Follow Me

Jesus Calling His Helpers

(See Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20)

One day Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw two fishermen tossing their nets out into the water and drawing them back. He watched the two men as he walked along. When he came near them he saw that they were Andrew and Simon Peter. He watched them toss out their nets again. When they drew in the nets the fish were wet and shiny in the sunlight.

Jesus spoke to the two brothers. He said "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Jesus ment that they would be able to help people to know about God.

Andrew and Simon Peter left their nets and followed Jesus.

As Jesus went along the seashore he saw some more fishermen.

When Jesus came near them he saw two other brothers. They were James and John with their father Zebedee. They were mending their nets so that there would be no holes big enough for a fish to get through.

Jesus called to them. "Follow me, he said."

James and John left their ship and their father and followed Jesus.

Another day Jesus was walking along a city street. He saw a man sitting at the table where the tax money was gathered for the government. The man's name was Mathew. Jesus stopped to speak to Mathew.

He said "Follow me." And Mathew, too, left everything and followed Jesus.

Jesus wanted everyone to hear the good news that God loved the world so much that He sent His Son to show His love. But Jesus knew that he could not go to tell all of the people by himself. Jesus chose helpers and follwers to help him to tell about God. Then Jesus decided to choose twelve special helpers to be with him and to go out to preach and to heal.

Jesus left the city and the towns and went out to a mountain. He went to a place where he could be alone to pray. All night he prayed. He asked God to help him to choose his twelve special helpers. When morning came Jesus called his follwers to him.

"I have prayed to God," said Jesus. "And now I am going to choose twelve men to be my apostles."

These are the men whom Jesus chose to be his apostles, his special helpers--Simon Peter and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Mathew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus and Simon of Canaan, and Judas Iscariot.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948

Come and See

Jesus and Andrew and His Friend.

(See John 1:35-47)

John the Baptist stood talking to Andrew and another of his followers. They heard footsteps. They looked up. Jesus was walking near by. John had baptized Jesus. He knew that God had sent Jesus to the world.

John turned to his two followers. "Behold, the Lamb of God!" he said. John meant that Jesus was the Son of God, that he was the Messiah. the Savior. The followers understood what John meant. They looked at Jesus. Every Jew who studied the Law and Writings of the prophets and the men of God was looking for the One whom God would send.

"I would like to talk to him", one of the disciples said. They began to go after Jesus.

Jesus turned. He saw the two men following him. He said, "What do you want?"

They said, "Teacher, where are you staying?"

Jesus said, "Come and see."

Jesus was ready to talk to those who wanted to know more about God and more about himself. The men went with Jesus. They came to the house where Jesus was staying. The sun was still in the sky. It was about two hours before night. There was time for Jesus to talk to them. Andrew and his friend listened carefully. Thet asked questions. 

As they listened the friends knew that Jesus was indeed the Messiah whom God had promised to send to the world. John the Baptist was right. Jesus was the Son of God.

As Andrew left Jesus he hurried away to find his brother.

"Simon must know Jesus," Andrew said to himself.

When Andrew found his brother, Simon, he smiled. He was happy to bring, his news to his brother. "We have found the Messiah, the Christ," he said.

Simon went with Andrew. Together they went to Jesus. Jesus smiled as Andrew introduced his brother. Jesus looked at Simon.

"So you are Simon the son of John?" said Jesus. "You shall be called Peter." The name "Peter" meant "the stone." Jesus was saying that Simon Peter would be his brave , strong, and true helper, as dependable as a stone.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip who was from the same city as Andrew and Simon Peter. Jesus asked Philip to go with him. Philip went to bring his friend Nathanael to Jesus. So it was that these four friends were the first special friends and helpers to follow Jesus.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948

At the River Jordan

Jesus and John the Baptist

(See Mathew 3:13-17, Luke 3:21-21, John 1:32-34)

Jesus was a grown-up man now.  His little-boy days were past. Many things had happened in all that  time.  He had young brothers and sisters in Mary and Joseph's house. Joseph was a carpenter.  Jesus was a carpenter.  He helped to earn money and food for the family. There had come a sad day when Joseph had died. Then Jesus took care of his mother and brothers and sisters.  But all through these years Jesus knew that there were special things that he must do.  He knew that God, the heavenly Father, had sent him to helps others.  These years were the getting-ready years for Jesus.

