Men Called Him MasterSmith, Elwyn A. (Elwyn Allen)
Religion
Men Called Him Master
Smith, Elwyn A. (Elwyn Allen)
Jesus Christ -- Biography -- Juvenile literature
Jesus' stern voice cut him short, "Get behind me, Satan! You are not on
the side of God when you talk like that. You make it harder for me to do
what I was sent to do! If I were to do what you want, I could never do
my Father's work!"
"Master, how can you say such a thing!" protested Andrew, defending his
brother.
"You do not know God's purpose," answered Jesus, turning quickly. "You
have your own idea about what I should do--but you do not know the will
of God!" Then Jesus spoke with great force to all the disciples. "I am
not going to lead you to the victory you expect. If you are determined
to follow me, you will suffer. No one who seeks worldly gain is fit to
be my disciple. But if you are willing to lose your life for my
sake--then you will find eternal life!"
Peter was humiliated. To think that the Master could accuse him of
serving the evil one!
"Peter," said Jesus, now gentle, "the people of Israel have many
needs--but I am sent to bring them eternal life in his Kingdom." Peter
sat with his eyes cast down. Jesus spoke to all the men.
"There was once a time when I was tempted to preach some other message,"
continued Jesus. "Soon after I was baptized by John in the Jordan River,
I went alone into the wilderness to pray and to seek the will of the
Heavenly Father. For forty days I fasted. The Tempter came to me in a
vision and said to me, 'If you are really the Son of God, turn this
stone into bread!' I could have great power over men if I were willing
to satisfy the desires of these hungry people!" The disciples remembered
how Jesus had refused to listen to the five thousand people who tried to
make him their king.
"But I could not do that," continued Jesus. "I remembered what the
Scriptures say: 'Man does not live only on bread--but on every word of
truth which comes from God.'" Peter was looking at Jesus attentively.
"Then in my vision Satan took me to the highest spire on the roof of the
Temple in Jerusalem," continued Jesus. "'Leap down!' he said, 'you will
not be hurt: Aren't you the Messiah? The angels will protect you! When
these people see you do such a marvelous miracle they will all fall down
and worship you!'" Jesus paused. "Do you see why this was wrong? The
Father does not give me special protection. He did not send me into the
world to astonish people with miracles so that they will accept me--he
has sent me to tell them his message of life!" The disciples again
remembered another thing Jesus had refused to do: he would not perform a
miracle for the Pharisees! "No man submits to the rule of God just
because you amaze him with miracles!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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