Mon.’s Devo - Jesus Begins His Ministry

Read: Mark 1:12-13; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-15; John 1:19-2:25
Mark and Luke make it clear that Jesus was tempted the whole forty days in the wilderness even though we know of only three temptations. “Wild beasts” is synonymous with demons. He was out there surrounded by demons and visited by Satan, himself. Satan tempted him with three things that God had promised him already. Jesus was the stone that was turned to bread. The law was written on stone and Jesus took the law and made it life that they could taste and eat. Jesus is the bread of life. The second temptation was for power and glory. God promised him both of these things countless times. The last was the temptation to tempt God by jumping off the Temple and having God resurrect him. One day, Jesus would die and be resurrected and receive glory and honor. Satan’s temptation was for Jesus to get his promises now and not have to go to the cross. If he had done that Jesus would have been famous but the world would still be lost. Satan always tempts us to get our promises now and not go through the channels of pain and suffering which make us wise and able to hold the glory God wants to give himself through us. Jesus learned obedience through the things he suffered and we will also.
John came into his ministry preaching the coming kingdom and repentance. He baptized people to be cleansed from their sin. When the Pharisees asked him who he was, he told them he was there to baptize with water, but the Messiah would come who was much more worthy of praise than him. The next day Jesus appeared to be baptized. John announced him to the world, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” He tells them that Jesus existed long before him even though in the natural we know that John was six months older. He baptized Jesus that day and the next day, John’s ministry started to diminish and Jesus’ ministry started to grow. That was what was suppose to happen. John was sent to earth to prepare the people to Jesus and to announce his arrival. When he had finished his destiny, he was taken to heaven.
Lord, let us see our lives like John’s. We are on earth to prepare people for eternity and to announce Jesus to the world. May we fulfill our destiny.