One day word came to Nazareth, that John was preaching in the country near the Jordan River. John's mother and Jesus' mother were cousins.  Jesus knew that John was a man who loved Godand who had spent many years thinking about Him.  Jesus listened to the news about John.

"If anyone has two coats, let him share with him who has none," said John, "and he who has food, let him do likewise."

Tax collectors came to John and asked what they should do.

John said, "You must take no more money than you are supposed to take.  Eveyone must be fair and honest. You must ask God to forgive you if you have done wrong."

So John preached to the people.  When the people understood, John would baptize them in the river.  Some of the people wondered if John were the great Messiah, the Savior. John said. "No, one is coming who is greater than I.  I can baptize you with water, but he will help you to have the Holy Spirit in your lives.  He will give you the power to do right."

Jesus came to the place wher John was baptizing. He waited untill all the people were baptized.  Jesus went into the water where John was. John was surprised to see him there.

Joahn said, "I need you to baptize me. Why have you com to me ?"

Jesus said, "I want you to do it.  It is God's will."

Then John baptized Jesus. While Jesus prayed a wonderful thin happened. A voice came from heaven, sayin: "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."

After this Jesus went away for forty days.  It was necessary for him to face a difficult time of testing.  He had to decide to do only what God wanted him to do. Then Jesus began to go about to help people.  He began to tell them about God and his way of living.  Jesus was about thirty years old at this time.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948

A Visit to the Temple

On the Way to Jerusalem.

(See Luke 2:41-51)

    Jesus looked down the road from the little hilltop. Travelers moved along the road as far as he could see.

  "There are so many people on the way," said Jesus.

 "And there will be many, many more in Jerusalem for the services in the Temple," answered Mary. She smiled at the eager look on her son's face.

  The group of families from Nazareth began to gather up their bundles to go on after their little rest. The road was rocky and rough.

  Dust rose from the passing of so many feet. The people did not mind, for they were on the way to the Temple to worship God.

  Jesus walked along the narrow winding road with quick easy steps.

  At the top of each little hill he would look ahead to see if he could get a glimps of the big city of Jerusalem and of the Temple.

   I was glad when they said unto me.

   Let us go into the house of the Lord.

  Jesus was happy when the song began. He knew that they were getting near the end of their trip.

  Jesus was interested in every part of the services of the temple.

  He watched and listened. He sang and prayed. He joined the groups of people who gathered to listen while the wise teachers taught about God. He was so interested in the things they were talking about that he forgot all about time. He did not even remember what day it was.   The teachers liked his questions. The questions showed that he was thinking about God.

  One day as he sat asking questions and listening to the teachers he looked up and saw Joseph and is mother comming toward him. His mother looked worried and anxiuos.  Joseph looked surprised.

  "Son, why have you treated us so? Your father and I have been looking for you. We started home. We had gone a day´s journey, thinking that you were with us. We had to come back.       We've been looking for you for three days."

  Jesus looked at his mother. "How is that you looked for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

  Again the family started for home. This time Jesus went with them.

  They came again to Nazareth. Jesus obeyed his mother and Joseph.

  He did his work well. He studied hard. He was kind and helpful. But he never forgot his visit to the Temple and all of the things he learned there.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948

And Jesus Grew

Learning at School

(See Luke 2:52)

Why, Mother?. The little boy asked.

Mary smiled. Thet were so many questions to be answered these days. Sometimes Jesus asked, "What?". Sometimes he asked, "When?." Sometimes he asked, "How?". Sometimes he asked, "Why?". The "Why" questions were usually the hardest ones to answer.

"Why do birds make nests in the trees and why do the rabbits live in the ground?" asked Jesus.

Mary answered, "God planned for each little creature to have the kind of home that was best for it."

Mary looked at the tunic she was making. It was longer and wider than the last one she had made for Jesus. He was growing in many ways. She thought of the things he said sometimes after he had listened to a story about Moses or David. Jesus went on playing with the little blocks of wood from the carpenter shop.

He looked up."I love God," He said.

"Yes dear," His mother answered.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," Jesus repeated the verse that was written on a piece of parchment and placed in the little box by the doorway.

