How can I as a human reach God? How do I reach the place where my heart, as well as my daily life, is in harmony with the creator of the world? How can I find peace with God when I feel restless, afraid, and guilty for my sins? God sent his Son into the world to die for the sins of all people. Before Jesus’s death on the cross, people took sacrifices to a priest as an offering for forgiveness. The priest prayed to God for them and confessed their sins.

Early in the history of the human race, people began to avoid accepting the blame for their sins. Adam, the first man God created, disobeyed God’s command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When God asked Adam if he had eaten of the tree, Adam should have replied simply and truthfully, “Yes, I did.” Instead, he said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12). Eve also made an excuse. “And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat” (verse 13).

Pilate did not know what to do. He did not want to condemn an innocent man. Besides, his own wife had sent him this message: Leave that righteous man alone. This morning I have suffered much pain in a dream because of Him. But the angry mob kept roaring, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Soon they all began to shout, “Set Barabbas free!” These Jews did not really care about Barabbas, who was a convicted criminal. But they knew that Pilate usually freed one prisoner during this time. They would free anyone else, even a murderer, rather than Jesus.

One day some Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers came to listen to Jesus. They were shocked to see thieves, liars, crooks, and immoral people with Him. “Jesus should not let these sinners mix with the ‘respectable’ Jews,” they complained. “Neither should He eat with them.”

A few hours after Jesus was born, Bethlehem became very quiet. Far away a dog barked. The sleeping town had no idea that a great event had just taken place. Out on a hillside nearby, some shepherds huddled sleepily near their flocks. Suddenly a glorious light shone round about them, and an angel appeared. The shepherds were terrified. “Don’t be afraid, for I am bringing you the most joyful news you could hear,” the angel said. “Christ the Saviour is born in a stable in Bethlehem. You will find Him wrapped in long strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

One of the greatest events of all time was about to happen! Jesus would be born to the virgin Mary. He would be called the Son of the Highest. Before Jesus was born, Mary visited her cousin Elisabeth. She stayed three months before returning to her home in Nazareth. There Joseph waited, eagerly looking forward to their wedding day. When Mary said she would have a baby, Joseph was shocked. He thought Mary had been unfaithful to him.

What is more tiresome than a dark night when you are not feeling well and cannot sleep? The night hours pass so slowly. At last you see the first sunbeams of the morning. The birds begin to sing, and everything seems to brighten. The state of the world before Jesus came was like a long, dark night. Israel’s prophets wrote that the people walked in darkness. The wonderful light of God’s Son would brighten the dark, sinful world.

The children of Israel traveled toward the Red Sea, led by the pillar of cloud and fire. In a few days they came to the seashore, with the water before them and high mountains on each side. But King Pharaoh wanted them back as soon as they had gone. He called out his army, his chariots, and his horsemen, and followed them. Very soon the army of Egypt was behind the Israelites.

The Israelites lived in safety under God’s care, while the Egyptians suffered destruction from the plagues. By now many of the Egyptians feared the God of the Israelites and Moses, His servant.

The Lord told Moses, “Pharaoh has hardened his heart, and he refuses to hear my voice. He will not let my people go. In the morning, go stand by the river. When Pharaoh comes, wave your rod over the waters of Egypt.” Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord. When Aaron struck the water, it turned into blood. All the fish died and a terrible stench hung over the land.