jesus answered with a Bible verse. What
he said means that although it is true that God has promised to
26
A CHILDS STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST
help us when we are in trouble, it is wicked to do things that
are dangerous just to see if he will help us.
Satan now took Jesus where he could see a long way oh, and
as he thought of all the cities lying beyond the hills, filled with
people and riches, Satan said: u All these you can have, if you
will obey me. The people
will he glad to have you
for their king if you will
not find fault with their
wicked ways. Never mind
if they are wicked. Try
to please them and me in¬
stead of trying to please
God.»
But Jesus answered him:
«Go away from me, Satan,
I will have nothing to do
with you. It is written,
4 Thou shalt love the Lord,
thy God, and him only shalt
thou serve.» The wicked
spirit found that here was
a man whom he could not
tempt to do wrong, and he
Temptation of Christ went away for that day.
Many other times the evil
spirit tried to make Jesus do what was wrong, for the Bible says
that he was tempted in every way just as we are, but never
sinned. That is why our Saviour can help us conquer sin, if we
ask him; because he knows just how hard it is for us to do
right, and just what we need to conquer Satan. After Satan had
gone angels came and comforted Jesus.
THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST
27
Shortly after this Jesus went back to the Jordan, where John
was still preaching to a great many people. As John looked up
and saw Jesus coming toward them,
he said to his hearers,» Behold the
Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sins of the world.» What did
John mean? Just this. Before
long, Jesus, a pure, gentle man
who had never done a wrong thing,
would be put to death like the
lamb in the temple service, for the
sins of other people. After this
happened people need not offer
sacrifices any more; for their sins
would be forgiven if they asked
God to do it for Jesus sake.
The next day Jesus passed that
way again. John the Baptist was
there talking to two of his friends,
John and Andrew, and seeing Je¬
sus coming he said again, Behold
the Lamb of God.» This time the
two men followed Jesus, who,
turning round and seeing them
close behind him, asked, What
are you looking for?» They answered, «Rabbi» (which means
master or teacher), where do you live?» He said, Come and
see.» They went with him to the place where he was staying,
and spent the rest of the day there. Andrew was so much pleased
with his new friend that he found his brother Simon, afterward
called Peter, and brought him to Christ.
The next day Jesus started on a journey to Galilee, and his
Jesus walking by the Sea
28
A CHILDS STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST
three new friends went with him. On the way they met a man
named Philip, who lived in the same town as Andrew and Peter.
Jesus invited Philip to go with them, and he was very glad to do
so. Before he went he found his friend Nathanael, and asked
him to join them.