Jesus grew.He helped Joseph im the carpenter shop in many little ways. He helped Mary in the house and garden. He played with his friends.

One Mary said, "Tomorrow you must start to school."

How excited the little boy was! They were many things to learn at school. Some of his friends were older and they had told him about school. The schoolteacher was the rabbi, the minister of the church.

He sat on a low stool. The boys sat on mats on the floor.The teacher would tell the boys their lessons and they would repeat after him until they had learned them. What fun school was!

Jesus went to the market place. He saw the storekeepers try to sell their goods for as much money as they could get. He saw the buyers argue about the price of things. He saw the taxgatherers who were rich from taking more than the government asked the people to pay. He saw soldiers coming and going on the busy road which passed through Nazareth. Jesus thought about the things he saw.

Jesus grew taller and stronger. He learned many things from books and teachers and parents and friends. He made friends with many people. And God was pleased with him.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948

A Trip To Egypt

Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus Go on a Trip

(See Mathew 2:13-16, 19-23)

The night was still. The little house was quiet.Little Jesus was asleep. He sat up--wide awake.

"What a strange dream," he said quietly. "Mary, Mary, I want to tell you about my dream. An angel spoke to me in a dream. The angel said, "Arise and take the young child and is mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

Mary listened to Joseph. They talked about the dream. They talked about how the wise men had returned home by another way. They had heard many stories about how cruel King Herod was. They made plans to leave Bethlehem. Quickly Mary and Joseph gathered their things together. Mary wrapped the shawl carefully about the sleeping baby.

Joseph put the bridle on the donkey. He filled the water jar with water and tied it to the bundle of food so that the rope could lie across the donkey's shoulders. The water jar hung down on one side of the donkey and the bundle of food hung down on the others side.

Joseph led the donkey to the doorway. He helped Mary to sit on the donkey. She held little Jesus close in her arms.

"We will go by the farmer's gate," said Joseph. "King Herod's soldiers like the main city gate best".

Mary and Joseph were glad when they left Bethlehem: The stars in the night were bright. The road was not hard to follow. Somehow the shadows of night seemed friendly, for the travelers felt that God was with them, guiding them and protecting them.

Maty and Joseph made the trip to Egypt as quickly as possible. They were happy when they knew that they were no longer in the land of King Herod. They found a small home to live in. Joseph found work to do to buy food for his little familiy.

They heard of many cruel things which King Heros did. They wondered when it would be safe to go back to their own country.

One night as Joseph slept he dreamed again. In his dream an angel spoke to him. The angel said, "Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."

Mary and Joseph again prepared for a trip. They were happy to be going back to their own country. They talked about their friends and their families. They came at last to Nazareth to their old home and lived there.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948

Wise Men Visit Baby Jesus

The Wise Men and the Star

(See Mathew 2:1-12)

In a country far to the east of the land of Judea there lived three wise men. They read many books. They studied the skys and the stars. One night as they studied they saw a new star in the sky. They had read about a baby who was to be born the king of the Jews. They thought it was his star they saw.

"We will go and worship the new king," they said. "We will tahe gifts to him."

The three wise men prepared  for the trip. They came to the big city of Jerusalem. They went to the palace of King Herod.

They said, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."

King Herod was troubled when he heard what the wise men said. He called for his chief priests and  his other leaders. King Herod asked them where the Christ was to be born.

The chief priests said, "In our books the prophet says that he is to be born in Bethlehem.

King Herod said,, "Go and search for the child and when you have found him bring me word, that I, too, may com and worship him."

The wise men listened to King Herod. They went out. Their servants brought their camels again. They started down the road that led to Bethlehem.

"Look," cried one of the wise men suddenly, "there is the star which we saw in the East."

The wise men looked. They were very surprised. The star seemed to move before them. They followed it. At last they came into the little town of Betlehem. They watched the star. It seemed to move until it stood over a certain house. Then it came to rest. How glad the wise men were to see the star!

They went into the house. They saw Mary. They saw Jesus. They knew that they had found the one for whom they had been searching.

They bowed down before Jesus. They worshiped him. They opened their treasures and gave him their gifts.

As the wise men rested that night they had a dream. They learned that King Herod wanted to harm the little Jesus. When they wakened they said, "We must not go back to King Herod." The wise men returned to their own country bay another way.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948