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