The Life of Jesus Christ - Chapter 5 - Jesus tells people the good news and cures people in *Galilee - Part 10
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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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After Jesus warned the people of Capernaum, he made an appeal to everyone to trust him completely.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are tired and anxious. I will give you rest. Listen to my words and believe me. I am gentle and humble. I will help you to be at rest in your mind and in your *soul. I do not make life hard for you. It is easy to serve me.”
Luke tells us when Jesus spoke these words. He had sent his *disciples to the villages. They were to *preach and to cure people. When they came back to him, they were very happy. They had been able to do wonderful things on behalf of Jesus. This is when Jesus spoke these words. He offers rest to all who are tired and anxious. The *Pharisees tried to make people live by many rules. This could make people worry and feel anxious. Or people might know that there was *sin in their lives. [That is, they did not do what God wants.] People often realised this when they were with Jesus. This could also make them tired and anxious. Jesus offers new hope to everyone who feels like this. All that they have to do is to trust him. It is also clear that they must feel sorry for their *sin. Jesus offers rest to everyone like this. He helps them not to be anxious. He also says that it is easy to serve him.
Elsewhere, Jesus spoke again about this appeal. At a *feast in Jerusalem he said this.
John 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the *Feast, Jesus stood. He said loudly, 'If anyone needs to drink, let him come to me. Whoever believes in me will be like a stream of living water. This is what the Bible says.' By these words, Jesus meant the *Holy Spirit. Later, those who believed in Jesus received the *Holy Spirit. Until that time God had not sent the *Holy Spirit. The *Holy Spirit came after Jesus returned to *heaven.
Jesus came to bring good news from God to men and women. The *Holy Spirit comes to us and changes us. He helps us to please God in our lives. Many people accepted what Jesus offered to them. The man at Gadara, who had *demons and the woman at the well both accepted his offer. But there were also many people who did not – like some *Pharisees.
Jesus came to help people who needed him. They knew that they had *sin in their lives. They wanted God to forgive them. They wanted God to give them power for a new life. Jesus came to die for people like that. His death paid the price so that God would forgive their *sin. Now God could send the *Holy Spirit to continue his work in us. The people did not completely understand these statements of Jesus until after his *resurrection. There were also other statements by Jesus that the *disciples understood only after the *resurrection.
In this section we have seen different reactions to Jesus. This is still what happens when people hear about Jesus today. Each of us must examine our own reaction to Jesus' message. May God grant that all of us here may really trust Him.
Read: Luke 8-10
Bible study: Parable of the sower, Luke 8:4-10, Matthew 13:1-9, and Matthew 13:18-23.
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