John the Baptist
" Jesus Grew Up in Nazareth in Galilee, He was now about thirty years old "
at that time , a man named John began to teach about God in the desert of Judea. He told the people , " Do not sin any more, and start doing what God wants you to do, beacause God has already begun to rule as King. "
John was the one that the prophet Isaiah had written about long ago.
"Someone is shouting in the desert, 'Get the Lord's way ready for him! Make a straight road for him to follow!' "
John's clothes were made from camel's hair, and he wore a leather belt.
He ate only locusts and wild honey.
They came from Jerusalem, from Judea, and from the towns along the Jordan River.
They admitted in front of everybody, the wrong things that they had done, and John baptised them in the river.
But when John saw that many religious leaders of the Jews were also coming to be baptised,
he said to them,
" You are as bad as snakes, and God will soon punish you.
Do you think you can escape his anger? If you have truly stopped sinning , then show this by the way you live.
Do not make excuses by saying that you are descendants of Abraham.
You should know that God can take these stones and make descendants of Abraham our of them.
God is going yo judge that you are useless, just as a man cuts down a tree at its roots and burns it when it does not produce good fruit.
I baptise you with water to show that you have stopped sinning.
But someone is coming later.
He is much greater than I am.
In fact, I am not even good enough to carry his sandals.
He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and purify you as things are purified by fire.
"As a farmer with a fan seperates grain from the chaff, he will seperate good men from the bad.
As grain is gathered in barns, he will gather the good men to himself.
As chaff is thrown out and burnt , the bad men will be rejected for ever."
At that time, Jesus Left Galilee, and went to the Jordan River where John was baptising.
He asked John to baptise him, but John at first refused.
He said, " You should not come to me because I am the one who should be baptised by you."
But Jesus answered him, "Please baptise me, because in this way, we shall be doing God's will competely."
So John Agreed.
As soon as he was baptised , Jesus came up out of the water. Then the sky was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God come down like a dove and settle on him.
Then God spoke from heaven saying,
" This is my own dear Son. I am very pleased with him."
SOCIALIZE IT →