I have Conquered The World
“I have conquered the world.” said Jesus. A strange thing to say. Stranger still coming from a man who within a few hours would be dangling from a cross, so badly disfigured that it was hard to recognize him.
Jesus was, and is, God’s gift to the world. Why was he now talking of overcoming it? It is his love which overcomes the world. His overpowering love reassures those who are afraid of God, enlightens those who are offended by his claim to be the Son of God. It is the power of his preaching about the purposes of God that causes people to desire to identify with all the goodness of God.
The battle between good and evil was still waging fiercely. Three years ago the Power of Evil had offered to give Jesus control of the world (which he rightly said had been give over to evil) the only condition was that Jesus worship the Power of Evil. Jesus refused, quoting Jewish scriptures and saying that God is to be worshipped, and no other. His worship of God took the form of complete obedience to the things written in the Jewish scriptures and to the inner voice which explained them to him and gave him commandments. Jesus knew that he would overcome the world through his life of total obedience to God. Already Judas, one of his twelve close disciples, had gone to the temple and offered to show them which of the men gathered together in the dark was Jesus. Jesus was aware that all that remained to him would soon be accomplished and that his continued obedience would be used to vanquish the power of evil.
I am not alone he said, because the Father is with me. As the time of suffering drew nearer, the presence of God, the source of all goodness, was strongly felt by Jesus. Knowing that his Father would be faithful to him even if he died, Jesus was aware of a deep inner peace. Like all the gifts of God it can be shared without being reduced and given away without being lost. Peace I leave with you, he said to his bewildered disciples, not the kind of peace the world gives, but my personal peace, I give it to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
Conquered the world. Gospel of John, chapter 16 verse 33
Worship God only: Gospel of Luke,chapter 4 verses 1-8
The ruler of this world is coming: Gospel of John, chapter 14 verse 30 My peace I give this to you: Gospel of John, chapter 14 verse 27
Jesus was, and is, God’s gift to the world. Why was he now talking of overcoming it? It is his love which overcomes the world. His overpowering love reassures those who are afraid of God, enlightens those who are offended by his claim to be the Son of God. It is the power of his preaching about the purposes of God that causes people to desire to identify with all the goodness of God.
The battle between good and evil was still waging fiercely. Three years ago the Power of Evil had offered to give Jesus control of the world (which he rightly said had been give over to evil) the only condition was that Jesus worship the Power of Evil. Jesus refused, quoting Jewish scriptures and saying that God is to be worshipped, and no other. His worship of God took the form of complete obedience to the things written in the Jewish scriptures and to the inner voice which explained them to him and gave him commandments. Jesus knew that he would overcome the world through his life of total obedience to God. Already Judas, one of his twelve close disciples, had gone to the temple and offered to show them which of the men gathered together in the dark was Jesus. Jesus was aware that all that remained to him would soon be accomplished and that his continued obedience would be used to vanquish the power of evil.
I am not alone he said, because the Father is with me. As the time of suffering drew nearer, the presence of God, the source of all goodness, was strongly felt by Jesus. Knowing that his Father would be faithful to him even if he died, Jesus was aware of a deep inner peace. Like all the gifts of God it can be shared without being reduced and given away without being lost. Peace I leave with you, he said to his bewildered disciples, not the kind of peace the world gives, but my personal peace, I give it to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
Conquered the world. Gospel of John, chapter 16 verse 33
Worship God only: Gospel of Luke,chapter 4 verses 1-8
The ruler of this world is coming: Gospel of John, chapter 14 verse 30 My peace I give this to you: Gospel of John, chapter 14 verse 27
posted by Jessie Coates at 9:55 PM
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